Travel

I Travel 120+ Days Per Year—These Are the Rules Everyone Should Follow to Avoid Overpacking

Image

Drescription

Summer travel season is in full swing—and while jetting off to your dream destination is the fun part, the prep? Not so much. From squeezing in all your favorite fits to making sure your beauty essentials pass TSA, packing can feel like a full-time job. Whether you're a chronic over-packer (guilty!) or always getting flagged for rogue liquids, we’ve got insider tips to take the stress out of your suitcase. Enter Christina Zilber, founder of Jouer Cosmetics, globe-trotter extraordinaire, and packing pro who travels more than 120 days a year and has visited over 35 countries.

While CZ calls Paris and Los Angeles "home," the jet-setter spends about four months out of the year traveling. In fact, her jet-setting lifestyle helped inspire her brand, Jouer's, mantra: "multitasking makeup that goes the distance." She has honed a signature approach to packing light—as in, she fits an entire getaway's worth of clothes and products into a single carry-on. Packing light, CZ says, "is about traveling with intention: emotional clarity, minimal baggage, and a thoughtful edit of what truly matters." Here, her rules for getting rid of unnecessary baggage.

Christina Zilber, founder of Jouer Cosmetics, frequent flyer, and packing light expert

01

of 09

Pack Sample Packets Instead of Bottles

On your next beauty shopping trip, make sure to grab some sample packets of skin and hair care. CZ packs shampoo and conditioner sample packets instead of bottles. "Sample packets don’t spill, they don’t weigh you down, and they won’t make your bag smell like a salon explosion," she explains. "Leave the full sizes at home and travel like a pro."

02

of 09

Limit Your Shoes to Four Pairs

When you pack, choose no more than four pairs of shoes, CZ recommends. "Pack a walking shoe, sneaker, heel, sandal or boot. Four shoes. That’s the law—one for walking, one for sweating, one for dancing, and one for the weather," she says.

03

of 09

Skip Packing Cubes

Skip packing cubes and lay clothes flat instead. "While packing cubes are cute, they take up precious real estate," CZ explains. "Flat and folded wins every time with less bulk, fewer wrinkles, and everything in plain sight."

04

of 09

Replace Hard Toiletry Cases With Soft Ones

"Hard cases belong in overhead bins; not in your suitcase. Soft-sided toiletry bags mold to the corners and make packing a dream," she says.

05

of 09

Rewear Your Pants

The fashion rule of thumb CZ swears by: Pack one bottom per day, and then swap tops and shoes at night. "Your pants don’t care if they’re worn twice," she says. "Change your top and the vibe to save pounds and pack like a smart stylist."

06

of 09

Start With Your Calendar—Not Your Closet

This is key, CZ says; "Plan activities and outfits before packing." Packing actually starts with your calendar, not your closet. "Know what you’re doing and dress for it every day and every night." Doing so will cut down on a bunch of extra outfits that you won't even wear and add weight to your suitcase.

07

of 09

Choose a Neutral Color Palette

When packing your fits, choose a simple, neutral color palette, CZ advises. "A limited palette means unlimited outfits because black, white, and denim go with everything and never look tired."

08

of 09

Pack Makeup Multitaskers

Bring products that offer two-in-one benefits. "Pack multitaskers like cheek and lip sticks," CZ says. "A swipe of color that works on both lips and cheeks? That’s one product doing double duty and taking up half the space."

09

of 09

Curate Your Cosmetics

"You don’t need your full glam arsenal on vacation," CZ says. "A lip oil, concealer, cheek and lip stick, hydration, and coverage in the lightest way possible will have you looking glowy and gorgeous."

