Best products from r/HerOneBag

Thank you so, so much. This is all SO helpful.

I found this in my online research, written by a woman who apparently lived there for a while. Putting what she says together with your insights really helped me finally grasp what I think I need to be wearing (please let me know if you think I’ve misinterpreted anything here):

• not only does my bottom need to be covered, but my crotch in the front as well. We should be pretending that part of my body doesn’t exist.
  
  
• the scarf is for hiding any evidence of boobs
  
  
• covering arms and legs is for the purpose of desexualizing me as much as possible. Same with neckline. I am an object of temptation to men and the more invisible I am in that regard, the happier I’ll be.
  
  
• leggings are fine as long as they cover my calves and my crotch/butt is covered
  
  I forgot to mention: the family were staying with is considered part of the socioeconomic “1%”. I will DEFINITELY bring a gift - I’m glad you said that because it wasn’t on my radar. I’ll ask my friend (lives here, from there) what’s appropriate. I know I will be fitted for wedding attire upon arrival. Is there any significant difference in dress that you know of that might be applicable if I am going to be with a family of high stature there?
  
  I looked around amazon and found some very plain, simple linen/cotton kurtis that I think I could wear over leggings and reuse at home as beach cover-ups and such. Does that sound like a good plan? Something like this or this ? Then I’ll follow the hosts’ lead on what I should buy there.
  
  Same with the kiddo: I’m having trouble finding kids’ kurtis, but I’m sure I can at least find a couple of maxi dresses she can wear with leggings until we shop for something local for her.
  
  Sturdy sandals, nothing expensive, preferably with a bit of platform: do I need to avoid leather?
  
  I can’t thank you enough for all your help and guidance. You’re a godsend. My friend here whose family were staying with there is an amazing friend and man, but he’s a MAN and also he has ADD (not hating, everyone in my family, myself included, does, too, so I’m just highly aware of the potential communication breakdowns), so I don’t trust his awareness of these issues and his recall of what he has and hasn’t told me about.

Short lady here! I'm 5'2" with slope-y shoulders.

There is an Osprey Fairview 40 if you want to get a smaller version of the one you own. However it's still 40 and I believe from seeing it in person it would be a tight fit under a seat. Would definitely fit carry-on regulation but not under the seat easily.

I'm a big fan of the Kelty Redwing 32. I have a 40L version of this bag and its been all over the world with me, but it's discontinued. This new one I've tried out in store and some friends have it; it's more comfortable than mine. Has tons of pockets, isn't too tall, and easily makes a carry-on size. I'd say if you can try it out for fit it's a good idea, because the redwing I had was more Unisex so it was a little wider. This one is more for women so I think it fits better on us.

I also love the Gregory packs - the lumbar support is incredible and is easily the most comfortable bag I've owned. I have used the Gregory J 38 for trips. I think there is a newer version than the one I own. Problem with it is that because it has a taller load if it's too full some airlines may give you hassle, but I have never checked it for its size.

The Gregory and Kelty have those non-detachable hip belts, so you'd have to be ok with that - but when I travel I usually am hiking or walking long distances and so I prefer to not have that weight on my shoulder. The ones you show are much sleeker. Of the 3 bags I suggested would pick the Kelty or Osprey since they are the smallest and pass a little more for a town backpack over the hiking-style of the Gregory.

Good luck in your search!

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I mainly use two different kinds for different areas. I've come up with this after multiple trial/errors.

For my face & armpits I use Gigi Brazillian Bikini Hard Wax - Microwaveable by Sally's. It doesn't require strips, and actually grips & removes my stubborn hairs. Plus I like that I can just microwave it, use what I need, put the cap back on. I'd say the little jar will last me about 6 months - so that's $2/month if you break it down that way.

For my legs I use Clean & Easy Roll-on Waxing system that I initially got at Sally's a long time ago, but I don't think they sell them anymore. I love the roll-on system for this. It makes fast work of my larger areas. While I normally don't wax my arms, if I wanted to, this is how I would do it. This system requires wax ($20 for 6 cartridges; 1 cartridge will do both FULL legs), plus strips ($10/a lot? I use 5-6 per session). I prefer the muslin strips over the ones that came with this system.

I get my brazilian done professionally. I've tried countless times to do it myself, and I can do a nice bikini wax at home, but I find that I just need a third hand to go full brazilian. I think I spend $60 every 6 weeks at my health club to get it done. I justify it b/c I don't get my nails done, nor my hair styled etc. So I figure it's my form of monthly "pampering."

I also get my eyebrows done every once in awhile to make sure they stay in 'shape'. I do have to pluck every 2-3 days for the rogue lash, but I like to make sure that I get them done so they look even etc. Basically she styles them, then I maintain them, if that makes sense. And yes, it's the same Chick as my brazilian. She is AMAZING. Seriously, if you are considering going the professional route, shop around, get references etc. It took me maybe 5 different attempts before I found my esthetician. I LOVE her. She knows what I'm looking for, how I like my brows, how often I need to be seen for my brazilian, etc. Now that I've found her, I probably won't go anywhere else to get work done. I can't underline this enough - once you found someone that jives with you, plus does the job you like - stick with them.

I sort of found the right bra. I got the Calvin Klein Lightly Lined Demi. It's not quite a pushup, and the padding is fairly thin. You can see it's a foamy translucent material. You can certainly tell if I'm cold while I'm wearing it if I don't wear a thicker top. I first tried wearing it with Dimrs underneath, but found that to be very uncomfortable. The bra by itself was very comfortable, and the underwire definitely gave me the support and definition I wanted. It's almost perfect. I wish it had push-up padding, but for a travel bra it is great. I even bought it in black for significantly cheaper at Century21 in NYC during a short trip. It dries in about 2-3 hours after washing too, which is great.

