6 Genius Tips for Traveling in Style This Holiday Season

With the holidays approaching, there's a good chance a lot of us will find ourselves on planes. Dry-aired; germ-filled; over-crowded planes, where the unsaltiest thing to eat is a bag of double-sodium peanuts. Sure, traveling is fun, but getting wherever we're going can wreak havoc on our appearance. (How do celebs always look so chic after getting off a nine-hour flight?!)

I've got some tips for you, world-traveling buddy. Easy tips. Here are 6 ways to look seriously stylish while traveling. Bon voyage!

1. Apply self-tanner on your face before you board. I read this in some magazine article years ago -- I believe it was Donna Karan or Bobbi Brown who does this. Applying a little self-tanner on your face while you're getting ready to leave for the airport will allow the color to develop while you're in the air. Then, after you disembark and look at yourself in that horrid airport bathroom lighting, you'll be pleased to see you've got a nice glow going on. It's like a vacation before your vacation.

2. Don't use Evian mist. For years I was spraying myself with those travel-sized Evian mists while up in the air under the assumption that it would help keep my skin hydrated. While a blast of cool water to the face always feels refreshing, a friend (who knows a lot about beauty) told me that a better option is a hydrating spray -- one with actual moisturizing agents. A good (affordable) option is Boots No7 Hydrating Water Spray.

3. Brush yo' teeth. Nothing can make a person feel ickier and less glam than stale breath. Never board a plane without a travel toothpaste and toothbrush.

4. Wrinkle spray. If you're on a long flight, your clothes are not going to look as they did when you arrive at your destination as they did when you first boarded the plane. It's basic science. Instead of going the celeb route (bringing a change of clothes), pack a de-wrinkler spray and look like you were never sitting in a cramped seat for four hours when you land.

5. Keep your clothes simple. Thousands of miles up in the air isn't the time to try out the latest trends. Keeping clothing simple -- yet fashionable and comfortable -- is a surefire way to always look chic when traveling. Something like black leggings, a Breton striped shirt, black booties, and a thick cardigan is perfect.

6. Go easy on the makeup. Save the blush and eyeliner for after you land. A full face of makeup likely won't stay in place when you're sitting on a plane for hours on end -- especially when you're misting your face with a hydrating spray.

http://thestir.cafemom.com/beauty_style/163532/6_genius_tips_for_traveling

The 55 Best Travel Tips Ever.

Written by blogger The Everywhereist (www.http://www.everywhereist.com/), here are the best 55 travel tips...ever.

• Packing for a trip is infinitely easier when you’ve just done laundry.

• Bring a travel first aid kit with the following: ibuprofen (or other pain killer), decongestant, NyQuil, bandages, hydrocortizone cream. You will not believe how often it will come in handy.

• Going somewhere with clean drinking water? Pack a reusable water bottle that clips on to your bag. Bonus points if it’s collapsible. In an age where the bottled stuff costs $7, you’ll save a ton, too.

• You will never wear that second dressy outfit, so stop packing it. Most trips, you won’t even wear the first dressy outfit (but you should still pack that one).

• Bags with wheels are amazing. That backpack might seem more agile, but have you ever seen someone trek across an airport with one of those on their back? Nimble does not come to mind. Sciatica, yes. But not nimble.

• Don’t forget your camera charger. You will go through that battery in a second, esp. when your friends insist on flipping through all of the photos that you just took in order to relive something that happened 5 minutes ago.

• Don’t pack clothes that require ironing. Hell, don’t buy clothes that require ironing.

• If you are staying with someone, get them a present. Either bring it from home, or take them out during the trip, or send them something afterwards. Do it not only because you will likely be invited back, but because your mom will be so proud.

• Never pack something that you haven’t worn before. Otherwise you’ll find your new shoes too uncomfortable, your new jacket too flimsy, your new underwear too wedgie-prone.

• Buy that delightfully grotesque souvenir, even if you don’t know who to give it to. Odds are, you will think of someone for whom it would be perfect. Worst-case scenario, you’ll keep it for yourself. Which is a really great worst-case scenario.

• If you hate wearing something at home, you will hate wearing it even more on a trip.

• Pack those god-awful tennis shoes you only wear “jogging” (a.k.a., “to the store to buy ice cream”) At some point during your trip, you won’t care what you look like. You will only care about being comfortable. For me, that point is “Day 2.”

