A few little extras to enhance your journey.
Anything can happen when you travel. That, of course, is the thrill of heading off to destinations unknown. But your trip can be just as thrilling—and a lot more comfortable—if you bring a few smart essentials along.
For me, the criteria are simple: I look for natural products that are well designed, lightweight and easy to pack, durable, handy and highly functional. That’s it. Here are some favorites. (Use side arrows to scroll!)
Product Index
The Anti-Bottle Light as a sheet of paper, the BPA-free Vapur
Anti-Bottle is a must for the airport or hiking trail. Designed by a team of athletes to roll up or fold flat, it adds no extra bulk or weight to your backpack or carry-on and, as soon as you’ve made it through security, you can fill it up with water and bring it on the plane. vapur.us
The Rehydrator When you feel your skin dehydrating on a long-haul flight, pull out the Tata Harper Replenishing Nutrient Complex ultra-moisturizing roll-on and rehydrate. The essential oil blend absorbs beautifully and combats dryness in an instant. Plus, it smells fantastic. tataharper.com
First Aid Loaded with St. John’s wort, comfrey, lavender and other healing herbs in an olive oil and beeswax base, Sierra Sage Green Goo is a one-stop apothecary that soothes cuts, calluses, bruises, insect bites, itching, minor burns and dryness. sierrasageherbs.com
Stress Relief If you get stressed—or find yourself surrounded by unpleasant aromas—apply the Ecocert-certified Aveda Stress Fix Concentrate roller ball blend of lavender and clary sage (herbs are sourced from organic farms) to pulse points, inhale deeply and relax. aveda.com
Cleanse & Refresh Featuring pure essential oils with natural antibacterial and antiseptic properties, these on-the-go Action Wipes refresh and cleanse from head to toe after a vigorous trek, workout or city tour. actionwipes.com
Real Remedies When my daughter was little she used to call Boiron’s Oscillococcinum “dots,” and, in my family, we still do. I try to bring along a tiny tube of the homeopathic remedy whenever I travel. If you feel flu or flu-like symptoms coming on, sprinkle a few of these little pellets under your tongue and if you get it done early enough, the flu will pass you right by. boironusa.com
Lip Lube Organic olive oil, coconut oil and beeswax are the basis of the luscious Noya Lip Balm tube, in cherry, vanilla, spearmint and classic. Noya partners with The National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC) to donate free lip balm to those in need. noyabeauty.com
Vitamin Packs and Probiotics Traveling can lower your resistance to colds and make your digestion a bit, shall we say, delicate. Oxylent Travel Packs—a powder in a packet that fizzes up when mixed with water—offer enzymes, electrolytes, amino acids, vitamins and minerals, with no sugar (sweetened with stevia) and no calories, to keep you healthy. Nordic Naturals’ new Probiotic requires no refrigeration and keeps your digestion on track. oxylent.com, nordicnaturals.com
Yoga on the Go One of the thinnest mats we’ve seen, the Ymat Pro still creates enough of a cushion for you to practice anywhere: by the pool or in your hotel room. It rolls or folds up to fit comfortably in a small tote, absorbs moisture and will not curl. ymatpro.com
Little Black Dress Everyone needs a little black dress, it’s the perfect piece for travel, no matter where you’re going. The Nau Inte-grate Dress (pictured left) is not only super-chic, it is a lightweight blend of linen and Tencel, which is sustainable and it keeps the linen looking smooth and polished. nau.com