Image Image

Related Post

Image
Home Decor

Great Dupes: Emily’s Favorite Outdoor Pieces

Ithink I can say that the majority of us love looking at beautiful homes filled with beautiful things that are often outside of our budgets. It’s both aspirational and sometimes a bummer because WE WANT THOSE BEAUTIFUL THINGS TOO. The good news is that there are so many products on the market, including so many incredible dupes or near dupes to give us the same/very similar look…but for smaller budgets. And I’m sure that it’s no surprise that Wayfair is the place to find them. I’m never not pleasantly surprised that when I’m creating a “look for less,” Wayfair always comes through. It’s actually wild. So, since summer is upon us, we thought we’d put together a very compelling “look for less” of some of Emily’s favorite pieces. Let me show you that you can easily get “the Emily look” for an affordable budget:) Let’s take this awesome sectional from Wayfair. It’s big, has that great slatted back detail (so it’s pretty at any angle), and I love that warm medium-toned wood color. The only thing that could be a little tough, depending on your budget, is the pricetag, which comes in at $3,199. But guess what I found after an easy little search on their site… …these much more affordable beauties!! I know that they aren’t exact replicas (which is good TBH), but they give the same vibe/look/feel. The Suvada Wide Outdoor L-Shaped Patio Sectional has that sweet wood “X” detail that is perfect for a farmhouse, casual traditional look. I also love the long bench cushions. Oh, and not for nothing, but there’s a savings of $2,459 compared to Emily’s. Then the Acacia Outdoor Patio Sectional is a little more expensive, but you’re still saving $2,299 (!), and it has the wood slate detail. This one leans a little more modern if that’s what you’re looking for. They are also both highly rated! Let’s move on to her poolside lounge chairs. Emily has the loungers from Neighbor, and as someone with an outdoor sofa from them as well, I can attest to their quality… and their heftier price tag. The lounger is currently priced at $1,475. So I went on a mission to find a couple of affordable options that looked extremely similar, and here’s what I decided on:) I love the Strausbaugh Outdoor Acacia Chaise Lounge because the wood tone is similar, and it has back wheels like Emily’s for moving them around easily. Then personally, I really love armrests, so that was a factor too:) But we’re here for savings, and boy, are these much more budget-friendly! These loungers are $1,170 LESS. You could get four and still not pay as much as her one. But if you are someone who doesn’t like armrests, the Scheiner Outdoor Acacia Chaise Lounge is so great. They have over 600 4.5 stars, and the savings are even better since you get two for $449, which, if you were able to buy them individually, would be a difference of $1,251. If you’ve been following since the mountain house days, then you know Emily Henderson loves hammocks…a lot. Emily originally paid almost $400 for the one in the photo, and that’s without the stand! So these two options are not only really cute, but they are more than half the price. If you’re looking for an EHD-approved, affordable hammock, then look no further than these two. Your summer will absolutely be upgraded if you can nap in the shade while gently swaying:) Another important Emily outdoor tip is to have a patterned moment like this umbrella. Emily tends to be partial to a bold stripe:) But her umbrella was almost $400. So when I found this one on Wayfair for a fraction of the price for the same size and tilt function, I was beyond excited. Yes, you would also need a stand, and this cutie is only $42, so done and done. That’s still more than a $300 saving on the original. Another item from this part of