image by Brad Olson
makeup by Corinna Cooke

Are you dreading Valentine's Day?

Although it can be deliriously lovely for those who are in perfect relationships, Valentine's day can be plain awful for single girls, or girls who's significant other choose not to celebrate it.

You would be surprised how many girls are facing a February 14th spent alone. If you are one of them, don't go feeling bad - take the day into your own hands and have yourself some fun!

The Single Girl's Guide To Surviving Valentine's Day

Plan A Girls' Night Out

Chances are some of your friends don't have Valentine's dates. Get the gang together and go out somewhere fun! Plan something girl-centric, go to your favorite restaurant or go dancing - just make it fun.

Plan A Girls' Night In

Host a girl's-spa night in with wine and appetizers, have a masseuse, a nail person and a makeup artist come over. Turn your home into the most fabulous spa-zone ever!

If everyone else has a date and you are going to be alone, take the time to celebrate yourself.

Get Dressed Up

Even if you don't have a date get dressed up for yourself. Buy a pretty dress, do your hair and makeup, and celebrate you!

Get a Mani/Pedi

When your fingers and toes look and feel lovely, you feel lovely. So what if you are staying home with Netflix??

Take Yourself To Dinner

Get dressed up, grab a good book and take yourself out for a fabulous dinner. Who needs a dinner companion? read a great book instead.

Buy Yourself Some Roses

Who doesn't love flowers? Valentine's is nothing if not the flowers and chocolate holiday, so as kitschy as it may seem, buy yourself an armful of flowers, a box of chocolates and maybe a demi-bouteille of champagne.

Curl Up With A Good Movie

If all else fails, put on some bold red lipstick (the world is more exciting with red lips on!) put your flowers on the coffee table next to your chocolates and some popcorn, and curl up on the couch with Netflix for a romance movie marathon.

The beginning of a new year is the ideal time to re-assess everything you have going on financially. We all spend to much in December, blow our diets, get completely side tracked. Now that we are in January it's time to get back on track, set new goals and get the money equation working again.

Here is a post from CareerGirlDaily that is well worth checking in on throughout the year ahead.

8 Money Questions To Ask Yourself Regularly

By McKenzie Allyshia for CareerGirlDaily.com

Money affects almost every single aspect of our lives. With money being so essential, you would think that we would spend more time trying to save it. However, we often find ourselves dedicating more time finding ways to spend it.

Knowing and understanding your budget is crucial to being and feeling financially stable. Which is an amazing feeling! Finding ways to increase your income and decrease your debt will allow you to feel that financial freedom. Answering the following questions can also help you prepare for large expenses such as buying a house or a new car.

1. What is my monthly budget?

If you don’t currently live by a monthly budget, you should. A good way to figure out what you should be spending each day is to use an app like Daily Budget, you can input regular income and expenses, saving goals and daily spends like coffee and it’ll tell you how much you have to live on. It’s great to stick to a budget.

2. How much debt do I have and how can I decrease the amount?

From student loans to credit card bills, put a number on your debt and try to factor in a way to repay it bit by bit. Forgetting about debts or putting them off until later can be dangerous, as some debts only grow the longer you leave them.

3. What is my credit score and how can I improve it? 

There are lots of ways to check your credit score online, make sure you’re using a reputable website and don’t be afraid to get a couple of opinions. Your credit score is important, a good credit score gets you good insurance, interest rates, mortgage and renting deals and is important when applying for a credit card. So there’s always time to look into it.

4. Do I have at least three month’s worth of expenses in my savings account? 

For most of us, the answer is no. Now is the time to collect that buffer, if something happens, an unexpected expense pops up or you need cash quickly, this will save you getting a loan. Don’t worry, though, you can easily save with the 50-20-30 rule.

5. What are some poor money habits I can get rid of? 

We all have them, spending as soon as we get our paycheck, buying things we’ve only just seen as opposed to something we’ve wanted for a long time. Treating yourself is only natural, we all like a treat from time to time, but there are always areas of improvement. If you’ve found your account running on empty more often than not, perhaps you need to keep a closer eye on your account every week.

6. What do I want to save for in the coming year? 

Plan a savings goal, a pair of Chloe boots, a trip, but plan to save a little more than is needed. Whether it’s something sensible like your own place or something spontaneous like a summer holiday, be careful and be frugal.

