I’d like to say that, in general, I’m a pretty light packer. In the past, I’ve had to stuff towels in my checked bag (and more recently, air cushion packaging that usually comes with your Amazon deliveries…) to add extra cushion for my fragile items.
But every time I have weighed my suitcase at the airport, my luggage is right at the weight limit. Why? Because I am always stocking up on my American “essentials” of items that are more expensive, hard to find, or just not quite the same in France.
Here’s some of what I brought back from my 3-month summer in the USA.
1. Cole Haan sneakers
If you know me IRL, you probably know that I have small feet. It’s really frustrating to go shoe shopping because most companies don’t even make my size. (I wear a size 5, sometimes smaller.) I bought myself another pair of sneakers from Cole Haan because they are so comfortable and light-weight. They are perfect for navigating those tricky cobblestone streets all over Paris. They are my favorite walking shoes!
2. Peanut Butter & Co. Bee’s Knees
Sometimes, a girl just wants a peanut butter on toast for breakfast!!! This one is my favorite brand.
3.Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Bronzing Powder
One of the sucky things about moving abroad is that you put a lot of stuff in storage… Only to realize later on that you kind of want/need it. I’ve been wanting a new bronzer for months now, and I took advantage of my time home to hit up Ulta and Sephora. I ended up purchasing a mini version of the Hoola since it will be perfect for travel!
4. Veeda Lite Tampons
TMI??? But seriously, I bring back at least three boxes of Veeda every time I come back to France. It look me a really long time to find a tampon brand that I love and trust. That time of the month is already not fun, so anything to make it better is worth it!
5. Nintendo Switch
It feels like I’ve owned my Switch for ages, but I almost forgot that I bought it only this past summer! (I have the ones with the gray joy cons, not the blue and red pictured above.) Not going to lie, I’m forever addicted to Splatoon 2.
And that’s a quick recap of my list! I definitely brought more cosmetics and toiletries from the U.S. than anything else. It’s hard to replace your go-to products when you’ve spent a long time searching for them.
Rodrigo’s list of American must-haves are completely different (and very unusual). More on that soon …
