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Holiday travel is tough enough in the best of circumstances and is all-too-often fraught with challenges, including crowded freeways, overbooked flights, Wi-Fi downtime and generally not having necessary items at hand. While on-the-go, trying to look stylish, feel good, remain safe, and comfortably tote important belongings around is often harder than it needs to be. Relief and assists are readily available as exemplified by the following collection of handy travel helpers—all of which will help keep the happy in your holidays.

AT&T Unite for GoPhone Mobile Hotspot – (www.att.com) – $99.99
When traveling, there are times when WiFi access is essential and you don’t want to be limited to just the network configured with your phone, laptop or other device. Or, perhaps your network is unavailable, leaving you in a lurch. To better ensure you have connectivity when needed, consider the AT&T Unite for GoPhone—a mobile hotspot device that connects to AT&T’s wireless network and turns that wireless connection into a WiFi hotspot. The AT&T Unite provides *secure* internet access for multiple tablets, laptops, iPod Touches, phones and other WiFi devices. It works just like a WiFi hotspot at a coffee shop or at home, except it goes where you go. With no annual contract or credit check, you can simply buy data when you need it so you can stay connected to the Internet while you’re out and about.

Photo Ownership/Copyright Credit: WiFi Family

Solo Executive UNIVERSAL FIT Tablet Padfolio and
Solo Active Universal Tablet Sling (www.Solo.net) – $32.99 – $69.99
As you travel, you need a case that’s as ambitious and hardworking as you are. Solo bags and cases certainly fit the bill, offering that coveted combination of performance, style and quality.  Two great options are the Executive UNIVERSAL FIT Tablet Padfolio featuring patent pending technology—a proprietary tension clip design—to assure a secure hold. The “universal” nature of this case provides flexibility to use the same case for countless brands and models of tablets and eReaders like all generations of the iPad and others by Samsung. With a handsome full grain leather body, this Padfolio also contains slip pockets for important papers, a pocket for business cards, a pen loop and zip around closure. Another fantastic ubiquitous option for wrangling your tablet or eReader is Solo’s Active Universal Tablet Sling, which is also compatible with all iPad generations as well as Samsung tablets. The durable case features a padded, adjustable sling strap for over-the-shoulder convenience and has a removable clip to facilitate left or right side use. The lightweight bag also has a padded compartment to protect all tablets and eReaders up to 10.2” and a zip down organizer section.

JILL-E Leather Career Bag (www.Jill-E.com) – $189.99
The Jill-e Career Bag is a high-performance professional carry bag that’s as suitable in the boardroom as it is on the town. Made with genuine leather, this chic carrier protects devices and other contents while providing the professional look and beautiful feel of top quality leather. The padded interior laptop pouch includes a strap to securely protect a 12″ laptop or a tablet device. Organization is assured by dedicated pockets for smartphones, pens, sunglasses, cards, etc. The interior of the bag also features an additional zippered pocket for storing personal items. The JILL-E Leather Career Bag also features a removable shoulder strap, as well as comfortable handles with an 8.5 ” drop.

Topricin Foot Therapy Cream (www.Topricin.com) – $16.95 – $24.95
Traveling is tough on the body and can be particularly hard on your feet. From running through the airport to catch a flight to taking one tour after another, our feet get quite the workout. This can result in aches and pains that can even ruin an experience. For this reason, consider packing Topricin Foot Therapy Cream. This handy travel companion is specially formulated with 14 natural medicines in an odorless, greaseless, moisturizing base to soothe and relieve foot and ankle aches, pains, cramps, and injuries. When you apply Topricin to the legs, ankles and feet before air travel, it quickly maximizes the body’s healing and repairing process keeping you comfortable the entire flight! Also safe for Diabetics, Topricin Foot Therapy is free of parabens, petroleum, counter-irritants, and other harsh chemicals, and is patented for the treatment of pain associated with neuropathy. Apply the crème before wearing high-heels for a great post-pedicure treatment. Made in the U.S.A., all Topricin products are federally-regulated over-the-counter medicines with no known side effects.

