Just wondering if this would be a good idea. I would only be staying a week, so I thought it might save some room in my suitcase to buy stuff there. Will this be ridiculously expensive? I would only need shampoo, preferably with conditioner added), deodorant, and soap. Does anyone know of a store near Victoria or Pimlico station that would sell these items cheap. Thanks.

You can do it! A small shampoo will last a week,a small deoderant and some hotels provide good soaps, get a moisturizer!Boots pharmacies are great.I think that is a great way of lightening the bags.When do you go?Kate

Are you staying in a hotel or B&B? Your hotel may prove these things free.

Boots and Superdrug are the two main chains in the UK for toiletries. Both have branches throughout central London, although there are more branches of Boots.

You won't save much room in your baggage as these things are very small and weight little. Go to any chain drug store (Walgreen's is the one in my area) and get a couple of small/travel sizes of shampoo, deodorant, etc. You will have enough for a week. No need to run out looking for these things (and yes, you certainly can buy them in London). Unless you were planning on taking a huge shampoo (why??) it does not make sense. If you are particular about soap (or allergic) just toss a bar into your luggage (I do) - it won't make any difference in weight and/or room.

I once tried what you're doing, didn't lighten the load much but sure lightened my wallet when I got to London. I once paid nearly $4 for a tube of Chapstick.

Maybe I just buy heavy items but there is a big difference in weight and room saved when I leave out my shampoo-conditioner,moisturizer & cleanser.Of course a bar of soap isn't much, but the bottles of stuff add up! I like the idea of buying little bottles to just do you while you are there then toss them when you go home.And since most hotels include blow dryers now, you can just toss some makeup in your bag and go! If only they included a nice black outfit to wear days like they do the bathrobes

Boots is good, if you are only going a week - it's up to you. take half empty bottles of the stuff you usually use & chuck them before you go home. <BR><BR>if you do anything though, don't leave your contact lens solution buying for London. The solution is 4 TIMES as much there, as here. more like 8, if you usually buy the CVS brand versus Renu.

What kind of crapo hotels are you staying at that don't provide soap, shampoo, hair conditioner, and other toiletries?<BR><BR>Go to your local supermarket and buy some travel-size toiletries. These will take up little room in your luggage. I usually buy a small shaving cream, tooth paste, and deodorant. Why spend your vacation hunting down toiletries? That's dumb, Vita, sweetie.

Chill, John, it was just a question.

Why would you want to spend any time looking for these HBA items? They're not what I would consider exotic toiletries that you would want to actually search out. Besides, you're going to be tired from the flight and if I were you the last thing that I would want to search out is a Boots or something similar. I don't know if you have any sensitivities to soaps, but I always bring soap from home. The last thing I would want is to get a bad reaction to a soap while I am on vacation.<BR><BR>In the future what you could do is save all of those free samples that come in the mail and use them to travel with. Also, ask your hair stylist for free samples -- I get plenty that way. I do the same for perfume at Macy's and Lord & Taylor. I hate traveling with a big bottle of perfume.

I guess there are pros and cons to buying your toiletries here rather than packing them and bringing them with you, and you'll sort through them and make the best decision for yourself. However, someone else here mentioned Boots - this is the largest pharmacy chain in the UK, and they are EVERYWHERE. If you decide you want to wait and buy stuff here it's won't be as if you'll have to go out on a big search to find a shop - you'll probably pass a Boots every ten minutes while you're out sightseeing. They do a travel range call Charles Worthington Takeaways - travel-sized shampoos, bodywashes, etc. for about a pound each. Some of the stuff is quite nice so I buy it to use at home.

Just go to Boots for the fun of it! It is fabulous. My daughter was in school in London last year and I went there in May. She had raved about Boots (and everything else, of course) and I thought, come on, it's just a "drug store." But oh, it's soooo much more and items are ridiculously not expensive. Make room in your suitcase so you can stock up on things you want to bring home! I'm serious. I'm almost out of my Botanics Serious Shine Serum for my hair--I only break it out for important occasions now.<BR><BR>Check out the products for relief of "wind."<BR><BR>Enjoy your visit, London was wonderful.

For the few things that I absolutely must have a certain brand I simply pour some into small plastic travel bottles. Any travel shop will have them.<BR><BR>But I always shop in Boots, or Body Shop and other UK chains. They have very good quality products, reasonable prices and are on every street corner, railway station, airport, etc. <BR><BR>I even get a lot of gifts for those back home in Boots and grocery stores. British teas, biscuits, jams/marmalades and toiletries are some of the favorite things I bring home.

Vita: I think it's a wonderful idea.<BR><BR>While I don't think you'll be saving much room and while I agree it's a bit more expensive than here, this stuff is not ridiculously expensive and it's a great way to see what's out there. As you've already seen, many on this site have favorite stores and favorite brands. I'm not a shopper, but exploring pharmacy and grocery stores in any country is always fun for me. I've ended up with fabulous Swiss tweezers, great French anti-perspirant (SP?)and lovely foot balm this way. <BR><BR>Go for it.

Charles Worthington products are sold at Walgreens. I frequently buy the travel sizes of CW for my vacations abroad. Last week, Walgreens was selling them for $1 each. Each of them lasts about a week.

Charles Worthington shampoo for $1.00!! are you kidding? I buy it at Sephora for $14.00 and never see it in drug stores! But whatever the practical aspect, I like shopping in other countries and discovering things,I got Roc lip balm in Paris a couple of years ago, just needed something and grabbed that...I am hooked..and they do not sell it in the US and you cannot buy it online..I tried already..but I stocked up when we were in Montreal this fall.But wherever I go, I browse through pharmacies, there is a dry skin lotion called E57-it is wonderful, I save mine to use in the dead of winter when my skin is crying out for moisture! So, my thoughts are-leave what you don't absolutely need at home and buy what appeals to you, when you get there..And JohnG,sometimes in the best of hotels, they provide products that do not agree.I have broken out in rashes from the lotions in some really "good" hotels.

Actually, the regular size Charles Worthington products retail for $5.99 at Walgreens. The trial size are $2.99, but they were on sale for $1 each last week. I don't know if I am that crazy about the products, they do what they are supposed to do, but I do like the packaging and the pastel colors.

Re: Charles Worthington travel-seized products: When I first saw them at Boots I was totally seduced by the packaging (although all the ones I saw were in bright jewel-tone colours) and since they're only a pounbd I had to buy some. Some aren't that great, but I quite like the combination shampoo/conditioner, and LOVE the "relax" body wash (in the purple bottle). Such a fabulous smell. Maybe I just use less of stuff, but they last me about ten days each.

The pink Dream Hair is great if you have long hair.The scent lasts all day, fresh and clean smell.I have to use it every other day because it conditions so well..I discovered it in Las Vegas one year when it was so dry that my hair crackled when I brushed it.<BR>My husband buys and I use Lazartique for every day shampooing.