The travel products our Senior Editor never flies without
As the Senior Beauty & Fashion Editor at HelloGiggles, part of my job is staying up-to-date on industry news and the latest in brand and product launches. Every day I scour studies, news, and polls to understand the science behind these innovations and truly determine what is the best of the bunch. In my recurring column, Pia’s Picks, I’ll highlight the brands and products I’m currently loving within the fashion and beauty space—the ones that are worth your hard-earned dollars, are incredible steals, or are the first of their kind. I hope you’ll love them too.
Whether you travel for work or for pleasure, you know that going up in the air has its caveats. First of all, you need to make sure that your suitcase can safely transport all your goods from one place to another. Then you need to make sure that all your skincare products are TSA approved, or risk having them confiscated. There are a ton of other things you need to think about, and as someone who travels quite a bit for work (and also for kicks) I’ve learned what traveling products I rely on most.
The mini beauty products I always travel with:
Traveling in a plane does two very notable things to your skin: It dries it TF out, and because you’re so much closer to the sun, your skin is more prone to UV damage. That’s why I always carry hydrating skincare products and an SPF—mama wants her skin to stay healthy.
1Youth To The People The Youth Minis Kit
This minis kit has everything I need for in-flight and overnight skin care. The cleanser helps rid my skin of any gunk so I don’t get congested pores, the moisturizers help hydrate my skin, and the facial oil helps to lock that moisture in. If I’m on an overnight flight, I’ll pile on the glow mask as well to give my complexion a radiance boost. It works every time.
2Elta MD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46
I wear sunscreen every single day, but I’m especially diligent about reapplying it when I travel. A 2015 study found that pilots flying for about 56 minutes at 30,000 feet were exposed to the same amount of carcinogenic UVA radiation as one would receive from a 20-minute session on a tanning bed. As someone who loves the window seat, I know I can’t afford to not protect my skin. I love that this mineral sunscreen works on all skin tones (and won’t make anyone look chalky), and it uses niacinamide (also known as vitamin B3) that works to even skin tone and improve skin texture.
Now, let’s talk about baggage.
How you carry your products is almost, if not equally, as important as the products themselves. If you constantly travel, you know this to be true. Lately, I’ve been trying to make more eco-friendly purchases and promote products and brands that make sustainability efforts, which as a Fashion Editor can sometimes be difficult. However, I was recently pitched a carry-on and backpack that check off all my traveling needs and align with my eco-conscious efforts. Check them out below.
1Day Owl Large Backpack
This backpack is all the things I love: Spacious, sustainable, and travel-friendly. Honestly, this is the best backpack I’ve ever traveled with—it has so many zippers! The back pocket is just big enough to fit your laptop (which makes taking it out at security really easy), a big main compartment that fits two bottles of wine (not that that’s what you’d use it for, but just in case you needed to know), has a small area on top for the need-right-now necessities you can’t be bothered to rummage for (like your wallet), a side compartment that comfortably fits a water bottle, a front pocket for your etceteras, and an additional side pocket for your secrets. Also, it has a luggage strap so you can easily slide it on to your carry-on, and top handles. The backpack uses 100% recycled polyester and water-repellent canvas—A+.
2Paravel Carry-On
It’s important to me that my carry-on fits in the overhead compartments used in both domestic and international flights, so my bag leans on the smaller size. Recently I’ve been loving my Paravel Carry-On—its sturdy exteriors mean that my goodies are safe inside, it’s incredibly lightweight, and it has 360 wheels that glide smoothly for every terminal. It features a recycled polycarbonate exterior, vegan leather details, interior lining made from post-consumer plastic water bottles, and uses recycled zippers. Oh, and look how elegant it is!