Emily’s backyard are those sweet folding dining chairs. I love the mix of wood and metal, and these ones from Wayfair are almost identical…but of course, more affordable. Emily’s were $300 for two, so you can save $50 with these. Every dollar counts, and these have a perfect 5-star rating:) Lanterns (especially black metal and glass ones) are another Emily Henderson outdoor staple. As you can see above, she styles them in outdoor entries, dining areas, by lounge zones — there isn’t an outdoor area she won’t try them, ha. But some lanterns aren’t cheap. Luckily, I found ones that look expensive but aren’t, AND come with candles. I’m sorry, but being able to purchase two outdoor lanterns with candles for $38 is WILD. The small one in the photo above is $88, and that definitely does not come with a candle. So yes to lanterns, and YES, to affordable ones. They just add such a great amount of visual interest and layering, plus, when lit, a pretty ambiance! Another outdoor decor piece that is super impactful but can easily get pricey are tall planters. They are so helpful in framing a doorway, an entry, a zone, etc. Emily uses them all of the time, and Exhibit A is by her front door above. Those were bought at a local nursery, but let’s just say she wouldn’t have categorized them as affordable, as opposed to these ones that I found… The white ones are made of resin and are that sleek shape that goes with any style. They also come in a few other colors if white doesn’t look best with your home. I also wanted to show you these black ones because they could lean a little more modern traditional and are such a great price. For a set of 2, both of these options are at least half the price of many on the market! For Em’s newest outdoor space, her outdoor kitchen, she chose those awesome POLYWOOD counter stools. Wayfair sells this version too! Oh, and if you love the style but need a dining chair height, they have these:) However, to save some more dollars, I found a really great option that’s $64 less per stool. And here they are! Slightly more modern but still has the slatted look and green color. I think these look great, but they also come in a few other colors! Another common dream I feel many of us have is a porch swing. I’m not sure what movie or show infiltrated our brains, but boy, do I want one someday. This light wood one Emily has is great, but as you can imagine isn’t the most budget-friendly, coming in at $2,195. Let me show you what Wayfair has:) Well, what have I been tellin ya? That wood bench above is so pretty and almost $2,000 LESS than what’s on her front porch. A total steal! But if you are worried about wood and harsh weather, we know that POLYWOOD is maybe the most durable outdoor furniture available, so while not a natural wood tone and a little more expensive, the cream one on the right has the right style look and is still over $1,500 less than Em’s. This little upper deck patio is one of my favorites, too, so I had to include it. This chair is also a favorite. It’s comfortable, so chic, and of course, not inexpensive. But that’s what’s also awesome about Wayfair, they have pieces like this one from Blu Dot, but if you want something similar in a different budget, you can find this… It’s not “the same”, but also feels the same, you know? I love how this chair is also low, has a similar metal frame, and while it’s a different material, the natural fiber also wraps around the frame. Oh, and it’s also $1,345 less than the Blu Dot one. Not bad! Hope this was helpful as you’re gearing up for the warm weather! What’s also great about Wayfair are those fast shipping times, so no time wasting waiting for your dream outdoor space. Thanks to Wayfair for sponsoring this post and for making it so easy to create a truly great space. Happy sourcing, everyone! Love you, mean it.

