I’ve got all these holiday toiletries but still somehow have nothing!

Just back from holiday - I bought a pack of 5 wallets/ pouches on Amazon as current toiletry bag was falling apart, and found separating it out helpful.

Bag 1 - make up - kept a note of what I actually use day to day and packed that. I’d already switched my skin tint to the summer shade, and don’t tend to sit in the sun enough for my face to take on any more colour so was alright with that. I always think I’m going to suddenly develop the ability to do proper eye liner or try out new eyeshadow combinations but in reality I wear what I always wear, which isn’t that much. Included a mini travel size setting powder and a mattifying setting spray because I get very sweaty shiny.

Bag 2 - skincare - Facial SPF, Travel size cleansing balm and micellar water (I have the little travel bottles/ pots and just decant my usual stuff in there. Enough face cloths for one each day. Didn’t take my retinol or any really active ingredient stuff as I’ve not been using whilst it’s really sunny. More hydrating stuff - serum mist/ spray, proper serum, eye cream, moisturiser. Tweezers. Took a couple of sheet masks and under eye patches too though only remembered to use the patches once!

Bag 3 - general toiletries - shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, deodorant, body oil, toothpaste and brush, mini mouthwash. After sun. (Also took shit loads of sun cream but packed separately)

Bag 4 - hair - detangling brush, heat protector spray, mini hair spray, leave in conditioner, bobbles, grips, scrunchies.

Bag 5 - first aid/ medical - plasters, antiseptic wipes, mini eye wash, gaviscon tablets, Imodium melts, calpol melts for DD, paracetamol, electrolyte/ rehydration tablets, antihistamines, insect repellent spray and bands, bite cream, mini pot sudocrem, (take my prescription meds and inhalers separately in hand luggage).

This is what toiletries I took in my backpack when travelling across Europe.

A combined conditioner/ shampoo 200ml
Antiperspirant
Sun cream 200ml (doubles as moisturiser)
toothpaste
toothbrush
Hairbrush
Tampons
wetwipes
Tweezers
TePe tooth picks
savlon
A few small plasters
condoms

My luxury items
Biolage Hair oil
Twilly d'Hermès perfume

a strip of each;
paracetamol
ibuprofen
anti-histamine
Loperamide

make-up:
Nivea tinted moisturiser
Rimmel taupe scandal eyes eyeliner stick
One neutral shade eyeshadow
Benefit Lip & cheek tint.

It seems like a lot but if you have a large-ish toiletry bag and a small make-up bag for the small stuff that fits inside the big bag, it’s not so bad.

You know your own body but have to come to mumsnet to help you pack?

I travel solo and have done for the last 20-odd years. I have never ever packed any medication other than painkillers, and plasters. And I have never needed to get any while away either. Your worst case scenarios are very unlikely to happen!

Also, even though you are travelling solo, unless you are travelling to the middle of nowhere most places have a version of Uber Eats so you can order stuff and they will bring it to you - or if you are in dire need the hotel reception will help you and arrange medical attention.

I travelled 6 months around Asia alone and didn't take anywhere near this much stuff. You're causing yourself unnecessary stress. Take what you want and leave what you don't. It's quite straightforward really

Why are you taking a whole pharmacy?

paracetamol
iboprofen
rennies
a few plasters
some antiseptic cream
any specific medication you need
any daily vitamins you take
(depending where you are going you may need insect repellent)

Then toiletries you need .5-1 bottle of sun cream per person per week (if you like to sunbathe you need a full bottle, if you don’t then a half bottle will do)
any personal face creams etc
soap
shampoo
conditioner
deodorant

You don’t need to pack for a weeks worth of being poorly and you certainly don’t need 2 different types of blister plasters. Unless you are going in a hiking holiday?

Are you having a stroke ?

Travel sized spray anti perspirants don't last a week on holiday. I shower twice a day. I don't like the feel of other types on my body

For me:
. Sprained ankle
. Painful mozzie bites
. The last holiday I went on this year, I developed an abscess

I'd be a bit cautious about taking tablets out of their original packaging. Never carry loose tablets in unlabelled bags or bottles. You'll probably be okay for common over-the-counter medications out of the box but still in labelled blister packs. For anything more exotic or prescription-only, check they aren't subject to restrictions at your destination and carry them in the original packaging, which should be labelled with your name. If you're carrying controlled drugs (e.g., opioid painkillers) then you may also need to take a copy of your prescription, a letter from a medical professional, and/or an export licence from the government of the country you're travelling to.

Having anxiety isn't a bad thing. I didn't mean it in a negative way. I suppose just take what you need daily, plus the usual meds kids might need. When I've driven through France to holiday with just the kids a few years ago, I did the same, but packed the kids' stuff as they were younger. Anyway, enjoy the trip😀

I don't think you're being unreasonable, but you probably have a packing+anxiety problem.

When I go away, I put the things I use daily into my wash bag (hair clay, shampoo, soap, lenses, solution, face wash, daycand night creams, serums etc plus my meds. If anything looks like it would run out, I take a new product. I just go to the bathroom and put it in the bag.
In another bag I usually take suncreams and aftersun, paracetamol and a first aid kit.
DS has a washbag with toothbrush and paste DD packs her stuff in her washbag. My wife packs what she needs. If we need anything else we get it from a supermarket. Don't think we've ever got anything apart from extra suncream.

Just because people disagree with you and point out the ridiculousness of it all, doesn't mean you get to tell people what is and isn't productive.

And no if it happens at night, you ride it out like a normal person

@TheOctopus stay at home love

You said in the night!

Yes I have heard of cold and flu they are virus that cause unpleasant symptoms.

Which are normally solved by two paracetamols and and a dose of man the @@@@ up!

If you have diarrhoea unless you,re travelling home, you're better letting it go naturally

Got less stuff than in that picture in my normal bathroom cupboard 🤣

You are taking all of that with you on holiday and you still have to get more?? How long will you be gone? Will you be in the middle of the sahara desert?

I mean this kindly OP - do you normally suffer from anxiety?

Im also travelling solo. So I like to know I have things for the worst case scenario (cold & flu tablets, anti diarrhoea, anti sickness etc), because if something gets me in the middle of the night I won’t have someone who can look for an all day pharmacy for me.

What exactly are cold and flu tablets, surely you just mean paracetamol?? And why do you think another adult is going to go rushing out in the middle of night for some anti sickness - just ride it out

If you get ill in the middle of the night, you do what the rest of us do, ride it out until the morning.