The Ibex Balance Brief is great! I took two on a two week trip, and didn't have any problems. I'll get a third for next trip so I don't feel as pressured to get home and wash at the end of the night if I have a lot going on any specific day.

Subscribing for other tips. I travel a bit for work so here are some tricks I use:

Pack a travel microfiber towel-you can get these hand towel sized and they do a wonderful job drying my hair. You might run into issues with size if your hair is super long (mine is just past shoulder length and this towel gets me by). and they dry super fast and pack small.

You can buy a collapsible travel diffuser. I love this one and use it for both home and travel. It collapses up well and is lightweight. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XRXV18M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

When my hair routine once required more products than I currently use, I would actually mix them in travel containers in the ratio I applied them to my hair. It reduced the number of containers needed. (i.e. 2 different kinds of gels or a gel and a cream). It got me by on trips, not but wasn't ideal for everyday.

Look into 1 oz travel containers like this set: https://www.amazon.com/Travel-Smart-Bottle-Set/dp/B004HCECVA/ref=sr_1_3?crid=147WPEO7PKDBI&keywords=1+oz+travel+bottles&qid=1556731206&s=hpc&sprefix=1+oz+travel+%2Chpc%2C179&sr=1-3

Also I've found that TSA approved clear bags pack more stuff better than a ziplock quart bag.

I use ACV for other skin care needs, so I pack a 3 oz bottle which can double as a cleansing agent when I'm on the go. This was I can get by without my deva curl build up buster for a week or two.

If you are looking to save space on liquids, look into leaving other non-hair products at home (hotel shower gel works just fine) or investing in solid bars for other products (face wash and body soap).

A silk scarf that can be used at night and double as an accessory during the day.

Shoes are my biggest issue too! I don’t know why but i always CONVINCE myself that I need more pairs than I actually do. I’m packing for a year long trip rn and I have about 6 pairs 😅 All brown too, I know I need to narrow it down.
I do minimal make up every day so I have supplies for that.

I don’t carry foam rollers anymore, but back when I curled my hair overnight more often I used these soft curlers that didn’t take up a lot of room. I travelled frequently with those and a bonnet (lol)

Circle skirts & boat neck tops sound like an amazing and really standard “uniform” that you can play around a lot with. I think it’s a way to wear vintage in a very simple and timeless style. Would love to see a packing layout when you’re finished with everything!

Eagle Creek are supposed to be the best, but there are lots of really inexpensive options on Amazon that work well too. It might be worth at least starting with a cheaper option to see what size combinations work best for you. The combo-size packs aren't always the most useful. For instance, I found I have no use for the large sized cubes—they're just way too big. Three slim cubes are plenty for me for long trips (4+ weeks) in warm weather (similar to these) and two slims are enough for any trips shorter than that. Longer winter trips I use one medium cube + one slim (I need a bit more width for sweaters & heavier fabrics). The mediums are quite large and fit a LOT of clothing though.

There are also compression options too. I've heard great things about Eagle Creek's compression cubes, but I don't use compression cubes so I haven't tried them personally.

Hello! I'm pretty late in replying to this, but I've got hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) and can relate a lot.

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-Deodorant: I recommend Mitchum Clinical Soft Solid in Powder Fresh https://www.amazon.com/Mitchum-Clinical-Solid-Powder-Deodorant/dp/B0105U8WZO/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1538482174&sr=8-3&keywords=mitchum+soft+solid+powder+fresh It's the only deodorant I've found that helps reduce sweating (swipe it on the underboob to help there too!) and keeps you smelling fresh all day. It comes in a 1.6 oz size that I find can last me a month with once a day usage.

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-Exfoliation!!! Get yourself an exfoliating glove and use it every few days to exfoliate under your arm pits and around your bra line. This makes a huge difference for me in how smelly I get. I can get a few days of (rotating) use out of each bra if I'm regularly exfoliating.

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-Give in and wear a lot of black and white. They show sweat less. That or go with patterned stuff that disguises your sweat patches. It helps if you have stuff that's really breathable and dries well; linen, loose-weave cotton, wool, and even some polyesters will do the trick. Try it on your body. If it feels too warm at home or in the dressing room, you're going to sweat like hell out in public. Even better, bring a small water bottle into the dressing room with you and flick a few droplets on the fabric and see how much the sweat shows. Some things I sweat a lot in but you can't tell at all. Some things I barely sweat in and you can see from a mile away.

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-Try to figure out sweating triggers. I know caffeine makes me sweat more, so if I've got something I need to look put-together for, I'll skip the coffee that morning.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07C8M6PZJ/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1but the stuff bag it comes with is useless, you have to get another stuff bag to stuff the coat into. this coat is lightweight and warm!

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but slightly even more lightweight and less bulky and prettier than above, but not as warm as above, is the 32 degrees coat https://www.amazon.com/32-DEGREES-Womens-Hooded-Packable/dp/B07HJC4GQQ/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=32+degrees+coat&qid=1555000372&s=gateway&sr=8-8

the stuff bag that comes with is good!

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i love the 32 degrees jackets and wear them daily. https://www.amazon.com/32-DEGREES-Womens-Weight-Packable/dp/B07H5W59YH/ref=sr_1_18?keywords=32%2Bdegrees%2Bjacket&qid=1555000424&s=gateway&sr=8-18&th=1

the stuff bag that comes with is good!

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amazon essentials also has jackets but i hated the fit.

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32 degrees also has their own website often with cheaper prices than amazon!