[trip style = any]

In my restorative yoga class last week, the instructor came around and offered each class member a pump of lavender lotion for our hands, which we raised up to our noses in prayer position and breathed in the floral aroma to prepare ourselves for class. While this practice scored a little too patchouli for comfort on my new-age-o-meter—well, that and the eight minutes of shanti chants—the lavender had a calming effect over me and helped me leave behind outside distractions and focus on my breathing.

Aromas trigger emotional and physiological responses in our bodies and our brains, making them therapeutic problems solvers instead of simply pleasant scents. Essential oils are concentrated liquids distilled from plants, and while they may be trendy, they're also lifesavers for travelers. To ease stress, try lavender or frankincense. For energy and balance, try grapefruit and lemon. For jet lag and motion sickness, try peppermint and ginger. If these don't work, you could always work on your eight-minute shanti chants, but I think I'll explore aromatherapy instead.

I've assembled a small list of easy-to-pack rollerball oils for travel. To use, roll a little on your temples, wrists, neck and pressure points behind your ears. When flying or traveling in close quarters, be mindful of others and their scent sensitivity.

Aesop Ginger Flight Therapy
- Ginger Root, Lavender, Geranium
- For stress, nausea or weariness

Aveda Stress-Fix Concentrate
- Lavender, Lavandin, Clary Sage
- For stress

H. Gillerman Organics Travel Remedy
- Lemon Balm, Lavender, Orange, Palmarosa, Cedar
- For jet lag or discomfort with sitting

Silk Road Happy Wellness Remedy
- Lemon Balm, Grapefruit, Lavender, Tropical Verbena
- For energy and mood enhancement
- Love this one! I purchased it on a recent trip to this shop and spa in Victoria, BC.

Trip Styler Tip: These oils are safe to use topically, but if you have individual pure essential oils, combine them with a carrier oil like jojoba or almond to avoid skin burns. Or, as an alternative, place a drop of oil on a cotton cloth, raise it to your face and breathe in deeply.

[trip style = all]

I know, I know; today we *should* be focusing on post-travel detox juices or healthy getaways to jump-start TS 2015, but in the name of zigging where others zag, and *hopefully* inspiring your 2015 travel plans, we're taking a step back before we move ahead.

Reminiscing about 2014 over the Christmas holidays, I was struck by how I'm keen to re-visit a bevy of the hotels and destinations that colored my year-in-travel. Waking up in Mexico on January 1st, and clocking my last set of air miles when visiting California in early December, 2014 saw me take about 40 trips.

Some were big, some were weekenders. Some were luxe, some were rustic. Some were zen, some were busy {with the addition of Baby Styler to the TS crew}. True to the Trip Styler mission, we covered every category of trip styling: active+adventure, beach+sun, food+wine, weekender, glamping, urban, luxe, steals, spa.

Here's the best of the best. Stay + play details in each photo.

Mexico. First trip of 2014 to Huatulco.

Huatulco.

Huatulco. See my story on the destination's best beaches.

Huatulco. Picking up textiles for the Trip Styler Store.

Huatulco. I swear, guac tastes so much better when consumed in Mexico while sitting at a poquito table on the sand. Location: MediterraneO.

Hulatulco. The coolest restaurant of all on Maguey beach.

Huatulco. Sundowner drinks at Maguey beach.

Lake Tahoe. Finding a snowy hiking trail off the side of a road---sans guidebook or insider tips---leading to the area's namesake lake.

Lake Tahoe. One of my top trip style = steal stays of 2014: Basecamp Hotel in South Lake Tahoe.

Vancouver. Playing tour guide in my own city, and sharing my top bites, bevs and boutiques in a video.

Vancouver. Eating a fresh catch of sushi at the Fairmont Pacific Rim's RawBar.

Vancouver. Filling my stomach with haute fare at La Pentola della Quercia for Dine-Out Vancouver, a once-yearly restaurant festival. Note: La Pentola's Dine-Out menu is one of my festival hot picks.

Palm Springs. Spending my birthday in one of my destination muses. Pictured here, the must-stay Korakia Pensione.

Palm Springs. The outdoor movie theatre at Korakia Pensione showing yesteryear flicks nightly.

Palm Springs. One of two pools at Korakia Pensione.

Palm Springs. Playing petanque with Mr. Trip Styler at Korakia Pensione.

Flying aboard Cathay Pacific---without question, one of my top three airlines worldwide.

The made-to-order noodle bar at Cathay Pacific's flagship {and trip-styled-to-the-max} lounge: The Wing in Hong Kong International Airport.

Hong Kong. Luxuriating at the Four Seasons Hong Kong.

Hong Kong. Hitting as many restaurants, food stalls and sights as I can see in 48 hours.

Thailand. Learning the art of Thai hospitality and Northern Thai cooking at the Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai.

Thailand. One of the best desserts I've ever tasted: Sweet coconut soup with taro pearls at the Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai.

