I am always looking for new travel accessories and brands that make traveling easier for me and my followers. After all, I want you all to be in on the latest hacks and gadgets, too! This year, I’ve found quite a few great products and brands that have made life on the road so much easier. From a new take on travel toiletries to comfy clothes and international tech, I think you’ll love this roundup from the first half of 2023!
Quick note: I’ve included links/discount codes to several of these products that will often allow you to save on your first order. I may or may not receive monetary compensation or discounts when you use these codes and/or links. However, I have only included products that I actually stand behind and believe will make your life easier. You will never pay extra for shopping through these links versus visiting the website on your own. It’s a win-win that helps you travel easier and support the blog at the same time! You can read more on my privacy policy page if you have questions.
The Best Travel Accessories & Brands I’ve Found from January to June 2023
Ethique
Okay, so I LOVE things that make it easier for me to travel carry-on only–and things that just cut down on travel hassle in general. That’s why I am so obsessed with the solid bars from Ethique.
Ethique is an environmentally-conscious company that creates solid toiletry items to reduce plastic and water waste. They use only plastic-free packaging and shipping and have cool storage options made with eco-conscious materials like bamboo and diatomaceous earth.
They have a full lineup of haircare, skincare, and body care items for men and women, plus they recently added lipstick, household cleaners, and even pet care!
So what makes Ethique good for travel?
Well, solid toiletry items come with quite a few benefits, starting with no water. (I.E., no 4-1-1 limits at TSA) The absence of water also means they weigh significantly less than a standard bottle of liquid toiletries and take up less space. So whether you want to toss them in your carry-on or your suitcase, they’re an automatic win-win.
I also love that you get so much bang for your buck with Ethique! For example, their full-size shampoo bars only cost $15, and you’ll get at least 80 uses! That’s yet another reason I love them for long trips, and I can bring the same bar over and over again without worrying about running out.
And while I think their full-size bars are perfectly ideal for hitting the road, they also offer an extensive selection of travel-sized minis that are great for when you’re extra-pressed on space.
Daniel and I used Ethique bars for our trip to Ecuador and had plenty for both of us during our 14-day trip. We used the 3 containers pictured above to hold:
- Shampoo + shave bar
- Conditioner
- Body wash
- Face wash
- Moisturizer
- Deodorant
We’ve continued to use them on multiple trips since then, and it’s routine now to just grab the 3 containers, toss them in our bag, and forget about them until we arrive.
If you want to give them a go, follow this link, and copy the code for 20% off your first order!
Subtl Beauty Stack
The next thing on my obsessed list is Subtl Beauty. This brand was created with women on the go in mind. They exclusively sell travel-friendly makeup products that you can tailor to your needs! The items are not only travel-sized, but they’re also completely cream/powder based, which makes them TSA-friendly. Plus, they’re cruelty-, paraben-, gluten-, and fragrance-free!
They offer a few travel accessories, like brushes and makeup bags. But their star item is their beauty stack. This minimalistic stack has everything you need for your travel beauty routine without taking up crazy amounts of space. In fact, it’s barely bigger than a standard bottle of foundation!
You can choose from pre-made stacks based on your skin color or create one from scratch with all your favorite beauty items.
For example, a starter stack includes concealer, highlighter, bronzer, a lip and cheek color, and shine control powder. They also offer eyeshadow duos, blush, and lip balm. You can buy a starter stack for about $60, add-on items, or build your own custom stack. I ended up buying a “surprise” stack on sale and getting a starter stack, so now I have tons of fun options for my beauty routine without taking up space.
I love how easy it is to throw the whole stack in my purse or carry-on and just go–not finagling liquids, rounding up travel-sized items, or shoving it all in a 4-1-1 bag. I honestly love it so much, that sometimes I skip my at-home makeup routine just to use these instead!
Check them out with this link, and claim $5 off your first order when you sign-up for their email list! You also get a free travel brush with every order!
Airalo
If you’ve ever over-spent on an international data plan, you’ll want to look at Airalo. This company sells e-sim cards that let you stay connected in over 200 countries and regions for way less than your carrier probably charges.
All you have to do is download an app, select your plan, and activate your e-sim card when you’re ready. You can get passes for 7, 15, 30, 60, or 180 days and everything is easily managed from your phone.
For example, you can get a 30-day international e-sim with 5 GB in 84 different countries for just $35. The prices vary a bit based on location, but it’s worth looking into before your next international trip!
Keep in mind this is for data only. So if you expect to do a lot of calling and texting, this isn’t for you. But if you plan on keeping your communication to Instagram and just a few texts, you can save a decent amount of money.
Follow this link to take a peek at what they offer and/or download their app!
Foresyte
Planning group trips (or any event) can get confusing, especially when multiple people send hotel options, activities, splitting bills, and more. It’s no wonder when chaos ensues and the budget goes out the window.
Enter Forstye. Forsyte is an app that makes it easy to plan travel and events with your friends and family in real-time. It’s a one-stop collaboration app where you can keep all your details in one spot for everyone involved! Here’s why I love it:
- The community-powered Discover feature lets you find, plan, and book travel and activities in one place and access exclusive deals through their booking partners.
- You can browse with your budget in mind and see the full cost of traveling to any city before you book.
- You can handle flights, loading, transportation, and even activities from the app.
- You can set up a budget before you start booking to keep everyone on track.
- It’s easy to invite your friends so you can all collaborate in one place!
All in all, this app combines event planning and discussion with pre-event budgeting and expense tracking. This makes it absolutely perfect for not only trips but also bridal showers and other parties where collaboration can get hazy.