7. How can I increase my income? 

Ok, so this might be a tough one. Is it time to ask for a raise? Do you have to work extra hard on your own business to make more money? Or is it time for a career change? If you want to increase your income, this could be the time to have the conversation with your manager.

8. Where do I want to be in one year’s time? 

By December 2017 you’ll be in a position to evaluate your finances all over again, so what questions do you want to be asking yourself then? What do you want to have in your account, do you want to be the queen of savings? Do you want to have finally paid off your debts? New Year’s Resolutions are important, but don’t forget to set a money goal, too!

Answering these questions should ignite your critical thinking and get you on the right track to financial stability. Are these the only questions you should ask yourself? Absolutely not! However, it is a great start.

A Book You Absolutely Need To Read, Right Now.

So how was your Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanzaa/whatever you celebrate? My clan are Christmas celebrators, and we had a good one.
It has been so nice to finally get a break and just stop. One of the things I love about the Christmas break is curling up on the couch with a good book.

I do believe the book I just finished (minutes ago!) is essential reading right now for all females living in the west. 

The Girl Who Escaped ISIS: This Is My Story  by Farida Khalaf is an incredibly important book. 

On some level I think that we in the west, with our comfortable lives, our busy lives filled with work stress, our exhausting lives, our complicated lives, our simple lives, we don't really connect to the absolute horror of what is happening to women in other parts of the world.
We see the reports of women being taken by ISIS and sold into slavery and sexual abuse and we find it awful and offensive, but the actual reality of the lives and communities that are destroyed, the devastating reality of what actually happens, doesn't necessarily hit our stream of consciousness. 

I am so ashamed to admit that when I would hear about it on the news I would think "oh God how awful!!", but then I would think about something else, and not necessarily connect to the full force of what was happening to these girls.
I'm not ashamed to admit that this book had me in tears, and now that I've finished reading it I am sitting here just shell shocked.

Farida Khalaf is a Yazidi girl from northern Iraq. She excelled at school, particularly in mathematics, and had been thrilled at the prospect of becoming a math teacher when she finished school.
She was close to her parents and siblings. She had friends and relatives and a strong community living all around her.
Farida and her family were living a lovely, normal life. 

And then in the late summer of 2014 ISIS attacked her village.
All the men and many of the boys were taken and killed in the school yard, and the girls were taken and sold into slavery.
The 9 and 10 year olds fetching the highest prices. (Let that sit with you for a minute.)

Farida was transported and held in a slave market in Syria, from where she was sold and resold to ISIS soldiers, over and over, brutalized to near death, then eventually sold to an ISIS camp in the middle of the desert.

Farida tells her story in devastating yet crucial detail. Somehow despite soul crushing abuse and torture she is able to maintain her resilience, find hope, and ultimately plan and execute an against all odds escape for both herself and 5 of the other girls held captive with her. 
Her bravery should inspire you. And devastate you.

Freedom has it's burdens for Farida too. The girls who do make it to the relative safety of refugee camps are shamed for having lost their virtue. They have to deal with sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancies and the trauma of what has happened to them.

There are multiple reasons to read this book.
This memoir lets Farida make sure that what happened to her was not for nothing. It is a way for her to make you see what ISIS really is, and to let them know they didn't break her spirit.
It is a way for you to see what is happening over there and to find a way to help.

You need to read this book.


“As gripping as it is appalling…a compelling testament to the suffering of ordinary people caught up in violence far beyond their control—and to the particularly terrible price it exacts from women.” —The Guardian

5 Ways To Manage Stress

image by Kelly Cappelli

It's been a week since the election - how stressed out are you?

Everywhere I go it seems that people are majorly stressed out. Trump fans are mad that the haters be hating, Trump haters are stressed out that he even got elected let alone that he is going to take office.

The world is stressed out that God only knows what will happen, and today I even heard Trump voters stressing out that he is putting Steve Bannon, the white supremacist in the White House.

I have been super stressed out that this has happened to my adopted country, meanwhile a massive earthquake hit my home country, which has me beyond stressed out.

Add to the mix working the past 44 days straight, AND having a major flood in my home and frankly it has been a stressful few weeks.

The thing about stress though is that it doesn't achieve anything. Well, nothing positive anyway. The trick is to find ways to manage your stress so that it doesn't manage you.

 5 Ways To Manage Stress

1. Do Yoga

Even if you just do a few sun salutations each day, yoga is a fantastic way to manage stress. The focus on your breath, the stretching, the flow from position to position make yoga the ultimate stress buster.

