(spoiler: a lot)

I’ve always loved the “what’s in my bag” blogger series. I did one ages ago for my gym bag, but if there’s one thing I love more than packing a gym bag it’s packing my flight tote.

I used to travel a ton for work, and this year I’ve got a packed 2019 full of business *and* leisure travel — weddings and bachelorettes overseas, family trips, and today, a flight to NYC for a 22 hour work trip with one of my ***most favorite*** brands.

This current travel itinerary was the perfect excuse to konmari my travel bag — purge the excess, organize and sort the essentials. Doing so reminded me that I’ve never done a deep dive into all my go-to flight products!

I like to have a mix of personal care, leisure, self-care, and “emergency” products on hand. Things that protect my health, indulge my skin, and make me more comfortable on flights, regardless of length. Let’s get into it!

for immunity

your immune system is crazy vulnerable while traveling. keep these must-haves on hand for a safer flight — at the very least, have hand sanitizer!

hand sanitizer spray. tsa bins are one of the most germ riddled areas in the world — they’re worse than toilet seats! if you’re not careful, it’s pretty easy to get a respiratory infection at the airport. I sanitize my hands constantly — lately I’ve been loving mrs. meyer’s lavender spray. it’s not overly drying and it doesn’t smell like a hospital.

zinc, elderberry, vitamin c packs. the three best friends that anybody could have! these immunity-boosting musketeers help me feel healthy and defended against inbound pathogens when I’m in the air. I like the travel-size vitamin c packets from cvs (and they’re cheaper than emergenC!).

lysol wipes to-go pack. wipe down your seat, tray table, and any other public/shared area with lysol. your sinuses will thank you in the future.

for dehydration

my skin, lips, eyes, and hands get very dry on flights. here’s how I handle it.

mario badescu rose facial mist. a light mist of this refreshes my face and alleviates discomfort and tightness. it also smells incredibly light and lovely, and it’s only five bucks!

hourglass lip oil. this is a splurge item at $44, but a fab treatment for your lips to prevent chapping. it’s also made with essential oils!

eye drops. whichever you choose, keep ’em with you — especially if you have contacts! the dry air can cause your contacts to stick to your eyeballs. if I can, I like to travel with my glasses, but sometimes it’s not possible. regardless, drops.

extra contacts. when the drops just aren’t enough.

hand cream and balm. I go back and forth between my l’occitane hand cream and my rituals hand balm. both are lovely and soothing for dry, frequently washed travelin’ hands.

reusable water bottle. bring your bottle and you’ll never spend $7 on a 16 ounce smartwater ever again! staying hydrated is CRUCIAL for your skin comfort, energy levels, and immune system. and like, survival and shit.

for relaxation & entertainment

it’s so easy to turn a flight into a mini retreat versus something you dread or are annoyed by. relish in this small bit of time you have to yourself by focusing on something fun to unwind.

tea sachets. this is a new thing for me. instead of getting a sugary soda on a flight, make yourself a wellness-promoting tea! it’s soothing, relaxing, and satisfying — just ask the attendant for a cup of hot water, and bring your own sachet. for my next flight, I’m bringing davidstea sweet almond green. you can find them in this (seriously epic) tea box. I just found that right now and I’m gonna have to get that tbh. for my return flight home, I’m bringing my sakara detox tea ($17 for 20 teas with my discount!).

alsoooo some davidstea kits come with honey sticks which are great for sore/dry throats. I’m bringing my lemon honey sticks along today!

cbd oil. I have a billion different brands that I alternate between, but there’s always some anxiety-reducing cbd oil in my bag to make sure I stay relaxed and panic-free during my travels, no matter how many delays or how much (literal and figurative) turbulence the day brings. right now I have lord jones and bluebird botanicals on hand.

essential oils. I love my stress release nasal inhaler from saje. you just put it up to your nose and breathe deep! I also have my rituals “ritual of dao” relaxing serum to use on pressure points.

headphones. I have two sets — one bluetooth set for my phone/iPad, and one traditional set with an aux jack for whatever the flight provides, in case I want to watch a movie they’re showing.

phone charger. obviously.

paperback book. I find it’s nice to use a flight as an excuse to unplug for a bit. for that reason, I like to have a physical book to hold in lieu of staring at my screen like I always do when I’m working. you know? the book I have packed today: why zebras don’t get ulcers. a clinical psychologist recommended this to me and I cannot WAIT to dive in.

iPad. for movies, ibooks (on the off chance I get through the paper ones… or if I want to continue reading GoT, since I’m only halfway through book 2 and I only have the digital copy), etc. I also just ordered a keyboard to go with my mini iPad so I can get some work done when I need to, without the hassle of lugging a laptop around.

meditation audio. I’ve been using the calm app lately for my anxiety off button. they’ve even got a series for quelling flight-induced anxiety, which is perfect for nervous travelers.

for the “just in cases”

ibuprofen. another obvious one. headaches happen, especially with dry air. and helloooooo, sinus pressure.

tide to-go pen. especially if you’re on a business trip.

shout wipes. once on a flight to london the jackass person in front of me reclined their seat during dinnertime, hurling my cabernet all over my white and light pink lululemon outfit. I didn’t have these on hand. I will never let that happen again.

saje pocket farmacy. there are some pain relief and headache relief oils in this set, so I like to have that as a backup to the ibuprofen.

hair ties, safety pins, bobby pins. you never know what you’ll need in a pinch.

for when I’m feeling more extra than the above instances

for longer flights — to hawaii, the east coast, canada, europe, etc etc — it’s fun to do a little more indulgent self-care, and by that I’m talking about masks.

laneige lip sleeping mask. let this sink in for several hours to replenish dry, cracked lips and make them plumper and softer.

sheet masks. I like to bring something super hydrating that you can massage into your skin when you’re done masking. you don’t have the ability to rinse or wash your face, so keep it simple!

under eye masks. depuff your under eye area with cooling, soothing under eye masks. like the sheet masks, these take 10-20 minutes to work and you pat in the excess serum once you’re done, and dispose of the sheet.

skin gym rose quartz facial roller. tbh I’m not 100% sure what this does but it feels awesome as a facial massage and helps a lot with my tmj/clenched jaw pain.

green aventurine. this little beauty is from my smudge wellness holiday delivery. it’s basically felix felicis in crystal form, so you “charge it up” with your very specific intention and it gives you added mojo to manifest it. mine’s currently programmed for safe, tranquil, seamless travel.