The Solid Perfume I Always Travel With

You’re never fully dressed without perfume. Ain’t that saying the truth. Southerners know the power of fragrance — it can bring back memories, define milestone moments and simply makes us smell pretty dang good. While most of us never forget to spritz on a scent before we leave the house, keeping ourselves properly perfumed when we’re traveling is a little more of a challenge.

For years, I relied on random roller-balls and perfume samples to keep me feeling (and smelling) fresh on-the-go. These little tubes would rotate between my purse, gym bag, cosmetic case, and a plane-friendly Ziploc baggy. The one problem with all this bag hopping? The petite vials would get lost in the shuffle, leaving me perfume-less on vacation. Plus, many of these tubes hold such little juice, I’d constantly finish them off.

WATCH: 7 Genius Packing Tips for Squeezing Everything into Your Carry-On

This year I finally decided to improve my travel perfume game. If I pride myself on my fragrance collection at home, why should I lower my standards when I’m on the road? No more mini samples, no more impulse rollerball purchases in the Sephora check-out line. After doing some research, I decided to try out something different: Solid perfume.

Not only will a solid perfume last longer than a liquid fragrance due to its high concentration, but it also is way more fun to apply since you can elegantly dab it on whenever you need a refresh. I decided to scoop up Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black Solid Perfume Compact ($48, net-a-porter.com). There are a few reasons why I love it — and why it’s worth its hefty price tag. First, it’s scent is the perfect balance between spicy and sweet thanks to notes of violet, sandalwood, and vanilla. Then there’s the packaging. Its chic black textured casing with gold accents makes it look more like a trendy business card holder than a perfume. It even has a mirror inside, so you can use it to touch up the rest of your makeup as well. Pretty — and functional!