Travelling with Ease and Elegance - Carry-on Essentials

Hi Everybody!

So, on my recent holiday weeks I took a total of 6 flights and  as I am not accustomed to this amount of travel, I was determined to be well prepared for my travels and to have everything I needed to allow me to be comfortable while travelling.

So, here is my guide to travelling with elegance. I hope you enjoy!

PART 1 :Choosing Hand Luggage

Good luggage is an investment. Baggage handlers can be rough with your luggage and cheap stuff will quickly fall apart or end up with broken handles.  My big carry on bag is from Nine west, I have it six years now and it still looks perfect, it has purple silk lining.


I think River Island are also great for small luggage , their quality is excellent. Here are a few of their current pretty offerings, all of which are within the size limitations of Aerlingus and Ryanair.

For my trip I chooseto bring a small carry on bag which would fit under my seat because I was travelling with a toddler and wanted to have all his toys and things close to hand. 

I choose a bag from good old Penneys which was a steal at €12.00, often times Penneys faux leather bags can be cheap and nasty but this bag has a nice finish and some nice hardware details.  It fit nicely below the seat in front of me :)

Practical Stuff
When choosing your carry on bag you must consider size as well as style. Below are the current size and weight restrictions imposed by Ryanair and AerLingus. Aside from Ryanair these rules are not always enforced but it is better to err on the side of caution and avoid paying last minute fees.
Tip! Measure your luggage after packing as it may have expanded if tightly packed.

Aer Lingus Rules

• One piece of carry-on baggage weighing up to 10kg. Maximum dimensions of 55cm x 40cm x 24cm 
• One Handbag/Personal Item with maximum dimensions of 25cm  x 33cm  x 20cm 
• Duty free items must fit inside your carry-on bag

Ryanair Carry-On Rules

• One piece of carry-on baggage, may not exceed limit of 10kg.
• Maximum dimensions of 55cm x 40cm x 20cm 
• Your handbag must fit inside your carry on bag

Travel Wallet
This was one thing I didn't have whilst travelling. I had a few connecting flights and it would have been good to have a wallet to keep  boarding passes and passports organised.
River Island have this one which would match nicely with the travel bag shown earlier.



PART 2 :Hand Luggage Essentials:

Travel Pillow

I got one of these neck pillows years ago and felt a bit like a diva when I used it on a flight. However the world has moved on as I noticed lots of people had them while I was travelling. A comfy travel pillow can make a long journey far more pleasant, I hummed and hawed about bringing mine because it took up half of the space my carry on bag. However I realised at the airport that people just sit them on top of their carry on bag rather than packing them, so that's what I did for future flights, of course if you are flying Ryanair it would be best to wear the pillow on your neck and describe it as a fashion statetment when you will (undoubtedly) be questioned for not packing it. If you can't find a nice pillow before you go you can always pick up one at the airport for about €20.

Ear Plugs

Ear plugs make a huge difference to your inflight experience! I used these ones from Boots and they cost €7.00. They stay on the outer area of the ear which I found more comfortable and you can mould them to fit comfortably. If you haven't used ear plugs before I strongly urge you to try them, you can still hear things around you but that horrible flight background noise is reduced.


Eye Mask

Not all eye masks are created equally. Some are uncomfortable, some are a weird size, and most are polyester (including the complimentary ones you sometimes receive on a flight). My eyemask is really gorgeous, its silk* on one side and velvet on the other and its filled with lavender. Enough said!! Its from here and its £10.  The silk side is supposed to be on the outside but I wear mine the opposite way because having silk against your face while you sleep creates fewer facial lines than rougher fabrics(you can in fact buy silk anti aging pillows).

Book/Kindle/Tablet
Bring something to entertain you for the flight. Ideally a great book. Don't rely on the in-flight entertainment system - if there is turbulance it may be deactivated and anyway you will probably have the same progamme listing on the way back.


PART 3 :Packing Your Cosmetic Bag

Be really careful about packing your carry-on cosmetic bag. You dont want your lovely things taken from you at airport security so only bring the inflight essentials. If you are in any doubt put it in your checked baggage.

Multi Purpose Balm/Oil

Travel is definitely a time for multi task cosmetics. You need something that will at least act as a multi purpose moisturiser and a cleanser like this Neals Yard Balm. 

I made a multi use flight oil for my trip. Its proposed purposes were - a facial moisturiser, a leg oil to prevent DVT , and a relaxation massage oil to help me and my toddler get to sleep. It performed really well. I rubbed a drop on my little boy's temples as we settled down for our night flight home and he slept through the whole flight, and believe me, my child is wired!
I rubbed my legs with the oil when they started to feel sore and pressurised and it instantly relieved them ( do this in the toilets if you are sitting next to strangers!).The girl opposite me on my flight to Chicago puked all over the aisle floor and if it wasn't for this oil making the smell I think I would have gotten sick too (sorry,I have issues with vomit). I put some oil on a tissue and kept inhaling and it worked wonders. This oil is also good for stress and anxiety, so it could be helpful if you are a nervous flyer.
I haven't seen any product like this on the market but if you wish to make your own flight oil here is my recipe.

Facial Mister

This is an essential for me for any length of flight. Airplane air is very drying to the skin and a quick spirtz makes me feel refreshed. If your travel bottle kit comes with a spray bottle you can use that as a mister by filling it with toner, floral water,or even normal water. If possible add some essential oils for extra skin benefits, I use rose essential oil as it helps to hydrate the deeper layers of the skin. If you couldn't be bothered filling a bottle you can buy small Evian atomisers at exhorbitant prices from the chemist ( they do spray a lovely fine mist it must be said!).



Hand Gel
Pack a little hand gel to keep the germs at bay. You will use it on holidays too!

Dont forget your Ziplock bag to put it all in!
Tesco do decent ones which are the appropriate size.
You are allowed liquids up to 100ml in your hand luggage, anything larger needs to be in your checked baggage. Your total liquid allowance is 1 litre - this can add up pretty quickly. Remember to buy your zip lock bags before you go, airports vary on whether they provide and/or charge for them. Get all liquids packed into your little bag before you set out and only put in the items you will need in-flight.

That's it Ladies, Dont forget your passport now!!


Let me know what you think of this list and what you think needs to be added?
What are your flight essentials? 



Claire x