Travel Essentials: What to Pack for Tulum

I enjoyed my first trip to Tulum last month, and since I tend to overpack, I can honestly say I didn't use half of the items I packed for my trip. My advice: leave your makeup bag at home! It was hot and humid when I was there, so putting on any makeup would have melted right off of my face. All I really used was a lip balm. I like Coppertone Sport since it has SPF 30 in it. As far as skincare goes, I washed my face with a refreshing Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber De-Tox Foaming Cleanser and also brought the cooling Cucumber Gel Mask with me. I also always travel with SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. 

Sunscreen and bug spray is the most important to bring. I went with Coppertone Sport SPF 50 and MDSolarSciences TInted Crème SPF 30 for the face. For bug spray I brought OFF! and used Benadryl  Itch Cooling Spray for any bug bites. Evian Facial Spray comes in handy as a refresher, especially at the beach and hiking at The Ruins. 

Among other essentials I wished I brought: 

• Extra set of flip flops to wear in the room
• Extra hair ties. I only brought one with me. 
• Lightweight rain jacket with a hood,
• Another set of tank tops and jogging shorts. That was the best to wear for yoga, the beach and hiking. 
• Tote bag for the beach.I brought my Osprey bag for hiking and the beach but it was super small. 
• Zip up sweatshirt and leggings or lounge pants - I was freezing on the plane and in the shuttle to and from the resort. 
• Sleep mask - I own so many of these and should have packed at least one. I had a hard time sleeping the last night I was there because of the storm. 

Packing Tips:

• Pack sports bras instead of regular bras. 
• Practical swimwear. I thought I was going to get the worst criss cross tan lines. I was amazed that I didn't get any unwanted tan lines thanks to my Mara Hoffman swimsuit with UPF 50. I didn't know a garment of UPF of 50 only allows 1/50th of the UV radiation falling on the surface of the garment to pass though it. My matching sarong also doubled as a scarf.
• Definitely leave any nice apparel or dry clean only items at home. Since I stayed in a room with a thatched roof and fans instead of air conditioning, the humidity really sticks to your clothing. I don't know what I was thinking wearing my Helmut Lang t-shirts and Alexander Wang silk shorts! 
• Cutout rompers and mini sundresses are perfect for dinner. Since I was staying at a yoga and spa retreat, it wasn't necessary to get dressed up. If I was staying at a boutique hotel, I probably would have packed a maxi dress as another option.
• Don't pack too many pairs of shoes! I brought hiking shoes I didn't even wear. My Tevas with straps was sufficient enough to wear for light hiking. For the most part I either walked around the resort barefoot or in flip flops. 

As for my actual trip, check out my review of Maya Tulum Resort.

- Kim Weling

Hiking Essentials: Menla Trip in the Catskills

With hiking season here, these are a few of my essentials, that I took with me on my hiking retreat at Menla Mountain Retreat Center back in July. 

First thing on the list is sunscreen. As long as the sun is out, you should make sure you have sun protection. My go-to: Coppertone Sport High Performance Continuous Spray and Coppertone Sport Lip Balm, both with SPF 30. 

I'm not one for wearing much makeup while hiking, so Colorscience Tint Du Soleil SPF 30 UV Protection Foundation and Honest Beauty Lip Gloss in Creative Kiss is all I need. 

Rustic MAKA Pachy Deodorant in Calming Fields is my favorite deodorant for travel, with food-grade ingredients including certified organic Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, and Arrowroot powder, and plant-based ingredients like wildcrafted Candelilla Wax and pure Essential Oils. 

Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk is perfect for cleansing and refreshing hair. 

As for bug spray, I prefer an organic one and opt to make my own, made with Aura Cacia essential oils - Lemon Eucalyptus, Citronella Java, Lavender, Peppermint mixed with vanilla extract and water. 

Eagle Creek Pack-It Sport Wet Dry Fitness Locker with anti-microbial treatment is perfect for placing wet or sweaty clothing or shoes. 

Osprey Rev 1.5 is all you need for the trail ahead. It's got a hydration compartment and hose, pockets for smaller items, front panel bungee for external storage, DigFlip Media Pocket for phone storage/quick access, and harness packets for snacks. 

The BioLite SolarPanel 5+ powers tablets, phones and other deviceswhile the sun is shining, or from stored energy thanks to an integrated2,200 mAh battery. It has an ultraslim design with a 360 degree kickstand and sundial to align to the direction of the dun and high-efficiency 5-watt monocrystalline solar panel. 

Nite-Ize 3-in-1 LED Mini Flashlight acts as a flashlight, lantern or safety light. Nite Ize Gear Tie Loopable Twist Ties has an integrated loop on one end that allows you to cinch, twist, store and hang cords, headphones and other accessories. 

