Celebrities are well-known for their constantly on-the-go lifestyles. Whether we're talking about our favorite singers or actors, their careers take them to places near and far on a pretty regular basis — so many of them have their packing routines on lock.
That also means they know which travel essentials are true must-haves and which ones you should skip. And through our celebrity interview series, Shopping Diaries, we've heard from top stars like Meghan Trainor, Jennifer Garner and more about the items they never hit the road without.
Keep reading to see their top picks.
Travel essentials under $25
Fit Simplify Resistance Loop Exercise Bands
Carrie Underwood is serious about her fitness routine (she has her own fitness app, fit52, after all), so her workouts don't stop just because she's on the road. And when we spoke with the singer, she clued us in on how she manages to keep up her routine, even in new places.
"When I think about things to workout with, if I can find a treadmill at a hotel — which most most hotels have one — I can get some sort of something in," Underwood says. "Or just free weights or bands. I usually travel with mini bands in my suitcase, because they don’t take up much room, or a collapsible ab wheel that you can take apart, something that’s small. Those things are just easy to have in your suitcase, and it’s saved me on many occasions. If you do find yourself in a space that doesn’t have the best gym or it’s super crowded, I could just stay in my room and feel like I got a good workout in.”
While she didn't mention specific exercise bands that she likes, these are an Amazon shopper favorite and a Shop TODAY award winner.
Aquaphor Healing Ointment
Mindy Kaling shares that she keeps some form of Aquaphor in "every room" of her house — but that's not the only place she keeps it. "I have a tub of it in my bathroom and I have a little tube that I bring with me on trips. I put it on my cuts, my lips. If I use retinol or go get microdermabrasion and it is too powerful on my skin, I slug my face with Aquaphor.”
Peloton App Membership
Speaking of fitness routines that celebs swear by while traveling, actress Jennifer Garner also clued us in on some of her go-to workouts while she's away from home.
“I will use a hotel gym or I will do one of The Limit on-demand videos that you can use without any weights or without anything, just to get my heart rate going. I also really like the Peloton app. I’m not a runner, but if I’m listening to one of the outdoor running things on the app where they’re talking you through the run and you’re running, say, in intervals and you get a break every now and then or you slow down every now and then, it makes the time go more quickly. And so I use that a lot when I’m traveling.”
Eden Organic Pistachios
If you follow Garner on Instagram, you might have caught one of her relatable “What’s In My Bag” videos where she shared that she has a lot of nuts in her backpack (and we mean a lot — there were eight bags at one point).
“It’s supposed to be a healthy snack,” Garner told us. “And I have gone through spells of traveling a lot and I’m always panicked that I’ll get on a plane and I won’t have something healthy to eat and I’ll find myself knee-deep in my neighbor’s rigatoni after I finish my own. So I guess I panic that I don’t have anything and I keep adding to the bag without ever taking out.”
While she doesn't have a favorite kind of nut, you can take a page from her book and keep these stashed in your travel bag so you always have a healthy snack — just don't forget to take out the leftovers once you're home from your trip!
Poo-Pourri Before-You-Go Toilet Spray
If you can count on any celebrity to be super real, it's singer Meghan Trainor. And when we spoke with her about some of her essentials, she delivered when she revealed that this spray is one of her travel essentials. “I can’t poop in public,” she told us. “So I have to bring that. If it’s an emergency, you spray the bowl and it smells great.”
Baimei IcyMe Jade Roller & Gua Sha
Singer-songwriter Kelsea Ballerini has a job that takes her all around the world (she's currently on tour right now), and as a result, she says, "I’m always feeling like I’m puffy or dehydrated." That's why she shares, “I’ve really gotten into gua sha and jade rollers and facial tools."
This set from Amazon comes with both a roller and a gua sha tool made from rose quartz.
LMNT Keto Electrolyte Powder Packets
While this wasn't technically listed as one of Kerry Washington's travel essentials, when we spoke with the actress, she told us that they're essential to her beauty routine. Plus, let's be real — it feels impossible to stay properly hydrated when you're on vacation, so these could come in handy.
“I tend to add things to my water to make it a little sexier, whether it’s a slice of lemon, or cucumber or there are these electrolyte packets called LMNT that I really love, because there’s no sugar added, they’re really clean," says Washington. "They’re rooted in salt, which seems counterintuitive that salt would make you more hydrated, but it actually allows for the body to kind of absorb hydration better. So I’m really into those.”
Clorox Disinfecting On The Go Travel Wipes
“I always have some kind of wet wipes in my bag, cleaning wipes, disinfecting wipes. And I notice I don’t get sick as much when I do that if I travel," says Trainor. "[On] the plane, I wipe down the seatbelt, the headrest, the whole entire seat. And if there’s a TV there, I’ll wipe down the screens.”
While she didn't note a specific brand, this option from Clorox is a popular choice. You'll get 24 mini packs, so you'll be set for all your upcoming trips.
More celebrity-loved travel essentials
Sunbeam Electric Heated Blanket
Broadway star and actress Kristin Chenoweth told us that she's a “big cozy person,” and this heated blanket is one way that keeps her warm, no matter where she is. “I take it on my flights with me, I fly all the time and it’s freezing on the planes.”
Tempur-Pedic Tempur Travel Neck Pillow
Traveling is an essential part of sportscaster Erin Andrews' job, so we knew she'd have some good essentials to share — and she delivered with this pillow.
“My life really depends on my Tempur-Pedic travel pillow, the one that supports your neck, because it’s just hard when you’re in hotels and the pillows there aren’t that supportive,” she told us.
How we chose
For our Shopping Diaries series, we interview the celebrities that we think our readers would be most interested in. All of the products in this list were mentioned by stars during our conversations. If they mentioned a general product category, we chose a bestselling or top-rated product that fits the bill.