If this sounds like the app you need in your life, you can download it here! The only downside is that it’s currently only available for Apple users. But if you’re an Android user, be sure to bookmark this and check back soon!
Halara Clothing
Okay, so you may have seen this brand taking social media by storm–particularly their cute dresses with built-in shorts. For girls on the go, these are an amazing combo of chic-meets-comfy. However, they offer quite a few great travel-friendly clothing items beyond these dresses.
I dove into the Halara rabbit hole this spring, starting with two of their dresses. And yes, the dresses with shorts are just as comfortable as they claim! They’re moisture-wicking and look great for photos without having to do awkward wardrobe changes or deal with chafing on hot days. I used one in Ecuador, and it worked great, even in that hot weather.
But I’m also a big fan of their leggings and magic jeans. Their Patitoff brand is perfect for animal parents and actually repels pet hair. Take it from a corgi mom who’d pretty much resigned herself to looking tacky in black. And their magic jeans literally feel like the softest leggings, making them perfect for long trips where you want to feel comfy without looking tacky. And they run about $30 on sale, which is a total steal for how much you’ll want to wear them!
I literally have no complaints about the half-dozen items I bought from Halara this year, and I plan to add quite a few more to my wardrobe soon. They have a huge selection of activewear, including shorts, leggings, skirts, dresses, and tops. They’re all unique and geared toward comfort. While some of them are made for more low-impact activities like walking or yoga, you’ll find plenty that work for hiking and other adventure-related activities.
Take a peek at their collection through this link to get a free gift with your first order when you join their email list!
White Elm Bags
Okay, this brand has technically been on my radar for a while, but I just finally tried them out this year. So for my ladies in search of the perfect personal bag for flights (and really every busy day ever), you have to check out White Elm.
This chic bag brand was started by a busy mom who was tired of bags that didn’t have enough space and organization. So she decided to create her own line of bags that are designed with busy women in mind. They’ve tweaked their designs quite a bit over the years based on customer feedback, and one of their recent additions was a luggage sleeve that converts into an extra pocket when you’re not traveling!
After eying the brand for quite some time, I got a White Elm Gemini convertible backpack for Christmas, and I am so in love with it! I can wear it as a backpack, a tote, or a shoulder bag, or pop it right onto my carry-on for easy transport. Plus, it has a zillion organization pockets and a super-roomy interior, so I can fit everything I need for a flight (or long day) without losing track of anything.
It’s made with super-soft vegan leather, has a water-resistant interior and the gold hardware is so classy! I know there are a lot of travel bags out there, but this one is just such high quality.
I also love that it works perfectly for hitting the town once we arrive at the destination. I can keep all my travel essentials (including two 32 oz. tumblers) within easy reach for a day of exploring and still look stylish if we decide to hit a fancy restaurant for dinner.
If you decide to give them a go, be sure to use this link to take $20 off your first order! I’m pretty sure this will be your new go-to bag for every day–not just those on the road!
Dr. Motion Socks
I used to think that compression socks were just for older people or people with circulation issues. But fun fact: just about anyone can suffer from poor circulation when you’re in one position for too long. (I.e., long flights, road trips, neverending lines, etc.) You can even have circulation problems while you’re moving, just from being on your feet for too long. And what you may not know is that limited circulation can lead to leg cramps, swelling, back pain, and eventually, Deep Vein Thrombosis.
So compression socks have a really valuable place in the travel community, and I don’t think it gets mentioned enough. After all, anyone who’s frequently hitting the road or catching flights wants to avoid all of the above issues!
That’s why I’m adding Dr. Motion’s compression socks to my bag (and my husband’s) for all our long trips moving forward.
They have a great line of everyday compression socks, but I’m particularly loving their new outdoor selection. They come in both knee-high and crew-length options that are made to work with hiking boots! They have just the right amount of compression to keep you comfy and support you all day. Plus, they’re moisture-wicking, have anti-odor and antimicrobial properties, include arch support, and feel soft and plush on your feet! So I can use them on flights, in the car, and out on the trail.
The best part: they’re just $10 a pair. That’s a fantastic deal for all the health benefits you’ll get from this simple travel accessory! You can shop Dr. Motion socks here, but they’re also available at Target, Amazon, Walmart, and Kohls’s.
Ceptics World Travel Adaptor
Last but not least, a little something to keep your electronics charged and protected on the go.
When we were prepping for Ecuador, I wanted to find a portable surge protector. But a lot of those depend on a grounding prong, which isn’t always available in foreign countries. During my research, I came across this nifty gadget from Ceptics on Amazon, and it is so much better than I even hoped for!
This travel adaptor not only has a built-in surge protector, but it also has interchangeable plates that allow you to use it all around the world (except South Africa)! It has two grounded plugs and two USB ports in the front, plus an attached micro-USB cable, so you can charge up to 5 devices at once. There are even voltage indicator lights, so you can keep an eye on things in real-time.
You can check it out on Amazon and snag one yourself for just $30!
Closing Thoughts on These Travel Accessories and Brands
What do you think of these travel accessories and brands? I truly hope you’ll give at least one of them a try for your next trip to see what a difference they make! These are all standard items for my adventures now that I know they exist, and I just low how innovative and convenient they are!
Stay tuned for a part 2 coming later this year when I get my next round-up of travel essentials.
In the meantime, I hope you’ll stick around for a bit and check out what else is new on the blog. There are city guides, hotel reviews, activity recommendations, and more! You can also sign up for the blog community newsletter to get the latest deets on the weekly posts.
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Feel free to drop any questions or comments below–or just a note letting me know you stopped by! I read every comment!
Until next time, happy travels.
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