Travel
Carry-On Calm: 10 Travel Wellness Essentials
These packing essentials for mind and body will keep you fit and focused when you’re miles away from home – because your health shouldn’t take a break when you do
Travel can do wonders for the soul, but it can also challenge your immune system, energy levels and general peace of mind. That’s why, whether you’re crossing time zones or heading off on a short getaway, taking care of your wellbeing is just as important as remembering your passport. From simple products that support your health to useful tools for keeping your mind calm and your body relaxed, we share our curated selection of essentials that will help you stay centred and refreshed wherever your travels take you.
For Stress Relief
Infrared Heating Mat
Feeling jet-lagged? Exhausted from long airport lines or endless car journeys? Just want to unwind after checking in? This compact, carry-on-friendly wellness mat provides convenient, on-the-go physical therapy and repose wherever you are. When warm, the natural tourmaline and jade stones emit far-infrared heat and negative ions to help relieve muscle and joint tension, improve circulation, induce deep sleep and promote body detoxification – perfect for either targeted therapy or a quick full-body R&R session.
Travel-Friendly Weighted Blanket
When your travels have you feeling more restless than relaxed, this buttery-soft weighted blanket offers the grounding sensation of deep-touch pressure therapy, packed in a handy duffel bag. The certified organic, fair-trade cotton blanket blends sustainability with sensory luxury, and can aid in reducing anxiety, boosting melatonin and promoting a sense of peace. Available in three different travel-approved weights, you can drape it over your lap during a flight or car ride, or snuggle under it on your hotel bed, and feel your nerves begin to recalibrate.
Inhalation Essence
As your muscles and nerves get some much-needed rest, your senses also deserve a reset. “Altitude Oil” by de Mamiel is an inhalation elixir made for those moments when you need both calm and clarity. Featuring natural oils like lavender to ease tension, eucalyptus and fragonia to support immunity, and pine and lemon myrtle for their antioxidant effects, the blend helps reduce travel-related stress by clearing your mind and your airways. Just tap a few drops onto pressure points, such as the wrists, behind the ears or under each nostril, and take a deep, slow breath to invite tranquillity.
For Focus & Mindfulness
Wellness Journal
Cute, compact and multi-purpose, this wellness journal is the ideal outlet for contemplation and mental exercise while you’re away from home. Inside, you’ll find thoughtfully structured pages for tracking intentions, habits, sleep and energy, as well as for regular check-ins, plus space for mindful reflections interspersed with inspiring, expert-written articles. The chic hardback cover design (available in over 100 other motifs) makes journaling feel less like therapy homework and more like a reassuring daily ritual.
Portable Sound Machine
Regardless of what your wellness routine looks like, feeling your best starts with catching enough zzzs. The bad news is that travel – from time zone changes to sleepless flights and topsy-turvy schedules – isn’t conducive to quality sleep. The good news? This portable sound machine is your ticket to the land of dreams.
The pocket-sized gadget, which doubles as a wireless speaker, makes getting a good night’s rest effortless with its 20 built-in soothing sounds – including relaxation tracks – that conceal the chatter of hotel hallways or late-night city noise. Lightweight, rechargeable and designed specifically for use on the road, it transforms any unfamiliar room into your own peaceful sanctuary, helping you wake up refreshed and ready to tackle your jam-packed itinerary.
Compression Packing Cubes
Packing (and unpacking) like a pro is its own kind of wellness ritual. These compression packing cubes bring order – and a sense of calm and control – to even the most chaotic suitcase. Made with durable recycled materials, mesh tops for visibility, and zip-round compression, they maximise space while keeping your belongings crisply folded, neatly organised and easy to find, without the wrinkled chaos. Think of them as little zen masters for your travel bag.
For Health & Hydration
Hydrogen Water Bottle
Travel tends to disrupt everything from your sleep cycle and energy levels to your complexion – but all of these can be dramatically improved with proper hydration. This Echo Flask “smart bottle” takes the task of delivering water to your system and does you one better: it turns regular H2O into molecular-hydrogen-infused water, which is said to reduce oxidative stress, improve cellular health, support gut balance, promote focus and accelerate recovery after exercise. The Echo also comes with a touchscreen and Bluetooth app that let you track your intake, making hydration easier and just a little bit more fun.
Jet Lag Eye Patches
If your eyes tell the story of long flights, light sleep and multiple time zones, these Korean hydrogel patches are your new first-class friend. They’re rich in caffeine and peptides to reduce puffiness, and feature a blend of glycerine, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and cucumber extract designed to hydrate and soothe. Part of Summer Friday’s TSA-friendly Jet Lag collection, they fit effortlessly into your carry-on and can refresh your look in minutes, finally giving you that sought-after bright-eyed landing.
Hand Sanitiser
Hand sanitisers aren’t just for germaphobes anymore, especially when you’re moving through airports, taxis and hotel lobbies, coming into contact with all manner of high-traffic surfaces in the span of a day. With their scented, dye-free mist and sleek dispenser design, these Touchland sanitisers feel far more like pampering accessories than germ-defenders. And while the 70% alcohol solution kills 99.99% of the most common bacteria, the mist is also enriched with aloe vera and radish root ferment filtrate to hydrate rather than dessicate your hands. Choose between more than a dozen scents, from Pure Lavender to Wild Watermelon and Rainwater, including four seasonal limited editions (we’re partial to Spiced Pumpkin-Tini).
Hydrating Mist
If your skin is going from parched cabin air to humid city streets and dry air-conditioned or heated spaces, a balancing, hydrating spray (like this one from Lumion) would not be amiss. Powered by hypochlorous acid – a molecule naturally produced by the body’s immune system – this mist helps target inflammation, diminish redness, fight breakout-causing bacteria and stimulate the skin’s natural healing process. The gentle alcohol- and fragrance-free formula works well on all skin types and gives you a fresh face without irritation. One spritz, and your complexion will glow for the rest of the day.
