I hate this part.

Okay, look: it may seem that I am high maintenance, but I’ll say it again. It’s only high maintenance if I’m not prepared to take care of it myself. Like, there’s no one I am asking to carry bags for me, right? Nor do I expect anybody to, you know, apply any of this stuff on person.

But I really do require copious product to feel I am groomed to the standard to which I have become accustomed.

This is what I brought with me, last year, on my Christmas hols:

This seemed like a lot in 2011, but clearly 2012 has created more a demand for… more stuff. Ah, sure, one year older, maybe that’s it?

More likely, I’ve only started organising the bag, and so some editing may yet occur. I have an entire separate bag of make up, is the issue. And more hair care, this year, I think. And those La Roche Posay Toleraine Eye Makeup Remover* ampoules, they take up a lot of space! {No, they don’t, and the beauty of them is that they don’t make the return trip.}{And how many times in your life do you get to use the word ampoules?}

Well, have a look. I can’t even bear to take it all out of the bag to show:

Okay, something will need to be done. I’ve got to consolidate the best I can, and stick all that shampoo and conditioner and body wash into my shoes.

See, what I do is, when I travel, I bring samples of things I haven’t tried?<<Hardest Working Woman in Show Business. No, seriously, it totally makes sense — but! What if I don’t like the thing, the serum, the styling gel, the whatever? Then I need to bring a back up!

{Insert big, windy sigh here.}

Look! This is the makeup alone!

Gah. Okay, BRB.

***

*These are the blue things that you can barely see underneath all the other stuff.