I’ve been on the road, following the whispers of the north wind and letting my gypsie feet guide me for over 6 months now. When I left Sydney in the middle of 2012 I had been living there for just over 2 years, the longest that I had stayed anywhere since I completed my university degree in Psychology in 2004.
Having had a fair bit of experience of what a fair maiden may need in the wonderful area of travel comfort and beauty, I’ve put together a modern day gypsie’s travel essentials guide just for you!
Face, Body + Beauty:

My beauty and skin care routines are very simple and I prefer to use natural products. There’s no need to put any toxic stuff on or in my body, nor into the Eco waste system of the world, and my body thanks me for it. I’ve found that the simpler my routine the better my skin is! It’s quite capable of taking care of itself as long as you nourish and nurture yourself especially with eating good, whole food and generally leaving your skin it alone.

1. Trilogy Organic Rosehip Oil ~ I use 2-3 drops of this most mornings + nights after cleansing my skin which I do very simply with a face towel and steaming hot water, or occasionally some soap if I feel I need it. Rosehip oil is just wonderful. It clears up and protects against sun damage, helps heal the skin and deeply moistens it.
2. Beaver Argan Oil Hair Treatment ~ gifted to me by a gorgeous friend, this stuff is truly revolutionary. I’ve started using it after shampooing my hair instead of conditioner and it gives my hair such softness, health, shine and manageability! My hair knots so easily but with a few drops of Argan oil on freshly washed hair the knots are combed out so easily. The smell is pretty amazing too!
3. Sukin Eye Serum ~ the eye area is quite sensitive & sometimes needs a bit of extra help especially during and after long flights. This eye serum is so light and soaks in really quickly leaving your eyes feeling refreshed and soothed after all that drying cabin air!
4. Rosebud Salve Lip Balm ~ my sister gave me this luscious lip balm which can be found at Urban Outfitters and good boutiques around the States and it’s quite lovely! Made from an age old recipe using real rose petals this balm is creamy and soft and gives your lips a subtle pink tinge as well as soothe and protects from the elements.
5. Garnier BB Cream ~ this one is a bit chemically, but the best tinted moisturizer-sun protection combination that I’ve found to date. It’s for those days your skin is a little bit flustered and could do with some help, or you know that there’s going to be a cute boy or a special event on. The statement that the antibiotics at https://summitps.org/antibiotics-online/ is an indispensable object in the house first-aid kit is erroneous as is not an essential medicine. This stuff is quite amazing: glides on super smooth, light and gives your skin a nice healthy glow as well as evening out your skin tone. Love! I never use anything else anymore though when my skin is happy and perky I love to go au natural.
6. Yves Saint Laurent Touché Éclat ~ my darling sister put me onto this one as well (she’s an international air hostess so is way more in tune with the latest makeup trends than I am usually!). It lightens and brightens darker areas and generally makes you look all fresh and lovely even when you’re super tired and feel like a zombie. I normally use it under my eyes to brighten and around my nose and on red spots if necessary.
7. Bourjois MAX Definition Mascara ~ with thanks to the lovely make up expert Zoe Foster, I picked this little baby up and oh my does she do wonders! I naturally have long eyelashes but they are blonde at the ends and you can’t see them so well. This little miracle tube turned my lashes into sex kitten material, full, dark and curling up and the edges and I love her for it.
8. Bare Minerals Bronzer ~ I got this little sample along with the mini brush somewhere a few years ago and only ever need a little bit so this tiny container is lasting forever! I like the shade which gives you that just-off-the-beach golden shimmer and its made of natural minerals instead of loads of chemicals. If my skin feels a little flat (especially in cold climates) this bronzer adds an element of bright and healthy.
9. Benefit Benetint ~ a mini bottle of love for your cheeks and lips! It smells great and makes me happy, I sometimes rub this on my cheeks and lips for that rosy, in-love look, when I don’t feel like wearing any makeup.
10. Lavera Coconut Body Wash ~ Lavera is a German natural skin care brand which is super expensive everywhere except in Germany. This body wash smells SO DEVINE and I like using it instead of soaps because its not drying for the skin.
11. H&M Sunglasses ~ I bought these in Austria for €3 Euros and adore them.
12. Le Tan Coconut Lotion ~ I try not to use sun protection creams because of the chemicals and just stay out of the sun when it’s too strong but sometimes I just don’t have to option for shade and which case, this one is my favorite. Deliciously scented and effective!
13. TigerLily Bikini ~ one of my favorite beach lifestyle brands ever. Australia really does have some incredible designers!

