Review: GoLite Cayambe Reversible Travel Dress

Don't forget to enter to win a Conair MiniPro Ceramic Straightener and enjoy the continuation of REVIEWapalooza...

Trying to fit clothing for a week or more in a carry-on can sometimes be a big challenge, especially if you have a lot of activities planned that are all over the map: hiking, sightseeing, dining out, boating, plays. How can you possibly pack for all those things and still go light? One word: Reversible. While there aren’t a lot of products to choose from that do double-duty, the smart people at GoLite created the Cayambe dress for those of us that are active, but still want to look good.

I’ve been eyeing this dress for some time, as it looks pretty simple, has two layers of fabric (read: no fancy underthings like a slip is needed), is moisture-wicking, quick-drying, lightweight and moves with you. Or so it claims. I had previously gotten the Stelvio 1/3 Zip Travel Sweater when it was on clearance on Amazon and loved it so much I ordered a second color that was NOT on sale. They are super warm, lightweight and comfy. Then I decided I must try a tank for my warm-weather trips and picked up the Vista Ridge Sleeveless Top. Another homerun! So of course I said yes when offered the chance to try out the Cayambe dress.

I immediately tore open the package when it arrived and tried it on. The fabric felt great on my skin, which is always a plus in any garment, and the colors were pretty. I received the black/fern. The fern is a soft green and seems like it would be fairly complimentary to most skin tones. But don’t worry, if it’s not for you, there are other colors to choose from.

I wondered about the versatility of the dress, so I tried it out with some different accessories and shoes and ran around my yard with the dog and did some hoola hooping in it. (That’s about the extent of my exercising most days.) Surprisingly, it allowed me to be mobile without feeling constricted, I didn’t feel too girly in it to keep me from being active and the fabric kept me cool throughout activities and running around the house in search of things to pair it with – yes, I am also not that organized. Thanks to the DriMove Lite technology, you can get really active in this dress and never feel sweaty and gross, because it pulls moisture from your body to the outer fabric and it evaporates.  

Considering the dress is flattering, though not really fancy, I threw on a necklace, cardigan, belt and some nicer shoes and it turned into a thing I could go out on the town in. You could probably do this by just adding a nice looking wrap and strappy sandals, too, since you probably won’t have all these accessories with you on vacation. The black can easily be your new LBD for travel (and even to keep in mind at home in the warmer months that make you hope you don’t have to dress up for anything outside). The chest has a nice ruching to flatter your bust and give some extra support for those heavier on top, and the straps are nice and wide to hide your bra straps (a big gripe of mine for many warm-weather dresses and tops).

The bottom has a raw edge, so it gives it a bit of ruffle. When turned around, you get a double hem, as some of the black peeks out at the bottom. Cute, right? The longer length gives you extra coverage for whatever you have on your itinerary, whether it’s sipping wine at a café or playing touch football on the beach. The slight A-line gives you freedom of movement, but falls in an attractive way that is flattering on most body types. The dress is a bit clingy from the waist up, so if you aren’t into that, you may want to go up a size. You know what else is awesome? You can save your sunscreen and just use it on your exposed skin, because this dress has built-in UPF of 50+. You won’t get a nasty burn underneath like you can with other thin fabric.

This dress is seriously lightweight and for two items to take up less space in your bag than a t-shirt, that’s pretty cool. Going away for the weekend? Throw this baby in your carry-on with a change of underthings, some accessories and a pair of shoes and you are good to go anywhere. This is definitely a must-buy for those trips to tropical climates or long trips to Europe, but also perfect for trips to Disney, romantic getaways and your cousin’s wedding weekend. And if you go to GoLite.com, you can get it for less than $45! That’s two dresses in one that can be worn for almost any occasion for a little over $40. Want more versatility? Pick up the Cayambe Reversible Travel Skirt for $28 and in discontinued colors for $19! You can’t beat prices like that for awesome travel pieces that have a lifetime guarantee*. (GoLite also sells amazing travel clothing for men and travel bags that have gotten rave reviews from everyone I’ve talked to that owns one.)

