I’m A Travel Writer & These Are The 15 Products I Bring On Every Trip

Lately, I’m all about a slouchy shoulder bag, and the Coach Brooklyn bag strikes the perfect balance of being chic and roomy enough to hold all my essentials. I’m especially loving this rich brown color for fall, but it’s neutral enough that it’ll go with everything in my wardrobe, all year long.

These are a relatively recent obsession, but I always pack a few of these self-heating eye masks in my bag. They really help with post-flight redness and dry eyes when you’re stuck in a stuffy plane cabin for upwards of six hours.

When packing for a trip, I always try and opt for things that can be dressed up or down with ease. Case in point? This gorgeous wool coat from ALIGNE; it can lean daytime casual when paired with wide-leg jeans and sneakers, but works just as well with an LBD for a night on the town. It’s even big and cozy enough to function as a makeshift blanket on the plane.

I never travel without a sheet mask — there’s something about slipping one on that makes eating pasta in your bathrobe feel 10 times more special. Lately, I’m obsessed with these masks from Dr.Althea, which — just as their name suggests — leaves you with skin that looks dewy, juicy, and hydrated. Perfect for slipping on after a long flight.

Likewise, I always bring a stash of under-eye patches with me wherever I go. These include niaciniamide, retinal, and caffeine to hydrate and depuff, and are much less slippery than their hydrogel counterparts. I wear these most mornings while getting ready, and also find them to be more airplane-appropriate than a full on sheet mask.

For long flights, I always bring a pair of plush socks to change into once we’ve taken off. My official “plane socks” are from the Barefoot Dreams CozyChic collection — you’ll be hard pressed to find a cozier pair around.

My Fire HD tablet has made long train/plane rides 10 times more enjoyable, and I’m not sure why it took me so long to buy one. Don’t forget to invest in a case that allows you to prop it up.

Lately, I’ve been gravitating towards these mini eos lip balms. I love the cute packaging and nostalgic scents (like raspberry kiwi and honey apple), but I also find them to be genuinely moisturizing, without any of the gloopiness that can be off-putting. Bonus points for being tiny enough to stash in my front denim pocket (and coming with two extra to keep in my various bags).

Matching PJs are a must for me, always — they’re an essential component to the hotel room experience (bathrobe, big plush bed, crisp PJs… check check check). I’ve got dozens of pairs that I love, but this elegant cotton set from J.Crew is a classic.

Why does every hotel bathroom seem to have the worst lighting? Equipped with three brightness modes, this portable LED mirror ensures you never have to do your makeup in subpar lighting ever again.

Most reusable water bottles are too bulky to realistically travel with, so I invested in this tiny, palm-size version. I call it my emergency water bottle and always keep it filled in my bag.

My matcha obsession is real, and these single-serve sachets allow me to get my fix wherever in the world I may be.

Maybe I’ve lived in the UK for too long, but I can’t go anywhere without a tracksuit. Perfect for morning coffee runs and long flights, my go-to brand is Adanola: I find their fits to be the most flattering.

The colors/styles available are practically endless, but I’m partial to the classic ‘AS’ oversized sweatshirt in gray melange; you can buy the matching sweatpants here.

These retro-inspired sneakers pair perfectly with my beloved travel tracksuits. They also happen to be incredibly comfortable for a long day of sightseeing.