ling yeung b

We’re off to Argentina and Uruguay this weekend to attend the last wedding of the year. I can’t even tell you how excited I am!!!

As I start preparing for the trip, I thought I’d share with you my top travel tips!

1. Use small bottles

My friends are always amazed that, as a girl, I manage to travel so light. My secret? I either bust out those mini shampoos I’ve collected from hotels, or I decant my toiletries into small bottles.

Muji sells a fantastic range from basic cream pots to spraying and foaming pump bottles. They even have a cute little kit - mini funnel, pipette and flat tool - to help you refill without spilling stuff everywhere!

They also come in handy when you’re on a long haul flight as you can take them on board and give your dehydrated skin a little pick me up!

2. Pack an extension cable

Most people know to pack a travel adaptor when their holiday destination uses a different electrical socket, but I always also pack an extension cable.

Sounds OTT? You’ll thank me when you have a dying phone, a camera, a laptop, AND you need to plug in your hair straighteners!

3. Moisturise your nostrils

Ok… this one sounds a bit weird I know… but just hear me out.

Humidity is super low on a plane which means the mucous membranes in your nose can dry out and crack. Not only is this uncomfortable, it can potentially be bad for your health as the mucous membranes act as a barrier to keep out germs.

The most holistic way to keep the insides of your nose moisturised is to keep yourself hydrated. But if that’s not enough (or if you insist you must drink that glass of bubbly), consider using a saline nasal spray or gel that you can get from Boots. Otherwise, Vaseline is a good substitute but I have heard excessive use of petroleum jelly inside your nose could cause lung problems so perhaps don’t go crazy with it!

Another trick is to have a hot drink and breathe in the steam. Just make sure you don’t burn yourself!

4. Always fly with socks and a scarf or jacket

The days when airlines give out toiletry bags with a pair of socks to Economy flyers are long gone, so I always make sure I wear or bring a pair of socks with me when I fly long haul.

I can’t fall asleep when my feet are cold, but more importantly, you don’t wanna walk to the bathroom with bare feet (ewwwwww!) and let’s face it, you’re not going to cram your swollen feet into your shoes every time you want to move around.

For the same hygiene reasons, I always bring a scarf or jacket onto the plane coz you never know how clean the blankets they provide are! I try not to use their blankets if possible, but when I’m really cold, I cover my legs and feet with them, and use my own scarf or jacket for my upper body.

5. Dry shampoo

Whoever invented dry shampoo deserves a prize!

If you have fine hair like mine that gets limp and greasy easily, this magical stuff will instantly make you look presentable after a long flight! I’ve only ever used the TRESemmé range but friends tell me Batiste ones are great, too!

So that’s it, those are my top travel tips! What are yours?