A Travel Editor’s Essentials

As someone who clocked 30,000 air miles last year (I know, that’s nothing compared to former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s record) in the quest to seek out the very best, most interesting and relevant destinations for you, dear reader, I’ve come to favour a few must-haves, which I’ll share with you throughout the year. All pass my test – they must do double duty to reduce the amount of packing – and the limited-liquid rules test, so security checkpoints are a breeze. And gentlemen, many of these picks are for you, too.

 

1

Drink lots of water (experts say a litre an hour of inflight time), but misting the skin can also help fight the aging effects of dehydration, set makeup and soothe irritated skin after wind or sun exposure. Thermal Spring water, $10, 1.8 oz, La Roche-Posay

 

2

Arrive looking refreshed and get the benefits of anti-aging ingredients that help eliminate bags and dark circles. Aqualia Antiox Eyes Anti-Fatigue ice-effect Stick, $27, 4 ml, Vichy Laboratories

3

Ladies, there’s almost nothing worse than shapeless, saggy butt jeans at the end of a long flight. Made in Canada, Second Denim’s Yoga jeans, above, feature memory denim for contour and hold in all the right places, the natural high-waist virtually eliminates “muffin top” plus the dyes are saturated for flight to dinner wearability. $110-$130, Shopgirls, Toronto, www.shopgirls.ca or www.secondclothing.com. If denim is not your thing, then try Jones New York Jeans’ new Great Jones Jegging in a soft, stretch fabric, with strategically placed smoothing and slimming panels that move with you. Even the pockets are placed for a slimming effect. $79; the Bay

 

4

Hard-sided suitcases tend to be durable, lightweight and easy to roll. The other lesser-known thing is that critters such as bedbugs have a difficult time latching on to the slick exterior. But a bit more room is needed to open most hard-siders to allow both sides to lie flat, so they are not always the best option for smaller cabins on cruise ships. Expandable Graphite Collection with spin 360 four-wheel system and 10-year warranty, $135 (20-inch), $155 (24-inch) and $175 (28-inch), Travelpro; www.holiday.ca