• Do not go into a McDonald’s. I don’t care if you are scared and starving – McNuggets are NEVER a viable option. If you need fast food, at least hit up a regional chain.

• Always ask museum staff for tips. They’ll tell you what the best exhibits are, and what you can skip.

• If you are at an aquarium or a planetarium, feel free to skip the IMAX movie. They cost a bundle, and are the same EVERYWHERE.

• Tip your hotel housekeeping staff. (A good rule is to leave them about $2 U.S./day.) While you can leave it every day on the pillow, most staff is instructed not to move money or personal items, so they might not pick it up. If this is the case, just leave it in a prominent spot when you check out.

• Never carry your wallet in your back pocket, and never carry your purse on just your shoulder.

• Take notes. As much as you believe the contrary, once you get home you will not remember your tour guide’s name, or the artist whose worked you loved so much, or even the city where you stayed. Write it down.

• If you have an inkling that you should be taking photos of something, take them.

• If you have an inkling that you should not be taking photos of something, don’t take them.

• The second you think of packing something, PACK IT. If you wait, you will forget. And then you’ll end up using a plastic bag as a shower cap. Subsequent attempts to seduce your husband will be impossible after he’s seen you with a Rite-Aid sack on your head.

• If you don’t speak the local language of the place you are heading, then at least learn the following phrases: Please. Thank you. I’m sorry. Do you have those shoes in a size 37?

• Wherever you  are, wherever you are going, bring snacks.

• Dry shampoo is a godsend for those days when you don’t have time to wash your hair, but still want to interact with other humans.

• You will inevitably forget something, either at home or while on your trip. Accept this reality, and pray it is not your passport or your spouse.

• Call your credit card company before you leave and put a travel alert on your card. While you’re at it, jot down their international customer service number.

• Consider contacting the embassy and letting them know the dates of your trip. Or at the very least, have their contact info on hand.

• Make photocopies of your passport and leave one with friends and another tucked into your bag. Or, better yet, scan your passport and email a copy to yourself.

• Pack more underwear than you could ever conceivably go through. They don’t take up much room, and after a few days on the road, you will feel FRIGGING DECADENT when you put on a fresh pair in the morning and again in the afternoon.

• Stuffing socks into your shoes can help you save space and ensure your loafers retain their shape.

• No one will judge you for watching a dumb movie while on a plane. That’s what you’re supposed to do on planes.

• When packing, try to match all of the pants/bottoms you are taking with all of the tops. This will prevent you from looking like a total goober by the end of your trip.

• Dryer sheets remove static from your hair and clothing and make your suitcase smell awesome while taking up virtually no room.

• Do not, under ANY circumstances, use an airplane lavatory while not wearing shoes. That is not okay. I don’t care how swollen your feet are. Also, consider rolling up the hems of your pants while you are in there, so they don’t brush the floor.

• Toilet paper is not a given in many parts of the world. Which is why those little packs of tissues they sell at drugstores are a godsend.

• It is far easier to get drunk and make an ass of yourself at 30,000 feet than when you are on the ground.

• Border control agents do not get sarcasm.

• If you can’t afford to lose it (either financially or emotionally), don’t pack it.

• When in Bulgaria, never get into a cab that doesn’t have a meter.

• If you’ve selected the window seat, you’d better have a big bladder.

• If you are starting a brand-new book on your flight, bring at least one other form of entertainment with you, because that brand-new book might suck.

• Suffer from motion sickness? Ask for a drink that is half ginger ale and half club soda. It will help alleviate nausea without putting you into diabetic shock.

• Never check any of the following: your toothbrush, your prescription medications, your deodorant, your pjs.

• Wear sunscreen anytime you will be outside, regardless of the temperature or weather.

• Regardless of size, never bring more than two bags with you- any more than that is unwieldy and difficult to keep track of.

• Rolling non-wrinkable items before shoving them into your suitcase really does save space.

• A passport protector is the most useless item anyone can buy, ever.

• If you’ve forgotten something, check with the hotel before running to a drugstore. Most housekeeping departments carry toothbrushes, combs, sewing kits, shower caps, and disposable razors that they will give you free of charge.

• Budget hotels almost always offer free wi-fi. Luxury hotels will charge you for it. This is almost always the case.