My size: I am wearing the Cayambe Travel Dress in XS. I’m 5′1″ and weigh ~115 lbs.

More information

Where you can buy it: GoLite online

Other colors it comes in: Burnt Orange/Espresso & Canal Blue/Gunbarrel Blue

How much it costs: Regular price is $85, but you can purchase this year’s inventory for more than half off.

Fabric: Polyester with built-in UPF 50+, weight 6.7 oz

*GoLite will replace any gear with a manufacturing defect, free, for the life of the product.

Follow GoLite: Facebook | Twitter

Disclaimer: I was provided with the GoLite Cayambe Dress for the purpose of this review, but all options are my own.

How to Stay Healthy from Plane to Sightseeing Part 1

If anyone should be an expert in getting sick on a trip, it's me. it used to be that every time I went anywhere, the change in setting would result in me getting some sort of bug. Talk about having a miserable time...and what a waste of money. Saving all that time just to get there and get blasted with a sinus infection or a massive cold. Of course, I could still go sightseeing and do things, but it wasn't as much fun. In fact, I would wager it was probably only 10-20% as fun as it would have been had I been healthy and feeling totally like myself. Unfortunately, we still had to pay 100% of the vacation. Nowadays, I know how to stave off colds and also how to make them much shorter if you do get something while you're away. Don't let bad health ruin your trip.

Get enough sleep. Getting enough sleep is one of the first rules of travel. If you are constantly on the go, you are going to get tired and your body won’t have the chance to recharge itself. What to hate everyone and everything on your trip? Then sleep as little as possible and try pack as much as you can into the time you have.

Lay off the drinking. Drinking too much can affect your sleep cycle and also dehydrate you and make you more tired, leave you open to getting sick and sometimes cause you to have bad judgment that results in even worse consequences. Don’t waste your money at the bar. Limit your drinking to a few glasses of whatever you find interesting that day and you’ll see a big difference in your health and happiness…and you’ll get out of bed before noon and probably not wake up at the police station or some stranger’s bed.

Drink more water. Instead of alcohol, carry around a bottle of water and drink as much as possible. A hydrated body is a happy body. At least drink as much as you would if you were at home, if not more. Travel has a way of sucking all the moisture from you, especially on long plane rides, so if you don’t like plain water, do what I do and load up on those ice tea packets from Lipton or Crystal Light.

Get enough exercise. So, you just want to lounge around by the pool and get tan and eat yummy food and do nothing for a week or two? As exciting as that sounds, you COULD, in fact, do the same things at home and not pay hundreds (or thousands) on airfare and hotel. Sure, soaking up some sun and doing absolutely nothing is fine, but make sure you get up and get some exercise, otherwise you’re going to notice that your pants don’t fit very well and you might start to feel sniffly. Exercise is good for you and you’ll be eating a lot more calories on vacation than you would at home, so offsetting those potential LBs is always a good thing. Take a walk to the shops and you won’t even notice you’re getting a workout.

Halls Defense! I love these things. I keep some in my travel bag all the time, just in CASE I start to feel a bit tired or a sniffle starts making itself present. They come in tasty flavors and are like candy, so pop 3 or 4 throughout the day when you start to feel a bit run-down and overload your body with Vitamin C. Your immune system will jump-start, especially if you make time for a nap of some kind. If you don’t give your body enough time to rest, it will make sure you do it when it is needed, so head it off early if you get a little too excited about seeing everything there is to see on vacation in one day. These are also a good alternative to Emergen-C and Airborne, because they are cheaper and don’t require water to make them work.

Charcoal Tabs. Going to a country that has questionable food or you have a weak stomach for new foods and bacteria? Bring along some charcoal tablets and take them before you eat. The charcoal filters bacteria and keeps you from getting sick. These are particularly good if you plan on eating a lot of street food in foreign countries.

