Q: What is a Dopp Kit?
A: The Dopp Kit was designed by Jerome Harris in the early 1900’s for his Father-in-Law, Charles Dopplet. The term was later used to describe the shaving kits issued to G.I.’s in the Second World War. It is now a registered trade mark owned by the Samsonite Company.
The “dopp kit” has become a generalized term for a man’s travel shaving kit, plenty of women have adopted the term to describe what they take when traveling too.
Wouldn’t it be nice if I could be happy with the few items my husband takes?
Here is what my husband takes when we travel:
shampoo (2oz go-toob)
body wash (2oz go-toob)
electric razor/charger
a small vial of Advil
tweezers
nail clippers
toothbrush/paste (travel size)
after shave lotion
deodorant
Sometimes he’ll bring hand sanitizer or cologne. That’s it, he’s all set!
I’d like to whine about the un-fairness of it, but I have only myself to blame.
Remember when I confessed to bringing full sized shampoo and conditioner bottles on our trip to Europe? I can only plead my case by admitting that when packing I’m always wondering “what if.”
You’ve been there right? “I’ll take it just in case.” So you throw it in thinking, It’s not going to take much room, and soon your lugging around 10 pounds worth of cosmetics that you don’t use.
I devised a plan to take ONLY what I knew I’d use. It’s not going to be as carefree and easy as my husband’s dopp kit, I’m a girl, and girls’ have stuff; lots and lots of stuff.
Yes, I do need the exact brand of shampoo and conditioner, face wash, and moisturizer. My complexion is temperamental to say the least, but lugging around my 24oz bottle of Purity Made Simple was not an option.
I started researching (obsessing about) travel sizes.
I found you can get just about anything in a travel size!
Check it out: Minimus.biz, All Travel Sizes.com, Sephora
And lets not forget your local Target, or Grocery or even your Salon. Keep on the look out for your brands.
Why not transfer your product into those little squeezy bottles? If collecting travel sizes is not your thing, by all means get yourself some squeezy bottles.
Trouble with those is you open up your Dopp Kit to find they have squoozed all over!
The best thing I’ve tried is GoToobs. They haven’t glooped allover in my luggage and carry enough product for about a week.
The next step was to determine what to bring and only bring what I would use.
I thought about what I do to get ready in the morning; shower, shave, hair, make-up. As I went about my normal routine I set out everything on the counter. As chicks go, I’m sort of low maintenance it turns out.
Here’s the list I use now:
Shampoo/Conditioner (2oz GoToob)
Body Wash/Bath Sponge
Body Lotion (2oz GoToob)
Face Wash (travel size) doubles as make-up remover
Moisturizer (travel size)
Hair Product (travel size)
Face Powder & Brush
Blush & Brush
Eye Shadow Duo & Brushes (2)
Eyeliner Shadow & Brush
Eyeliner Pencil & Sharpener
Brow pencil & Brush
Mascara (travel size)
Deodorant (travel size)
Perfume (travel size)
Sunscreen (travel size) If I’m going someplace tropical I’ll buy a full size when I get there
Toothbrush
Toothpaste (travel size)
Comb & Brush (travel size)
If it’s a two week trip I pack an extra set of GoToobs and throw in one more toothpaste.
I don’t take a hair dryer because so far every place we’ve stayed has had one, even the apartments in Europe. I do take my curling iron and my mini flat iron for special dinners out when “vacation hair” is not acceptable. You should practice a simple blown dry style that does not need a lot of time or product. C’mon you’re on vacation!
Next time I’m calling “Re-do” and showing you what I would pack for my trip to Europe knowing what I know now!
Kathleen Rear 