Here's Wanderous Affair's ultimate list of must-have travel products for a seamless move abroad. From versatile skincare products to travel-sized essentials, we've got you covered!
I already told you about the travel clothes I’m bringing to move abroad, so now it’s time to talk about the other must-have travel products I'll bring with me for the next year.
That said, there are a lot of things I want to bring along with me, but I obviously can’t pack them all. Thus, narrowing down the most necessary is unavoidable. So, what’s making the cut and can be found in my luggage? Let’s take a look.
Matte Equation’s Quantum Mud Mask
Meet the Quantum Mud Mask by Matte Equation—my ultimate skincare companion and one of the only cosmetic items I’ll be bringing from Canada. This luxurious blend effortlessly elevates my skincare routine, combining exfoliation, purification, and revitalization for a refreshed and youthful complexion. Crafted with Manicouagan Clay, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, and other premium ingredients, it soothes, moisturizes, and protects, making it perfect for maintaining my skin's health during my travels.
The Matte Equation brand promotes mindfulness and wellness, ensuring I look and feel my best throughout my journey abroad. It’s also compact and easy to pack, making it an essential part of my skincare arsenal, delivering a luminous complexion and balanced living wherever I go.
The Foldie
There is absolutely no denying how awesome The Foldie® 4.0 is. From the moment I opened the parcel and started checking out its many zippers, compartments, and features, I knew this would be the perfect bag to bring along with me on my travels this year. First of all, it can expand with a simple unzip of the bottom, but will always be the perfect size for a personal item that can easily slide under your plane seat. Then there’s the easy-access passport slot on the outside of the trolley sleeve, which allows you to slip The Foldie onto your carry-on as you roll along without worrying about it being taken or falling off.
Once I arrive in Italy though, I’ll be able to take this bag with me to the beach too, adding or removing the detachable shoulder strap as needed and throwing in my wet bathing suit into the waterproof interior pocket. Oh, and did I mention the outside fabric is also water-resistant (and tear-resistant with double-stitching)?
When I’m ready to move on to the next place, I can fold it up, pop it in another bag, and stash it for later use. Its name is pretty self-explanatory, huh?
My Bougie Bottle’s Del Mar Insulated Water Bottle
Looking for the perfect insulate water bottle that will keep your drink cold for up to 24 hours and hot for 12 hours (piping hot for 6)? Look no further than My Bougie Bottle. A part of the Aequorea Collection, the 750 millilitre (25-ounce) Del Mar design is perfect for days spent lounging at the sea as much as it is for hydrating on days spent running errands. Regardless of what you’re doing, the convenience of the Flip 'n' Sip Straw Lid is chef’s kiss!
These gorgeously designed bottles are double-walled with vacuum insulation for higher performance and made of rust-proof 18/8, food-grade stainless steel—because who wants rust in their water? Definitely not me. There’s no plastic liner, which means no weird aftertaste, and the exterior of the bottle allows there to be zero condensation. It comes with two straws and a pipe cleaner that easily fit in the bottle when you’re transporting (AKA: when I’m packing it in my luggage to take overseas), so that was absolutely an added bonus, in my books!
Oh, and did I mention that you get to send 1% of your purchase to invest into a cause you care about at checkout for free? So lovely!
35mm Co.’s The Reloader® and Coffee Table Photo Album
As someone who loved shooting in film (and even developing my own photos back in high school), the fact that film cameras are making a comeback has made me so excited! However, when I showed my Gen Z cousins the Reloader® Reusable Film Camera I’ll be bringing with me, they thought it was a cool concept.
“Wait, what’s film?”
“But how do you make the pictures come out?”
“How does the picture even get onto that roll?”
“How do you know if the picture turned out or not?”
After some explaining about capturing images on film, the process of developing said film, and then printing them out on photo paper to add to The 35mm Co. Coffee Table Photo Album I was also gifted, it was like they had a glimpse into what my own childhood was like. After all, doesn’t everyone in their 30s or older remember the flash of your parent’s film camera as you posed for them, and later flipping through family photo albums?
I’m so excited to return this classic and relive the excitement of discovering how my photos turned out only when I’m sent back the images themselves!
STNKY Bag Pro
First of all, how clever is their name, for a company that sells laundry bags? Okay, they're not just laundry bags, they're a lot more than that.
