Lux List: What We Packed For A Week of Sun In The Whitsundays

As winter sets in on Australia’s lower east coast, the hankering for sweater-free days and warm ocean swims can be hard to handle. With that in mind, when we were offered to spend a week in The Whitsundays in the middle of June, the answer was an immediate yes. For our seven days of winter sun in The Whitsundays, we’ve highlighted seven travel essentials in this week’s LUX LIST that elevated our trip –   with extra magic long after you’ve left.

A dewy, gentle sunscreen from AB Lab

The first thing you’ll notice about AB LAB’s Dewy-C SPF50+ Facial Sun Milk is the scent: it’s holidays and sun-soaked childhood memories, the first days of summer. The paraben-free formula melts seamlessly into the skin for instant UVA & UVB protection, a gentle glow and that perfect summer perfume. It’s also vegan and cruelty-free, made in Australia and entirely free from sulphates and Oxybenzone, meaning you can swim in the reef without your sunscreen contributing the coral degradation.

The funniest holiday film camera from 35mm

There’s something infinitely more romantic about holiday photos captured on film, and 35mm Co’s Reloader is the ultimate beginner film camera: affordable, easy to use, and a beautiful addition to your hand luggage/ beach bag/ breakfast table. The built-in flash and point-and-shoot functionality mean that with little to no knowledge of photography, you can capture holiday moments in a sweetly nostalgic format forever. The three playful colourways and vegan leather wrist strap make this a delightfully pretty functional accessory.

Biodegradable sunglasses from Baxter Blue

Full days in the sunshine call for a reliable pair of shades, and Baxter Blue’s Frankie models tick all the boxes. The 80’s-esque frame is made from 100% biodegradable, FSC-certified organic Italian Bio-Acetate, housing 100% UVA & UVB protective, anti-reflective, advanced polarised lenses. Available in toffee, grey or crystal olive colourways, they manage to strike the balance between casual and “occasion” – perfect for a week in the Whitsundays spent between the sweaty yoga classes and the islands’ notably refined restaurants. 

SUKI W Design Holding Fan With Engraving

A beautiful holding fan made from coordinating print crafted from silk satin and wood. It’s lightweight, foldable and easy to carry and collect on your travels. It comes with a stunning wooden bamboo stand with teal tussles making it a decorative piece in your house when not being used. 

RRP: £76.00

The perfect linen set from Summi Summi

This linen pant and blazer set manages to masterfully span most holiday wardrobe eventualities: from plane to beach to casual cafe to a ridiculously high-end restaurant. Designed in the NSW town of Yamba, Summi Summi’s collections comprise timeless, consciously versatile pieces that have been made with care from responsibly sourced fabrics. The linen pants manage to combine comfort with sophistication to an unparalleled degree – hyper-soft, breathable fabric and a shape that pairs perfectly with bare, sandy toes. The oversized blazer is the ultimate elevating item: thrown on over your workout gear and your fellow restaurant guests won’t bat an eyelid. 

Naturally-derived, travel-size fragrances from Ssaint

Choosing a new scent to take on holiday is a simple way to keep your memories alive once you’re home: connecting that fragrance to the memories you’ve formed. Duty-Free stores are home to an exhaustive supply of perfumes from global designers, but if you’re looking for a thoughtfully crafted, sustainably designed, naturally derived holiday scent, look no further. Sydney-born natural perfume brand Ssaint is an olfactory ode to the natural world: a series of high-end fragrances made using plant-based ingredients, and crafted as a celebration of the places and experiences that make moments magnificent. Ssaint’s No Vacancy has been designed with holidays in mind: a confident, sexy, woody scent that evokes a sense of adventure. Try the Discovery Set if you’re looking for options, or dive straight in with a bottle and let No Vacancy’s spice-laced scent set the scent for your time away.

A tiny travel kit from al.ive body

The amenities at hotels across The Whitsundays are undeniably excellent – Aesop at Qualia and O&M at Coral Sea Resort being notable examples – but when you’re out and about (which in The Whitsundays, translates to mean on a boat) having travel-size products to hand is important. Al.ive body’s travel kit contains four refillable bottles of responsibly made hair and body products, all of which are Australian-made and free from sulphates, parabens and silicones. Sustainability is crucial for this female-founded brand – the recyclable bottles in each travel kit can be easily refilled with Al.ive body’s refill pouches, and the durable bag has been made to last trip after trip.

Caffeinated health snacks from I Am Grounded

In a crowded market, it takes something special for a health food brand to stand out from the crowd. One product range that has managed that almighty feat comes from I Am Grounded: functional snack bars packed with a caffeine kick from upcycled coffee fruit that would otherwise be discarded. The only naturally caffeinated health snack on the Australian market, these thoughtfully made wholefood bars are a unicorn travel snack: plant-based, naturally energising, and reducing food/ coffee waste one bar at a time.