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

Definitely in the hardly take anything category. For a 2 week holiday knocking about in Europe, I'd take brush, comb, anti perspirant, toothbrush, small tube of toothpaste, hotel size bar of soap and hotel size bottle of shampoo in case any hotel doesn't provide them, nivea, some cotton wool, nail scissors, file and tweezers, glasses cleaner. Maybe some ibuprofen. I think the car first aid kit has plasters.

We do drink a lot of water but buy it on holiday. Wouldn't occur to us to use electrolytes! I think a beer before dinner does the job....

Don’t recommend buying sun cream abroad, some countries literally don’t sell it or if they do, it’s like 20 euro for a tiny bottle and it’s only factor 30. I don’t think it’s used in southern Italy for example, the pharmacists looked at me like I was crazy for buying it.

Ok- I recently did 10 days across France - city break and beach holiday.

I took the following cosmetics:

Bar of soap
Flannel
Mitchum stick deodorant
Make up removing cloth (one of those that work without product)
Shampoo and conditioner decanted in to little squeezy bottles
Tooth brush, mini toothpaste, floss.
Mini face wash
Day cream, night cream, serum and eye cream all decanted in to those little tiny pots.
Hair styling cream decanted in to a little tiny pot, hairband and slide, mini brush
Tweezers, emeryboard and nail scissors
Perfume in a mini atomiser
Suncream

Make up wise i just took tinted sunscreen, a small eyeshadow palette, mascara, eye pencil and a sheer lipstick. I only wear make up at night on holiday and then very minimal.

That all fitted in to two smallish sponge bags (I separate out wet and dry stuff)

In terms of medication I just took my prescribed meds (Pill and HRT).

In my handbag i took a mini pot of Vaseline, a small role of micropore tape, a small decanted spray bottle of Korres body spray, mint chewing gum and a pack of tissues.

Which half of the stuff?
Are we talking about getting ready for day of sightseeing, beach day or a dinner out?

what the hell do you even do with half this stuff and how long does it take you to get ready every day?!?

I have just come back from Rome, doing over 20k steps a day in impossible heat. We just drank lots of water and then had meals as normal. No electrolytes needed! Didn’t even need a blister plaster.

Oh I see. Got it 😊

Yes but you said OP should take some to avoid that situation. But that situation is now irrelevant because of translating apps.

Wow. I thought I took too much on holiday. This has made me feel better, sorry!

For organisation use sandwich bags. And yes to removing items fro
boxes.

Painkillers
first aid
suncream
body lotions
shampoo/ conditioner
shower gel/soap
toothpaste and brushes

When it’s just myself or dh, I only bring a few of each o/c pills, and plasters, etc. I have a selection, but only small amounts - enough to manage until I get to a pharmacy. With dc I travel with a full box of plasters, a bottle of calpol and saline sachets if we’re going to a beach.

The biggest volume items I bring are sunblock and hair conditioner. I don’t style my hair on holiday, so I don’t use a lot of product, just lots of conditioner to make up for the pool and sea salt.

Generally I’ve found that each holiday has a different problem, that doesn’t repeat. We usually self cater, and I bring basic kitchen ingredients like salt, sugar, oil, bicarb, vinegar which can all be repurposed for minor first aid.

In fairness I routinely need plenty of painkillers. I have a knee which is now minus any cartilage and I get migraines. I only take a few of each though. They aren’t so much more expensive in Europe that I feel the need for insurance amounts.

Yes it exists NOW! Not 20yrs ago.

I had my pocket translation book but the closest it offered was 'I have a vaginal infection' 😬

This thread is giving me life today. I'm trying to work out what the opposite of packing is to try to win the packing light competition. Maybe take off an item of clothing and give it to people in the street until totally starkers? Whilst drinking water/coke/beer, obviously.

Toothbrush and toothpaste, prescription meds. Sunscreen. Maybe paracetamol and insect repellent. That's about it

20,000 is a 2 hour walk.
Perfectly doable.

Full fat coke works fine instead of electrolytes. I go hill walking and end a 6 hour hike on a hot day with a can of coke. Then a beer. Never needed anything else even in 30°+ in Sardinia.

Loving the variety on this thread, from those going abroad with half of Boots to those stubbornly insisting they only need half a bar of soap and one sock. The high ground of the I-Pack-Light brigade must be dizzying!
Also love the idea of being able to walk 20,000 in two hours.
This thread gives and gives.
OP, just drink some bloody water and pack one paracetamol and half a pair of knickers, sheesh, no need to be such a diva...

People aren't refusing to acknowledge the fact you're going alone. People are pointing out you're being ridiculous.
You're going to Europe. Not the bloody Antarctic.

Other people just use their body wash to clean the bikini and tie it to the balcony or shower. You don’t need special clips for that.

You could also use the laundry clips as bag clips too I don’t see why you’d need both products. It just baffles me that you need that much stuff.