Packing for a Getaway Weekend

• Print this article

"People overpack all the time. You never, ever use everything that you bring."

— Allison Giroday, Makeup Artist

No-Fuss Hair

For Melissa Leach, lead hairstylist at Vancouver's iDaburn salon and the woman behind the Jason Wu and Ports 1961's New York Fashion Week looks, her go-to getaway product is dry shampoo. After all, if the weekend is about staying low maintenance, then your hair should follow suit.

"The last thing you want to bring is shampoo, conditioner and a bunch of styling product and tools if you are just going away for the weekend," she said. "Let your hair down and don't think you have to wash it. Live with your own natural texture, and if you're worried about your hair looking oily, Bumble and Bumble hair powder is an easy-to-use dry shampoo spray.

"As far as hair products, dry shampoo is all you need,"

Dry shampoo tames greasy roots with minimal effort. But when it comes to styling, sea salt spray is a must-have. Leach says forget about packing the blow dryer, curling iron and flatiron. Not only do they take up space, but they are a waste of time, especially if your trip includes swimming, hiking or sitting around a campfire. Ditto for hairspray, which will attract bugs. Stick to the salt spray by spritzing it in wet or dry hair and scrunching. You'll wind up with teased beach hair and an effortlessly sexy look.

"Saltwater spray gives you texture and hold," Leach said. "It mimics the ocean water and leaves hair feeling full and wavy."

If you're prone to flyaways, using a dab of leave-in conditioner during your shower or after your final swim of the day will leave your hair feeling conditioned and soft. You can also layer it over top of the saltwater spray for additional hold.

Still, sometimes humidity gets the best of us. But not to worry: Messy buns are cute, as are braids with a hippie headband. Leach, for one, swears by simple accessories to fight the frizz.

"Accessories are always key," she emphasized. "Headbands, hats, hair ties ... once hair is dry, you can tie it up if it's unmanageable."

Use scarves to protect your hair against the sun if you will be swimming or if it's been a few days since a wash. A scarf can keep your hair from looking less-than-stylish when it dries, Leach says. It can also be used as a headband to pull your hair away from your face or keep your fringes in control.

Skin Care's'Bare' Essentials

When it comes to skin care, celebrity and movie industry makeup artist Allison Giroday stays true to her tinted moisturizer. This little wonder can attack three major beauty needs with one squirt and allows you to leave your eye creams, exfoliators and serums at home.

"People overpack all the time. You never, ever use everything that you bring," Giroday said. "Tinted moisturizer is good because you get a little bit of color in it, some sunscreen plus a moisturizer. That way you're not packing multiple things."

Whenever Giroday travels, she opts for travel-size lotions and deodorants -- everything comes Barbie-size nowadays. Makeup-wise, she never leaves home without an eyelash curler, waterproof mascara, a spot concealer and some blotting papers.

"Cream blush can also double up for use on your cheeks and your lips," she said. "There are also [cheek/lip] stains you can get. They're generally pretty long-lasting, too."

Giroday reminds us that powder "will cake-up and feel gross" when you're getting sweaty or outside. Here, blotting papers come to the rescue of shiny skin, sucking up the oil without adding product or clogging pores.

With this au naturel makeup base, it's easy to glam things up for a sultry look when hitting up a restaurant or lounge.

"Add a smudge-proof eyeliner," Giroday said. "False lashes are always fun, a highlighter for your cheekbones and a high-shine lip gloss to take your day look into night. And it should all fit into one suitcase."

Ready to Wear

As for jet-setting fashions, both Leach and Giroday bow down to the staples. Skinny jeans, short-sleeved tees, canvas shoes, wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses all make good travel companions. Rebecca Tay, fashion writer and former editor for "Fashion" magazine, says she would pack similar clothes to what she wears on a daily basis at home, all while honing in on the wilder and brighter patterns.

"I'm all about the crazy color and crazy prints trend," she said. "I like dresses too, as they're always so easy, and make shopping easier, too, with fewer layers to peel off. They can be easily transitioned between casual or more formal occasions."

Tay also brings along her wider men's-cut dress pants to spice things up.

"I have a pair by Helmut Lang that I bought at Intermix a few years ago and still love," she raved. "I also bring a good pair of heels---these may take up some room in your suitcase, but you should always bring at least one pair."

Adds Giroday, "The idea is to keep things simple. Look for items you can mix and match rather than a bunch of separate outfits, things that you bring from day to night, if you're going somewhere."

Read Next:

• Print this article