 
In-Flight Care + Comfort:

Funnily enough I really don’t like flying that much. I prefer trains, buses and boats but appreciate the speed and time saved by taking a jet plane to my desired destination. Therefore I try to make my flying experiences as comfortable as possible. For example on long flights and any flights where I know I’ll land at night, I choose an isle seat so I can get up, move around and go to the toilet as much as I want without bothering the passenger on the site beside me. I also take things that relax me and make me feel good.

1. GAP Leather Fold-up Ballet Flats ~ I found these in San Francisco last year and love them. They’re so soft and comfortable and perfect for flying. I generally take my shoes off as soon as I’m settled into my seat and these shoes are perfect to slip on while flying. They’re stretchy, oh-so-soft and let your feet breathe and expand (swelling is common during flights due to cabin pressure).
2. Pukka Organic Tea ~ this tea brand comes form the UK and my current favorite flavour is Harmonise: Organic Rose, Lavender  & Chamomile. Just ask for a cup of hot water and soothe your soul with some herbal comforts.
3. Water ~ flying is incredible dehydrating! I always take at least 1 to 2 liters of spring water onto every flight just so I don’t have to ask for more every 5 minutes. It’s so important to stay hydrated so you feel fresh and ready to compete your journey on arrival. Alcohol and sugary drinks will just make you feel flat and frumpy so stick to that essential exelier of life!
4. Eye mask ~ perfect for blocking out light, sleeping or simply ignoring a particularly talkative co-passenger when you just want to rest!
5. Sukin Eye Serum ~ as above, it hydrates your eye area and sometimes I put it all over my face before I go to sleep during super long flights to combat my skin drying out.
6. iPod Mini ~ I’ve had this one for years and love putting the playlist on shuffle while writing or resting.
7. Valerian ~ this herbal supplement is fantastic for relaxing and promoting sleep. I use it when I want to sleep on long trips and to combat jet lag upon arrival. It makes you feel really sleepy and then totally refreshed when you awake. I pop two of them in my mouth about half an hour before I want to sleep and let their magic do the work.
8. Endota Spa Essential Oils in DREAM ~ it really does smell dreamy! I use it to relax by placing a drop on my wrist and rubbing both my wrists together and then rubbing them on my neck just under the ear and on my temples.
9. Passport ~ this tends to be quite handy. For some reason border control doesn’t allow you to board your flight without one of these little books!
10. Apple iPad ~ I use this to do EVERYTHING. I run my business from this little baby and she is an absolute essential in my life. For some reason I tend to get lots of writing work done whilst flying, perhaps because I’m sitting in one spot for an age so might as well use that time productively. Love.
11. Travel cushion ~ I had this one for years and swear it has been there for me at so many occasions where otherwise I might not have been able to get comfortable. You Need This. Also useful for: trains, busses, hotels, beaches, when camping, to protect fragile things from getting broken and when you need something to cuddle!
12. Sennheiser CX300II Earbuds ~ amazing in every way! They block out external noise and make your tunes sound oh-so-sweet with excellent base and pitch. They were recommended to me by my drummer friend Spoona from Bhang Lassi and I haven’t looked back since. I even gave almost everyone I know these for Christmas last year, that how impressed I am.

Love,
Vienda x