The Gift of Glow

While we are all waiting the moment when we can socialize and travel again, now is the perfect time to pay closer attention to what you may have neglected over the years: your face.

I must admit, the last few years of almost non-stop press travel did leave its mark on the texture of my skin. It seemed that every time I looked into the mirror, another imperfection showed up. I knew some of my wealthier friends and relatives spend many thousands of dollars on stem cell treatments on a regular basis, but that just wasn’t in my budget.

So, when I learned about the at-home stem cell facial kit, StemCellRevive, I was intrigued. My kit arrived with detailed application instructions and a link to a step-by-step video. The entire process of mixing the stem cell serum and preparing the pen only took a couple of minutes. There was no pain involved in the application (unlike the popular, and painful, needling pens) and in 20 minutes I was done.

The kit included a month’s supply of high-grade hyaluronic essence, which should be applied every night for four weeks. Refills of the serum are available and applications are recommended every six months to keep your glow. After a month now, I see a positive difference in my skin tone, but individual results can vary. In my case, the treatment definitely toned down blemishes and imparted a healthy glow to my face.

Most importantly, StemCell Revive is hypoallergenic, not tested on animals, and is FDA regulated.

Daily Regime

Now that my skin is glowing, it’s time to think of keeping it that way. Because I would never put anything on my face--or body, for that matter, that isn’t derived from natural products, I welcomed the opportunity to test out Starling Skincare’s Revive anti-aging face serum. Made from organic plant-based oils, this product stands up to its promise to keep your skin beautifully moisturized and rejuvenated. Just 3-4 drops in your hand suffice to cover your entire face. It absorbs immediately and primes your skin for makeup. It’s highly concentrated, so this bottle goes a long way in keeping your skin fresh and taut.

The art of Makeup

Let’s face it, artistically applied make-up is the final step in achieving a beautiful look . The brow and liner kit The Works from the Tori Belle line is my new best friend. The gel flows on smoothly and when dry, it is water and smudge proof. I finally found an easier way to get those perfect and natural-looking brows—and keeping them looking good all day. And the cool thing is it can also be used as an eyeliner, freeing up space in my travel cosmetic bag. Aside from the brow kit, Tori Belle Cosmetics sells a line of other innovative vegan beauty products including a gloss that plumps the lips, a collagen producing gloss made with 24k gold, and magnetic lashes that eliminate the mess of glue and can be worn 20-30 times.

MASK-arade

Who ever imagined a face mask would become de rigueur in these tumultuous times? While I’ve collected my share of industrial-looking masks over this long year of quarantine, it was so very refreshing to receive a mask that is a work-of-art, and which I will wear with my favorite outfits. This beautiful mask is perfectly designed to fit over your nose and mouth and features a protective filter. It’s available at the Karma & Luck website, which not only offers these classically beautiful masks, but also fine jewelry and many exquisite gift items carefully hand-crafted by artisans around the world.

In the clear

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A big concern of travel photographers who use SLRs and optical lenses is keeping your lens clean during a photo shoot. This nifty gadget, the Lens Pen, literally the size of a thick pen, does a great job of removing fingerprints and dust from your lens in seconds. So instead of reaching into your bag for liquid cleaners and lens cloths/tissues during a shoot, a swipe over your lens in a circular motion does the trick.. The pen does not use liquid, but a carbon cleaning compound that will clean a lens perfectly during its long life of 500+ uses.

Disclaimer: Please note that the opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own and will not receive any future compensation based on sales arising from my recommendations. My goal is to share my favorite travel tips with my followers, in an effort to improve the travel experience for us all.

Even though most pleasure travel has been temporarily put on hold, it’s time to give some thought of what you are going to pack in your carry-on-only bag to make your adventures in post-Covid times worry-free.

I also hope you enjoy this website, intentionally FREE OF ADS, for a relaxing and undisturbed viewing experience.

IF THE SHOE FITS

Walk on Air—In Recycled Plastics

You’ve got to love a shoe manufacturer whose goal is to create every shoe from recycled materials. That being said, when those shoes turn out to be the most comfortable pair you’ve ever owned, that makes this recommendation even more meaningful.