If you can't get to class just roll out your yoga mat and do some sun salutations with a you tube yoga guru.

Don't have a yoga mat? Check out Manduka.com for all kinds of yoga wear and yoga supplies. I'm ordering a new 5mm Eko mat and a new bolster to replace those that got lost in the flood.

2. Take a walk outdoors.

Fresh air and nature are wonderful stress relievers. A long walk with no distractions, just you and Mother Nature, is food for the soul.

3. Sit and reflect by water.

Looking out over the ocean or watching the waves are instant stress busters.

Watch, breathe, repeat.

4. Meditate.

If you can still your mind meditation is an amazing stress-buster. It calms you, helps you focus, helps you sleep better. Most of the super successful people that I work with in my real life (makeup artist) meditate for 10 to 20 minutes per day. I figure I can find 10 minutes somewhere each day so I just downloaded an app called Headspace that offers 10 minute meditations, but there are plenty of meditations available on You Tube.

5. Get off social media

Social media can be fun, but it can also be a huge source of anxiety. Whether that anxiety comes from comparing your life to others and feeling inadequate (remember no-one's life is as good as it seems on Facebook!) or whether its people being contentious and going all attack-dog over issues (hello Trump) the dark side of social media can be very dark.

Give yourself a two or three day total break from all social media, and then when you go back don't look at any social media in the first 30 minutes after you wake up or the last hour before you go to sleep

3 Books That Will Positively Change Your Life

I'm back in Italy again, leading another Glam Italia Tour. 
Actually I'm leading 1.5 Glam Tours because at the end of the first tour I'm meeting a second group to do a few days in Rome.
Have you been following along on Instagram? Follow me @Corinnamakeup and get yourself a daily dose of fabulous Italy!

While I'm gone I'm still posting everyday. Today it's a great post from Because I'm Addicted. Because I am - I get this blog in my inbox each day and I love it. I found this post when I was looking for books to buy for the plane ride. They also make fantastic gifts - don't forget the countdown is on for Christmas!
Check them out and let me know what you think.

image via because I'm Addicted

3 Books That Positively Changed My Life

via Because I'm Addicted

One of my favorite ways to unwind from a busy day is to read in silence. I try and turn off all technology and dive into a book 60 minutes before bed to decompress and have a little me time. I personally like real paper books vs. tablets to give my brain a break from electronics and fall asleep faster. Plus, the smell of books gets me every time!

I know I’m not alone when it comes to the love of reading, so I wanted to share 3 books that have honestly changed my life (for real, I’m not being dramatic!). I probably think about something in one of these books every single day, as they are full of life lessons. I’ve read each one multiple times and all are easy reads. Some of these might be “self-help,” but I’ve never been one to shy away from “self-improvement,” as I like to call it!

Here they are:

1. Zen Habits: Handbook For Life 

I actually found this author via his amazing blog when I was going through a confusing, unmotivated period. When he started publishing, I pre-ordered this book as quickly as I could. I’ve since gifted it to tons of people—all who reach out after to share the positive effects.

The author suggests a simplistic approach to living a “zen” life. He talks about habits, personal struggles, and gives action items for achieving a peaceful life—and everything is realistic; there’s no woo-woo here. I’d rec this book to anyone who loves lists, wants to incorporate minimalism, or needs obtainable ideas on how to live a happy, healthy life.

2.  The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book)

by Don Miguel Ruiz

A friend gave me this book, who actually got it from her therapist, and it’s such a nice read! I especially like the section about communication and how humans speak to each other. This is a short, compassionate book that makes you stop and think about how you’re living your life and treating others. It extra fitting if you’re feeling a little self-centered (because we all get selfish at times) and want to practice being humble.

3. The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck: How to Stop Spending Time You Don't Have with People You Don't Like Doing Things You Don't Want to Do

by Sarah Knight
I’m sure most of you have heard of The Life Changing Habit of Tidying Up (which is also stellar), but I loved this version even more. I’ve been a lifelong people pleaser and in 2016 I made one of my resolutions to “care less.” That might sound harsh, but I needed that lesson to focus more on myself. This book was PERFECT for figuring out what was essential to me as an individual, and it gave me support to eliminate things—including people—that I didn’t need. Can’t recommend this more!