Read More
Image
Fashion & Beauty

Trend or Timeless? This Classic Pattern Is Everywhere Right Now (Dot, Dot, Dot)

There I was innocently shopping with one of my best friends and I spotted a polka dot mini skirt that my heart was telling me to try on. But “heart,” my brain said, “We don’t really wear polka dots. It’s not our style.” To that, my heart said, “Hush, let me try something new!” And try I did. Actually, my friend tried on that very same skirt and we both walked out of the store with new matching polka skirts. Since then polka dots have been everywhere I look, from Old Navy to Sezane to Hanifa. Polka dots are obviously not new in any way, a true classic if you will, but this version, a potentially fresh version where the dots are bigger and bolder has me veeeeeery interested in a way I’ve never been. So yes, this polka dot resurgence trend isn’t the tiny dots of yore. They are larger and tend to be more spaced out. Even the celebs are out here all dotted up (don’t worry that incredible chic set Jackie Tohn is wearing is below:))! There truly are so many incredible and cool options online that it was extremely hard to make cuts. I might even consider grabbing another piece for myself. So whether you have loved polka dots since birth or like me are just warming up to the idea, I think there is really something for everyone here. Let’s take a look! I had to put Jackie’s outfit up first because it’s perfect. And what’s even better is that not only can you obviously wear them together for a bold but chic polka dot look, they are so fun as separates. Plus, Sezane’s quality is so so good. I really love the brown and cream mix because it feels so versatile for spring, summer, and fall! It was hard not to include all of Sezane’s new polka dot items but I had to put in this button-blouse (and a few more down below and you’ll see why:)). The slight puff sleeve, the adorable neckline, it’s just one of those versatile tops that can be a little dressy or dressed down more casually. Regardless you will look effortlessly put together. And see what I mean about these medium to large dot sizes. They feel fresher which is why I think I’m now all of a sudden more drawn to them. Now, this sleeveless black top is giving sexy but in a modest way. I have one of their tops with the same neckline and I love it. It’s simple and sophisticated. But adding in those big cream dots makes this top so fun (I love how cream is less of a contrast to bright white)! Another one you could put under a blazer or just wear with jeans. And speaking of sexy polka dot tops these two are right in that category. The cuts are modest but if you want to show a little skin that option is there for you. I love the angled hemline of the mesh top a lot and if you aren’t up for the bra look, I think a thin black tank top would totally work under this too. Now, the white puff sleeve cutie is very deceiving which is kinda what I love most about it. It looks very sweet and modest but you will be showing a little skin down the middle;) If you prefer the more classic black and white polka dot look, I LOVE these pants. Some of the sizes are sold out but this brand goes up to a 3x! I really like the size of the dots and how spread out they are. These make me want to continue my journey of being a “cool pants and top” person rather than a “cute top and jeans” person:) Both “people” are great but having fun pants, whether that be a cool print or a fun cut, has been such a blast. Like, what!? CHIC!!!!! I know this style of a two-piece set isn’t for everyone but I do want to be her. Again, there’s a lot of negative space between the dots which I’m clearly a fan of, and the loose, easy breezy vibe/fit also makes the polka dots feel different. I guess I’ve always associated polka dots with 1950s (?) style which is so cute but has never been my personal style. So to see them in styles that are more current is also why I think I’m coming around to them more. Sezane? Why, of course! This is a beautiful but playful jumpsuit that again, could be dressed up or down! The draping effect they did on the bust is so cool and it’s just such a cool look. Below is the beautiful model, Jennifer Atilémile, in this jumpsuit so you can see it in action: Now let’s talk skirts, shall we? Both of these are wonderful but have some differences. The skirt on the left has those bigger dots (my fav), is a little less full, and has that sweet button detail on the side. It’s also $168. The skirt on the right is a little fuller, has pockets, is high-waisted, and is only $40. Both great! This one is of course extra fun because it’s blue! The dots are bigger but closer together which makes it visually a little busier but also so fun! And not for nothing, J. Crew’s site is 40% off right now and this best-selling skirt is included… Well, I can’t be stopped. These are both Sezane and make me want to walk around Paris popping in and out of cafes. I don’t think I have to say much because the photos speak for themselves. But what I will say is this may need to be a polka dot Easter with all of these cute options! And we haven’t even talked about the dresses yet. I mean, if these two dresses don’t scream Easter or just springtime in general I don’t know what does. The dress on the left not only has the prettiest cut but it’s J. Crew so this puppy is over $50 off! Then that linen shirt dress might be one of the most joyful dresses (casual category) I’ve seen in a minute. That blue is stunning, the large dots are awesome, and all of the other details are so pretty. It doesn’t come in other colors but this is the only polka dot option. Oh, and it’s a Boden dress which I know so many of you love:) And because we love Boden too, look at this jumpsuit! Again, the color is the best and the contrast belt + neckline somehow makes it better. I think it would be very difficult to have a bad day if you were wearing this. Ok. This one isn’t your average polka dot dress and my god is it something special. It’s from a brand called Hanifa and if you are looking for A LOOK that’s beautifully made look no further. I have a piece from them and it’s incredible. But this dress, in particular, is nothing short of a showstopper. For some polka dots that lean a little more classic, the brown dress is so pretty, a bestseller, and has a slightly open back for a little surprise. The dress on the right is perfect for a spring wedding, right? It’s so fun, stretchy, and slightly colorful. You are also pretty covered with just those shoulders popping out to say hi. Oh, and both are under $150! Both of these beauts are super classic and elegant but also versatile for different occasions. These are a little more expensive than the last two but given the retailers, great quality. And you can’t tell from this photo but the black one has the CUTEST scalloped collar (?) along the neckline. You should absolutely go to the site to see it. And here we are at the end. For those who love a slip-type of dress, I love these two. The one on the right is a little dressier and the bra situation could be tricky but if you can believe it, it’s from OLD NAVY and is only $50! I was so impressed when I saw it on the site. The other option is definitely more expensive but it looks like you can easily wear it with a standard bra and looks like you could wear it more casually to like say brunch:) That’s it for me today! Did I gently sway my fellow non-polka dot-wearing friends? Did any catch your eye? Do you still prefer the mini-sized dot?? Love you, mean it.

