Beauty In A Bag or, "I Don't Come Cheap"

The "stuff" separated by category - bathing, hair, make-up, etc. $650. That's approximately how much it costs me to greet the day if you add up each and every one of the products I use. From Aveda shampoo to Bare Minerals make-up, my Chi hair dryer to my BaByBliss Pro Titanium flat iron, q-tips to toothpaste and shower gel to hand lotion... Add it all up it and it totals just about $650.00. 

Want to know how I know this?

Blair has been on my case for some time (read: years) to prepare a grab-n-go travel bag. He has a small one that contains, maybe, $20 worth of products. CVS hairbrush, travel toothbrush/paste/mouthwash, cologne, deodorant, and shampoo. Whether we head out for the weekend or fly to Egypt for a month, he grabs his little black travel bag and boom--he's ready to go. 

Make-up. Not so bad, right?Me, on the other hand...

Let's just say I require a little more attention in the morning. What can I say? I like my stuff. And I have a lot of it. Which was my argument to Blair every time he suggested I put together a travel bag. "Do you have any idea what that would cost?" I'd ask. "Plus, it's not like mascara and all that stuff stays good forever. We'd have to constantly replace it. It would be a waste of money." 

Hair care. Okay, needs work. But in my defense, I have REALLY curly unruly hair...Still, when we did our New Year's goals this year, Blair insisted "make a travel bag" go on my list. "I don't care what it costs," he insisted. "Won't it be worth it to just grab a bag and know you've got everything you need in one place?"

I admit, the idea holds appeal. I hate packing up all my liquids and gels, wondering if I forgot something. Plus, if I want to work out in Greensboro and shower at the gym or a friend's house, how wonderful to just be able to grab a bag with absolutely everything in it. 

"I'm in," I said. Which is how we found ourselves making the rounds this weekend between CVS, Sally's Beauty Supply Store, Aveda salon, and Ulta. 

My (ahem!) "little" black bagPeople--I won't lie. We did some damage to the credit cards. Not $650 worth, but they took a hit. I got duplicate products of almost everything I use, from eye liner to my hairbrush to facial cleansing products. This morning came the daunting task of pulling them all together. 

"I'm going to need to hire out a bus to drag all this crap around," was my initial thought as I looked at the array of products strewn across our bed. As I began to consolidate, however, my thoughts changed to, "How can just these few things equal the amount of money we spent on them??" 

I got almost everything into one TIGHTLY packed black bag that weighs as much as one of our cats. A few bigger products like the hair dryer, round brush and flat iron are in a separate compartment in my gym bag. But I think I may now actually possess the potential to pick up the bag--a la Blair--and walk out the door confident in the knowledge that I could, if required, spruce up for a formal Voila! The finished product.dinner at the White House on demand. 

Of course, I have yet to put my little black bag to the test. That may happen this week when I shower at the gym in Greensboro for no other reason than to see if I forgot anything. 

I'm still not convinced I'll ever be as travel-light as Blair or even, say, Lady Gaga, but darn it, I'm doing the best that I can. ;)

Cheers,

Dena