Paris Part II: Packing Essentials, a Moisture Mask, the Hard Lesson I Learned
When I packed for my plane ride to Paris, I brought the French must-haves: a stylish scarf, a chic handbag, and a beauty moisture mask for the plane.
Packing Essentials
To wash/to wear bags by Bag All, Savor Beauty Planner, Zara packable long coat (so soft!), Miu Miu sunglasses, Ferragamo birthday gift for my man, Savor Beauty skincare
Since I get very dry in-flight, I brought a leave-on moisture mask kit for on-the-glow and fuss-free beauty (all TSA-friendly from Savor Beauty.)
I entered Paris on cloud 9.
We had fun activities planned for my partner’s week-long birthday celebration: a 5-hour bike ride ending with a cruise on the Seine, a cabaret dinner party, a dance outing at Wanderlust, a guided tour of Musée d'Orsay, visits to the beautiful monuments, and salsa dancing for the last night.
On the last day, my partner was excited to help me find my favorite brand of French shoes. It’s double the price in the U.S., so he was determined to find these perfectly stylish walking flats for me.
He, an athlete who works out daily, sprinted around Paris, easily clocking over 25,000 steps. My body, on the other hand, became grumpy and grouchy after our beautiful visit to the Luxembourg gardens.
Smiles Before a Meltdown
We were victorious in finding the shoes, but I was depleted even though I think my partner could have run a marathon! I was feeling irritated and exhausted—definitely not a glowing moment.
About an hour after this shot, I had a full-blown meltdown as we approached our hotel. I wilted into bed, fell asleep at 7 pm, and we canceled our salsa dancing plans, something we both were so excited about.
The next morning, I realized that I let Paris sweep me up in a delirious whirlwind of excitement. I didn’t meditate or do yoga—rituals that keep me connected and grounded—since we had arrived. Pursuing a Parisian croissant overtook my morning rituals to connect to my stillness, quietness, and relaxation.
“Meditating is like taking vitamins: You can go without doing it for a week, but gradually you start noticing you’re not as resilient.” - Angela Jia Kim for goop.com
I always say how we treat our skin is how we treat our soul: if we don’t wash our faces or hydrate our skin for a week—a meditation of sorts for our pores—we might break out or become dried up like a prune.
That’s exactly what happened to my soul in Paris. Even though we were having the time of our lives, the lack of inner connection resulted in not listening to my body and not communicating higher intentions. It was a hard lesson to learn but an easy tweak to make.
It’s normal to fall out of self-care routines while traveling because space and time become altered; here are these three easy tips to plug back into your juicy higher self:
Practice gratitude in a beautiful space
Say or listen to affirmations while walking
Do yoga stretches while on a chair
The next morning, I went to Sacre Coeur and did all three above. These are free ways to access the richness of your inner being and get back into your radiance.
Remember that vacation time is an opportunity to reconnect more deeply with others and yourself. So yes—hydrate your skin on the plane, my dear radiant soul.
But don’t forget to treat your soul with the same nourishment and love to receive your gorgeous, juicy radiance.
xoxo
