Summertime calls for long weekend trips, short getaways and proper beach vacations. That is to say, this is prime travel season. You might even have some work trips on the calendar as well. Which means you need to have a fully-packed dopp kit ready to go at all time. That way, you can just throw it in your carry-on and hit the road.
Whatever you want to call it—a toiletry bag, wash bag, dopp kit—it should be personalized to your needs. The grooming gear you rely on daily should all be accounted for. And you don’t need us to tell you to stash some toothpaste and razors in there. But to make sure you’ve got everything you need and a few underrated items that you might be forgetting, we tapped an expert: Kristan Serafino, the celebrity groomer who ensures that leading men like Ryan Reynolds, Jake Gyllenhaal and Richard Gere look their best at all times. She herself is constantly on the road, and also setting her clients up with effective products that she’s tested or developed herself, like her popular hair paste. She helped us pack the perfect summer dopp kit and we’ve also got some suggestions for bags as well, in case you’re in the market for a new one.
A Facial Exfoliator
Face wash is essential, but an exfoliator will remove that barrier of dead skin that clogs pores and traps sweat and sunblock. It helps skin breathe and uncovers the fresh new cells below. Exfoliating also helps open the way for moisturizing products to penetrate deeply into the skin.
Ultra-Light SPF 30 moisturizing lotion, $19.99 / $12.99 by CeraVe
An SPF Moisturizer
Especially this time of year, you want to make sure you are always applying sun protection. A double-action moisturizer like this one from CeraVe is gentle for all skin types, provides full spectrum protection from UVA/UVB rays and can also double as sunblock for the rest of your body in a pinch.
After Sun Lotion
This is a product that you don’t want to have to buy when you need it—you should have it on hand. For yourself or a loved one. Because the key to lessening the pain of a sunburn is proper after care. This calming lotion is packed with aloe, cocoa butter and jojoba seed oil to not only treat post-sun redness but also preserve a tan.
Clear Complexion blotting linens, $9.99 by Boscia
Blotting Papers
These don’t seem necessary until you witness how effective they are. Especially if you’re traveling for work and want to show up looking cool, collected and sweat-free. Serafino uses these handy sheets to sop up excess skin oils, and perspiration while minimizing the look of pores. Just press and peel around your forehead and nose and look more handsome in less than 30 seconds.
Cedar Flora deodorant stick, $26 by Corpus
A Better Deodorant
If you have a favorite deodorant already, toss it in your Dopp kit, but if you want to upgrade, this advanced water-based gel formula has naturally-derived enzymes and skin-friendly plant extracts to eliminate body odor. And unlike most deodorants, it has a sophisticated and nuanced fragrance.
Redness relieving eye drops, $21.48 / $20.41 by Lumify
Eye Drops
Between the travel, disrupted sleep and extra drinks, your eyes might be a little dry, red and irritated. The added sun probably doesn’t help either. Use these non-habit-forming eye drops to whiten and brighten your eyes, while minimizing that dry, burning sensation. How does she apply drops? Aim for the outer corner of the eye, and create a pocket for the drops by pulling down the lower lid slightly.
Eye Patches
Traveling also makes eyes look tired and puffy. If you want to show up looking refreshed, these cooling gel patches address bags, fine lines and dark circles. Bakuchiol, nature’s gentler retinol alternative, smooths fine lines, while caffeine depuffs and brightens the area around the eyes. Her pro tip? “Any remaining gel left on the skin once the mask has been removed can be used on the tough skin around the nails.”
An Easy Hair Product
Your summer hair already has to deal with heat and humidity. You don’t need a heavy or sticky hair product. Serafino actually developed this paste herself, to achieve a natural shine finish with lots of texture and a medium, natural hold. She says when applying hair paste, “be sure to apply back to front then front to back. Applying directly to the front leaves hair weighed down along the hairline.”
Lip Balm
Aquaphor is a holy grail, tried-and-true grooming product and should be stocked in every guy’s travel kit. Apply it on your lips to keep them hydrated, of course, but it has endless uses. It’s a moisturizer for extra dry spots, it can help heal wounds, tame wild eye brows and prevent blisters when breaking in new shoes. Don’t leave home without it.
Hand Sanitizer
When you’re on the road, your trusty hand sanitizer not only keeps germs and viruses away, but a spray bottle like this will come in handy in other ways too. It allows you to spritz the tray table on the plane or a hotel remote, while the alcohol-based formula also works to clean sunglasses and alleviate itchiness from a bug bite, too.
Extras: Don’t forget the pain reliever, condoms, mints, earplugs, matches and a safety pin.