Hilary’s Picks: Travel Must-Haves

Travel

Hilary’s favorite must-have travel products…

We all have products we never go on vacation without. I’ve tried a lot of products over the years. And I mean a lot. And these are the ones that make it into my travel bag each time.

hilary-rowland-travel
Relaxing by the pool at The Breakers in Palm Beach (swimsuit by Shan)
Dr.Hauschka Decorative Line; Dr.Hauschka Dekorative Kosmetik

I absolutely love Dr. Hauschka’s makeup line. Not only do their products blend super well and look very natural, but the line is completely free of toxins. My essentials are their eye shadows, bronzer and blush.

Essential Travel Products

I love just about anything ombre, and Dessy pashminas are no exception. They look gorgeous around your neck and are perfect for breezy nights.

My favorite bikini is a Brazilian cut suit by Vix. I also love the cutout one-pieces from ASOS. Both brands suits are well made and ohhh so sexy!

Essential Travel Products

I never forget my Toms ballet flats. They take up almost no space, are super comfy, and give back to the world.

I had an iPad, but I gave it away in favor of my Chromebook, which does everything a big laptop can do, but is super light. It’s like a hybrid between a tablet and a laptop, and I like having a proper keyboard.

editors-essentials

I never go far without my Beauty by Earth Argan Oil. Argan oil basically works as a Ten-in-One. I use it to nourish and moisturize my face and body, fight wrinkles, remove eye makeup, condition my hair… it’s also great for adding a subtle sheen to arms and legs. Beauty by Earth cold-presses the oil and packages it in dark glass in order to preserve the nutrients and prevent toxins from entering the product, and it’s USDA and Eco-Cert certified organic. Coconut oil is another great oil, which smells amazing, has anti-bacterial properties, and can be used as a makeup remover (it won’t sting your eyes), sexual lube, moisturizer – you name it.

I throw everything in my little weekender bag by Vania & David. I love all the pockets. Gone are the days of fumbling around in the bottom of my bag for my phone or passport.

travel-essentials

I bring Badger lavender sunscreen with me everywhere I go. It’s a bit thick because it uses zinc oxide (the only safe sunscreen), but it rubs in well and is truly 100% chemical-free. I also love red raspberry seed oil for it’s natural SPF properties and how light and absorbent it is. It gives my face a natural non-oily glow.

I love Marlyn Schiff jewelry because the items give you a great high-end look without being expensive, so if you forget them at the pool, you can just buy another pair.

These shades by Velvet are so glamorous, and my husband loves them on me, so I wear them all the time. They come in a bunch of different colors, and I have them all.

Essential Travel Products
Marlyn Schiff earrings
Essential Travel Products
Velvet brand cat-eye sunglasses
Manito - Mask

I love my silk Manito eye mask. It’s super soft and cushy. I can’t sleep when it’s bright out, so this really helps on airplanes and for jet-lagged naps.

I love my travel ProPur Scout water filter. It’s made of stainless steel and filters out all the chemicals and bacteria from tap water. It also saves me a ton of $ because I don’t have to buy the $8 bottles of water in my hotel room.

travel essentials

I stick all my skin and body care products, jewelry, and any other little things I need in my PurseN ‘timeless quilted’ travel bags. They’ve got a ton of waterproof pockets and compartments on the inside so it’s easy to stay organized and I know my shampoo won’t leak mid-flight.

Essential Travel Products

I almost always just take a carry-on, but when I’m forced to gate-check, I feel very safe handing over my Ricardo suitcase. It actually uses nanotechnology to protect against the elements (and the baggage handlers!) and, since it’s hard on the outside, I don’t worry about my stuff getting crushed.

I keep my TrakDot Luggage Tracker in my suitcase in case the airline loses it – which has happened a couple of times! It helped me figure out when it was arriving at the Dominican Republic airport so I could pick it up before it got ‘lost’ – permanently.

Now you know what I can’t travel without, but what can’t you go without?

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Hilary Rowland

A writer, artist, and designer since she was young enough to put pencil to paper, Hilary taught herself code and created Urbanette when she was a teenager. Currently, she lives in Monte Carlo, but spent the past decade living in NYC, still considers herself a New Yorker, and visits regularly. She's always traveling, looking for hot new topics, destinations, and life hacks to bring to Urbanette readers.

Reader Discussion: 84 Comments

  1. Awesomr list! If you have a smartphone you can reduce your packing list even more. You can put your mucis on it and add a flashlight app. Mine is very bright! 🙂 I carry a silk sleeping bag tha is like a large pillow case. I slip inside of it and no hotel linens to worry about touching my skin. Packs very compact. I bought mine in Vietnam but I’m sure youcan find them anywhere in Asia.

    Reply
  2. I carry an “emergency kit” in a sandwich-sized zip lock bag. Included are: pen or pencil wrapped w/ about 2′ of duct tape; rubber bands; emergency sewing kit including a button or two; eyeglass repair kit; paper clips; sticky notepad; very small LED light. Separate bag: emergency medical kit.

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  3. When I travel, sunscreen is on top of my “what-to-bring” list. It doesn’t really matter where I’m going, but I find sunscreen to be that essential that I must not forget! I’m excited to try your recommended product, Badger lavender sunscreen. Does it smell nice?

    Reply

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