AJ Flanagan

The Travel Handbook

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We don't go anywhere without our oils no matter whether we are heading to the grocery store or heading out of the country! These little bottles of plant magic not only make us happy, they improve our experiences, help prevent things going awry, and help keep us going when we hit bumps in the road! Here are our best tips, tricks, hacks and more for traveling (no matter the time of year!)

image HOW TO TRAVEL WITH OILS Our oils go wherever we go! Often they are in our backpacks, purses and cars either on their own or in a cute oil organizer, but when you're traveling by plane or leaving the country you will want to store them differently.

  • For plane travel, place your oil bottles or rollers in a 1 quart ziploc bag just like you do with your other liquids & gels, making sure to tighten the lids. We recommend keeping them in your carry-on luggage to avoid any leaks.
  • Choose NingXia Red packets and place them in the zip top bag with the other liquids.
  • When flying internationally ALWAYS check their TSA regulations as some may vary by country.
  • Grab a supplement organizer and fill it out with your Young Living supplements (we love Inner Defense, Super C Chewables and ImmuPro for travel!)
  • Grab a Bon Voyage travel Pack for TSA-approved sizes of your favorite Young Living personal care products and a perfectly sized carrier.

image QUICK TRAVEL HACKS Sometimes a good hack or two makes all the difference!

  • Reuse an essential oil bottle and fill with liquid carrier oil as a convenient way to dilute your oils when needed.
  • Reuse Thieves Hand Sanitizer bottles to make TSA-approved sizes of your shampoo, conditioner, etc.
  • Roll up your diffuser plug and stick inside the diffuser, then add the covers back to make sure you don't forget it! We like to travel with the Desert Mist since it is plastic, and you can even forgo the outer cover to save space!
  • Premix diffuser blends in 5mL bottles for convenience -- think Thieves + Orange for when you arrive and Lavender, Valor and Frankincense for sweet sleep when traveling!
  • Utilize the packet versions of supplements: AlkaLime for happy bellies, KidScents MightyPro as an adult probiotic that doesn't need refrigeration, KidScents Unwind as a nightly magnesium supplement.

image TOP 10 TRAVEL ESSENTIALS The oils and products you take with you will vary a bit depending on your destination, but these ten are ones we always have with us when we travel!

  • Thieves Hand Sanitizer: this one is a no brainer!
  • Thieves Roll-on: for all the immune support
  • Peppermint: for motion sickness & head tension
  • DiGize: for allll the belly needs
  • NingXia Red Packets: for an afternoon energy boost and immune support
  • Lavender or Tranquil Roll-on: for a restful night's sleep & bumps/bruises
  • Valor or KidPower: for anyone afraid of heights or flying. Also Valor is a lifesaver when sharing a room with a snorer (rub a drop on their big toe)
  • Peace & Calming or Stress Away: for all the travel annoyances and big emotions
  • Thieves Wipes: a quick way to wipe down all surfaces
  • Insect Repellant Wipes: each one is individually wrapped so they are PERFECT for travel.

image MOTION SICKNESS TAMERS Travel excitement can quickly take a nose dive when you or someone else is feeling queasy with motion sickness. Here are our best tips to tame that feeling!

  • Peppermint: ALL the Peppermint! Inhale straight from the bottle, dilute and apply over the chest, throat, shoulders and back of the neck, diffuse in the car if possible.
  • AromaEase: Dilute this blend and apply it over the abdomen, along the back of the neck ideally starting before the motion sickness hits.
  • DIY Tummy Tamer Tumbler:
    • Fill a large glass/tumbler with water and ice
    • Add 1 drop DiGize Vitality, 2-3 drops Lemon Vitality
    • Option to add 1 drop Peppermint Vitality
    • Drink as tolerated, ideally start before the motion sickness gets too bad
  • DIY Motion Tamer Roll-on:
    • 10-20 drops each Peppermint, Ginger, Frankincense
    • Carrier of choice
    • Roll over the abdomen liberally and frequently
  • Hydration with minerals/electrolytes: Try to start the trip super hydrated and maintain that as much as possible throughout. Add Mineral Essence and Lemon Vitality to your water, bring the Lavender Lemonade Vitality Drops with you on a plane, or even mix in AminoWise to a bottle of water.

image CAMPING NECESSITIES Ohhh the great outdoors! We love getting outside and exploring, and naturally, we take all our favorite oils and products with us to keep everyone happy and healthy. Citronella, Geranium + a battery-powered diffuser: When you're lounging at your campsite with a book in hand, this combo will be your BFF! Fill a battery-powered diffuser with 5-7 drops each Citronella and Geranium essential oils and enjoy the delicious aroma and pest-free zone!