This was the experience my husband reported when he slipped into his pair of The Jamie, one of several styles offered by the innovative company THIRD MIND. As frequent travelers who pack carry-on only to tour the world, shoes are perhaps the most important part of our wardrobe. This attractive shoe looks good enough to wear for business or formal occasions and is comfortable enough to trek through the cobblestone streets of Europe.

Did I mention these shoes are extremely lightweight, eliminate odors, and save roughly 20 water bottles from going into landfills and waterways? To boot, the soles are made with 30% recycled rubber from tires!

When my husband says he feels as if he is “walking on air” in these shoes, he means it! The company has plans to launch a women’s collection, and I will be first in line to seek out my ultimate shoe fetish—an attractive dress shoe that fits like a sneaker and allows me to roam the world all day in style and comfort.

Third Mind’s philosophy and tagline, using recycled parts to help knit the world whole—step by step, says it all.

Slip into a Socially-Conscious Slipper

Since we are on the subject of socially conscious shoe companies—and winter will be at our doorstep before we know it—you might want to consider the NAUSENI natural wool and leather collection of slippers. The company was created to help employ women in Nepal with handcrafting slippers inspired by their cultural heritage.

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These slippers are unisex and ladies may have to step down a size for a perfect fit. Consult their website for more information on picking the correct size for your foot. These comfortable slippers will keep you warm in winter and cool in summer, and every step you take in them will help hardworking women in under-developed countries.

ON THE ROAD

THE CABEAU PILLOW STANDS THE TEST OF TIME

After well more than ten years of carting my faithful CABEAU inflatable pillow around the world on our press travels, I thought it might be time to upgrade to a newer model. I selected the Air Evolution pillow and I can’t recommend it enough.

As with my older model, I was able to put the pillow in my purse, as it compressed to fit inside a small travel case. This new model has an additional benefit—it allows me to adjust for a perfect 360 degree support and the lightweight inflatable air core allows you to inflate or deflate to your perfect level of firmness. A welcome new “one breath” valve on the pillow allows for an almost instant inflation, eliminating the need for multiple breaths to inflate. And there’s even a convenient media pouch that holds your phone or MP3 player for hands-free listening!

Since we only travel carry-on only with restricted luggage space, this is the best option for our needs. That being said, if you are planning a road trip (which we are soon) or don’t mind carting a bit larger bag with you, the Evolution S3 is the way to go. This mother of travel pillows offers a tremendous support, which is why the company offers a “no neck pain” guarantee. It even straps to airline seat wings to prevent your head from falling forward.

PERFECT HEADPHONES FOR MANY OCCASIONS

It’s not often you find an item that is both perfect for travel as well as for home use. Well, we found it in the SleepPhones® Wireless headband.

There was nothing more annoying when we were traveling by plane than to have to cart bulky over-the-ear headphones in our carry-on. So when we discovered these compact headbands, we knew we had found the perfect travel accessory. We can easily slip them into a pocket or purse and enjoy exceptional audio throughout our long flights (they even double as eyeshades to block out ambient light)..

An added bonus is that they are perfect for sleeping at home, too. They lull you off to La-La Land and without annoying buds in your ears. While I don’t usually wear earphones at night, I am so delighted that I no longer hear the residual noise my husband’s in-ear headphones produced any longer. Blissful sleep for me, too!

They come in both wireless and wired options and offer a one-year warranty.

ORGANIC SKIN CARE FROM NZ

I’m always on the look-out for natural products to keep my complexion glowing when I am on the road covering visitor destinations around the world. That is why I can highly recommend the New Zealand-based line of Aú Natural Skinfood products I used on a recent road trip. Organic, non-toxic, cruelty-free products are the only ones that touch my face, so I was excited to review this line.

We all know hand sanitizers will be with us for years to come, and I can safely say the company’s Defend moisturizing gel sanitizer is one of the most gentle, thanks to its base of Manuka honey and aloe vera. Their Manuka honey hand cream also helps moisturize those hands chapped from constant washing and their lip balm does a wonderful job, too. My absolute favorite is their mineral powder “On the Go” Brush on Foundation with SPF 25 sunscreen protection. Just a quick sweep and my skin looks flawless—the perfect alternative to a compact.