3 Fabulous Books For Girls Who Love Paris (and things Parisian)

I'm sitting on my couch, it's late at night and I've had one hell of a week. I've had editorial shoots, I've been teaching a pro makeup class, I've been doing the final prep for the next Glam Tour which takes off in a couple of days.
Yesterday I took a red eye (at 1:45 am) from Phoenix to Dallas to speak to a fabulous crowd at the Pinner's Conference Texas. I am the beauty director for a fantastic new magazine called Luca, ( I am super proud of this magazine!) and I was in Dallas with Luca speaking on one of my favorite subjects, beauty. It was great fun. I wish I could have stayed overnight, but my schedule is crazy at the moment, so I had to fly back last night at midnight. And this morning was up and working super early again.

With a few shell shocked minutes up my sleeve I've been clicking around Amazon.com looking for books for the trip ahead. I figured you might enjoy the books sitting in my shopping cart waiting for me to click and ship. I may double buy them actually, as each would make a fabulously chic gift and Christmas is on it's way.



Love Style Life  by Garance Dore
I covet Garance's life. It is so glamorous just as she is so glamorous. Her book is a best seller and her blog is legend. (GaranceDore.com)

Garance Dore

Thirty Chic Days: Practical inspiration for a beautiful life

I'm super excited about this one! Written by fellow Kiwi Fiona Ferris who you may know from her blog How To Be Chic, this book will feed your inner imaginary life in Paris. Even though I'm on my way back to Rome this will make a fab read on the plane!



How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are: Love, Style, and Bad Habits

Parisiennes are the epitome of chic cool n'est ce pas? And you and I can channel our inner Parisienne with the help of this book. I'm especially interested in the bad habits....


This post contains affiliate links. There is a chance that if you purchase one of these books I could be paid a few cents.

6 Steps To Flat Out Fabulous ( In 6 Minutes)

Have you ever had to pull it together in just a few minutes, and sail out the door looking fabulous?
It's happened to me twice in the past couple of weeks. I don't like to be hurried, but I also have absolutely no intention of showing up anywhere looking like something the cat dragged in.
So if you are in a hurry and need to look pulled together fast, here's how to do it.

6 Steps To Flat Out Fabulous (In 6 Minutes!)

1. Your Hair
A high pony takes less than a minute to create, yet looks totally put together.

I always want to do a pony that's back combed and full, but I seldom have the time.

Okay, now that the hair is out of the way it's time to get down to business.

2. Your Complexion
The most important part of your makeup is your complexion.
No matter how killer you are at a smoky eye, if your skin looks less than amazing, you have nothing.
I like to use a silicone based foundation like Makeup Forever Ultra HD Foundation, so that the skin has a healthy glow to it. Makeup Forever is so pigmented that you can get gorgeous coverage while still keeping the foundation super sheer. I apply it with a duo fiber brush so that I can make it disappear into the skin.
If the person standing next to you can see foundation on top of your skin, you have a makeup fail.
(If the person standing next to you can see your contour you have an epic makeup fail!)

3. Cream Blush
I am obsessed with cream blushes. I love the way you can maneuver them around the cheek and create a cheek with dimension that has a little glow to it. I use so many cream blushes in my pro make up kit, but right now every day I am wearing a MAC cream blush called Posey

4. Your Brows
Brows are always important, but if you are doing a high-speed, slightly bare faced look they are super important. Your brows frame your eyes, and with this look are going to balance your lip.
Stay away from those nonsensical Instagram eyebrows - they look too overblown and stupid. Instead create a well defined brow with your brow pencil or brow gel product, without going overboard.
Once you have the shape in it's time to create a little dimension. Left alone the brow at this point can look drawn on and one dimensional. Take a brow gel like the Anastasia Beverly Hills Tinted Brow Gel with it's mascara style wand, and start off by moving it backwards against the direction of the hair, getting some product under the brow hair, which lifts it up a little, then reverse direction and smooth the hairs back down.

5. Skip Eyeshadow But Go All Out On Mascara
When you don't have a lot of time to get ready, skip the eye shadow (or keep it minimal) and go all out on the mascara. Coats and coats of glossy, lash building mascara. Tell the story with your lashes.
I love Charlotte Tilbury's Full Fat Lashes

6. Use A Bangin' Lip
Your complexion is looking gorgeous, your cheeks are all glowy, your eyebrows are on point, and your eyes are all about those big lashes.
Now it's time to bring it all home with an absolutely killer bold lip.
Try a true, classic, movie star red like Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Red Carpet Red or maybe a vibrant fuchsia like Nars Schiap

When you pare down the rest of your look, a bold lipstick wakes up your face and makes you look totally put together!