  • Insect Repellent & Insect Repellent Wipes: This formula effectively prevents mosquito, flea, and tick bites, so you can enjoy the great outdoors worry free!
  • Insect Repellent Spray Hack: Grab the Insect Repellent bottle and make it into a spray for easy use:
    • Continuous spray bottle
    • Bottle of YL Insect Repellant
    • 3 TBSP fractionated coconut oil or ClaraDerm Cooling Mist
    • 20 drops Citronella essential oil
    • Add all items to the spray bottle, but add the insect repellent last (it will not all fit!)
  • DIY Outdoor Spray: If you live in a state that has shipping exclusions for the Insect Repellant, try the wipes! Still can't order because of limitations? You can also add a spray top directly to your bottle of Citronella.
    • Small continuous spray bottle
    • 25 drops each Citronella, Geranium, Lemongrass, Lavender
    • 20 drops Eucalyptus Radiata, Tea Tree
    • V-6 Vegetable Oil carrier or carrier of choice or ¼ part Witch Hazel to ¾ part Distilled Water
    • Note: If you want to use a larger bottle, simply double the recipe. Also if you feel you need a stronger formula or are extremely susceptible to outdoor pests add more Citronella, Lemongrass and/or Geranium!
  • DIY Itch Stick: for those times you forget your insect repellent!
    • In a rollerball, combine 10 drops Purification, 10 drops Lavender + 10 drops Lemon, and top with a carrier oil. Roll on bug bites & itches.
  • Lavender Essential Oil: We don't call this the Swiss Army Knife for no reason! Someone needs a little calm? Grab your Lavender. Skin saw too much sun? Grab your Lavender. Little one stepped in an ant bed? Grab your Lavender. Blooming flowers got you down? Grab your Lavender!
  • Mineral Sunscreen: Hands-down, the Young Living Mineral Sunscreen is our favorite sunscreen. It checks all of our boxes -- reef-safe, effective, all natural, great for all skin types, non-nano zinc, won't clog pores. What else is there?!
  • Mineral Sunscreen Spray Hack:
    • Continuous spray bottle
    • Bottle of YL Mineral Sunscreen
    • 5 TBSP fractionated coconut oil or ClaraDerm Cooling Mist
    • 20 drops Carrot Seed essential oil
    • Optional: 30 drops Citronella essential oil
    • Add all items to the spray bottle and shake well!

image BEACH ESSENTIALS We are always ready for a day (or week!) in the sunshine and sand! Here's what we're always packing in our beach bags:

  • NingXia Red packets: freeze them overnight for a slushie-like treat
  • Lavender Lemonade Vitality Drops + AminoWise: to keep us hydrated in the sun and heat
  • Thieves Hand Sanitizer & Spray: for clean hands, e-readers, toys, phones, etc!
  • Lavender Lip Balm: great for lips, cheeks, noses and makes a great carrier stick too!
  • Peppermint roller: to roll over the back of the neck like instant air conditioning when we get a little too hot!
  • Lavender essential oil: again, for ALL the things! Any kind of skin need, grab your Lavender.
  • Seedlings Baby Wipes: for clean hands, even in the sand! Easily remove all the sand from everyone's feet, legs, and hands with Seedlings Baby Wipes!

image WELLNESS 101 Travel can sometimes give our immune systems a run for their money, so we start giving them extra support a couple of weeks before travel when possible! Think extra Wellness Rollers, Super C Chewables, Inner Defense and even extra NingXia Red. Then, when we travel we keep these in our daily arsenal:

  • Master Formula: Our favorite daily multivitamin that packs a HUGE nutritional punch and helps us work towards daily wellness. The prepackaged capsules make traveling with this supplement so easy, too!
  • Daily NingXia Red: If there were only one habit that you could start or continue during the summer, a daily dose of NingXia Red would be it! This delicious supplement is a powerhouse of antioxidants and nutrients that we want for everyone in the family.
  • Super C Chewables: Plant-based, whole-food vitamin C infused with citrus essential oils for a great-tasting immune system boost! These chewable tablets are great for the whole family.
  • Wellness roller: We roll this blend over the lymph nodes, on the feet or along the spine morning and evening year round, then use it more frequently as needed! To a 10mL roller bottle add:
  • 25 drops each Thieves, Pine, Lemon
  • 20 drops each Geranium, Frankincense
  • Fill with carrier of choice