Review: FaceCradle Travel Pillow

Okay, I know there are tons of travel pillows on the market. You know that I don't just bring you any old thing, because I need to believe in it. When I first saw the FaceCradle before the Travel Goods Show I was intrigued, because while I don't have issues sleeping just about anywhere, I'd love to sleep on the plane without getting an ache in my neck, shoulders or back. I can sleep on Eric's shoulder, but that's not comfortable for him, plus I can't just sleep on a stranger when traveling alone. 

I asked FaceCradle to demo their product for me and took one home to try it. Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to take pics of it when I used it on the plane, because the lights were out and I didn't want to be "that person", plus I'd had a long day and didn't use it with the strap. I just wanted to chill out for an hour with my eyes closed. Luckily, the FaceCradle can be used pretty much anywhere, including the car and the train, so I wandered out to my car with it to give it a go. 

Unlike other travel pillows, FaceCradle has a unique two-part system, so you don't just shove it behind your head and hope for the best. You'll see they have two spring loaded buttons. You push these to adjust the FaceCradle the way you like it and it snaps into place when you release the buttons. 

There are two buckles that fit into the ports on either side. This allows you to keep the strap from your body, so it doesn't choke you and you don't get tangled up in it. 

This strap is easily adjustable as well, so you aren't struggling to get it fixed while you're cramped in that tiny airplane seat. Nothing's worse than flailing around and practically hitting your seatmates. Also, when you're tired, you want to fuss about as little as possible before getting to sleep. I'm no expert like the lovelies who helped show me all the great way to use this at the show, but within 5 minutes, I was able to adjust it quickly to my liking. 

In the car, I used the strap around the headrest to secure my FaceCradle. On the plane, you'll use the winged seatback instead. FaceCradle knows that people want as little confrontation as possible, so you aren't looping your strap around your seat and possibly in the way of the person sitting behind you. This would be inconvenient as well, so it's not designed that way. The majority of airplane seats have a winged headrest. If they don't, then the flight is probably super short and you won't have time to get to sleep anyway.

Above you'll see how I adjusted the strap to get my FaceCradle into position for deep sleep.   

You flip it open as much as possible, brace it against your chest and then lean forward. This lets you just rely on FaceCradle to hold your body, gives you the ability to breathe better, because the massage table-like surface opens your sinuses, and doesn't hurt your back or neck, because you aren't sitting at a weird angle. Adjust the strap to your liking, so if you want to lean more forward or less forward, it's up to you. 

Not only is this sleep position more natural, but you don't have to recline your seat...and if the person in front of you chooses to recline theirs, you aren't in the way and getting smacked in the face. Since the strap is around your headrest and not the whole chair, it also has more stability and decreases the chance of you getting jostled when someone behind you gets up and tries to gain their balance by holding onto the back of your chair.

Maybe you don't even want to sleep, but you want to relax more than you're able to in the small space you have on the plane. You can still use your FaceCradle in this mode and read a book or play a game on your phone/tablet. 

That's just one way to use it. Are you a side sleeper? I am sometimes. I was able to adjust the FaceCradle to work for me there, too. Make the strap shorter, bring the halves a bit closer together and put your ear in the hole. The bottom half fits against your shoulder and gives you more stability. Of course, you can keep it the same as you had it to begin with and just turn your head, but I find that I end up with a crick in my neck when I sleep that way. 

I often just snooze when I'm traveling. FaceCradle is great in that way as well. Detach the strap and slide the pillow around your neck, slightly open, lean your cheek on it and just relax. I used mine this way on the way home from Vegas. The flight was short, but when I arrived, my neck and back didn't hurt and I was more refreshed than normal. The cover of FaceCradle is soft and feels very nice against your skin. The inside is made of hypoallergenic memory foam, so it's not picking up all the funky airborne germs when you travel to make your allergies worse or make you sick. (Yay!) And when you're finished using it? Remove the cover and toss it in the washer and dryer so it's clean for your next trip.

FaceCradle is not super lightweight and it can be bulky, so you probably aren't taking it with you on short flights. The inventor acknowledges this. In fact, he designed it so he and his team could sleep on those many-houred flights from Australia to just about anywhere not in Australia. Ever tried to sleep on a Transatlantic flight? Well, it can suck. 

Unless you have a large carry-on with extra space, this thing isn't going to fit in it, but FaceCradle has a solution for that, too. Keep the strap on it and use it as a shoulder strap...or slip the small section over the handle of your wheeled bag and you're good to go. Once you see what a good sleep you can get using FaceCradle, you'll not feel like it's an obligation to carry it with you. The strap is a plus, because almost all neck pillows you buy at the airport (because you realized you either don't have one or you left yours at home) are unwieldy and can't really be attached to anything. Above I've fixed it like a crossbody, which is definitely how I will carry it through the airport for my next long flight. 