7 Shoe Rules Every Girl Should Know

I'm a shoe fiend.
I love shoes more than any girl should, and I've amassed quite the collection over the years!
So my shoe-fetish radar went off when I saw this article on one of my favorite blogs, Career Girl Daily.
Now I want silver shoes...

Not one word of it is mine ~ it was written by Celina from CDG

Image via Vivaluxury

We’ve got all the secrets and insider tips you need to know to finally score that perfect pump at the perfect price!  Here are the rules on which pairs to wear and how to wear them with style.

1

A heel can be too high

Don’t copy what you see on the catwalk. There is nothing less attractive than a girl who can’t walk in her heels. As a matter of fact, 120mm/5 inch heels are bad for you and can actually cause injury!

Loeffler Randall silver flats available at Nordstrom

2

Shop for shoes at the end of the day

You really should only be shopping for shoes at the end of the day when your feet are swollen. That’s a good way to get a size that fits you well.

3

Invest in your shoes

You don’t have to wear designer shoes, but always make sure you have great shoes and a great bag, as that’s all you need. Bad shoes will ruin your feet so you’d better invest in them.

Jimmy Choo Mayje in silver, available at Nordstrom

4

Try on three sizes before you buy

Better be safe than sorry, right? Different brands have different sizes. So try the size you normally wear and try one size bigger and one size smaller to make sure you pick the right size.

5

Comfort is more important than looks

No matter how pretty they are. If you can’t walk in them don’t buy them.

6

Choose one attention grabber

If you wear a basic outfit a stand out pair of shoes will lift your outfit. But if you wear an over the top dress keep it simple with a basic pair of heels.

Prada Oxford in silver, available at Nordstrom

7

Choose the right balance

When you’re wearing a heavily layered look try a thicker heeled shoe to keep things in balance. And the other way around when you’re wearing a flowy skirt a thin strapped sandal could be more appropriate.

Tory Burch "Miller" in silver, available at Nordstrom

Find more articles like this at Career Girl Daily

Coolest New Skin Care Product Ever! 7 Seconds Morning Sheets

I just discovered the coolest new skincare product (ever!) for the busy, modern girl-on-the-go! 

Do you find yourself skipping parts of your A.M. skincare routine because you are running late, over slept, or just can't deal, and then all day long your makeup doesn't sit quite right because your skin didn't get prepped properly?
Or maybe your post-workout skin is flushed and sweaty and won't talk to your skin care products, leaving you looking like an oil slick landed on your face?
Or maybe you live somewhere hot and dry and your skin is literally begging you for some love when you get home? 
Or maybe you sit in front of a computer screen all day and your skin hates you?

I have the answer for you! 
It's a South Korean beauty secret called 7 Seconds Morning Sheets.


This one-step product has clarifying toner, essence (a fast absorbing super lightweight super serum) and moisturizer all in one. At $19 for an entire tub they are a smoking deal too!

You keep your 7 Seconds Morning Sheets in the refrigerator so that they stay nice and cold, (or if you are like me and take them out and about with you, keep them in a lunch cooler with an icepack).

The way they are supposed to be used is in the morning you lift out one of the little sheets and spend 7 soothing seconds wiping it across your face.



During that 7 seconds your skin gets a high potency, pre makeup treatment that lasts all day.

If you tend to have an oilier complexion this may be all you need.
If you are like me and trend normal to dry, you may add in some other products too.
If you are or have a teenager this is a super fast way to give your skin what it needs to look gorgeous.

After much scientific research (A.K.A me playing with them endlessly), I found they were great to keep in a lunchbox cooler with icepacks and take with me on shoots to give my models a little high speed skin loving. I also found that after the gym they are skin savers. When I am working day and night for multiple days in a row and I just feel and look like hell, they are soooo wonderful, all icy cool and refreshing.
Days like today, spent in front of a computer screen feel rewarded with 7 seconds of skin swiping.
Now I'm trying to figure out how to keep them cold on a plane for some travel-skin rescue!
They also work without refrigeration, but I like the cooling effect.