Spoiled Naturally Lotion Bar (www.SpoiledNaturally.com) – $8.50
Travel, especially air travel, can be quite dehydrating and keeping skin soft, smooth and healthy can be a challenge. But, consider re-thinking your approach to how you hydrate your skin, as there are more natural and decidedly neater alternatives to chemical-filled creams and messy lotions. One great option are the Solid Lotion Bars by Spoiled Naturally. Shaped like a bar of soap, Spoiled Naturally’s Solid Lotion Bars are designed with ease, convenience and well-being in mind. Just rub the bar lightly on your skin and your body heat with melt just enough of it to allow you to rub it onto your hands and skin. It absorbs quickly, penetrating the dermis to help keep your skin soft and smooth for hours. The bar form allows you to utilize every the last drop and the convenient carrying case will let you hydrate on-the-go without the threat of spills. Because it’s not a liquid, it’s also TSA friendly! Wherever you’re heading, carry a Spoiled Naturally bar to keep your skin silky smooth. The company offers various fragrances such as pineapple strawberry, chocolate strawberry and lemongrass.

Colorescience Sunforgettable Mineral Sunscreen Brush (www.ColoreScience.com) – $52
Getting from point A to point Z, and everywhere in between, often requires a good deal of sun exposure and it’s important to keep your facial skin protected to avoid skin damage. Of course, you also want to put your best face forward makeup-wise to stay fresh looking all throughout the day or night. Here’s a product that has you covered on all fronts. The Colorescience Sunforgettable Mineral Sunscreen Brush easily fits in your purse, making it an ideal holiday travel beauty tool. With it, you’ll stay protected from sun damage and its aging effects while benefitting from the make up’s soft focus finish. This Sunforgettable Mineral Sunscreen Brush has SPF 30 that provides safe, non-irritating UVA and UVB sun protection, while the self-dispensing powder brush makes it easy to apply and re-apply throughout the day or night for continual coverage. This product is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes, and also refillable.

Shave Well Travel Mirror (www.Amazon.com) – $9.99
Guys, when you’re away from home the last thing you want to do is be slowed down by shaving—or inconveniences and complications related thereto. I know many men prefer to shave in the shower because it’s more comfortable, and also because the warm water relaxes your hair follicles, making shaving quicker and easier to perform. With the portable Shave Well Travel Mirror, you can still shave in the shower even when you’re not in your own home. In addition to being non-breakable, lightweight and easy to affix to any shower surface, this cool tool is also fog-free. In the few seconds you hold it under the shower spray, the temperature of the moist air and the mirror equalize to create a long lasting, truly fog free image for the duration of your shower. No more temperature difference—no more annoying fog. The benefits are crystal clear.

Carmex Moisture Plus (www.MyCarmex.com) – $2.99
No matter what the season or the reason you’re out and about, healthy lips are always in style! With four super cute, fashion-focused patterns on the product’s exterior, Carmex Moisture Plus lip balm makes it easy and stylish to moisturize on-the-go. Each charming stick is made with aloe, vitamin E and shea butter to provide extreme moisture that’ll keep your pout pretty for an extended period of time. Of course, Carmex products are always gluten-free and never tested on animals. Also eco-conscious, since 2010 Carmex has used 20 percent less plastic in its containers that has reduced their plastic use by 70,000 pounds annually. With Carmex, you can keep your lips soft and revel in using a socially conscious product as you jaunt to and fro.

Little Viper fashion pepper spray bracelet (www.LittleViper.com) – $19.99
Travel with confidence this holiday season with your own personal safety chaperone: Little Viper—the world’s FIRST and ONLY fashion pepper spray self-defense bracelet. While extremely lightweight, weighing in at only one ounce, Little Viper packs a peppery punch. The inconspicuous bracelet contains 10% OC pepper spray that offers 3-6 bursts with a full 3′ range—no need to remove the bracelet to use it, so it’s always at-the-ready. Other pepper sprays on the market are only advantageous if you are carrying them in your hand. The Little Viper is an adjustable bracelet you can wear any time without having to even think about it. Little Viper is one size fits most, 8.5″ long, and made from comfortable adjustable silicone. It has a fashionable, low-profile design so nobody will know you’re carrying, albeit wearing, pepper spray.

***Some or all of the accommodations(s), experience(s), item(s) and/or service(s) detailed above may have been provided at no cost and/or arranged to accommodate this review, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of Merilee Kern and have not been influenced in any way as per the disclosure policy on our “Legal” page***