packing for the trip

I am such a procrastinator when it comes to packing. I wait until the last second to pack and end up scurrying to get everything together in time. Packing for St. Thomas was no exception. I bought a few new essentials (i.e. bathing suits and sunscreen) for the trip, so I had to make sure those were not forgotten during my packing process. I wish I had purchased all of these goodies, though! I also had to make sure I had everything necessary in my carry-on to ensure I wasn't bored out of my mind on the plane. I do need to come up with a better packing system, however. Any suggestions would be very welcome!

First up was making sure I did not forget the items above. Packing these was of paramount importance! I bought two new swimsuits for the trip: an O'Neill bikini from South Moon Under and an Xhilaration strapless bikini from Target (you can never go wrong with a bathing suit from Target!). I repurposed an old Banana Republic dress to use as a cover-up. Lastly, I could not forget my sunscreen!

Packing my carry-on was also highly important. I made sure to pack some reading materials to ensure I did not get too bored on the flight as well as items that I wanted to have easy access to at all times. Some important items I stored in my favorite Feed bag were some old magazines I had not had the time to read yet, a beach read, my Style Mint sunglasses, Coach wristlet for cash and ID's, hair ties and headbands, cell, iPod, and miscellaneous beauty items (how cute is that little Vaseline?!).

I made sure to pack my absolute favorite sunscreen from Yes To. I love that their products are almost 100% natural, so I know that I am putting something safe on my body. I used the Yes To Cucumbers sunscreen on my body, the Yes To Blueberries facial moisturizer, and the Yes to Carrots lip sunscreen. They all worked beautifully! This is my go-to brand for beauty products and I especially gravitate towards their offerings with SPF. I would recommend this brand to anyone. PS: This is the view from our balcony in St. Thomas!

Another favorite sunscreen line of mine is Sun Bum (seen here). This mango lip sunscreen is perfect and "tastes" delicious. I can never resist mango! This lip balm was SPF 30, which I used for the more intense heat of the day since the Yes To lip sunscreen was only SPF 15.

Do you all have any favorite sunscreen brands or any products you need to take on vacation? Favorite swimsuit line? I am definitely in need of a new bathing suit cover-up, so suggestions are welcome! Would my airplane ride be more enjoyable if I packed something else in my carry-on? Let me know!

Click to see photos of the trip in stowaways part 1 and stowaways part 2!