I do not love travel.

First, I’m a homebody. Second, air travel causes me a fair deal of emotional stress and related physical discomfort (I’m prone to motion sickness and inner-ear imbalances). I’m trying to manage the situation, but I don’t travel often enough to conquer my aversion through repeated exposure, and I’m not able to afford better airline seating or more luxurious hotel accommodations, and neither of these things is going to change anytime soon. Don’t get me wrong: I’ve had some wonderful experiences in other countries and other parts of my own country, and I realize my privilege in being able to take those trips for pleasure or work, but I dread the actual process of getting anywhere.

So, having just returned from a cross-country trip to give an event in San Diego, I want to share the latest version of my “survival kit” with any fellow scent-lovers who need a little extra comfort at thirty thousand feet. (Not pictured: my EarPlanes ear plugs!)

“That’s no moon”: This pouch was a gift from my friend Angie. I don’t know where she found it, but it always makes me smile when I pull it out of my carry-on bag. It’s lightweight, durable, and can be wiped clean. It also reminds me that I’m just taking a ride in a commercial airplane, not navigating an X-wing fighter in an against-the-odds attempt to destroy an entire battle station. Perspective!

Enfleurage Essential Oil House Blend in Sanctuary: I bought my first roll-on of this aromatherapeutic oil blend about fifteen years ago(!), and I’ve repurchased it many times. Sanctuary is a spicy, aromatic blend of ylang ylang, chamomile, patchouli, clary sage, and black pepper that calms me and helps me keep moving forward. The regular Enfleurage packaging would pass TSA requirements, but I often decant a small amount into a sample vial or a teeny-tiny roll-on bottle so it’s lighter to carry.

C. O. Bigelow Body Lotion in West Village Rose: I usually tell myself that it’s silly to pack body lotion for any trip, that I can use whatever the hotel has, don’t be fussy…But then I’m standing in an unfamiliar bathroom opening a little bottle of some slimy white liquid that gives off a generic whiff of cheap ingredients, or even worse, something that’s supposed to be more high-end but has an overly strong jasmine aroma or a mock-Santal scent. For this trip, I carried a travel-size bottle of one of my favorite body products. It made me feel like “myself” even when I was out of whack from stress and the time change, it worked well as hand cream as well as body lotion, and it didn’t end up clashing with my perfume.

Jones Road Miracle Balm in Dusty Rose: I deliberated over buying this product for two solid years. Then a helpful sales associate at a Jones Road shop slipped me a small sample when I was buying another product there, and I tried it and fell in love. Miracle Balm’s scent, a natural citrus-ginger blend, is a mood-booster for me. Even the gesture of dabbing a tiny bit on my cheeks and brow-bones and lips feels therapeutic, and the balm’s subtle luminescence gives a hint of glow.

Crown Affair Texturizing Air Dry Mousse: Yes, you can use mousse on dry hair! I didn’t know this until a few years ago when some famous hairstylist mentioned this technique in an interview. After an extended stretch of sitting in an airport or on a plane, I like using a dab of this mousse to a) scrunch some texture and volume back into my hair, or b) add a little lightweight moisture before I brush my hair back and put it in to a scrunchie. Its light citrus-and-green-tea scent feels refreshing after hours of sitting in stale, dry air.

A few nearly-empty perfume samples: I’d never spray myself with fragrance in the airport or on a plane, but I feel better just having these for a covert sniff now and then, and they’re easy to grab if I want to scent myself when I reach my destination. I can discard them when they’re finished, and I have some other samples and decants stashed in my checked luggage, of course.

Please let us know your own favorite travel necessities!