9 Post-Summer Recommendations

Now that we’re at the end of summer, I thought it’d be a great time to share some recommendations. It’s been an absolutely intense summer of travel with filming in Rwanda, trips with my family, and a filming cruise through Spain and Morocco, so I’ve had a lot of chances to test these recommendations out!

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9 Post-Summer Recommendations

JisuLife Portable Fan Life7

When I tell you this fan has saved me two summers in a row now… If you’ve ever been anywhere in Europe in summer, you know it can get very hot and humid! And on top of that central A/C and ice drinks are virtually non-existent. Some sort of fan has become absolutely necessary, and this fan has like five different settings with the most intense blast of air! You can fold it, so it sits nicely on a table and it has a strap to hang around your neck. To cool down even more I add in…

La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Face Mist

This La Roche-Posay Face Mist. It uses thermal spring water, which has a bunch of great minerals and antioxidants to soothe your skin. I also love that it’s a gentler, finer mist. Just spritz on and then bring the fan up and it’s like having your own A/C on the go. Whenever I was with my kids this summer and we started overheating, I’d stop and tell them it’s time for a 30-second spa treatment. Quick mist, blast of the fan, and everyone was good to go!

Solumbra Activewear

If you ever see me out doing something active in summer like our gorilla trek in Rwanda, chances are I’m wearing pieces from Solumbra. The whole company designs clothing based around sun protection with SPF built into the fabric and is all made in the USA. Seriously, it’s often recommended by doctors for patients at risk of melanoma. On top of that it’s built to be extremely durable; they tested the SPF protection after 500 washes and it was still intact. One of my particular favorites this summer was their striped seaside tee. 

Drowsy Silk Face Hugging Sleep Mask

I really didn’t think this Drowsy sleep mask was going to work because it doesn’t have the concave shape most eye masks have but wow was I wrong. Every time I put it on for bed, I was out like a light! It’s made with 100% mulberry silk, so it’s great for the skin vs a lot of masks that use satin polyester. It also has this nice, triple-layer padding that really blocks out all light and uses an adjustable velcro type strap instead of elastic, so it won’t wear down with use.

Solar Science Mineral Crème (SPF 50)

As I’ve mentioned in my skincare essentials post, I am always slathered head to toe in sunscreen especially on sets where the sun is more intense like on a snowy mountain in Big Sky or under the harsh sun in Bologna! The real challenge, though, has always been finding sunscreen that can do well on camera since most will not. I’m not sure when I started using Solar Science Mineral Crème as a base before make-up, but I’ve been absolutely loving it. It’s very lightweight and is somehow hydrating while still having this nice, matte finish for make-up application.

My Frontload 22” Hardside Carry-On

Okay, not to toot my own horn, but I’m very proud of this carry-on! When I worked on its design, my goal was to combine the durability of hardshell luggage with the easy access of softside luggage. The whole backside is hardshell for protection but I designed the front part to be soft. Instead of having to open the suitcase all the way up to get inside, you can just unzip the front to get in. Not to mention there’s a front pocket for even easier access. And to top it all off, there are anti-theft zippers for extra safety and an expandable zipper to fit 20% more. It’s been great to have on all these international trips!

Farm Rio Dresses & Rompers

I’ve worn Farm Rio dresses a few times both for filming and for personal use, and I’ve loved how beautiful their patterns are! They’re very breezy and usually made with cotton or linen and always have the most fun designs while still being very easy to throw on. I’d recommend them if you have any fancier summer events or a cruise with a dress code. They can get pricey so just wait for a sale!

My Trunk-Style Checked Luggage

When it comes to checked luggage, I always gravitate back to my 30” trunk style spinner and for longer trips, I often travel with two of them on me. I designed it to be a 30/70 split (vs most hardshell pieces that do a 50/50 split) and have way more internal organization than a normal suitcase. I like to say the 70% side can look like a bookshelf for your clothes so if you’re moving hotels often, you never have to actually unpack to see everything you’ve brought. I also added a fifth wheel for extra support and multiple handles for easier handling!

RIES Travel Bottles

When I tell you I’ve probably tried every travel-sized container out there… I always find something lacking about most of them. I don’t like the softer, silicone bottles as I find more product gets stuck more often, and they’re an absolute pain to clean out. Also a lot of containers are designed well below the 100ml/3.4 oz limit, so you wind up needing to buy more to carry everything you need. Anela Malik recommended RIES travel bottles to me two years ago, and I’ve been loving them ever since. They use an airless pump and are really easy to refill. Not to mention they’re totally recyclable and have this great minimalist design in multiple colors. 

Any post-summer travel recommendations you have? Let me know below!