Olive Leaf capsules. I swear by these and take them all year round. Olive leaf is a natural supplement that raises your immune system and keeps you from picking up every little bug there is. You can find them at natural food stores and GNC stores. Make sure if you only want them for vacation that you start taking them one-two weeks before you leave, so they have a chance to start working for you.


Stay tuned for part two of this post on Saturday. In the meantime, don't forget to check out all the reviews of REVIEWapalooza this month. Already you can read about Magellan's Matte Jersey Essential Collection and Conair MiniPro collection. Up next will be GoLite's Cayambe reversible dress, AeroPress Coffee Maker from Aerobie, OSHO travel toothbrushes and Travelon's Anti-theft Urban Tour Bag.

What do you do to keep healthy on your travels?

Review & Giveaway: Conair Mini-Pro Collection

Mother's Day is this Sunday. If your mom likes to travel and save money, I've got a handful of copies of my book in paperback left and am offering them (signed) for $14, including shipping to the continental U.S. if purchased by Wednesday (5/9). They're going fast. Buy one now!

I love to travel, but sometimes taking everything you need is a pain, because it all takes up so much room. I have been preaching the goodness of mini travel appliances for years and have converted many. I own a mini flat iron that I take with me everywhere my carry-on goes, but I see that some people just aren’t convinced. Sure, it can take a few tries to get the right product and that can be frustrating, especially when you get to your destination and realize the travel-size hair dryer you brought doesn’t produce enough heat or air to effectively dry your hair. I have always had great success with Conair products, so both my home flat iron and my mini one are made by them. I like them so much that I asked if they might like me to try some of their other hair appliances.

By now, everyone probably brings their own hair dryer or uses the one in the room, but it’s scary to rely on new products when you need them to do something other than get your hair dry. Conair offered to send me 3 items from their Mini-Pro Collection. The Mini-Pro Ceramic Straightener (Flat Iron), The Mini-Pro 2-in-1 Ceramic Styling Tool and The Mini-Pro Cordless Curling Iron. I was truly excited to test them out, because I’m not really all that good at using appliances on my hair and feel like I must have missed that bit of talent when they were giving it out.

I already own a similar version of the Mini-Pro Flat Iron, so I can both review it and give one away! After some practice with my regular size flat iron, I felt like this smaller one was a lot easier to handle. You could get closer to your roots with it and had more control with it. You have to do smaller sections of hair to get it to work correctly, since the plates are small and the whole thing is mostly handle. This won’t bother those like me with shorter hair, though I would suppose if you had a lot of hair to work with, you might find it tedious. My hair is very thick, so it takes a little longer to get it all straight, but I find it still only takes about 15 minutes at the most. It produces a very sleek style and it doesn’t dull or burn your hair.

The plates are ceramic-coated, heat up pretty quickly and don’t take long to cool down after you switch it off. And it comes with a fancy little pouch to keep it all together and toss in your bag. No cord tangling! I like my Mini-Pro Flat Iron so much, I’ve considered using it as my everyday straightener or just buying a second one. I’ve taken it on 3 different trips and it has worked perfectly each time – except for the time I forgot to bring conditioner, but that is a personal problem, rather than a flaw in the product, as my hair won’t do a thing without some sort of conditioner to tame it. All-in-all, I think this is one of the better flat irons you can own. It’s also the perfect size to keep in your purse or gym bag for those times you need a touch-up or are styling on-the-go. (Don’t forget to enter at the bottom for a chance to win one of your own.)

I was skeptical when I first pulled out the Mini-Pro 2-in-1 Ceramic Styling Tool. I honestly wondered how many thousands of times I would burn myself on the outside curved plates and how many tries it would take for me to achieve even something as attractive as in the how-to booklet. Yes, I am that bad at this! So, I was more than surprised when I read through the instructions on how to create a curl with the curved plates (only THREE steps?! Shenanigans!), but after waiting a few moments for it to heat up and doing exactly what I was told, I was able to produce a perfect curl! In fact, it was so fun and easy, I had curled half my head within 5 minutes and I didn’t even burn myself ONCE (or twice). This is my new favorite hair appliance!

5 minutes from THIS

To THIS!

After making my hair bouncy with curls, I was just as easily able to straighten them back out using the 2-in-1 as a regular flat iron. Just don’t twist the barrel and you get sleek straight hair just as beautiful as with the Mini-Pro Flat Iron. This one is perfect for those that like to change up their look and curl their hair quickly for a fun going out look or keep it straight for business meetings or easy maintenance. The size is similar to the mini flat iron, so you can toss it in your bag or purse and create a whole new look in the middle of the day in just minutes.

If you are curling iron challenged, like me, you will love this little gadget. It doesn’t require you to curl your hair up (and somehow get it all tangled up like I always end up doing, even though I’m sure it’s impossible). If you can comb your hair, you can pretty much get this thing to work. The only thing I think that might deter some is that it gives you big curls or even wave, but if you want tighter curls, you will probably need a curling iron. Luckily, that’s not a problem, because I also have the Mini-Pro Cordless Curling Iron!

Cordless, you say? Yes, I am completely hopeless when it comes to using a curling iron if the strand of hair I’m trying to work with is not right on the side of my face. I get all confused in the mirror, get half my other hair caught in it and end up trying to scalp myself, burn my fingers and hit myself in the face with the cord 32 times before finally giving up. Maybe you are laughing, but maybe you aren’t because you are just like me. Maybe you’re afraid to admit it, but that’s okay. I know I’m not the only one who can be bad at curling irons. I figured, at least this cordless one has one less thing to go wrong with it…and I could use it at my desk at work! (Don’t get any ideas. They didn’t make this for you to curl and drive.)

I will start out by telling you that I didn’t actually burn myself with this or pull out half my hair. That was a plus. You may think it’s a bit wonky, because it runs on butane and you have to click to start it, kind of like your gas BBQ. The instructions say that you will hear a click when the iron is “lit”, however I didn’t seem to hear it and wasn’t aware it was ready to go until I touched the barrel and found it to be warm. While it was easy to use, I didn’t think it was as simple as the 2-in-1 styler. It took me 15 minutes to get half of the hair done with the curling iron as I did with the 2-in-1 styler. You definitely can’t do much hair at a time, as the barrel is smaller than a regular curling iron, so it will take you longer to get your hair curled, especially if you have longer tresses. This one is particularly good if you are going to be traveling a lot and either don’t want to bring a travel converter or may have iffy electricity. Staying in a place with a shared bathroom? You can use this in your room, even if there are limited outlets.

You can use each butane cartridge up to 1 month, depending on how often you curl your hair and for how long. It comes in a fancy case and the cartridge is TSA approved for air travel. That’s a bonus right there. The negative is that you have to continue to purchase cartridges for it, which means you will keep spending money to keep using it. Obviously, you will save money on it if you only use it while traveling. The butane cartridge is stored, capped, separate from the barrel, so the liquid doesn’t evaporate quickly.

More information:

Where you can buy them: Conair-Store Online or your local discount store (like Target)

How much they cost and other details: 

MiniPro Ceramic Straightener: $19.99-22.99 | 30-second heat-up, heat resistant travel pouch, dual voltage

MiniPro 2-in-1 Ceramic Styler: $19.99-24.99 | 30-second heat-up, heat resistant travel pouch, dual voltage, 5/8″ straightening plates

MiniPro Cordless Curling Iron: $19.99-22.99 | ThermaCELL butane cartridge, travel case, 60-second heat-up, 5/8″ barrel

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I was provided with the Conair Mini-Pro items for the purposes of this review. All opinions are 100% my own.