For many travelers, there’s a city in the back of our minds that we’d love to live in some day. It’s the place that, when day-to-day life gets boring, or stressful, we dream of packing our bags and jetting off to. For Tayshia Adams, a former Bachelor/ette contestant and lead, TV host, and influencer, that place is London. And this year, she got a taste of what it would be like to do just that, spending two and a half weeks on a solo trip to the British capital, exploring, eating great food, and taking time for a bit of self care. We caught up with Adams just after her trip to talk packing tips, living on two coasts—Adams splits her time between southern California and New York City—and the beauty essentials that keep her skin looking great despite her regular long-haul flights. Find her best packing advice and favorite travel buys below.
The trick to packing less
While Adams admits to being a checked, carry-on, and purse kind of girl at heart, she’s tried to pare that down to just a carry-on and purse when going back and forth between New York and L.A. lately. In between trips, she’ll leave certain essentials, like mouthwash, toothpaste, and a toothbrush, in her suitcase. But her real trick to under packing? Getting your suitcase organized at least one day prior to flying, laying everything out on the bed, and taking pictures of full outfits before she leaves.
“It’s easier to know what I have in my bag and know what I’m going wear [for different occasions],” Adams says. “You tend to bring so much more that you don’t need and it ends up just sitting in your suitcase. Take pictures, and bring a lot of neutrals; you can build so many outfits with just a few items.”
Even if you don’t take photos, try outfits on before packing, Adams suggests, so you can be sure you’ll want to wear a certain top with the pair of pants you brought to match. “More clothes, more problems, honestly. If you try it on beforehand, you have a better idea of what you’re actually going to wear.”
Establish a beauty routine
If you’ve seen Adams on television, you know her skin is glowing—so it comes as no surprise that she has a skincare routine down pat: “I have my eye cream—there are two that I’m in love with: the Inkey Caffeine eye cream and the SkinMedica Instant Bright eye cream. I put on my Phloretin CF from SkinCeuticals and then I go ahead and put on my No7 Lift and Luminate day cream, which serves as my moisturizer and my sunscreen, and then I’m done. At night, I am in love with Sunday Riley’s Good Genes. I’m always looking for that bright instant glow; something that helps with discoloration; both No7 and Good Genes serve that purpose.”
Mix the high and the low
Adams, who is working with British beauty brand No7 as it expands its footprint in the U.S. this year, is a pro at mixing high-end items with high quality but more affordable skincare products. She discovered No7 at a Boots drugstore in London, and was drawn to the Lift and Luminate cream because the two-in-one product served as both a moisturizer and a sunscreen.
