Hi there! Suzannah, here, your Sanctuary Spa manager. I am excited about bringing this post to you because this is a subject I like to pretend I know a thing or two about. TRAVEL takes up a big piece of my heart, and after several trips in stuffy airplanes across continents, I have learned which essentials I need (yes, need) in my carry-on bag to be as comfortable as possible, while taking care of my skin and body. The reality of travel is that it can be very harsh. Due to dry, polluted air, our health and our skin can take a seat on the back burner. Instead of succumbing to the notion that long flights just all-around stink, I decided to figure out exactly what is necessary for the most comfortable trip. Below, you will see what I recommend for your travel bag, for not only your skin care, but also for your health, overall well-being, and relaxation! And while I’m at it, I’ll share a few extra things I have personally found to be extremely important for my travel days! ~XOXO
15 Travel Essentials
1. HAND CREAM. I learned this lesson on a flight to Africa. The cabin air was so cold and dry, I specifically remember trying to hold my hands together tightly to try and create some kind of sweat and moisture between them. Gross, I know. But it was all I could do to try and stand my cracking, flaking skin. Grab a hand cream for your flight, and in my opinion… the thicker, the better. Even if it’s a consistency that it is thicker than you would normally go for, do it. Your hands reach a new level of dry way up there.
2. MOISTURIZER. The same way your hands will suffer from the dry air, your face will, too. No one likes a flaky nose or face.
3. EXFOLIANT. Our favorite exfoliant is the Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant. This exfoliant is actually a powder, which means you can take it on your carry-on! Long flights mean long hours of pollution and contamination going directly into your skin. When you land, run in the bathroom and mix a bit of this powder exfoliant with water to give your pores a deep cleanse and free your skin from all the yuck that’s in the air.
4. LIP BALM. Have you ever had chapped lips so bad you’re in pain, trying desperately not to lick them and make them worse? No? Well, you will if you go on a long flight without lip balm.
5. ESSENTIAL OILS. Using Serenity and Balance together creates a unique blend that promotes complete relaxation and sleep. We all know how hard it is to sleep on an airplane, and if you’re an anxious flier, it’s even harder. Use these oils to reach your zen at 30,000 feet up. On Guard is a protection blend, designed to fight any bugs that might want to attack your immune system. Forget AirBorne. On Guard has been shown to fight viruses as strong as Influenza and stop the spreading of them in their tracks.
6. NOSE DROPS. Difficulty breathing through the dry, scratchy air just isn’t worth it. You might have heard about the old vaseline-in-the-nose trick. But actually, this is not a healthy practice in the slightest. Doing this too much can cause you to breathe the vaseline into your lungs. Opt for nose drops designed to promote moisture instead.
7. SLEEP MASK. Need I say more?
8. Earplanes. This may not be something everyone needs, but I sure do. Do your ears hurt every time you fly? Do you roll your eyes when someone suggests chewing gum or popping your ears because those don’t help in the slightest with the extreme ear pain you’re experiencing? There are those of us out there. Flying without Earplanes is the most painful experience for me. It is brutal. I started using Earplanes years ago, and they have changed my life. Put them in when you’re boarding the plane, and you can take them out once you’ve reached your altitude. No more pain! And don’t forget to put them in an hour before landing. You can thank me later.
9. HAND SANITIZER. You are cramped in uncomfortable quarters with strangers carrying Who-Knows-What disease, coughing, sneezing, and possibly throwing up, but… you’re also reading Sky Mall. Which, I found out is one of the most contaminated things on an airplane. Better just take that hand sanitizer with you. Especially because airplane bathroom sinks don’t exactly scream “cleanliness”.
10. SLIPPERS OR SOCKS. When you’re on a long flight, you might as well make yourself comfortable. Slip those shoes on, and slip on your cozy slippers or fluffy socks, and curl up against that window with your favorite playlist. Every little thing adds up.
11. NECK PILLOW AND BLANKET. Everyone already knows they should have a neck pillow on a long flight. I don’t need to reiterate that. But not everyone thinks to bring a blanket. If your carry-on bag is big enough, you can roll up a thin flannel blanket or throw that – I promise you – will mean the difference between your sleeping deeper or not. Even if your airline provides you with a blanket, they are so thin and light, they don’t make a difference. When you’re on a cold flight for 15 hours, you start to reach levels of insanity you never thought you would.
12. MEDIA ENTERTAINMENT. Load up your iPad or laptop with movies and TV shows, and download apps and games ahead of time to avoid the extreme boredom of international flights. Tip: pack over-ear headphones instead of earbuds. Earbuds start to hurt when they’re in your ears that long.
13. READING MATERIAL. Whether you’re a magazine or novel type, now is the time to catch up on reading you’ve always meant to get to, but simply haven’t found the time.
14. SNACKS. Protein bars. Energy bars. Chips. Pretzels. Trail mix. Candy. Crackers. Anything you like that will help you survive, take it. International flights do provide meals, but they are small, and let’s be honest, not gourmet. Take a sweet treat on your flight you wouldn’t normally have on a daily basis, and give yourself something to enjoy.
15. PASSPORT. Grab your passport, your ticket, and have a great flight!
