We recently chatted with Trish Friesen, Editor-In-Chief of TripStyler.com, a daily travel lifestyle website dishing daily trip style tips to aspiring jetsetters. Trish eats, sleeps and breathes travel, packing her bag every two weeks for a wild adventure or sun-drenched hotspot. Australia, New York, Seattle and Whistler—and that’s just this spring! A former tanner turned sun safe guru, we asked Trish to provide insight on how she regularly plays in the sun while still being safe about her skin.
One of your favorite topics is packing: tricks, tips, carry-ons, etc… You managed in Australia for just under 3 weeks of travel with one carry-on and a purse. For those travellers wanting to pack light—while bringing the necessities to protect themselves from the sun—do you have any suggestions?
If I’m headed to the countries like the US, UK or Australia—where I know I’ll be able to find a good body sunscreen easily—I only bring a 3oz face sunscreen with me in my carry-on. Note that most concentrated, high spf face sunscreens come in bottles 3.4oz/100ml anyway, which is the allowable maximum for a carry-on liquid! Alternatively, if I’m flying to a country like Peru or Kenya, where finding the right sunscreen might be a little more difficult, I bring two 3oz containers of 70spf screen. I’ll use one for my face, and the other for my body until I find a suitable alternative.
As an avid jetsetter, what are the top three things you pack so that you can enjoy the sun safely on your travels?
I always keep the following sun protection essentials packed away in my carry-on, so if I have to leave on short notice, I won’t forget them:
1) Hats. Foldable hats that can be squished into your suitcase are where it’s at for travel. I always carry: a sporty one for running, a casual one for the beach, and a chic one for sunset cocktails!
2) Broad protection sunscreen (70spf for face, 30spf for body).
3) A Pashmina is my top travel trick! Wear it to the airport as a scarf, on the plane as a blanket, at the pool or beach as a cover-up, out for dinner draped over your shoulders and around your head if you get stuck in intense sun or rain without a hat! When I was in Napa in 40+ degree Celsius weather, I also used my Pashmina over my summer dress to guard against the sun when I was outdoors, as well as to keep me warm in the heavily air-conditioned tasting rooms!
Many people are opting for a staycation this summer. What are some of Vancouver’s hidden gems where travellers can staycation in style while avoiding the sun when it is at its peak, from 11am – 4pm?
The Greater Vancouver Area’s natural playground offers endless treats for locals looking to get away in or near the city! Some of my favourite spots are:
Jericho Beach – Beachcombing, skimboarding, walking and biking are just a handful of the activities you can do in one day at Jericho Beach. Start with an early-morning kayak {rentals available} when the sun is less intense, relax a little at the beach until 11.30am, then walk, bike or drive up to Point Grey Village for a sandwich at Pane e Formaggio.
Granville Island – First things first, grab a freshly squeezed juice and just-baked croissant from The Market! Then burn off the calories renting a stand up paddle board to cruise up False Creek towards the Athlete’s Village. When you hear a lazy afternoon lunch calling, which happens to coincide with the sun’s strongest rays, spend the afternoon on a shady patio overlooking the water!
White Rock – In the summer, White Rock turns into a beach club-like hotspot with endless sandbars, restaurants bursting at the seams and some of the best Gelato this side of Italy! After you’ve savoured a Dulce Gelato, beach it up around 3.30pm when the sun is getting less intense. Once the hunger pangs set in, walk across the street to a sunlit patio for dinner.
Whether lounging on Jericho beach, taking an ocean cruise or doing an African safari (Trish has done it all!), what is your key fashion piece for protecting yourself from the sun’s harmful rays when travelling?
A hat, a hat, a hat! All my friends know that I won’t go near the sun without one—even when it’s cloudy! Plus, with a fabulous hat and sunglasses, people will wonder if you’re a celebrity!
What made you change your ways, from former tanner to sun safe guru?
It was a combination of 3 things. When I was little, the world seemed to be getting serious about sun protection, and though I was wowed by the 80′s Baywatch standard of bleached hair and a bronzed bod, I knew it wasn’t safe. As I got older, I usually {aside from a few trips} used sunscreen for prolonged sun use, but never for 1-hour power tans, which looking back, was so dumb. When I hit my mid 20s, the deal was sealed. I wasn’t getting any younger, and realized this was the body that was going to carry me through life. At the same time, Dermatologists were professing the safest and most effective anti-aging tactic was daily sunscreen use. Done and done!