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It’s all too easy to get carried away when putting together your first aid kit for travelling. Taking only plasters and paracetamol seems like tempting fate, while taking sterile needles and emergency adrenaline shots not only takes up far too much room but hints of falling prey to scaremongers.

 

To fall somewhere in between, pack these new no-prescription-required items in addition to the regular bandages, plasters, pills and potions for a foolproof first aid kit:

 

1. Mobigel Paineze Spray £6.49 for 12.5g

This new high-strength topical spray gel is now available without a prescription. Boasting a strength three times stronger than its nearest competitor, Mobigel targets muscular pain, inflammation, strains and sprains directly, meaning the potential for stomach problems is reduced – great news when you may already be weakened by a bout of traveller’s tummy.

 

Does it work? The science behind it is very convincing, and the fact that it used to be prescription only says it’s effective. Hopefully I won’t have to find out too soon, but I’ll let you know what happens if I do.

 

2. Thursday Plantation Tea Tree & Aloe Vera Cotton Tips £2.99 for 12 tips.

These ingenious little liquid-filled cotton tips provide fast and convenient skin care right where you need it. Apply directly to bites, spots, cuts, grazes and inflamed areas for targeted cleansing. Tea tree oil is known for its antiseptic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, while aloe vera soothes and relieves.

 

Does it work? I’m a huge fan of tea tree oil anyway, but have found these little tips really handy, especially for dealing with spots on the go. Easy to use and convenient – they’re coming travelling with me.

 

3. Boots Flight Earplugs (£4.49)

They look like instruments of torture – like ribbed rubber arrows for your ears – but they can save you a lot of pain and are actually quite comfortable. Boots Flight Earplugs helps relieve flight ear discomfort caused by changes in pressure as the aeroplane takes off and lands. They are safe, soft, reusable and also effectively reduce levels of unwanted noise.

 

Does it work? Yes. I swear by these. My ears are particularly sensitive to changes in pressure and I can find myself feeling very groggy after a flight, almost as if I was in a bubble preventing me from interacting fully with the world around me. Since I’ve been using these plugs, that has stopped.

 

 

 

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4. Healthspan’s Happy Days 5-HTP (£8.95 for 60 capsules), Valerian Ultra Plus (£13.95 for 100 capsules) and Probiotics (£9.95 for 90 capsules)

Jet lag, mild insomnia and traveller’s tummy are all being targeted by Healthspan’s range of preventative measures designed to make sure you get the most out of your holiday. Happy Days helps boost your serotonin levels reducing anxiety and helping you to sleep normally, while the Valerian Ultra Plus tablets help you fall asleep naturally. Taking these mean you can reclaim the first few days of you holiday that are so often lost to jet lag. The Probiotics help maintain a normal of probiotics in the gut meaning you’re less likely to fall victim of the dreaded traveller’s tummy. They can be kept at room temperature, so they’re ideal for travelling.

 

Does it work? I don’t see why not – they work with medical nutritionists, and the effects of valerian are well known.

 

5. Tisserand Travel Ease £4.50 for 10ml

The new travel-sized Tisserand Travel Ease is a unique blend of awakening grapefruit oil, stimulating bergamot mint oil and purifying lemon leaf oil designed to help you combat jet lag.

 

Does it work? Apparently, aromatherapists swear by it so I’ll give it a go and see what happens. If my jet lag proves too much to combat, maybe it’ll work as a pick me up on those days I haven’t slept so well.

 

6. Delightful Footnotes Citrus Ice Gel

This light, non-greasy, non-sticky aqueous gel with lemon, menthol and peppermint oils cools and soothes hot, tired and aching feet and legs. Perfect following a hard day of sightseeing, but what really got me excited about this was the superb cooling sensation you get from a dab behind the ears and the effect it has on itchy mosquito bites.

 

Does it work? Yes! My partner recently came in from a run on a hot July day feeling horribly overheated. I rubbed some of this behind his knees, elbows, wrists and ears and he cooled down in no time. I hate feeling too hot, so I’m taking this to India with me.

 

7. Sea-Band® for travel sickness £7.82

This drug-free measure uses acupressure to provide relief from travel and morning sickness. It’s non-invasive and there are no side effects. You can start using them before a journey or when you start to feel ill. They take two to five minutes to become effective, but better results are seen if the bands are in place well before the journey commences.

 

Does it work? I’m lucky enough not to suffer from motion sickness, but I know people who swear by these things.

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