Thailand. Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai.

Thailand. Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai. The rice paddy parade, an end-of-day procession happening every night at 4.50pm to commemorate the end of the work day on the resort's working rice field.

Thailand. Breakfast in the Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai's {ritzy} rice barn.

Thailand. The Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai's main pool.

Thailand. Elephant-trekking and glamping where Thailand meets Laos and Myanmar at the Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle.

Thailand. Welcome beverages served in hard-carved cups at the Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle.

Thailand. One of the Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle's 15 luxury tents {this was my abode}.

Thailand. Trekking at the Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle.

Thailand. Learning how to ride an elephant at the Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle.

Thailand. My elephant and his mahout {elephant handler} at the Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle.

Thailand. On my last night at the Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle we lit lanterns and sent them into the sky. The perfect ending for a standout stay.

Visiting Walt Disney World with my mom to eat my way around the world at Epcot.

Walt Disney World. Where cream and crunch have a baby and birth this chocolate ice macaron. Find it in the France Pavilion in Epcot's World Showcase.

Kuala Lumpur. Visiting Mlaysia's capital city and finding a gorgeous villa-hotel, Villa Samadhi, tucked into a treed district just outside the city.

Kuala Lumpur. Petronas Towers. Bonus points if you remember them featured in the movie Entrapment!

Bali. Seminyak beach.

Bali. Scoping out the best beach hotels in Bali. Pictured here, one of my beachside stays, the Anantara Hotel Seminyak.

Bali. Seminyak beach.

West Bali.

West Bali. The Menjangan {read about it here}.

Bali.

Bali. Near Jimbaran Bay.

Bali. Sundara restaurant {and beach club} at the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay.

Bali. The Michelin-level fare at Sundara in the Four Season Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay.

Bali. Sundara.

Bali. RIMBA Jimbaran Bali hotel.

Bali. RIMBA.

Bali. Watching the sun set from the cliff-carved infinity pool at AYANA Resort.

Tokyo.

Tokyo. Maison Ladurée.

Tokyo. Sitting at the eight-seat sushi bar manned by Chef Yasuda, one of the world's most famous sushi chefs.

Tokyo. Sushi Bar Yasuda.

Tokyo. Where art and food fuse at Sushi Bar Yasuda.

Tokyo.

Tokyo. Omotesando Koffee, found on a Tokyo coffee crawl.

Tokyo. The baked custard {my new go-to dessert} at Omotesando Koffee.

Tokyo. The Trip Stylers joining in Japan's obsession with craft coffee.

Tokyo. So glad I was able snap this apropos scene.

Canada's Sunshine Coast. Painted Boat Resort.

Canada's Sunshine Coast. The best breakfast baskets known to man at Painted Boat Resort.

Canada's Sunshine Coast. Mushrooms, which I picked in the forest on a foraging mission with Chef Michael Riley from THE Restaurant at Painted Boat Resort.

Canada's Sunshine Coast. Dog Styler at Painted Boat Resort.

Seattle. Road trip from Vancouver to San Francisco to finish getting footage for my Expedia video about what fuelled my wanderlust!

San Francisco. Scoring a hard-to-get seat at State Bird Provisions.

San Francisco. One of the most bold and beautiful coffee shops in town: Sightglass Coffee.

Mexico: Investigating the luxe side of the Riviera Maya at the Banyan Tree Mayakoba.

Mexico. Bayan Tree Mayakoba.

Mexico. Banyan Tree Mayakoba.

Mexico. A spicy hot chocolate and stylish churro to start the day. Is there any other way? {Banyan Tree Mayakoba}

Mexico. Every suite comes with a personal plunge pool at the Banyan Tree Mayakoba.

Mexico. The I-could-live-here bathrooms at the all-villa Banyan Tree Mayakoba.

Mexico. Tulum!

Mexico. Glamping at Papaya Playa Project in Tulum.

Mexico. The simple and perfect bedspreads, designed by the hotel owner at Papaya Playa Project.

Mexico. Walking to the beach at Papaya Playa Project.

Mexico. Beach vibes at Papaya Playa Project.

Mexico. Where I ate breakfast every morning at Papaya Playa Project {and yes, the meal did include papaya}.

Mexico. Beach club at Papaya Playa Project.

Mexico. Picking my signature scent at Coqui-Coqui perfume house in Tulum.

Mexico. Walking into Gitano, an open-air restaurant so eye-catching, I wish was my backyard.

Oregon. Chasing the last bit of summer in Cannon Beach.

Oregon. EVOO Cooking School.

Oregon. Mr. Trip Styler and Dog Styler on Cannon Beach.

Oregon. Attending the uber-informative and wildly fun cooking show at EVOO Cannon Beach Cooking School.

Oregon. Walking along the dunes at Pacific City beach.

Oregon. Dining in Portland {always a treat}. Pictured here: Maurice, one of the Top 10 New Restaurants in America {2014 edition} by Bon Appetit Magazine.