I have a friend who has a husband who is very tall. He uses a FaceCradle in order to stay in his seat and be able to actually sleep on the plane. Because it's so versatile, you can adjust it to suit you, that way you aren't flopping into the aisle or onto your neighbor. If you have someone in your life who's a frequent traveler or has a lot of issues sleeping when the do travel, this makes a fantastic gift. Mother's Day, Graduation and Father's Day are fast approaching.

Other Specs

Where to buy: On FaceCradle website

How much: $49.50

Colors: Black | Violet | Royal Blue | Gray (shown)

More Details: Plush velour cover, soft feel harness, 5+ ways to adjust sleeping positions, including using as a table napper.

Loving FaceCradle's innovation? Learn more and new ways to use it by following them online: 

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Disclosure: I was provided with the FaceCradle for the purposes of this review. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

Review: Lewis N Clark Secura Satchel

Depending on where I go, I feel like different purses can make the experience better or worse. I often carry a smaller bag with me when I travel, but winter trips call for a handbag that can carry a bit more (in my opinion). If I'm looking for a larger bag, it needs to do a lot. On my last trip to Vegas, I took Lewis N. Clark's Secura Satchel as my personal size item on the plane, because it had room for everything I needed and kept it all organized and secure.

The Secura Satchel can be worn as a shoulder bag or a crossbody, which I love, because I like to have my hands free, especially at the airport when you need to have several things on hand, and it can be hard to juggle those things and your bag and your carry-on.

If you're intending to keep your items away from prying eyes and sticky fingers, the Secura is for you. Not only do all the zippers lock, but it also has RFID-blocking technology so you're safe from regular thieves and electronic ones.

The front of the bag has two large zipper pockets. Use these for your items you want to access easily. When I flew to Vegas, I used one entirely for snacks. I enjoy handy snacks. Here you can see that it fits my large battery backup and cords, but there's also this nifty pocket that's specific for your room key. As I said before, I'm good at losing my key card among my other cards and then having to shuffle through my bag to find it to get into my room. This slot is specifically in a whole different place than your regular card slots.

The other zipper pocket on the front has a slot for a pen and for one of your electronics or whatever else you want to put in there. It fit my point-and-shoot camera perfectly. I like that there's a bit more room in there, so I was able to fit my house/car keys and a my lip balm in the space in front of the pockets. Because the pockets don't entirely zip open, your items are safe from falling out, even if you forget to zip it back up.

The inside of the Satchel is large, but not too large. It has a lot of pockets in order to keep you organized, so you can find everything you need when you need it. My bluetooth keyboard fit inside perfectly. I didn't have to wrestle it in or out because the top zipper is almost as wide as the bag is and you aren't going to have issues seeing inside or getting your hands in to access your stuff. So, I had my keyboard in there, my makeup bag of personal items and that polka dot notebook you see on top.

The one side of the bag has two large slash pockets that you can use for your electronics or pretty much anything you want to keep separate from everything else in your bag. The two pockets take up the whole side of the bag. I used one for makeup items and the other to hold my sunglasses and protect them from getting scratched.

The other side side has two large slash pockets, perfect size for a bigger smartphone or your passport, and RFID-blocking pockets for your credit cards and ID. This side also has a large zipper pocket that takes up most of the side of the bag. I as able to easily slide my iPad mini in there with it's bulky case. 

Here you can see just how much stuff I was able to get into my Secura Satchel, while still having room inside to add more things if I needed to.

The hardware on this bag is nice and sturdy, but also good looking. You can tell by the accents how well the bag is made. The strap is wide and thick, but easily adjustable and it distributes weight of the bag on your shoulder, so you don't feel like your arm is being weighed down and making you hate life after walking around all day with a sore shoulder.

In the picture up top can see how the front zippers "lock". Here you can see how the top zipper locks. These are pretty easy to work open and closed if you know what you're doing, but there's no way a pickpocket is going to take the time to do this, and if they try, you're going to notice. Chances are that they will leave you alone and go after someone vulnerable.

The strap and body of the bag are slash-proof, so no snatching your purse off your arm, especially if you're wearing it crossbody. See that awesome buckle? Flip the little latch to be able to open the clasp and detach the strap, then you can wrap it around a pole or chair. Like this: 

If you're sitting at a cafe and you're worried about your purse getting nabbed, use this security feature and all your stuff is about as safe as it can be. Nobody's going to be trying to run away with a whole chair or table. If they do, it'd be pretty funny...and difficult to get very far.

So, if you're looking for a bigger bag that fits everything you need to take along with you, the Secura Satchel could be it. It's large, but not too large and it's fairly lightweight, so the majority of heft is going to be from what you put into it. I found it quite comfortable to walk around with and it fit nicely against my body, so it wasn't in my way ever. This might be the perfect gift for your mom, since Mother's Day is right around the corner.

