Scentsational Dreams

Photo by ***j9***/flickr

If you have trouble falling asleep in unfamiliar hotel rooms, Sleep Scentsations have you – or, ahem, your pillow – covered. The adhesive-backed pillow liners contain essential oils to induce a restful mood. Just place them right on the pillow, underneath the case, take a deep breath and drift off to sleep. Choose from a range of scents with charming names like Day at the Beach, Relaxing, and My Boyfriend’s Shirt. Each one comes individually wrapped, so it packs away easily in your suitcase.

Chic and Shady

Several people have commented (privately and publicly) on the parasol in my last post.  As the lovely Miss Eve from Absolutely Ladylike pointed out, parasols are all the rage among Asian women overseas.  But what if you want to rock a little chic portable shade in the U.S.?    

The creator of Carasol Parasols, a young NYC resident by the name of Carol, developed her company after getting multiple compliments stateside when she trotted around Manhattan carrying a parasol her aunt brought back from Japan.  A few years later, Carol is providing elegant, sturdy parasols to the masses, each with a protective UV coating that blocks 85-99% of UV rays.  They come in a variety of styles and colors (I have the Grace in taupe), and they're lightweight, so they're super easy to throw in a suitcase.

Also check out Carol's blog, I'd Rather Carry a Parasol, for more great health and skin-related tips.

Sun Savior

[Photo by Malias/ flickr]

Being caught off guard by the weather can ruin your day fast. Stuck in the rain without an umbrella? Get ready for "drowned rat" hair. Stuck in the blaring sun without sunscreen (or a parasol)? Hello lobster face. Good thing they make purse-sized umbrellas, and now, they're doing the same with sunscreen. Bare Minerals SPF 30 Natural Sunscreen is the perfect thing to throw in your bag and dust on whenever you're in need of a little extra sun protection.

It's a powder, so no more of that greasy residue, and its' totally compact (the brush is attached), so it's great for travel. Bring on the sun!

The Verdict

"Reporting back" may have taken me more than a few hours (it was the weekend!), but I'm happy to announce that the Zeno Mini is, in fact, a completely adequate -- and portable! -- blemish-busting system. After one treatment around noon, my offending pimple faded to near nonexistence by 6pm. This little jewel (the Zeno, not the zit) will definitely be hopping in my suitcase and joining me on my next jaunt. Dry airplane air, greasy food, little to no sleep: travel can definitely bring out the blemishes. But next time, I'll be ready...

Want one of your own? You can buy it over at Amazon.

Blemish Buster

I woke up this morning with a pimple on my face roughly the size of a planet, so imagine my joy when the FedEx man turned up with a press sample of the Zeno Mini, a new zit treatment that uses low-level heat to kill acne bacteria.

I ripped open the packaging like a kid at Christmas. (Hey, it's Friday, I've got places to go and people to see tonight.) Within 5 minutes, I was feeling the warm comfort of blemish-busting power on my poor marked face. After the 2 - 1/2 minute treatment, I pulled back the Zeno to reveal....ummm...a tiny red circle (this thing gets pretty hot). Now we wait. They say most blemishes need 2 or 3 treatments over a 12 to 24 hour period, but I'm hoping for a super quick fix. I'll report back in a few hours with status...
Top photo by MR+G/flickr

Bronze Beauty

[Photo by XirannisX back on/flickr]

The warmer weather has me dreaming of a fantastic beach vacation, which immediately got me thinking about bronzer (naturally fair-skinned, I don't get too much summer color that's not from a bottle or compact). When I head for the beach, I never leave home without Laura Geller's Bronze-n-Brighten.

This creamy, baked powder bronzer gives my face a lovely glow with a quick sweep of a brush, and it never looks orange or cakey. Who could ask for more?

Boost Your Spirits

[Photo by Carlos Mendoza/flickr]

Want a morning pick-me-up that helps you feel and look amazing? One of my favorite little indulgences is Dr. Brandt's blueberry flavored anti-oxidant water booster. Just a few drops have the anti-oxidant power of 15 cups of green tea. It's great for your skin, gives a caffeine-free energy boost, and makes a regular glass of water taste super yummy. Even more perfect, the 2 oz bottle size means no problems packing it in your carry on so you can take it with you on your travels.

Smile Like You Mean It

[Photo by ontwerpplus/flickr]

All that post long-haul flight coffee consumption got your pearly whites looking less than, well, pearly? No worries. Smashbox is coming out with a brand new lip gloss that'll help brighten your smile while you jetset between cleanings. The new, aptly named, Smile Brightening Lip Gloss is made to look good on all skin tones and contains specially colored pigments that actually make teeth appear whiter (whether you wear it alone or layered over your favorite lipstick).

The gloss should be hitting your local Sephora soon. If you don't care to wait, do what I did and order some from QVC. Now, where did I put my coffee...

Catch a Wave

[Vincent Boiteau/studio.es/flickr]

When you're out taking on the world, the last thing you wanna' do is waste time styling your hair. Besides, those tousled "I don't have a care in the world" waves are sooooo sexy. But every time I tried to accomplish the look, I ended up looking like a frizzy mess. After years of searching (seriously), I finally found THE perfect product(s) for wash-and-go gorgeous hair: Tools by Calista Energy Activating Spray and Energy Forming Gel.

Two minutes to mega hottie.

Lip Luscious at Thirty Thousand Feet

For me, one of the most uncomfortable things about a long flight -- besides when the guy in front of me decides to spend the whole journey reclined into my lap -- is dried-out sandpaper lips. Airlines deliberately keep humidity levels at or below 4% in flight to prevent corrosion. (By comparison, the relative annual morning humidity in Phoenix, Arizona is 50%.) The parched air up there can suck the moisture out of your lips in as little as three hours. One of my favorite hydrators to keep on hand is Dior Lip Maximizer. It keeps lips moist and plumped, fills in fine lines and tastes a little like mint ice cream. (What can I say? I like ice cream.)