The Nomad Carabiner for iPhone and Android doubles as a rugged, stainless steel reinforced charging cable and carabiner. 

- Kim Weling

Summer Essentials: Las Vegas Trip

So I just got back from Las Vegas last week, and even though it wasn't humid as it is in NJ, it was still between 100-110 degrees, making it feel like I hot blow dryer was constantly aimed in your direction. Here's a look at some skincare and accessory essentials that helped me withstand the heat, as well as working all day at Las Vegas Market.

For skincare essentials, SK-II Facial Treatment Essence is always part of my regimen. I use it morning and night right after my cleanser and before applying a serum. It helps my skin feel hydrated and refreshed. This has 90% Pitera, the main ingredient which does wonders on my skin. I suggest getting a sample from Nordstrom or picking up the Pitera Essence Set to try this and some of their other products. 

I can honestly use skyn ICELAND Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels ($30) at anytime - on the plane, in the morning before I apply my makeup, at the pool, or in the evening. I always keep these refrigerated in the summer for an extra cooling effect. If you are feeling sleepy this will instantly these will instantly refresh your eye area and wake up your eyes. You just keep the eye gels on for 10 minutes to de-puff your eyes and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

For lounging at the pool. I prefer to use organic Ilike Tomato Suntan Gel (has been discontinued) as a secondary option for protecting against damaging rays. This doesn't block sun entirely, so I still like to use an SPF 30 sunscreen for my face.

Colorescience Sunforgettable Mineral Sunscreen Brush SPF 50 ($57) keeps my face from looking oily and shiny while protecting my skin, since the rays are strong in the morning and evening when traveling to and from market.

When it's super hot, my eyeliner starts to run as quickly as I put it on, so Simple Eye Make-Up Remover Pads ($5.99) come in handy for cleaning up my eye area without causing irritation.

Usually if you see me at market I will be sucking up the pain standing around and walking the showroom in 5 inch heels for most of the day instead of feeling short and comfy in flats. I try to apply Topricin Foot Pain Relief Cream before I put on my heels in the morning and when I finally get to take them off at the end of the day. It's hard for me to tell how well this really works, since no matter what I'm going to feel pain from wearing heels all day. But I'd like to think this helps to decrease some of the pain. 

Also to alleviate some of the pain from wearing heels, I began wearing Superfeet me High Heel 3/4 ($29.95) insoles. The heel cup and foam of the insole adds cushioning and support, and actually keeps my feet from sliding out of my shoes. Many insoles I use have an adhesive backing, and I like that this one doesn't, so you can easily switch them out of different shoes. Also there's no need to cut these down to size.

I am constantly charging my phone while it's in use, so once my phone case chargers run out I need something to juice it up pretty quickly. The Moshi IonBank 10K is great for on-the-go portable charging, with hideaway lightning and USB cables. With 10,300 mAh, that's enough power to recharge an iPhone 6S up to four times.

Malouf's new Zoned Dough Lavender travel pillow made its debut at Las Vegas Market. This is my new favorite as far as travel pillows go, since the dough shape is easiest for me to travel with. I can store it in my tote and just throw it around my neck as I'm getting on the plane. The Dough memory foam is infused with real lavender oil, has pin-core ventilation, and is super soft with a tencel mesh cover. I had a red eye flight on the way back from market and I don't know what I would have done if I didn't have this pillow! The lavender scent definitely helped me relax and fall asleep. 

- Kim Weling

Hastens Travel Pillow + Fall Beauty Travel Essentials

I am way overdue for a spa weekend getaway! Even though I still need to finalize my plans, I'm all set with my travel essentials, including my Hastens Travel Pillow. I love how it has a reversible design that zips all the way around. It is filled with 100% duck down and doubles as a makeup bag for storing beauty products. You can sport the rugged blue check side and then reverse the pillow to expose the soft cotton and down interior to indulge in a luxurious nap. This travel pillow works for any type of travel, whether you're on a plane or a road trip. Since it matches perfectly with my bedding, I even use it at home for a power nap (it's definitely more comfortable than falling asleep on my laptop). The Hastens Travel Pillow retails for $110, comes in three colors and is available at Hastens stores nationwide. For more information visit hastens.com.

Here's a look at my top beauty essentials for fall that I'd pack in my travel pillow:

1) Skin&Co Roma Truffle Therapy Gommage Deep Exfoliating Face Exfoliator has a rich, luxe texture that leaves skin smooth, soft, moisturized and refreshed. It contains truffle extract, Shea Butter, Allantoin, Carrot extract and Tocopherols.

2) Jurlique Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum contains youth-defending herbal extracts and firms, hydrates and revitalizes the skin while protecting it from environmental aggressors. I apply it under my moisturizer for a health, radiant glow.

