The small Essentials I never Travel without
Summer has a way of inviting us to slow down…
Longer days. Open windows. Walks in the sunshine. Time spent in the garden or by the sea. Whether we’re travelling abroad, exploring somewhere closer to home or simply enjoying an evening outdoors after work, summer encourages us to reconnect with nature.
For me, it has also become a reminder of something else…
The fewer things I pack, the more carefully I choose what comes with me.
Over the years, I’ve realised I don’t need dozens of products to care for myself while travelling. I simply need a handful of botanical essentials that work beautifully in different situations, supporting both my skin and my wellbeing wherever I happen to be.
My Cooling Companion: Peppermint.
One of the first essentials to find its way into my travel bag is Peppermint essential oil.
That’s not simply because it smells wonderfully fresh. Peppermint contains menthol, a natural compound that interacts with specialised cold receptors in our skin, called “TRPM8 receptors”.
Although it doesn’t actually lower the skin’s temperature, it creates a cooling sensation that our brain interprets as refreshing relief on a hot summer’s day. Nature never ceases to fascinate me.
When I feel warm or tired, I place one drop of Peppermint essential oil into my palms, rub my hands together, cup them gently over my nose and take three slow, mindful breaths before applying the remaining oil to the back of my neck.
Within moments, I feel refreshed, more alert and ready to continue enjoying the day.
A Few Summer Botanical Essentials
Peppermint isn’t the only essential oil I reach for during the warmer months.
- Lavender helps soothe skin after sun exposure.
- Geranium supports skin balance while bringing a beautiful floral note that always reminds me to slow down.
- Eucalyptus feels wonderfully refreshing in hot weather.
- Palmarosa, Sandalwood and Vetiver all offer their own unique ways of supporting the skin while bringing a sense of calm and grounding.
Each botanical has its own personality. Together they become part of my summer wellbeing ritual.
My Summer Handbag Essential
Whether I’m walking through Windsor Great Park, exploring the countryside or travelling abroad, one product always comes with me: my botanical insect repellent.
Originally created with carefully selected essential oils – including Lemongrass, Citronella and Eucalyptus – to protect against mosquitoes, wasps and ticks, I soon realised it has a wider application than as just an insect repellent.
Because it’s alcohol-free, and made with Witch Hazel and pure essential oils, it also provides a refreshing cooling mist on warm days. It brings comfort, and helps to calm skin that feels hot, congested or irritated.
Sometimes the simplest products become the most versatile.
Caring for Sun-Exposed Skin
After a long day outdoors, my evening skincare ritual changes slightly.
This is when I choose products that help replenish moisture, comfort the skin and support its natural repair processes. Pure Aloe Vera, Vitamin E and Geranium create a beautifully soothing combination after sun exposure, helping calm skin while encouraging healthy regeneration.
I also love incorporating nourishing botanical oils such as Grapeseed, Borage, Evening Primrose and Rosehip into my evening routine.
Each one has been chosen for a reason. Together they help support the skin barrier, improve hydration, encourage elasticity and protect against environmental stress.
More than Skincare
It’s one of the reasons I created my botanical skincare collection. Not simply to nourish the skin, but to help women with busy lives transform a routine they already have into a meaningful moment of wellbeing.
Every formulation combines carefully selected botanical ingredients with the therapeutic benefits of clinical aromatherapy.
Unlike our other senses, smell has a unique and direct pathway to areas of the brain involved in emotion, memory and the stress response. That’s why the aroma of essential oils can begin to influence how we feel within moments of taking a slow, mindful breath.
A simple skincare routine can become something much more…
A pause.
A breath.
A quiet moment to reconnect with yourself after a busy day.
A gentle Summer Reminder
Summer doesn’t ask us to do more. It gently invites us to slow down, to walk a little further and to spend more time outdoors.
We are invited to notice the warmth of the sun on our skin, and to care for ourselves after a day well lived.
These are the small rituals that make summer restorative.
Wherever this season takes you, I hope you discover your own little pockets of wellbeing … and perhaps pack a few botanical companions along the way.
Because… lasting wellbeing isn’t created through occasional grand gestures.
It’s woven into the small moments we choose to protect every day. 🌿
Have you found these tips helpful?
Why not get in touch?
You can also find me at the Englefield Green Community Shop at 82, St Jude’s Road, TW20 0DF. I am there on Saturday afternoons to share with you natural aromatic solutions for your health & wellness.
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