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For travelers with roots in more than one city, frequent flights between two places pose a challenge that requires smart packing and trustworthy products. The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise alum and influencer Serena Pitt is well versed in splitting time between two cities—originally from Toronto, she now lives in New York City with her fiancé and fellow Bachelor in Paradise and Bachelorette alum Joe Amabile. Pitt travels back to Toronto to visit family and friends once or twice a month (in addition to the frequent traveling she does for work), so she's got a packing routine down.
Between heading back to Toronto for her engagement party, taking an unexpected trip to British Columbia with Amabile, and making her New York City apartment finally feel like home, Pitt's been busy this summer. We caught up with her to find out how she manages the constant go-between, her top packing tips, and her best-kept beauty secrets. Read on for Pitt's packing strategy and must-have travel gear.
Tips for fellow over-packers
Pitt admits she's a notorious overpacker, but flying back and forth regularly between New York City and Toronto means she's had to become more particular about what and how she packs. Some of her best packing tips come from someone who always knows best—her mom. “She has taught me everything I know when it comes to packing for any type of trip and her go to's are always packing cubes.” Serena also hangs on to dust bags or any small reusable bags to pack nicer purses and shoes in—that way, dirty shoes won't get thrown back into her suitcase next to her favorite handbag.
When it comes to packing her clothes, Pitt recommends bringing basic staples that be can mixed and matched together so you can create a lot of different outfits from a small amount of clothing. She pre-plans all of her day and nighttime outfits before she heads to a new city, so there are no extra items taking up much-needed suitcase space.
One item that's always in her suitcase
The clothing item Pitt never travels without? A slip dress. “I love a slip dress because it's really light. I can roll it up and hang it in the bathroom while you throw a hot shower on and it steams it.” Slip dresses are super versatile—wear it to dinner at night with heels, dressed down during the day with sneakers, or with a sweater on top to make it look like a skirt. Plus, they barely take up any room—“I could pack 10 little slip dresses and they would add up to one knit dress," she says.
Her ultimate hair care tip
If you watched Pitt on The Bachelor or have seen her on your TikTok ‘For You Page,’ you already know she has perfect, glossy hair—so I was eager to hear about her hair care routine. A brand ambassador for Pantene, she uses the Pantene Pro V Daily Moisture Renewal shampoo and conditioner to repair damage caused by heat and dye, while also cleaning hair without stripping it of natural oils. Pitt buys the travel-size version for trips and loves that Pantene products are affordable, work just as well as the expensive high-end brands sold at the salon, and are easily available at places like Target, CVS, and Walgreens. “Being able to pick that up at any store I need in both the U.S. and Toronto makes it so easy to travel with.”
To further protect her hair, Pitt shared that she's a “sucker for a hot shower, but I know the heat is really damaging to your hair. I shampoo and condition my hair with lukewarm water.”
Pitt's biggest hair care tip: “silk everything.” She always packs silk pillowcases and silk hair scrunchies. The silk reduces frizz, prevents breakage in your sleep, and is gentler on hair. “I really notice a difference—even in my skin. I find my skin wakes up and feels so much softer, whereas on cotton pillowcases you're getting a lot more friction.” Another trick she learned from her mom—sometimes she doesn't fully wash out her conditioner. “If I'm going to be in a car or on a bus for the day, it's a little extra conditioning boost, like a hair mask.”
In-flight must-haves
Frequent flights mean Pitt has established her in-flight must-haves. “I struggle with eczema, so I find being on a plane really dries out my skin. My savior product is the vitamin c and turmeric face oil from Sunday Riley.” Pitt is a big fan of this face oil—“it's so little I throw it in my backpack and I use it on the flight. I don't travel with makeup on, rub it on my skin, and it has been incredible for boosting hydration.”
Her in-flight uniform is always a cozy loungewear set. She often wears one of the sweatshirt and sweatpants sets from Spanx or Canadian–based brand Tkees. For shoes, she keeps it classic and comfortable by throwing on a pair of Nike Airforce 1s.
