Summer travel season is here! Time to toss some Cocofloss in your bag and hit the road. Need some destination inspiration? Below, the Cocofloss team reveals the vacay activities they’re most looking forward to — from barefoot walks along the Carribbean Sea to stocking up on cult-status cosmetics at Parisian pharmacies.
Portugal
Cat Cu, Co-founder
My best friend from college is getting married near the coast in Portugal this summer. I love areas where the mountains meet the sea. I can’t wait to frolic along the golden beaches and explore the region’s honeycomb cliffs and secret coves.
I’m also excited to eat egg tarts (pastéis de nata) in their birthplace. With their flaky crust and creamy custard center, they’ve been one of my favorite foods for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I could not wait to order them at Cantonese dim sum lunches.
Did you know? According to Bon Appétit, 16th-century Portuguese nuns used egg whites to “starch” their habits. Faced with a surplus of egg yolks, they turned them into desserts. Portuguese colonists later “brought pastel de nata to Macau, and over the years it has evolved into its own particular tart influenced by the British custard tarts that were brought over to Hong Kong.”
Banff National Park, Canada
Chrystle Cu, Co-founder
Some years ago, a patient shared photos of his trip to Banff with me. Located in the Canadian Rockies, the national park’s shimmering lakes and rugged peaks looked breathtaking. Banff has been on my bucket list ever since.
Light trekking through the pines, seeing the turquoise, glacial waters of Lake Louise (one of the world’s most photographed lakes), and celebrating the summer solstice on June 21 are all on my vacation to-do list.
Tulum, Mexico
Melissa Cheng, Head of Product, Merchandising, and Operations
I used to travel to Mexico a lot to learn regional recipes for traditional staples like tortillas and molé. In Tulum, I’m excited to dine on fresh-caught seafood and amazing desserts.
As much as I love the peaceful sounds of ocean waves and moonlit walks along the beach, I’m also psyched to dance until dawn during the full moon.
I hope to swim in some of the cenotes (water-filled sinkholes) that are part of the area’s underground network of waterways. They are all different and there are so many all over Tulum.
Did you know? The ancient Maya believed cenotes provided an express route to the underworld, sort of like a very dark and wet FedEx system. To speedily deliver sacrifices to the capricious rain god, Chac, the Maya dropped precious objects, like jade, gold, and even humans (usually children) into the deep, sacred pools.
Paris, London, and Amsterdam
Sammie Yamashita, Social Media Marketing Associate
Instead of our usual trip to Japan, my family and I are switching things up this year and heading across the pond for the first time. We’ll be hitting London, Paris, and Amsterdam.
I plan to eat all the pasta, bread, and croissants I can! I’m also eager to shop at the legendary French pharmacies, whose shelves hold beloved, but affordable, lotions and potions. Skincare is one of my biggest vices.
Did you know? Before K-Beauty and J-Beauty became international obsessions, there was F-Beauty, the grandame of skincare trends. In France, women rely on their local drugstores for effective self-care options filled with soothing natural ingredients.
French pharmacy staples — like Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water, a rinse-free gentle cleanser that respects your skin’s natural barrier, La Roche-Posay’s Cicaplast, a balm that protects and repairs irritated skin, and Embryolisse Concentrated Lait Cream, a multipurpose mix of natural ingredients that works as a lotion, makeup remover, primer, and aftershave — are just some of the many French products that have achieved cult status in the U.S.
Smile broadly and wander widely. Cocofloss is the perfect companion for all your warm-weather escapades. Tuck it in your carry-on or slip it into your beach tote. No matter where you’re headed, it’ll keep your pearly whites bright!
