The one beauty product I wear every day is perfume, and yet I never bring any with me on holidays. I’m convinced that precious, glass bottle of Chanel will smash and ooze all over my luggage.
Determined to smell good every single second of my life, I’ve researched the most travel-friendly fragrance options. Small, sturdy and splendidly scented, these genius perfume products are irresistible.
Solid perfume.
Solid perfumes are the foolproof way to smell great on the go. Similar to the consistency of a waxy lip balm, solid perfumes are made from a blend of waxes, oils and fragrance. They don’t leak, and are packaged in unbreakable little tins around the size of a 50 cent coin.
Simply glide your fingertip over the surface of the solid perfume, and then rub it onto your skin to radiate a long-lasting fragrance.
Just like a soulmate, solid perfumes are rare and hard to find – but don’t worry, I’ve done all the hard work for you. Consider me your beauty matchmaker.
L’Occitane’s delightful solid perfumes are only $16 a pop, which means you should buy both the Cherry Blossom and Roses et Reines fragrances, obviously. At the moment I have Cherry Blossom smeared on my wrist, and it’s such a romantic, intoxicating scent.
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At Mecca stores, you can indulge in scents by the luxury candle brand, Diptyque, for $56 each. The tins are to die for, all black and shiny and embossed.
Rollerball perfume.
If you love the fresh, cold feeling of applying liquid perfume, then rollerball perfumes are for you. They work in the same way as a roll-on deodorant — though, of course, they are much chicer and won’t remind you of the gym.
Rollerball perfumes come in slim, glass vials, the size of test tubes, but this is an experiment that’s guaranteed to work. Perhaps wrap them in a scarf or bubble wrap if you’ve very concerned about breakage while travelling.
Recently I was thrilled to discover the NEST range of rollerball fragrances at Sephora ($38). They’re only available instore, which is a good thing, as you’ll want to sniff every one of these delicate, nature-inspired scents. And just feast your eyes on those heavenly labels.
MOR also makes a very cute range of rollerballs, and you can grab them at their online store and at Myer for $19.95. My favourite is Marshmallow, which smells just as sweet and powdery as you’d expect. Other delicious scents include Lychee and Blood Orange, which are giving me holiday cocktail vibes. The formula is a perfume oil, which means the scent will really cling to the skin.
My favourite L’Occitane fragrances, Cherry Blossom and Roses et Reines, are also available as rollerballs, at $31 each. If you’re after a really intense scent, consider layering a rollerball fragrance on top of a solid perfume.
Scented lotions and body butters.
Using scented lotions, creams and body butters is a very clever way to multitask – and save space in your luggage.
Not only will your skin be hydrated, you’ll smell dreamy from head to toe. An extra dab or two on your pulse points - behind the ears, inner wrists, behind the knees (!) – will warm and deepen the fragrance. And if your hair has been overcome with frizz (like mine today), a teensy dab of any lotion on wet hands can be smoothed through the mid-lengths and ends of your hair to flatten and define.
My current obsession is The Body Shop’s British Rose Instant Glow Body Butter, $25. The future of beauty is rosy, with several top brands utilising rose extract, rose oil and rose water to conjure up products that soothe our sense of smell and our skin. I’ve been slathering this body butter all over before bed, and it’s like falling asleep on a bed of rose petals. Very American Beauty, without all the weird infatuations and flying plastic bags.
If full-body immersion isn’t your thing, a hand or foot cream will also do the trick. MOR’s range of scents are available as travel-sized hand creams , $12.95. The screw-on lid means there won’t be any accidents involving lotion and your luggage. Massage and hydrate your tired tootsies with MOR’s miniature body butters , $16.95, as the balm-like texture is perfect for such a task.
And the best thing about using a new fragrance on a holiday? The scent will always recall those happy, holiday moments. Bon voyage!
Carla Gee is a Sydney writer, illustrator and podcaster. Find her on Instagram and Facebook.
Do you take your perfume with you on holidays?