I’ve always been a notoriously late packer, scrambling to squeeze my last minute additions into my suitcase minutes before I’m being dragged kicking and screaming out the door. So, with the combination of my both rushed and over-packing tendencies, it’s a relief when I can find some simplicity. For my latest journey to Thailand, I picked out some essentials that were a no-brainer to bring along on this hot holiday destination.

KAHINA GIVING BEAUTY – Toning Mist

This is something I recommend packing in your carry-on. You know the feeling when everything on your body begins to dry out on a long haul flight? The feeling of my skin tightening, the discomfort in my nose and eyes, and parched throat, these are some of my least favorite aspects of flying (except for the leg room sitch). Having toning spray along won’t fix everything, but it will certainly help. The toning mist from Kahina, with main ingredients being aloe vera and rose flower water, smells good and it totally refreshed and rehydrated my face. Anytime I was on-the-go (whether busses, trains, planes, boats), I used to this mist when my skin was feeling tired and worn out. Best thing about this product is that it feels like a relief to apply—I found myself saying “aaah” after every application.

Prrty Peaushun – Skin Tight Body Lotion

This being my first ever vacation with my boyfriend, I was nervous about baring my pastey Berlin-winter legs in front of him, lest he go blind. Not the beachy sexy look I had in mind. I prepped my legs fairly thoroughly for the trip (exfoliating and finally shaving my winter fur off), but I thought there was nothing I could do about their glaring whiteness. Then Ingy recommended I try Prrty Peaushun’s lotion and now I am a serious fan. It is really a hero for snow-women like myself. Celebrities from the incredibly talented chameleon Cate Blanchett to the bad-ass queen Rhianna have hailed this product as a must-have. The shades range from Plain to Deep Dark. I used the Medium shade and I applied it (over sunscreen) to my arms, legs, and chest (let’s be honest, whatever skin of was going to be revealed). It gave my skin a shaped and even-toned glow. My legs looked contoured and shimmery. I can understand why people recommend this product for a photo-shopped look, it really works.

Alga Maris – Sunscreen SPF 30 and After Sun Balm

I know I was just complaining about how pale I am, but being as white as a glass of milk doesn’t excuse me from wearing sunscreen. My days of frivolously roasting myself red and praying it would turn into a tan are a thing of the past. Sun burns really are a nuisance. Plus, skin cancer, saggy aged skin, pygmentation, those are things that would be even more of a hassle (to put it lightly). This sunscreen from Alga Maris smells delicious. Feel free to lather this coconut dream all over your body. It’s light fluid texture spreads on easily and most importantly: I was free of sun burns but still managed to get a tan.

Pair the sunscreen with their After Sun Balm to soothe tight, sun-drenched skin. You might think that after sun products are unimportant, but this was actually my favorite product that I brought along. I think this balm not only works wonders for a sunny beach trip, but also for any time of year. I imagine that winter-chapped skin would be very soothed by this lovely smelling coconut balm. The generous quantity ensures that it will last you a while, even though there are a million ways to use it.

KAHINA GIVING BEAUTY – Argan Oil

I’m sure all of you either own or have heard about Kahina’s Argan oil. It’s one of our best-sellers and for good reason. Another multi-purpose product, you can’t go wrong packing this with you, no matter your destination. This single ingredient oil is light-weight but surprising transformative. A small amount works to use as an all over body oil. I was most impressed with it’s impact on my hair. Normally, with days full of ocean water, chlorine, and the burning rays of the sun, my hair takes a real beating. Applying it to still-wet hair (with or without a shower) leaves it feeling luscious when it’d normally be left dry as hay. My boyfriend had the idea to use it as a post-shave oil and I learned from his example. This definitely prevented any redness or irritation that might have resulted. But the truth is, you can really use this oil as anything: on your nails, hair, body, face, as a lux salad dressing, to fix a creaky door…the options are limitless.

Dr. Alkaitis – Soothing Gel

This treatment gel is perfect for unexpected rashes and for soothing bug bites—must-haves when you’re in an unfamiliar climate. I myself am a victim of mysterious red splotches that seem to rise to the surface of my skin for no discernible reason, so I try to keep this product close by. Containing vitamins B, C, french lavender, and wild chamomile, this gel packs a punch of powerful anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties. One time, after spending the afternoon in a deep ocean enclave, I got an unexplainable painfully itchy rash over my entire body. The pain was intense and I reached for my soothing gel—and had another aaaahhh moment when it relieved the pain almost instantly.

These holiday favorites double as summer essentials. They saved my life a couple times in the unbearable heat of Thailand (think 35 plus °C), but I know they won’t stop being useful all summer long. Do you have any hot weather essentials? Anything that came particularly in handy on your last vacay? Lemme know in the comments below.