Read More
Image
Home Decor

The Full Farmhouse Entryway Recap + What’s Happening Next

This coming Monday we are revealing the entryway to you (first round reveal, at least), a sweet little room that sets the tone for the house. Before we show you the reveal we wanted to give you a recap of where we started, why we did what we did, and where we landed on things before the final layer. We don’t come in and out of this door as much, but it was a great opportunity to be a welcoming little vestibule. However, it wasn’t always so bright and airy, no siree. Here’s where we started: It was a great space, pretty big for an entry (8’x7′ or so), and had a really pretty door and window. We wanted to bring more natural light into the living room so we ended up repurposing that window into the upstairs guest bathroom so we could install a much bigger one. As you can see the living room was dark, and this entryway leads right into it. The paint color would need to change. The trim ended up being replaced because we renovated the whole house and the style of the trim changed. And the flooring, which was not original (a ’90s update), was not what we wanted and not in great shape. We worked with Sierra Pacific to design this window that married the original diamond pattern design that remains upstairs and throughout some other areas (pantry) with the more traditional and simple grid pattern of the double hungs in the living room and kitchen. It’s unbelievably gorgeous and brought so much light into the living room like we had hoped it would. Originally, we were going to put a wall of closets in here but that was before I realized that we likely weren’t going to go in and out of here too much so we need as much storage. We still need to add a coat rack for guests, but we just don’t need it on a daily basis. We go in and out of the kitchen door and the mudroom door far more, so this room just needed to function as a welcome for guests. I think my FedEx dude sees this door more than anyone else :) As you might remember, we stared for hours and hours and HOURS at wallpaper samples for this room, over the course of six months. I really wanted to stick to this calming Scandinavian farmhouse vibe, despite loving color and pattern so much. I love so many of these, a lot, but living long-term with one is a different story. I ultimately decided to go more neutral (which I know that many of you were confused/disappointed by) but I continue to be so happy about it in person. I suppose I’ve reached the point in my career and with this blog where I’m choosing what I want to live with over what I know will look good on camera – because admittedly this paper pattern barely reads in photos. It’s just really pretty and calm in person and has allowed me to layer on a lot of art (in a fun way which you’ll see in the reveal!). Will I someday wish I had gone bolder with the wallpaper? Maybe! But here we are now and I’m super into it. Oh, and I’m not convinced that the door will stay white but it is for now, FYI. The Bench The only furniture that this space needed was either a console table or a bench. I was open to both but mostly wanted the piece to be super special. I had this outdoor Rejuvenation bench for a long time which looked pretty darn good, but when Thos. Moser said they would partner on this wood spindle bench I screamed, “YES”. It’s the world’s most beautiful bench, with two tones of wood, the most beautiful joinery, and a better scale for the entry (a foot longer than the black one). I’ve had that vintage rug forever and want to blow it up to a 12’x15′ and put it in the living room – it’s perfection. And the light fixture is an antique that I got from Rejuvenation’s Vintage Department. It’s a simple milk glass disc with a triple bulb brass fitter on an unlacquered brass stem. It’s made for this space because of how it interacts (or doesn’t interact) with the window. I wanted it pared back and simple, letting the pattern of the window shine. How To Hang A Gallery Wall Of Art On Wallpaper?? The reason I went quiet on the wallpaper was because this is one of the few walls in the house that I felt could handle a gallery wall (and no there are no rules on an entry just having a mirror). I have a lot of fun art that was feeling odd in other places or was competing too much with the art that I already had there. It’s my opinion, however, that busy art on busy/bold paper would be too much for me in this home. So I chose to keep the backdrop quiet and let the art be more eclectic and colorful. But I know myself enough to know that I love to switch up art, especially a gallery wall A LOT. Another one of my talents is putting holes in the wall. So this wallpaper created quite a challenge for me – you can’t just willy-nilly throw holes inside wallpaper, y’all. So I found this art rail from Pepe & Carols and decided that I’d hang that, which would allow me to switch up the art on the chains. This allowed for ultimate flexibility and I thought would be such a pretty architectural detail. I chose the 72″ length which came with 17 feet of chain and then ordered 5 of the large S hooks and 14 of the small S hooks. So here’s a sneak peek into the art that we hung – via a really bad iPhone shot by me. Since this room is so small I can’t give you a better sneak peek without giving the whole space away, so you’ll have to come back Monday to see how it all turned out and how I feel about it. :)

