Starting at 4 years old, traveling has been part of my life. My parents prioritized travel and so have I as an adult. It’s education, entertainment, and therapy all baked into one activity. So with so much travel, it’s become vital to optimize one’s toiletry bag. Having worked in retail, I have also gone through a large number of men’s toiletry products.

It’s easy to get carried away and bring everything under the sink. But one needs to remember the Swedish word for toiletry bag, necessär, which pretty much translates into “necessary bag”. That is, just for necessary items…NOT everything you have in your bathroom.

That said, let’s start with the toiletry bag. I’ve gone through so many variations and styles throughout the year, both freebies and purchased ones. The one I have settled on is the (size small) Black Hole cube from Patagonia. It’s made from recycled plastics, it’s the perfect size, and very durable. When I say perfect size, it actually keeps me from bringing some stuff. Some people might consider it too small, but I love that it forces me to only bring the necessities.

As you can see, I can’t zip it closed. But that is because I just got back from a trip and had used up my travel sized toothpaste and cologne. Normally, it zips closed. So what are those items in my toiletry bag?

Razor: An rechargeable electric Panasonic – I’ve had three different Panasonic razors and they are all better than the other big brands.

Toothpaste: Nothing but Sensodyne Pronamel – to me, most toothpastes are the same, but I use Pronamel strictly because of the tube. I just love this tube and cap design. The pic shows the Sam’s Club size tube, but when I travel, I get the smaller tube from the drug store.

Toothbrush: Honestly, most toothbrushes are the same, despite all the marketing lingo claiming all kind of advancements. The one that stuck with me recently is the charcoal coated Colgate. Not that I think the charcoal does anything miraculously, but I like the size, color and comfort.

Face lotion: Newest item in my bag is Clinique Oil Control Mattifying Moisturizer – I have an oily face, this is great at moisturizing without making my face shiny.

After shave lotion: YSL L’Homme – my wife bought me this and I totally love it. So soothing, and the scent is just right. Sometimes if my neck is dry, I actually use it regardless if I have shaved or not.

Cologne: I don’t always bring cologne when I travel, specially if it’s a ski vacation. Anyway, I had my wife go to Nordstrom to pick the men’s cologne she liked the best. This is her choice, YSL L’Homme, and fortunately I love it too. This bottle is big, so I try not to bring it when traveling, but sometimes I go and ask for a little sample vial of it to better fit my toiletry bag.

Eye cream: Something that I can’t travel without is eye cream. Working in air conditioning and staring at a screen most of the day is bad for eyes. And mine gets a beating. There’s no way around it. Fortunately, eye cream does help. I’ve been a fan of Origins Eye Doctor for many years, but I just finished a tube of Clinique Moisture Surge Eye and it might be my new favorite.

Deodorant: I’ve come to settle for the unscented deodorant lately. I’m liking the Clinique unscented antiperspirant stick.

Hair brush: Best one ever is the freebie brush comb/brush you get when staying in a hotel in Japan. 🙂 It’s very compact but still effective.

Some other things to round it off…. a Q-tip travel pack, any kine nail clipper from your local drug store, as well as a Neutrogena concealer stick when you get those surprise pimples from flying so much.

Since hotels always provide shampoo, conditioner, and soap, I never bring that with me. That saves space in my bag.

That’s all folks! Do you have any recommendations to share? Comment below. Thank you!

This post is not sponsored by anyone….all my own honest selection of products.