There are travel essentials and then there are travel essentials. After your bikini, day-to-night dress, and the obligatory travel-chic striped t, pack these six items for an instant health and beauty upgrade for your next trip. Whether you’re headed across the globe for a major retreat or across town for a day at the beach, I swear by these six essentials for a little “living well” vacay-style…
Sonya Dakar NutraSphere Overnight Mask
Flying can cause our skin to both break out and go completely dry. Not the look you were hoping to rock on vacation? Exactly. Sonya Dakar’s moisture mask is intended for overnight use, but when I got my hands on a bottle right before a recent trip all I could think of was flight mask. The moisture-rich mask goes on almost invisibly, so there’s no “social cost” to slathering it on and I found it the perfect barrier between my skin and the dry, poorly circulated in-flight air! Also incredible at night to help care for skin that’s in a new climate or out in the sun all day.
Solaray High Potency HCL
Thanks to our nutrition editor, I now never travel without this supplement. HCL is like apple cider vinegar you can travel with: it helps you digest just about anything. HCL pills shouldn’t be taken regularly, but for travel and special occasion meals (especially sushi: HCL can help to kill any potential parasites!) I rely on this stuff to stay feeling 100% healthy and to avoid any exotic food issues!
CV Skinlabs Rescue + Relief Spray
The ultra-gentle formulas at CV Skinlabs are actually designed for cancer patients for whom sensitive skin is an issue during treatment. This spray hydrator has a milky consistency that is light and calming enough for chemotherapy-treated skin. It just so happens to be a perfect post-sun treatment as well. No one wants to glob on thick or heavy skin creams to sunburned skin. This light spray provides both a healing treatment for sunburns and an excellent dose of moisture. Great to have in your beach bag!
Vita Liberata pHenomenalTan
There are a few all-natural self-tanners I love, but nothing is like pHenomenal’s self-tanning lotion. The color is amazing, easy to apply, and never streaky. pHenomenal is also one of the brand’s used by celebrity beauty pro Fiona Locke. Fiona’s custom head-to-toe tans are one of the best in the city, leaving us sculpted looking, but natural. If you’re here in L.A., see Fiona, if you’re elsewhere, try pHenomenal sunless lotion at home – the formula is remarkably clean.
Emergen-C Vitamin C Supplement
I don’t know that Emergen-C tops that charts when it comes to bio-available vitamin supplementation, nonetheless, it is effective and a travel must to tuck in your carry-on. A big dose of vitamin C every morning can do wonders for keeping your energy and immunity high. And vitamin C is a great supplement to have on hand the morning after parties and big dinners.
Suntegrity 5-in-1 Tinted Sunscreen
Whether for the beach or for the plane, this all in one moisturizer, primer, tint and sunscreen is one of the best multi-tasking sun products on the market. A full face of makeup for the pool? Maybe not, but I love the tinted sheen of this chemical-free sunscreen for just a little coverage and illumination.