• Sleeping in while traveling is only acceptable if there is absolutely NOTHING better to do. In other words, it’s never acceptable.

• Never trust a theater review from a London critic.

• Don’t take foreign guests to an Americanized version of their cuisine. I know I shouldn’t generalize, but NO ITALIAN HAS EVER WANTED TO GO TO THE OLIVE GARDEN.

• If a restaurants posts its menu in more than three languages, the food is probably going to suck.

• Never, EVER leave any valuables in your vehicle. I don’t care if it’s safely hidden in the trunk. I don’t care if you’re parked in the safest part of town. Don’t do it. It’s not worth the risk.

• Always pack a hat. In the winter, a knit hat will keep you warm and take up little room. In the summer, a brimmed hat will keep the sun off your face. In either case, it will save you when your straightening iron doesn’t work in the trapezoidal electrical socket you found in your hotel room.

25 Best Spas in Mexico

If you're looking for a relaxing getaway in Mexico, be sure to book a room at one of the resorts named on Mexico's 25 Best Spas.  No matter where you may be headed, be pampered in decadent treatments and have your troubles rubbed away at one of these award winning locations:

1. Aroma Spa, Esencia, A Seaside Estate, Riviera Maya
2. Auriga Spa, Capella Pedegral, Cabo San Lucas
3. Banyan Tree Spa, Mayakoba, Riviera Maya
4. Brio Spa, Mayan Palace, Riviera Maya
5. Desert Spa, Villa Group, Cabo San Lucas
6. Gem Spa, Coral Beach, Fiesta Americana Grand, Cancun
7. Heavenly Spa, Westin Santa Fe Mexico City
8. Kinan Spa , Maroma by Orient Express, Riviera Maya
9. Miile Spa, Excellence Riviera Maya
10. Naay Spa, El Dorado Seaside Suites, Riviera Maya
11. One & Only Palmilla, Los Cabos
12. Rancho La Puerta, Tecate
13. Remede Spa, St. Regis Mexico City
14. Sense Spa, Rosewood San Miguel de Allende
15. Sense Spa, Rosewood Mayakoba, Riviera Maya
16. SOMMA Wine Spa, Fiesta Americana Grand, Los Cabos
17. Spa by Liverpool, Mexico City
18. Spa Marquis, Marquis Reforma Mexico City
19. Spa Matilda, Hotel Matilda, San Miguel de Allende
20. Spa, Grand Velas, Riviera Maya
21. The Apuane Spa, Four Seasons Punta Mita
22. Vassa Spa, Azul Beach, Riviera Maya
23. Vassa Spa, Azul Fives, Playa del Carmen
24. Willow Stream Spa, Fairmont Mayakoba, Riviera Maya
25. Zoetry, Paraiso de la Bonita, Riviera Maya

Second Annual Grand Luxxe Photo Contest

Vida Vacations launched their second annual Grand Luxxe Photo Contest on June 17, 2013.

To enter, members of the Grand Luxxe will upload photos of themselves and family members during their

stays at the Vida resorts.  The best photo will win a week stay at the Grand Luxxe, and two runner ups will be given a $150 resort credit to use on their next stay.

Entering is simple!  Check out the full article here.



The winning photo from 2012.

Tips For Traveling to Mexico

Planning a trip to Mexico this summer?  Traveling to another country isn't always easy, so here are some valuable tips for your trip:


DO research your destination, but DON'T overplan
DO practice general safety precautions
DO learn a few phrases in Spanish before you go
DON'T drink water from the tap
DO use sunscreen
DO beware of scams
DO keep an open mind and go with the flow

For more information, read the full article here.

New Flights From Las Vegas to Puerto Penasco!

Good news for worldly travelers:  starting June 20th, AeroMexico will start providing flights from Las Vegas to Puerto Penasco!

Flights will be biweekly and the destinations are the perfect place to get away from it all.  High luxury, quiet locations await travelers looking to take a departure from traditional Mexican vacation locations.

Five Tips for Traveling Solo

Ever thought of taking a trip all by yourself, but don't know how to manage?  According to the Huffington Post, all you need is five simple steps that can make take your solo trip from stressful to blissful.

1. Prearrange accommodations and transportation.
2. Plan arrival during daylight hours.
3. Respect the local culture.
4. Make friends at your hotel.
5. Trust your gut.

People commonly make these simple mistakes.  Be sure to read the full article here.