For someone who hates airports and planes, I feel like I spend an excessive amount of time traveling. I’m in South Carolina this weekend so I thought it’d be appropriate to share some of my travel essentials with you!
Swell bottle – I think I could use a different water bottle every day of the week for two weeks. I have more than I can count, but my favorite by far is the 17 ounce Swell bottle. Starting around $30 it’s definitely more pricey than most other water bottles but it is worth every penny. I was always afraid to stick water bottles in my bag for fear of them leaking or sweating and destroying my planner or laptop. I’ve had no problems with my Swell, they come in such cute designs, and they really do keep drinks cold all day. Reusable water bottles are great for traveling because you can bring them through security empty and fill them up afterward instead of paying $5.00 for a plastic water bottle (and they’re obviously better for the environment). I have both the Sand Python and Venus designs, but when I’m finally ready to upgrade to the 25-ounce bottle I’m leaning towards Blanc Crocodile or Pink Diamond.
Pad Mini – A few years ago we got my grandma an iPad as a present. It was a little after they had first come out and my dad was skeptical of them, but we thought it would be a good present for her so she wasn’t confined to the small computer room in her house whenever she wanted to be online. She LOVED it. Not long after that we got my mom one, and then I finally got one a little bit after I started college. At school I use it mainly for textbooks (SO much easier than carrying around a 10 lb. book you don’t even want to read), but I love having it for long plane or train rides. I keep games like backgammon and solitaire on it in case I get really bored, as well as 1-2 movies. Now that you can pre-download Netflix shows to watch offline, my iPad is more useful than ever. I have the mini and it’s perfect for traveling because its lightweight, fits easily on my lap when I can’t have my tray table down, and can fit in smaller purses. I bring it everywhere, especially when I don’t have enough work to warrant bringing my whole laptop with me.
Headphones – I’m incredibly cheap when it comes to headphones because I’m always afraid of losing them. I have two pairs of $10 Sony earbuds from Amazon but if I ever get a chance to splurge, I would definitely go for the Bose wireless headphones. The buds are great for throwing in a bag or pocket on the way to class, but the sound quality on the over-the-ear phones is incredible and they tune out so much more than the buds do. They’re a little pricey but since I have an iPhone 7 which doesn’t have a headphone jack, the wireless compatibility is more important than ever. I also don’t work out often, but if you do, especially if you do a log of yoga or other activities where you’re moving a lot, wireless headphones are a total game-changer.
Hand cream/moisturizer – I’ve been hyper-aware of how dry my hands have been lately (no thank you to D.C.’s lovely and frequent cold spurts) so a good hand cream has been a must for me everywhere I go. I need it more than ever when I travel because planes always make me feel so dry and dehydrated. My go-to is the L’Occitane dry hand cream – it’s a lifesaver and doesn’t leave my hands feeling too greasy afterward. It also comes in a cherry blossom scent which is perfect for spring. The Lemony Flutter cuticle butter from Lush is also great for dry hands and rough cuticles. The tub lasts forever and it smells light and refreshing. You can also use it as lip balm if you forget to pack chapstick as an added bonus. When I’m not traveling, I love the Lush Golden Handshake hand mask. I tried it once with my friend and I didn’t realize how dry my hands truly were until I saw how quickly they soaked up the mask. I had to apply it twice as frequently as she did! For face moisturizers I swear by Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation moisturizer. It’s light enough for the summer but still substantial enough to get you through the winter so you can use it all year round. It also reduces the appearance of acne scars which is a must for my (still-difficult-even-though-I’m-no-longer-a-teenager) skin.
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