3) L'Occitane Divine Cream really absorbs into the skin and moisturizes, and includes anti-aging properties. I love the scent of L'Occitane Lavender Hand Cream, enriched with shea butter and lavender essential oil. I actually carry this in my bag everyday, so my hands stay soft and smooth all the time. 

4) per-fekt skin perfection CC creme with broad spectrum SPF 30, eye perfection gel, skin perfection conceal and cheek perfection gel. The CC creme has a soft silky finish with a mousse-like texture. It hydrates, protects, color corrects, soothes and controls oil. The eye perfection gel smooths away the appearance of puffy, tired eyes while skin perfection conceal hides darkness, broken capillaries, sun damage, and blemishes. The cheek perfection gel leaves a hint of natural color, sculpting and highlighting cheekbones. 

5) I am so happy I included these two products in my curated Birchbox at Birchbox Local during New York Fashion Week - Mally Beauty Age Rebel Eyeshadow in Smoky Quartz and Serge Normant Meta Revive Dry Shampoo. Mally Beauty's shadow stick glides on smoothly and is easy to blend. Serge Normant's dry shampoo beats out any other ones I have tried. I use it to add some texture and volume to my hair, and this one doesn't leave a powdery residue. 

- Kim Weling

Summer Travel Essentials

I didn't get in as much writing as I would have liked in June, but for good reason - I took time off for a much needed vacation to the Amangiri Resort & Spa in Utah, also hitting Las Vegas and The Grand Canyon along the way.

I just wanted to share some of my favorite travel essentials that I was sure to pack:

Dermalogica UltraCalming™ Treatment Kit - I don't usually have sensitive skin, but I found my skin getting irritated by the change in weather and dry environment I found myself in. This travel-size kit helped combat any redness and irritations on my face. The kit includes the UltraCalming™ Cleanser, UltraCalming™ Mist, UltraCalming™ Serum Concentrate, UltraCalming™ Barrier Repair and UltraCalming™ Relief Masque. Retail: $40.

Dermalogica Daylight Daily Defense Kit has everything I need for sun protection. The kit includes:

Solar Defense Booster SPF 30 - can be mixed with your moisturizer or foundation or worn alone.

Multivitamin BodyBlock SPF 20, a body moisturizing sunscreen that protects from damaging UVA and UVB rays.

Solar Shield SPF 15 - Very water resistant (up to 80 minutes) and in the form of a stick, acts as a sunscreen and moisture shield for the lips, ears and nose.

After Sun Repair - a treatment balm that helps repair recent UV damage while instantly soothing overexposed skin. A blend of homeopathic herbs reduces irritations, redness and painful sunburn. I'm thinking I should keep this refrigerated when possible, for a more cooling effect. Retail price for the kit is $35.

Origins Modern Friction™ - this is a great exfoliator to use 2-3 times a week, leaving skin polished, smooth and luminous. I also love the aromas of Bergamot and Peppermint. Retail: $37.50.

Borghese Tinted Lip Plumper in Flamingo Gold - I always carry this lip plumper with me. It's non-sticky, has a refreshing tingling sensation and keeps my lips hydrated, smooth and full. It's the everyday lip plumper and gloss! Retail: $31.50.

Topricin Foot Therapy Cream - For the most part I was either wearing hiking sneakers or flip flops during my trip, but I did bring a pair of heels with me to wear to dinner or a night out in Vegas. I was told it is a good idea to apply the foot cream before and after putting on my heels and it worked its magic! I noticed I didn't get any foot cramps when I applied the cream. One night I forgot to apply it beforehand, and after I got foot cramps it immediately went away once I applied it. I was so glad I brought some travel size samples with me! Retail: $19.99.

WooLoot Wave Sport Watch - I highly recommend this watch for outdoor activities and sports. The soft feel natural rubber watch has an LCD screen and is water resistant 3 atm and ultralight at 10g. It comes in multiple colors (I have a green one) in various sizes (I have an XS, which is suitable for teens and petite women) and stretches to go over the hand. It was perfect to wear while hiking! Retail: $19.99.

Youth Tagori™ in Grill/Chili color - I had to buy a pair of hiking shoes, and it wasn't easy for shopping for a size 5. I was at Sports Authority and decided to go with a children's shoe size 3 (which is equivalent to a women's size 5). I absolutely loved the Columbia Sportswear pair I found. I like the lace-and-lock system for a secure fit and the nonmarking Omni-Grip® outsoles deliver a solid foundation for the foot. I love the design as well as the trail-specific tread. It was so easy to hike and hold my balance with these shoes on - the grip is amazing! Retail: $40.

- Kim Weling