17 Essentials For Owning Holiday Airport Travel

The holidays are upon us, which means we are approaching one of the busiest travel weeks of the year. Yep: It's officially time to put all thoughts of eggnog and gifting aside in order to start strategizing about how to survive all the holiday travel madness. What those of us braving the insanity need is a carefully curated airport survival kit. One that will help us stay strong as we plow through long security lines and insanely crowded baggage claims.

There is no way to sugar coat the nightmare that is any airport during the holiday season, but with a little organization and just the right essentials, it is possible to arrive at your destination without looking or feeling like you just got off the hot mess express. We know what we are up against: Headache-inducing crowds, air pressure changes, dry atmospheres, tight spaces, and likely even some jet lag. So packing up all the proper tools for stress prevention is a must.

If a visit to the airport is on your holiday horizon, you can travel in style without the eye twitch. Just prepare an airport survival pouch filled with these 16 tech, health, and beauty items that are both fashionable and highly functional.

1. Perfectly Organized Pouch

The Carryall Pouch, $34, Bow and Drape

Organization is the key to holiday travel success. Don't just throw your essentials into the black hole that is your tote bag. Instead, use a pouch to keep your crucial stuff in one easy-to-access place.

2. Bling Earbuds

Earbud Gold, $25, Happy Plug

Whether you prefer to rev up that holiday playlist and jingle all the way to your destination or re-watch Love Actually for the umpteenth time, earbuds are an airplane must-have. This metallic gold pair will put flair in your travel game.

3. Pretty Power Cord

The Power Trip, $32, Bando

May the odds ever be in your favor this season when it comes to travel delays. But in case you find yourself temporarily stuck, you'll want to ensure you have a way to power up. And with this floral charging cord, you'll be re-booting in style.

4. Plan B Power

Back Me Up! Mobile Charger, $30, Bando

Braving holiday travel is all about having a back-up, especially when it comes to a power source. With a mobile charger in your survival kit, you'll be able to re-charge anytime, anywhere.

5. No Mess Hand Sanitizer Spray

Lavender Hand Sanitizer Spray, $6, Honest

Your destination is likely of primo importance. Whether you're going home for the holidays or your next stop is a seasonal vacation, you can't afford to be sick! Avoid contracting all those wintry viruses with easy, portable, no mess hand sanitizer spray. The anti-bacterial spritz is quick-setting and made from soothing botanicals that prevent drying out your skin, while the lavender scent will help to calm any travel insanity.

6. Moisturizing Hand Cream

Shea Butter Hand Cream, $12, Loccitane

Airplanes seemingly suck all the remaining moisture right out of our skin, and our hands often have it the worst. Being that they're constantly exposed to the drier-than-normal air, regularly washed, and anti-bacterial-doused, a tried and true hand cream is a travel bag essential to keep hands hydrated.

7. Fresh Face Mist

Refreshing Mist, $14, Kiehls

Traveling can take a toll on our faces. In an effort to combat skin that is dried out yet also somehow oily in weird places and all around dirtier than usual, just carry a refreshing facial mist with you. This super fine mist can be used in-flight or after de-planing and instantly cools, detoxifies, and purifies skin to reduce irritation without leaving your face feeling wet.

8. Lip Therapy

Vaseline Lip Therapy Advanced, $1, Drug Store

Dry, chapped lips are yet another potential hazard of both the winter months and holiday travel. Leave the flavors and frills behind and go for the beauty fix-all: Vaseline. The advanced healing lip therapy quickly puts moisture back into a shriveled up pout while protecting your pucker from the dryness you'll be facing.

9. Mini Mascara

Benefit Cosmetics They're Real! Lengthening and Volumizing Mascara, $12, Sephora

Unless you're in the business of toting a bulging bag through the airport and having a sweat-inducing shoving match to get it under the seat in front of you, the entire contents of your makeup bag cannot come with you in your carry-on. Instead, take a tiny mascara with you. A quick swipe will brighten up your eyes and easily freshen up your whole face.

10. Multi-Purpose Mints

C.O. Bigelow Peppermint Herbal Mints, $5, Bigelow Chemists

As the chemists at C.O. Bigelow tell us in this product description, peppermint has been prescribed for all types of ailments over the years, including things that are often synonymous with jam-packed airport travel, like headaches and upset stomaches. You can combat coffee breath and remedy little travel-induced maladies with herbal mints. Plus, the tin will easily slip into your survival pouch or pocket and is adorable enough to be a conversation starter.

11. Rollerball Refresher

Walk On Air 0.34oz Rollerball, $25, Kate Spade

You never know what kinds of smells you will encounter on an airplane or what odors may stick with you after you depart. Keep a small rollerball perfume handy to ward off any unpleasantry during your flight or to refresh your personal scent before meeting your greeters at baggage claim.

12. Mini Mani Savers

Ms. Manicure Mini Emory Set, $1, Ulta

With the loading and unloading of so many suitcases, it's a near miracle when not a single nail is broken. Few things are worse than a jagged digit you have no way of smoothing out. Avoid continually snagging an already wrecked nail or save your holiday mani by carrying mini nail files. They take up almost no room and will help preserve your sanity and nail safety.

13. Sparkly Spare Ponytail Holders

Shimmered Pony Holders, $20, Anthropologie

TBH, easy access to a ponytail holder at all times is not only the key to avoiding the hot mess express, but to surviving life. Sometimes, you just need to be able to sweep your hair up into a top knot or low pony in order to prevent any further frizzing or general catastrophe caused by unavoidable sweating during airport navigation. These shimmery elastics are pretty enough to want to wear at all times and will add a little holiday flair to your hair.

14. Metallic Bobby Pins

Everyday Bobbis, $12, Bando

If an accessible ponytail holder is king, a booby pin that is able to be located in 30 seconds or less is queen. Bobbis that come in their own case stay in one place and are perfect for no fuss travel and quick hair fixes. Not to mention that rose gold metallic makes for a strong hair accessory game.

15. Headache Help

Help I Have A Headache, $4, Help I Need Help

Simply thinking about the time in between leaving the house and arriving at that holiday destination is enough to bring on all those awful migraine feels. Whether induced by logistical craziness or the changing air pressure, a headache is no way to start the holiday. It's best to always carry a travel-sized antidote. In this cute little case, your pills will be compact, sans the big round bottle, and easy to access.

16. Tiny Tissues

Kleenex Slim Pack Tissues 3 Packs, $2, CVS

You haven't known the depths of discomfort until you are stuck in the window seat with a runny nose while your row companions nap it up. Try not to put yourself in a position where you have to consider wiping your nose on your sleeve like a 5-year-old. Instead, pick up a slim pack of tissues. The packs of 10 are thin enough to slide ride into the side of your travel pouch and are the most fashionable facial tissues around, available in super fun prints and colors to boot.

17. Blanket Scarf

Blanket Scarf In Canton Plaid, $65, Madewell

During the month of December, it is a near certainty that you'll be up against some sort of climate change. Plus, airplane air is like a game of temperature roulette. A blanket scarf is not only comfortably chic travel apparel that can be easily slipped on and off with changing temps, but it also doubles as a snuggly cover up for when the airplane becomes an icebox.

Airports of the world, we are ready for you!

Want more beauty tips to help you through to holiday season? Check out the below video and be sure to subscribe to Bustle's YouTube page for more tricks of the trade!

Images: Courtesy Brands