Talking Shop with ‘The Traitors' star Dorinda Medley

NBC News

07-03-2025

Talking Shop is our series where we talk to interesting people about their most interesting buys.
Dorinda Medley, former 'The Real Housewives of New York City' cast member, knows a thing or two about being on the go. She famously splits her time between her Massacushetts estate, Blue Stone Manor, and Manhattan, and most recently, Scotland for season three of 'The Traitors.' Amid her frequent travels, she's become a pro at packing. Her number one tip? Keep your toiletry bag fully stocked with the essentials at all times.
'If I'm going away for a weekend, I just pick it up, put it in my bag and then it gets replenished when I get back,' she says. 'You never know when a hot man is going to call and say 'meet me at the airport in two hours.''
The exact contents of Medley's Anya Hindmarch toiletry bag changes slightly here and there, but for the most part, it's filled with products she's used for years. 'Whenever I'm with famous makeup artists, really great hairstylists and people that are really in the business, they pull out the old stuff,' she says. 'There's a reason why the oldies never disappear, and people who really know their craft use them.' Below, I talked with Medley about her travel essentials, plus her go-to perfume hack, the foundation 'all the old Housewives' cast members wear and more.
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L'Oreal Paris Elnett Satin Hairspray
The number one thing Medley says every woman should have in her toiletry bag is this hairspray, which she buys in large and mini sizes. 'It's been around forever, and it truly is the best because it has a great hold and smell' she says. But Medley doesn't just use the hairspray to get rid of frizz and set styles — she says it doubles as a fabric-saver. 'You can spray hairspray on the collar or sleeve of your clothing, inside and out, and it will keep any makeup from catching,' says Medley. It's an alternative to wearing a makeup protector net over your head — the hairspray coats fabric without damaging it to prevent foundation, blush and other cosmetics from transferring when you get dressed post-application.
'I'm famous for my reading glasses,' says Medley, who carries three pairs with her whenever she travels. 'Reading glasses are a great statement, and they show that you're confident and you don't care. Inevitably, if not every day, every other day, someone asks me about my eyeglasses.' She loves buying pairs from Ryan Simkhai because they're around $30 and come in various colors, shapes and styles. 'If I go on holiday, I'll sometimes pack a crazy colored reading glass to match my outfit,' says Medley. 'I treat it like a belt. If I travel and I'm going to wear a Missoni jumpsuit, I'll take out a purple velour pair of reading glasses at dinner.'
Neutrogena makes Medley's favorite makeup remover wipes, which she prefers buying individually packaged so they fit in all her bags. 'They're in every bag I have — they're practically in my medic bag,' she says. 'You never know when your mascara is going to slip, and if you have a little whoopsie when you're out, you can quickly fix it.' She also uses these wipes to remove stains when she gets makeup on clothes.
Vanderbeek Designs Wearable Art Gallery Robe
'I think you need to make your hotel room feel like home, especially when you're filming, so I always bring my own bathrobe,' says Medley. She prefers lightweight styles instead of heavy, fluffy ones because they're better for lounging. Medley recently bought herself and her daughter these robes from Vanderbeek Designs, which she says don't wrinkle since they're made from polyester and spandex. 'After a nice shower, you can put on your robe and it gives you a moment to walk around and feel good about yourself, put on your lotions and potions, and get your makeup on,' she says.
Bringing her favorite candle is another way Medley makes her hotel room feel like home. Her top pick is Harlem Candle Company's Speakeasy Luxury Candle, which has notes of palo santo, incense and dark chocolate. 'It elevates wherever you are,' she says.
'This Laura Geller foundation has been around for 100 years — all the old Housewives have this, I promise you,' says Medley. She started wearing the brand's makeup when she moved to New York and its store opened on Third Avenue in the early 90s. 'They didn't have places to get your makeup done back then, so when Laura Geller opened, you could go get your makeup done if you had something really special, like a wedding,' says Medley. 'All of us had this foundation, and it's still out, and it's still amazing.'
Beyond her mascara and foundation, Medley brings Makeup Forever's HD Skin All in One Harmony 1 Palette on trips. 'If you don't want to bring a lot of makeup, you can just bring your mascara, foundation, a couple great lip glosses, lots of sunscreen and this little kit. I use it for my eyes, lips and all over my face.'
'I hate when I go to hotels that have dry heat, and a lot of times, you can't open the windows,' says Medley. 'I always have a humidifier on at home to create moisture, so I travel with this little tiny thing because it's so easy to carry. You can literally just take a water bottle out of the refrigerator, tip it in the humidifier and it starts misting.'
'Mascara is a savior for everything,' says Medley. 'You could look terrible, you could be hungover, you could have no makeup on… but you slap on mascara and a light gloss, and you're good to go.' In her eyes, L'Oreal Paris' Voluminous Original Volume Building Mascara is unbeatable, but she also keeps Maybelline's Great Lash Waterproof Mascara on hand, too. 'A lot of times, I put on my mascara, and after it's dry, I put the waterproof mascara over it from the middle to the tip because it creates a nice hold,' says Medley. 'It keeps mascara from moving or smudging, and if you're on holiday, you can swim in it.'
Batiste Original Dry Shampoo
Because she washes her hair once or twice a week, Medley says she's a big believer in dry shampoo. 'It can really bring your hair back to life,' she says, but you have to apply it correctly. She flips her head over, sprays her hair from roots to tips, lets it sit for five minutes and brushes it. Then, she styles her hair with a curling iron or blow dryer. Since Batiste's dry shampoo comes in a pack of three, Medley likes that she can keep extras at home to restock her toiletry bag when she runs out.
' Vicks Vapor Rub and Vaseline — you could fight a war with those two products,' says Medley. 'It's magic.' She loves that it's multipurpose, so it gets rid of dry skin anywhere on her body, and she adds a few drops of essential oils to the jelly so it becomes a perfume of sorts. Medley has also made what she calls a 'perfume balm' with Vaseline and essential oils. 'I get a bunch of the little containers, fill them with essential oils and freeze them,' she says. 'They become like a perfume balm that's great if you don't want to carry around a whole bottle of perfume.'
Medley uses all of Sio Beauty's silicone patches, like those for the forehead, chest, lips and eyes. 'They're not cheap, but they're reusable, so if you take care of them, you can get your money's worth,' she says. 'I sleep with them, and as soon as I wake up in the morning, I do the ceremonious peeling off, hoping to God I look 29 again.' The patches help reduce the appearance of creases and expression lines in the skin to create a smoother overall look, according to the brand.
Lumara Viso
'If you're going to invest in one thing, invest in a LED light mask,' says Medley, who never travels without hers. 'You'll get your money's worth if you think cumulatively, and as far as I'm concerned, it's as good as a facial.' Her go-to mask is this one from Lumara, and she has the matching panel, too, which she uses at home. Medley finds using the LED tools relaxing and rejuvenating, especially after busy days.
'Especially in beauty and health routines, you have to have stuff that's easy, efficient and well-packaged,' says Medley. 'If it's not, you're throwing it away. Her teeth whitener of choice is Snow's Diamond Series Whitening Strips, which she says actually stick to her teeth and don't cause tooth sensitivity. The strips slowly dissolve as you use them, so you can even wear them on the plane.
Why trust NBC Select?
I'm a reporter at NBC Select who covers topics like health, fitness, home and kitchen. I interviewed Dorinda Medley, former 'The Real Housewives of New York City' and 'Traitors' season 3 cast member, about the essential products she keeps in her toiletry bag.