Read More
Image
Home Decor

I Did It! I Finally Chose Fabric For The Farmhouse Kitchen Cafe Curtains…We’ve Gone Patterned

This is a real Deja Vu post for a lot of you. YES, last year at this time I did a post about how I want cafe curtains in my kitchen and then did nothing about it. You see I really only want/need them during the winter when it’s so dark outside and at the time I didn’t have the time to think/shop for the right patterned fabric. But the longer we live here the more I really really want to have these curtains AND add pleated fabric patterned shades on all our sconces (stay tuned on that one). And I finally realized the type of fabric I wanted was a small print on a relatively thin fabric and I couldn’t find this in store at all. So I started shopping for block print fabrics, mostly from India since that’s where the artisans typically specialize in this. They all sell via Etsy so I started ordering sample after sample. But the problem with these is that there are thousands to choose from AND you can select what type of fabric you want – i.e. cotton, pure white linen, off-white linen, thick linen, Duck fabric, etc. And each color of “stamp’ on the fabric looks different depending on the base fabric. So therefore this has taken forever (months) to order all the options I want. A lot of the samples had to be made and many only came in as small as a yard. So many of them I love up close, but then as you stand back in the back of the living room they don’t read as well (either too dark or too polka dotty). I also don’t want them to be too thick as they need to give off that airy casual vibe (not a forma creased pleating – I’m not opposed to pleating, but I don’t want thick fabric and pleating look for this space). I wanted to bring in some warmer tones since the island has a lot of red/purple in it and it’s definitely my “accent” color. But I also don’t want it to be too jarring as when you look at the space as a whole (kitchen, living, nook, entry) a more cohesive color palette will, I think, be more calming and harmonize better. I also can NOT decide between a more white background or the flaxier fabric. The white is fresh and the color pops off of it nicely, but the flax looks good with the wood and is certainly more warm. At one point (the day we were shooting this) we narrowed it down to these two fabrics, but when we hung them up neither felt right. From a distance, the one on the left was so dark (when you are in the kitchen it’s so cozy) and while I love that burgundy floral one it actually looks a little stripey with the repeat from a distance and I think I want something that is more fluid to offset the rectangles of the windows and the tile. So where I’ve landed right now is we all (including Brian and the kids) love this blue-green floral pattern, where the flowers are staggered (not in a line). But I can NOT decide between a brighter white fabric (looks so good with the walls and pops against the windows in a happy way) or the natural linen (warm and more casual, but will it look just dingy?). Sadly, I don’t have a professional shot to show you – I ordered the bright white sample after we shot this, but here is an iPhone shot of it. I fear that I’m drawn to the white more because I like crisp colors, but is it too high contrast? Anyway, I SWEAR I’m on it this time. I love so many of these and I’m unsure if I’m going to DIY this or hire out. And I’m happy to say I think one of these will also be our pleated lampshade fabric (which we are going to DIY here since they are going to cost $115 EACH to do – and I have 9 of them, so…) A fun process post for you today:) The holidays are nuts and even I get sick of looking at holiday stuff all December, so I hope you love a quick design update post :)

Read More