The STNKY Bag Pro lock in germs, odours, and moisture, and allow for no-touch washing. You simply open the top zipper, put in all your clothes and gear; when you're ready to wash everything, unzip the bottom zipper and everything will come out in a 'laundry delicates bag' of sorts, so that both the clothes and the bag itself get properly washed. So long as everything can be thrown in the dryer, you can put the entire bag in the dryer as well! The STNKY is made of high quality and durable materials, which make it able to wash and dry on high temperatures without compromising the bag itself.
Personally, I'm bringing the STNKY Bag Pro XL, which is enough to fit all the clothing I would wear on a long weekend trip. It's perfect for little getaways I'll be taking during my time away!
P.S. Gym-goers love putting their gym clothes in these bags, and people in the the medical field often use their STNKY for their scrubs!
P.P.S. Canadian friends, you can buy the STNKY Bag Pro from this link!
BioStrip's True Health Trio
When preparing for my move to Europe, the True Health Trio by BioStrips quickly made it to the top of my must-have list. This dynamic trio offers a seamless way to maintain stellar health and steady energy throughout the day. Each strip is made with premium, vegan ingredients, which adds to my confidence in the product's quality and efficacy.
The Immune Support strip has become my secret weapon, packed with essential nutrients to bolster my gut and immune system (I take one a day a few days prior to departure, on the day of, and a few days after to avoid getting sick on the plane, as well as whenever I feel myself starting to come down with something). I’ve noticed a significant boost in my overall wellness since incorporating it into my routine.
The Hormone Health strip is another game-changer, effortlessly balancing my hormones and giving my skin a radiant glow. It’s especially helpful in smoothing out the hormonal rollercoaster, making my days far more manageable and enjoyable, especially after taking a beating from the dry air on planes!
The Clean Energy strip provides a natural, crash-free buzz that keeps me sharp and focused without the dreaded jitters; this is crucial for adjusting to different time zones and avoiding jet lag during those first few days. It's like a breath of fresh air for my mind, slicing through brain fog and enhancing my vitality.
With 30 individual strips in each box, it's perfectly convenient for travel, ensuring I stay on top of my game no matter where my European adventures take me. If you’re looking for a reliable and effective health boost, the True Health Trio is your perfect travel companion.
COR Surf’s Compression Packing Cube Set (Kona Blue and Kona White)
If there’s one thing I can’t recommend enough, it’s finding ways to travel more efficiently and comfortably. One of my favourite things to do is maximizing the use my carry-on and personal items instead of landing myself with overweight charges on my checked luggage. This is where compression packing cubes come in.
COR Surf’s Compression Packing Cube Set is not your conventional vacuum bag; instead, they feature a two-zipper method to assist reduce excess volume when packing your belongings. Your clothes will easily press together thanks to its zippers, which also remove extra space and air. Their water-resistant polyurethane ripstop fabric can withstand continuous travel, making these far more dependable than nylon packing cubes while still being incredibly lightweight and sturdy.
If you’re like me and want to cram as much as you can into a tiny space, you’ll be pleased to know that every packing cube's zipper has a strengthened zipper stop, and its double stitching reinforces the zippers (that help the bags to compress).
Beam Paints’ Vacation Kits
In the true height of living my dolce far niente dreams, creating art is a must. A couple of years ago, my cousin showed me Beam Paints, an incredible Indigenous-owned business near M'Chigeeng First Nation on Manitoulin Island in my home province of Ontario. In addition to producing high-quality pigments for artist materials and doing so with plastic-free packaging, the options they have for travelling are quite plentiful!
Before I left for my big trip last year, I packed one of Beam Paints’ Vacation Kits with me and painted postcards to send to my friends and family in every country—Egypt, Italy, and Malta. I enjoyed the peace that painting with watercolours gave me and want to continue bringing these paints with me throughout all my travels over the coming months; thus, Beam Paints paint stones are a given to pack in my luggage. In fact, they go in my carry-on, so I can even use them on my flight.
(Note: This item was neither gifted to me nor a paid partnership, but I genuinely love their products and want to emphasize the importance of supporting Indigenous creators here on Turtle Island!)
All in All
As I pack everything for the coming year, narrowing down the most important things has been challenging. After all, I’m used to having all my things at my disposal, and now I have to pick and choose what fits in my limited luggage space. The above items, though (of course), were easy picks.
However, are there any other items I should bring along with me? I’d love to hear your thoughts!