You can find this treasure in a tub on my favorite skin care website, Memebox.
Memebox is the world's largest online Korean skincare store and is based out of California, so shipping is super fast and mostly free (I think you just need a $35 order to get free shipping)

Read more about Korean Skincare here

10 Things You Should Never Pack In Your Checked Luggage

I'm prepping two Glam Italia Tours that are running back to back this June, and as none of the ladies have traveled internationally before I'm sending them all kinds of great travel information to get them ready.
Some of it I am posting here for you as well.

Its really easy to make novice mistakes when you're packing for your first international trip. Actually its really easy to mistakes even when you've already done it a hundred times. 

So lets talk about what not to pack in your checked suitcase.

10 Things You Should Never Pack In Your Checked Luggage

1. Lithium Batteries.

Lithium batteries can move around, catch fire, and cause catastrophic damage to the plane while it's in the air. 
The FAA issued a Safety Alert for Operators to warn airlines "of the potential risk for a catastrophic hull loss due to significant identified dangers associated with the transport of lithium batteries as cargo on either passenger or cargo aircraft."

They are okay while installed inside your electronics (which should be in your cabin baggage with you), but loose are very dangerous.

There has been talk about lithium batteries exploding inside the hull of airliners and bringing the plane down. 

Scroll to the bottom of this post to see the FAA video of what happens when lithium batteries explode and catch fire inside a simulated cargo bay on a plane.

2. Jewelry and Valuables.

Don't take the risk of your bag going missing or of someone rifling through it behind the scenes and taking or damaging your valued belongings. Whether it's your valuable watch or a family photo album, take it on-board with you in your cabin baggage.
Should the airline decide to compensate you for a bag that has gone missing, or items stolen from your bag (most of the time they won't), they will depreciate the value of your items and the capped maximum on replacement of a missing bag is $3300.

3. Cash and Credit Cards.

Same as above. If you travel frequently you have no doubt found TSA notifications in your suitcase, telling you they searched your bag. Or perhaps you've arrived at your destination and found that things are in different places in your suitcase - someone has been in there looking around. 
It happens all the time, and the number one thing that thieves are looking for is your cash and credit card stash. Keep it with you in your cabin baggage.

4. Passports/Identification/Boarding Passes/Essential Documents

Always keep the originals with you, but make copies of them (credit cards front and back as well) and keep a digital copy attachment in your email. You can keep  photocopies in your suitcase, but beware that you may be creating an easy path for identity thieves.

5. Medications

This one is important. Should your suitcase go AWOL you could be in a world of trouble if all your medications/prescriptions are inside. It's a good idea to separate your medicines and take half on board with you and check the other half through, especially when travelling internationally.
You can take liquid prescriptions that exceed 3.4 fluid ounces in your carry on luggage so long as it is well labeled. I recommend telling The TSA officer, and also having a doctors note to accompany it.

6. All Of Your Clothes

Always pack a couple of days worth of clothes in your carry on luggage. Should your suitcase not arrive with you, you need to have something to change into. 
For most of us spending the first few days of your international vacation in the smelly clothes you flew over in would really ruin the trip. One of my friends spent 3 weeks of her 3 1/2 week trip to Spain last year without her suitcase. Luckily she had enough supplies in her carry on to be able to rotate her outfit each day. You won't always have enough money to buy a new travel wardrobe, and there won't always be places to buy things that you like.
Typically airlines will get your bag back within 3 or 4 days, but chances are you will be moving around, which makes it harder to reconnect you with you bag.

Shop Sale Items at Samsonite.com!

7. Laptops/iPads/Electronics

Think in terms of theft and breakage. Your electronics are of course, a very popular item to steal. On top of that you have to know that no matter how many sweaters you wrap your laptop in, chances are it won't survive being in a bag that is thrown around and has heavy bags thrown on top of it. Just take it on board with you.

8. Flammable Items

Lighters, matches and flammable items are banned from checked luggage. See a full list of banned items on the TSA Website

9. Breakables

Have you ever watched them throwing suitcases or piling heavy suitcases on top of each other? Your breakables don't stand a chance! Even if you've bubble wrapped them and cushioned them with socks and sweaters, how many heavy suitcases stacked on top of yours would it take for the collective weight to break your treasures? Read Confessions Of A Baggage Thrower for more insight into the perils of packing breakables.

10. Film

The X-Rays used to screen suitcases can damages film. If you have been shooting your trip with wet film, put the film in clear cannisters or ziplock bags and take it with you in your cabin baggage. Ask the TSA agent at the X-Ray machine to check your film by hand.

Here is the FAA video of what happens when lithium batteries explode inside a plane: