Review: Adventuress Travel Beauty Products

As a frequent traveler, it can sometimes be hard to figure out how to cut down on items to bring or find products that will stand up to the rigors of frequent temperature and humidity changes. You want to keep your skin looking great, even if it’s sensitive or acne-prone, like mine is. I am forever looking for a balance between natural products and those that have additives that will keep my skin issues in check. Adventuress products use the best ingredients found in nature to bring out the beauty in your skin.

I received the Adventuress sample tin and was super excited to try a bunch of products instead of just one or two. In the tin there are sample sizes of the skin cleanser, purifier, moisturizer, facial wipes and sunscreen wipes. If you want to test out their line, this is the best way to do it…and then when you buy the larger sizes, hang onto your little sample pots to take with you on your trips.

The first thing I noticed when I opened the facial products was that they were odorless. That’s really one of my pet peeves when it comes to stuff I’m going to put on my face, because a lot of beauty products have added smells and with that normally comes extra breakouts or the odor is way too perfume-y. I am not a fan. You can also see that they don’t have added color either.

Let’s talk about value. A little goes a long way with all three of these products. That means you get your money’s worth. You don’t need to use a ton of any of it to do the job and that is a plus. It means that little sample pot could easily last you two weeks on vacation and save room in your 3-1-1 bag for something you need more room for…or just travel lighter. Of course, all of their “full size” products are also perfectly suited for travel, too. All are 2 oz. or less, so you can easily pop them into your liquids bag or throw into your purse when you’re on the go.

What I think

Clockwise from top: cleanser, purifier, moisturizer

The Naturally Liberating Skin Cleanser is one of the loveliest cleansers you will use on your face. It is lightweight and fluffy and has the consistency of mousse. It clears away dirty while being gentle and silky on your skin. You don’t feel like you need to keep scrubbing your face with it and you genuinely feel like your face is squeaky clean. It uses Boswellian bark “tears” (read – sap) that is the best anti-irritant found to date and helps to calm down inflammations, like acne, and soothe sunburns.

In your beauty routine, you probably use a facial toner. Replace that with the Skin Purifier and you won’t miss it any. It uses quince seed to help your skin retain its moisture and is lightweight and invigorating as a base layer after cleansing.

Follow up your super clean, purified skin with a layer of moisturizer that will help the purifier do its job with the Boldly Nourishing Moisturizer that has antioxidants and more anti-irritants, plus super moisturizers like evening primrose. My skin soaked it right up and held onto the feeling of freshly moisturized skin all night when I used it in the evening and even kept my face from drying out during the day when I wore makeup over it, too. It is sufficiently thick for applications, but feels like your face is bare once you apply it to your skin. Imagine my surprise to know that it is also a great anti-aging moisturizer, because it improves your skin’s texture and reduces wrinkles and, because it’s full of amazing natural ingredients, if you use it a bunch of times during the day, it can only work better.

You know I hate having to pack a bottle of sunscreen and then chance it coming open mid-flight and spilling all over everything in my 3-1-1 bag. I don’t want to get to my destination and have to play clean-up crew, or scrape it off everything and either slather it on or figure out how to get it back in the container so it’s not a waste. The answer? Sunscreen Wipes! They are totally mess-free. Even easier? Ones that have a finger pocket to help you get an even application and keep it even less messy.

The Adventuress sunscreen is non-oily, odor-free and water-resistant. That means it’s as perfect to use on your legs as it is your face, plus it has 30 SPF. They are awesome for everyday use, but if you are going to the beach, you may need to use more than one for enough coverage - or invest in the travel pump of sunscreen. A box of wipes contains 24. Throw them in your day bag when traveling and never worry about being out of sunscreen or having a big soggy mess ever, no matter how much you toss your bag around.

Finally, you don't feel like you need to cut your facial wipe in half.

Ever feel like you just want to wash your face and crawl into bed after a long day of sightseeing or an endless flight? Yeah, me too. I am a sucker for those facial wipes, but not all of them are created equal. Try the Fearlessly Refreshing Facial Wipes and you may not look back. At half the dimensions of a typical facial wipe, they are just the right size and they are so cooling and pick up dirt you didn’t even know was there. I swiped one across my face after a shower and came away with a wipe covered in facial oils and grunge when I thought my face was clean.

It’s odorless and individually packaged, so also a great thing to toss into your bag, whether you’re going to the gym or spending the day at the zoo with the kids. You don’t have to just use it on your face, either. The hydrating wipe is biodegradable and would be nice and refreshing when out at a theme park on a hot day that makes you feel grimy and you don’t have time to go back to the hotel to clean up. I wish I had these on my last trip to Disney when an unforeseen heat wave made me feel covered in dirt after just being out for a few hours.

I’m so excited for Adventuress to now be part of my travel routine. I know it’s going to make my life a lot easier and keep my skin looking great even when the elements are trying to wreak havoc on it. It can do the same for you, whether you’re a business traveler, backpacker or just an active parent. Men as well as women can benefit from the ingredients that make up Adventuress products. They are high-quality and can still be owned for a fraction of the cost of similar name-brand items on the market. Start with the sample tin and, once you’re hooked, move up to the larger sized products. You’ll want to use them everywhere you go and at home.

More information

Where to buy: GoAdventuress Website

How much is it? $10-35

Important specs: Uses all-natural ingredients, all containers are travel-friendly

Want to know more about Adventuress? Check them out on their website, or find them on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Disclosure: I received a sample tin from Adventuress for the purposes of this review, but all opinions are 100% my own.

Live and Learn: Los Angeles

It’s been a while since I’ve done a live and learn post. I like to think I’m getting closer to being a super-efficient traveler. While I packed even less this time and only didn’t wear one thing I packed (two if you count a Halloween costume), I still found that I learned quite a bit of stuff on my trip. Some is universal, some is specific to the Los Angeles/Anaheim area, but all may be helpful to you. It just proves, there’s always something to learn, no matter how experienced you are. This is true in life and in travel.

The least amount of clothes we've ever packed - almost perfect!

Everything takes longer than you think it will

This is especially true in the LA area. If you want to go anywhere around the city or to/from a nearby city (like Anaheim to Hollywood), give yourself a good two hours to get there. It may not take as long, but chances are there will be some sort of hold-up, like an accident, and you’ll be glad you left early. It took us 30 minutes to drive 2 miles in the city. We probably should have just walked.

Horrible picture of the Disney Symphony building

Don’t take a city tour at night

If I had known what sorts of cool stuff our tour guide was taking us to see, I would have opted to take a day tour of the city rather than the Los Angeles by Night one we went on. It was very cool – especially since we were the only ones on it – and the tour guide was amazingly knowledgeable, but it’s terrible trying to take pictures in the dark even when you aren’t in a moving coach. Read about mytour here.

I love these shoes, but they are a poor substitute for flip flops

It’s never a dumb idea to pack flip flops

So, I would think after a billion trips I would have learned by now that flip flops are always a good idea. Knowing that I was going to be spending 75% of my time in theme parks, I figured there was no point in packing these, but I was wrong. My feet hurt so badly one evening when we got back to our room that I took my walking shoes off and tried to put on a pair of walking flats I had in my bag. My feet had swollen so much they were more painful than the trainers. I planned to go downstairs to the gift shop for a pair of flip flops when I realized that I had packed a pair of foldable flats. They are great, because they aren’t structured, so they can feel like walking barefoot, but without getting the bottom of your feet icky. I wore those downstairs to buy a pair of flip flops.

This was just the line to get through security!

Get to the parks at least an hour before they open

We didn’t take our own advice and showed up right before opening on a Monday at California Adventure. The weather was unseasonably warm and the lines were longer than I’d ever seen them. Even the lady who checked my bag at the gate said it was like summer crowds and crazy. We ended up standing in two different lines to try to beat the odds, but still didn’t make it into the park until 30 minutes after it opened. Even if you’re visiting Disney during the week on the off-season, get there way before you think you need to. If there’s no line, you can always go grab a coffee at La Brea Bakery (or similar).

At least I didn't have to buy shorts, too!

Always bring a warm weather Halloween costume

I realize this is an odd problem for anyone to have. When we go to Disney, we often do it during the Fall and Halloweentime. We buy tickets to go the Halloween party and bring costumes to get into the spirit. As I said, it was crazy warm in Southern California when we went at the end of September. I had brought a sailor costume that had pants and long sleeves (and was polyester). I realized the days before the party that even at night, the temperature was not going to be cool enough for me to not die of heat stroke in my costume. We hit up Target, but their selection was miserable, so we ended up going to a local shop that had sports gear and I shelled out money for an Angels t-shirt and ball cap. It was unimaginative and used money I could have spent on something else, but at least I can re-wear it. It would have been smarter for me to have brought an outfit that was good for summer weather and a pair of tights to wear in case it was actually cold. Now I know!

There are more things I learned in my 11 days in the Anaheim/Los Angeles area, but we’ll save that for the next post. What useful things have you learned on your last trips that could help others when they travel?

48 Hours of Fun on a Budget in Kharkov, Ukraine

In this blog series I show you how easy it is to budget travel anywhere and I also give you a quick overview of a new city each time in a brief 48-hour itinerary.

You may or may not have heard of Kharkov. It is new to me, though it is the second largest city in Ukraine. I generally do cities in this series that are well known, but sometimes you find yourself close to a place you may not know much about and then realize it would make a fun day or weekend trip away from your regular vacation.

This photo of Freedom Square is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Day 1

Get up early and visit Freedom Square – the 2^nd largest city square in Europe – where you can view one of the surviving statues of Lenin still standing since the fall of the Soviet Union. This is a great place to people watch, but you can see it before it’s crowded and then head off to breakfast at Petit Paris, Kharkov’s only French patisserie. 

Photo credit: Виталий З.

Why not start off your day with some delicious, sugary carbs and caffeine?

After a lovely breakfast, a visit to the Kharkov Historical Museum is in order, where you can learn about the city's history all the way up to the Soviet Period, including cannons used by the Red Army. Though not as big as other war museums, tourists have said this is a plus, because it is easier to see all of it.

Across the street from the museum is a monastery, which is also worth a visit. Pokrovsky Monastery has spectacular domes that are visible from miles away. 

Stop by Gostinaya for a delicious dinner. The restaurant is open 24 hours, so you can eat European and Japanese entrees at any hour. If it's warm out, try to get a table on the patio, where you'll enjoy fresh air and good people watching.

This photo of IT Cafe is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Day 2
Sleep in a bit today and sit down for a yummy breakfast at IT Cafe. It has free Wifi and is a great place for working meals, but you'll find their food very good and the atmosphere cozy. This will be your dining splurge for your two days, as this restaurant is a little on the spendy side.

This photo of Shevchenko Park is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Want to see the city with a local? What about a 3-hour city tour that's free! Yeah, I thought you might like that. Free Tour Kharkov has been voted one of the best tours in Europe. The tour meets at 11am on Sundays, though you can book on other days for the free tour instead of just showing up. A local will take you to all the major sites in the city including Karazin University, Mirror Stream and the Lopansky Bridge. Free tours are conducted in English and have been highly praised by visitors. Pitch in what you deem a fair tip and you've had one of the most budget-friendly afternoons of travel.

This photo of Gorky Park is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Remember that old Scorpions song Winds of Change? There is a line in there about Gorky Park and I never knew what that was. Well, it’s actually in Moscow, but the park has been used as a template for parks across the former Soviet Union and you can spend half a day in the Gorky Park in Kharkov taking in the gorgeous scenery, riding theme park rides, playing tennis and letting the kids burn off steam in the playground. Grab a meal at one of the park’s restaurants or cafes if it’s cold out, or have a picnic while you take a break from exploring this huge outdoor space. Maybe next to a fancy fountain!

Photo credit: Kharkov For Rent

After two days of walking around sightseeing, go back to your accommodation and relax and pack up. If you aren't sure how to find a great place to stay on a budget, check out Kharkov For Rent where you can pick from a long list of lovely rental apartments. These are wonderful, because you feel more at home, plus you can save money on dining out. even though you'll only be staying for a few days, maybe you'd like to save on breakfasts by bringing along your own morning staples, like bagels and pastries. If nothing else, you will be able to stock your rental's fridge with beverages and to keep all the baked goods you found while out and about to take back home with you.

You'll find an apartment rental for any budget, so whether you're looking for something upscale or a place just comfortable enough for sleeping, it'll be listed at Kharkov for Rent. In fact, there are apartment rentals for as little as 25 euros. As I've said of other cities, an apartment in Kharkov is more cost-effective than a hotel, as it gives you more living space and is priced per night instead of how many travelers there are in your party. You can find comfortable options all over Kharkov, including the center of the city. With the money you save on convenient, privately-owned accommodations, you can splurge on fine dining or souvenirs.

Photo credit

Even though it's easy to walk all over the city center, you can get around Kharkov on the metro. With only three lines, it is simple to navigate and you can quickly get to any desired attractions in the city by using it.

If you've ever been to Ukraine, what was your favorite part of your trip?

Disclosure: This post was brought to you by Kharkov For Rent. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.