A Fantasy Travel Itinerary for the Beauty Lover

If money was no object and you had all the time to explore the world, where would you go? Here is a fantasy travel itinerary for all kinds of beauty lovers, from perfume connoisseurs to K-beauty fanatics, spa enthusiasts, and holistic wellness fans. A girl can dream!

What beauty lover wouldn’t want to explore the streets of Myeong-dong, the mecca for K-beauty shopping? Make it the first stop in your travel itinerary because you’re going to need a lot of energy. However, keep in mind that you’ll need to exercise some self-control, or you’ll fill up your luggage with goodies real quick. 

Myeong-dong Walking Street is easy enough to navigate and you won’t have any trouble finding items on your shopping list. Don’t ignore salespeople who call you into their stores or you might miss out on great deals like a buy-1-take-10 package on face masks. Do your research before you buy, though. Prioritize items that are hard to find in the Philippines and products you love and need to stock up on for less.

A trip to Seoul wouldn’t be complete without a traditional Hanbok makeover. Admission to Gyeongbokgung Palace is free if you come in wearing one! It’s your time to shine like a K-drama star (if you don’t mind the several hundred other tourists trying to do the same).

No city is more energizing than New York, a melting pot of beauty trends and products. From a beauty lover’s perspective, the first thing that comes to mind is shopping. If you only have 48 hours, visit the flagship stores of major beauty brands and get your favorite drugstore products for less.

Bonus tip: Book a hotel that offers premium bathroom amenities! Many boutique hotels have partnerships with homegrown brands and carry their products in-room. It’s a great way to discover local products. Love how their palo santo lotion makes you feel like an in-the-know New Yorker? Ask your concierge about it. They can give you (more) samples and show you where to buy the bigger version.

Keep your skin feeling fresh, hydrated, and clean while you travel with nourishing products that won’t dry your skin. Use Dove Go Fresh Cucumber & Green Tea Body Wash and Dove Nourishing Hand Wash Cucumber and Green Tea to keep germs from ruining your trip. The body wash delivers up to 24 hours of hydration and a refreshing green tea and cucumber scent, while the hand wash has Dove’s signature 1/4 moisturizing cream to keep your hands soft and smooth.

Perfume lovers, gird your loins! Paris will take you on a scent journey unlike any other. It’s home to most of the world’s most luxurious perfumeries, aside from the biggest fashion and beauty houses, of course. If you geek out over notes, add this stop to your travel itinerary.

First of all, don’t forget to pack your “holiday scent.” That’s the one you’ve always loved but couldn’t wear all the time because it’s a tad too intense for an evening out in BGC. In Paris, no scent is “too much” so you can spritz on as much as you like. (In fact, you may need to carry a bag of coffee beans in your pocket to give your senses the occasional reset!)

Next, plan your route. Which maisons are thinking of visiting? Head over to Rue Saint-Honoré, Champs-Élysées, and the inside of Galeries Lafayette if you just want to wander and see where your nose takes you. Oh, and don’t forget to visit that iconic one on 34 Saint-Germain.

Done perfume shopping? Take them out for a spin while exploring the city’s landmarks. Wearing fragrance adds a whole new layer to experiencing a place. It makes you feel like the main character and kind of makes you act like one, too. In addition, scents can act as fragrant filing systems for memories. They can transport you right back to Paris the next time you spray them on.

India isn’t the first country that comes to mind when talking about beauty, but all that’s about to change. Ayurvedic skin and hair care are on the rise, thanks to the growing interest in holistic wellness and the use of naturally derived ingredients. Instead of gearing towards a specific outcome like glass skin or overall “flawlessness,” it focuses on health and well-being, with beauty only as a welcome side-effect.

Explore local markets for ayurvedic hair oils, which are often a mix of botanicals and coconut, castor, and neem oils. Stock up on spices and make your own ubtan. Look for turmeric to fight inflammation, ginger to aid in digestion and make your skin glow, and saffron to purify the scalp and pores. Note that pure saffron is one of the most expensive spices in the world, so if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Prepare to spend P500 to P1,000 per gram on the real deal.

No trip to India is complete without getting traditional henna body art, shopping for clothing and accessories, and visiting an Ayurvedic spa. Enjoy a body massage (or a foot massage if you’re in a rush) with medicated herbal oils.

The last stop on your fantasy travel itinerary is Bangkok, known for massive shopping centers and night markets offering affordable skincare and makeup products. It’s also the place to get beauty treatments like facials, hair and nail extensions, eyelash perms, and more.

Explore the new Beauty Wing of Platinum Mall for a dizzying array of products. Set aside a whole day for this and then enjoy a luxury dinner cruise along the Chao Praya River. Hopefully, you haven’t used up all your money because you must try a traditional Thai massage at a 5-star hotel(after all that traveling, you deserve it). Also known as the “lazy man’s yoga,” it involves relaxing stretches that will leave you invigorated.

If you don’t have the budget for a luxury treatment, that’s okay! There’s a massage place at nearly every corner. Check out ones that offer cozy recliner chairs and complimentary tea.

 What’s on your fantasy travel itinerary? Maybe you can add some (or all) of these stops to your beauty destination wish list. Or you could work through them one at a time. There’s no one way to enjoy beauty just like there’s no single formula to achieve healthy skin. So, go ahead and choose your own adventure, and don’t forget to have fun along the way.