Additional info:

Where can I buy it? On the Lewis N Clark Website or Amazon

How much is it? $89.99

What colours does it come in?  black | lake (shown)

Other specs: 12" x 12.5" x 4.5", Durable nylon exterior with water-resistant PU coating, tested to cut-resistant EN388 standards 

Connect with Lewis N Clark and learn about all their great products:

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Disclaimer: I was provided with the Secura RFID-Blocking Anti-Theft Satchel for the purposes of this review, but all opinions are 100% my own. 

Review: Compression Leg Sleeves from Zensah

You guys! I found one of my new favorite things. Compression leg sleeves give me the extra circulation I need, while allowing me to wear sandals and other slip on shoes that look weird if you wear full socks. Zensah has a full line of different compression sleeves for runners and other athletes.

Anyone who knows me knows I'm like the opposite of an athlete. I enjoy sitting in a movie theater, eating food at restaurants and checking out museums. The most exercise I get is walking around downtown and climbing steps to monuments. All that aside, I do have bad circulation and I'm also cold a lot of the time. I picked up a pair of leg sleeves from Zensah at the Travel Goods Show earlier this month and was glad to have them when I was walking around all day. I went back to my room after so much exercise and slipped them on for some pretty immediate relief.

All this walking in Vegas got me like... . . #jetsetter #jetset #ilovetravel #tourist #tourism #tblogger #tbloggers #travelblog #travel #travelblogger #travelgirl #travelgram #instatravel #traveler #traveller #budgettravel #budgettraveler #budgettraveller #zensah #freshlegs #compressionsleeves #spon #travelgoodsshow

A post shared by Shereen Travels Cheap (@srayle) on Apr 7, 2017 at 10:32am PDT

As someone who frequently gets swollen legs, ankles, and feet from standing for long periods of time, walking miles, or from my feet dangling on an airplane, this is something that really helps me out. Obviously, I'm not going to get the most benefit from only wearing them after a long day out, but I have found that they do give me a lot of relief anyway. 

This week I've been working a lot and standing for most of the day. While I don't necessarily want to wear socks, I do need some support. I put my compression sleeves on under my jeans and I'm golden. You can feel a tingle in your legs as they hit all the important places and keep your blood circulating . 

Under pants, people can't even tell you're wearing them, though lots of people wear them with shorts while running or doing other exercise. They come in fun colors, so you can totally make them an accessory. They aren't bulky at all and are pretty and useful. Here's another thing: not only do I have bad circulation, but I also have mild arthritis, which is worse when it's rainy and this year it has been rainy. Like, we've had 4 days of no rain in all of April. These compression sleeves give me more coverage and warmth and keep my shins from aching in this neverending Portland winter.

When I'm on the plane, I like to wear slip-on shoes. They are comfortable, they keep my feet warm, but not hot, and socks may or may not be helpful. Socks generally can get sweaty and gross, too. These compression sleeves from Zensah (as with their compression socks) are moisture-wicking and odor-resistant, so even if your travel day is really long or turns into several days, you're legs will be perfectly comfortable and they won't smell like you just came from the gym locker room. 

I find that I have more energy when I wear my compression sleeves, because my legs feel good and not super tired, like when I don't wear them and I've been walking around for hours. Nothing's worse than sightseeing all day and your legs feeling so achy that you don't even want to think about what you have planned for the next day. Each day of my Vegas trip was like a new day, because my legs didn't still hurt from the day before. I have my compression sleeves to thank for that. 

I know the price may seem high for these, but they are really something I've come to rely on and feel like they are worth the price, whether at home or while traveling. If you're prone to swelling, these are a definite must, especially on long flights where blood clots can form easily from your legs staying in the same position for hours at a time.

What are your biggest health concerns when traveling?

Other Specs

Where to buy: On Zensah website or Amazon

How much: $39.99/pair

Colors: Black | White | Blue (shown in title pic) | Heather Gray | Red | Neon Pink | Purple (shown)| | Navy | Aqua | Heather Pink | Army Green | Teal | Neon Green | Neon Yellow | Heather Mint | Tie Dye Neon Pink | Green | Orange | Heather Mint Bunny | Neon Yellow Bunny | Heather Pink Bunny | Neon Orange | Tie Dye Electric Blue | Tie Dye Violet | Carolina Blue | American Flag Print | Tie Dye Neon Green | Heather Silver | Magenta | Beige

Fabric: 90% Nylon / 10% Spandex Solid Colors. 49% Polyester/41% Nylon/10% Spandex Heather Colors

Loving Zensah's sock innovation? Find them online:

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Disclosure: I was provided with a pair of Zensah compression leg sleeves for the purposes of this review. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.