It's that time of year in our offices when our editors are traveling to various fashion weeks all over the globe. It's really exciting, and personally, I love hearing what they have to report back on the latest trends. But since I'm a health and wellness editor, I'm also interested in how they stay healthy and ward off any illness during the monthlong marathon of shows and presentations and planes and trains and cabs.
You might think that's a weird thing to be obsessed with, but you know what, these people are traveling, working, and not really sleeping during peak cold and flu season. So to investigate, I asked some of our editors for their best immunity tips and how they stay healthy during this busy time. Even if you aren't attending a runway show anytime soon, you can use their tips in your everyday life. Germs don't discriminate.
"Over a thousand five-star reviews don't lie. I learned that this wellness supplement has a cult following from Eva Chen's Instagram story. If you take them the moment you start to feel just a little unwell, you can stop a cold in its tracks. My fiancé had the flu, and I took the max dosage of this supplement the first day he felt ill, and I think they are responsible for keeping me flu-free. I did get on Tamiflu preventatively on day two of his flu, but I had a whole day where I could have caught it, and I didn't thanks to these pills. The only annoying thing is you have to take so many, six of them every three hours, with a maximum of 24 in a day, but it's worth it. I now will take them before I travel to keep my immunity up." — Kat Collings, Editor in Chief, Who What Wear
"I just discovered these while I was battling the flu, and now I'm buying these little vapor tablets in bulk. The eucalyptus was super soothing and made my steaming-hot shower feel like a rejuvenating health treatment as opposed to just, you know, a regular cleaning." — Drew Elovitz, Director of Content Strategy, Who What Wear and THE/THIRTY
"I'll be honest: I'm a bit of a germaphobe. Naturally, that means traveling is extra stressful for me. I often go to Copenhagen Fashion Week, and I always, always bring several packs of Wet Ones wipes for sensitive skin. Specifically, I use them to wipe down my laptop, iPad, and skincare baggie after they go through security and before I put them back into my tote. I also use the wipes to sanitize my seat, including the buckle, tray table, and armrests. (Yes, I'm that person.) Traveling dries out your skin, and any kind of hand sanitizer will make it worse, but these are for sensitive skin, so they aren't quite as bad as many other super-strong wipes and gels." — Erin Fitzpatrick, Senior News Editor, Who What Wear
"I always keep a snack bar in my bag because sometimes there aren't breaks for a few hours at a time and if I begin to get hungry, tiredness follows. I also drink a lot of water—even more than I usually would, grabbing bottles every time they're provided at shows and finishing them to stay hydrated." —Nicole Akhtarzad Eshaghpour, Senior Market Editor, Who What Wear
"I always keep hand sanitizer in my purse since there aren't too many opportunities to wash your hands throughout the day unless you find a restroom which is honestly hard to do! I love this all-natural one I found on Amazon. It smells like lavender and weirdly is a nice pick-me-up throughout the day." —Lauren Eggertsen, Senior Fashion Editor, Who What Wear
"When I'm traveling, the most important thing is to make sure I've adjusted to a new time zone so I can feel rested. I always pack melatonin which I take on the plane and before bed and it works every time. I don't know how I survived before." —Kristen Nichols, Managing Editor, Who What Wear
"I typically go to my workout class (Orangetheory for me) two to three times per week—which gets tough to fit in during busy Fashion Week. While I do try to walk as much as I can in-between shows, I like to start my day with a mini workout in the hotel room (sit-ups, push-ups, lounges). It keeps me energized and like I'm still on track." —Bobby Schuessler, Senior Market Editor, Who What Wear
"Don't be like me and wait until you've been up all night coughing for three days to buy yourself a decent humidifier. Trust." — Elovitz
"To avoid getting sick, I wash my hands every chance I get and am always sure to actually dress warmly (even if it doesn't look like it) in the colder season by wearing layers of heat tech." —Akhtarzad Eshaghpour
"I massage my face every morning using my one of my favorite Versed products—the Cleansing Balm. My face tends to get puffy from how tired I am (and how poorly I end up eating throughout the week) so taking the time to really get in there and massage it out helps me so much. I also follow this with a lovely few minutes or so of icing my face. I literally take an ice cube and continue to massage my face with it to reduce any excess puffiness and to bring my face back to life! To me, my face is a huge indicator of my physical and mental health, so this is something I really prioritize." —Eggertsen
"When you're going hard on the hydration, you can run out of vitamins and electrolytes pretty quickly, which can make you feel extra lethargic. These tablets give my regular H2O a nice subtle flavor and make me feel a bit more energized." — Elovitz
"I'm sure everyone will say this same thing, but hand sanitizer is crucial. It's not always easy to find a restroom when you're on the go, so a little bottle of sanitizer in the bag is a must." —Schuessler
"Lavender oil is something I also love to travel with. Rolling it onto my wrists and neck makes any plane ride feel instantly more relaxing." —Nichols
"I've been sick the last two fashion weeks that I attended so I guess you could say my fashion month wellness needs some work. For starters, I definitely could use more sleep leading up to such a busy time (since there aren't many hours available for sleep once it all kicks off). I plan on making that a priority next fashion month. Something that I can pat myself on the back for, though, is my plane-germ combatting. I ignore the stares from my fellow passengers and wipe the seat and tray table down with disinfecting wipes and clean my phone as soon as I can post-flight. I also take two Emergen-C tablets the morning of the flight in a desperate attempt to ward off any more illness. And finally, I'm never without my hand sanitizer." —Allyson Payer, Senior Editor, Who What Wear
"I swear by Zicam. Even though it's supposed to be used to shorten a cold once you already have a few symptoms, I use it preventatively as well. Maybe it's a mental thing, but I tackled NYFW and am on to London Fashion Week and I have yet to feel sick—fingers crossed!" —Eggertsen
"Walking is also key for me. If I have a packed schedule, I can't always fit in a workout at the gym, so I make sure to walk as much as I can. My body feels better and my mind is clearer when get in some exercise." —Nichols
"I try to stay hydrated as much as I can. With all the running around, you can literally realize that you haven't had a sip of water in hours. So whenever water is available (sometimes they have at the shows), I snag one and chug it down." —Schuessler
"I make sure to recharge every night when I get home and before bed. I don't skip any part of my routine—take a warm shower, drink an herbal tea, etc.—this is also crucial for keeping my skin intact." —Akhtarzad Eshaghpour
Next up: 12 Immune-Boosting Foods to Eat If You Don't Want to Get Sick This Winter
Disclaimer
This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be used in the place of advice of your physician or other medical professionals. You should always consult with your doctor or healthcare provider first with any health-related questions.
