As I write this, I’m midair, masked up, sanitized, and desperately trying not to catch a cold. Work travel is always insanely busy this time of year, and personal travel is about to ramp up with the holidays just around the corner (what? how?!). I wouldn’t consider myself a hypochondriac, but I also understand how disgusting planes are, and that being around a ton of strangers on a daily basis is essentially like living in a petri dish (NYC charms). Still, I’m endeavoring to stay healthy for the rest of the year—or at least, do everything I can to feel well, no matter where I happen to be traveling in a given week.
Whether you’ve also got a packed travel calendar, are a mom to a toddler—so many germs—or you’re living in a city with public transit that feels more akin to a sardine tin, I highly recommend investing in a handful of health and wellness essentials for cold and flu season. Will they 100 percent guarantee that you won’t get sick? Sigh, I wish! But like anything else in the beauty and wellness space, prevention and effort count for a lot.
Ahead, the 10 wellness essentials getting me through this trip, and the rest of cold weather season.
Keep It Cozy
The dipping temperatures make me want to burrow into my bed and stay there until summer. Breaking out my softest blankets and sheets makes it even harder to leave my cozy nest in the morning, but honestly, we all deserve the extra rest.
Behold, the softest blanket known to man. Fair warning: if you cuddle up in this on the couch, you will be unable to move for at least three hours
Now if you really, really want to hibernate from the world, I suggest grabbing this sinfully soft weighted blanket option and snuggling until spring.
Happily Humid
I know I’m not the only one to struggle with ultra-dry skin in the winter. Well, keeping the humidity levels high at home also helps to minimize the spread of cold and flu viruses and keeps your nasal passages moist.
I have this humidifier running in my apartment at all times, but I really turn it up during cold season. My skin feels soothed, my nose isn’t cracked and dry from lack of moisture, and my plants are much happier during the winter.
If you’ve a bit more tech-inclined, or if you want the added benefit of an air purifier with your humidifier, I highly suggest investing in this Dyson option. I swear the number of colds I catch per year has gone down since it entered my apartment.
Sani In Style
I’m very pleased to report that hand sanitizers have received the high-fashion treatment over the last few years. That clinical, alcohol smell? A true relic of the past, with newer brands offering scents that are nearly at the level of fine fragrance. I keep one in every bag I own.
I adore this formula both for the lovely scent options and the fact that it contains skin-soothing ingredients to minimize dryness. Snag the trio (orange blossom and rosemary is my fav) and never be caught scrambling to wash your hands when you’re out in the world.
My bathroom is always stocked with a bottle of Aesop soap—it’s a classic for a reason—so it’s no wonder I’m obsessed with the brand’s hand sanitizer. The little bottle is just as stylish and the scent remains as divine as ever. The alcohol-free and aloe-filled formula is also extra gentle on your hands.
Wipe It Down
I will admit, I am that girl who boards the plane and immediately wipes down my seat, tray table, and the screen with a sanitizing wipe. Again, planes are gross! Touching the train pole is gross! Minimize your germ exposure with a handy pack of wipes that fit in your bag, and do your thing—no judgment here.
This is a new discovery and I’m already so obsessed with these essential oil-scented wipes. The cloth feels delightfully soft, almost like they’re not meant to be tossed in the garbage, and the added aloe ensures your skin remains irritation-free.
I love this brand for its beyond-chic sanitizer sprays, and they now offer hand wipes to keep the elevated sanitizing benefits going. I have a pack of these in every single travel bag so I’m always ready to catch a flight at a moment’s notice—and hopefully avoid catching a cold in the process.
So So Soothed
Sometimes you can feel a little something coming on, and you’ll do anything to prevent a full-blown cold from ruining the week’s itinerary. Having a stash of soothing essentials (does anyone else always get a cough?) is a must.
I refuse to travel without throat lozenges, lest a post-nasal drip send me into a coughing fit. This new launch harnesses the soothing powers of propolis with mint and lemon flavors, plus cooling menthol, to calm the throat and banish every tickle. The boost of antioxidants is also ideal this time of year.
I’m a tea in the afternoon kind of girl, and when it’s too late for caffeine, or I feel a cold trying to work its way into my immune system, I always break for a cup of chamomile tea with honey. Bonus: it’s also super relaxing.
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