Take two longtime friends with Global Entry and TSA pre-check who can fit 2 weeks into one carry-on, love the smell of jet fuel and have an insatiable appetite for traveling all roads, and you get the duo behind 3 Days*. 

Kirstin Winkler and Ana Tiwathia believe in the power of adventure and have seized every opportunity and often spent every penny in the pursuit of exploring this incredible planet.

When these globetrotters aren’t on the road gathering tasty morsels for their chic travel blog, they’re chilling in a beach bungalow in southern California (Kirstin) and a shaggy sweet pad in Brooklyn (Ana).

What made you decide to launch your blog? Was it an epiphany, like lightening? Or a slow process, a hobby that turned into something more? 

Ana: Kirstin and I have always shared an irresistible wander itch. We started exploring together about 15 years ago and became loyal travel buddies. At this point we’ve tromped through over 40 countries each and lived on 5 different continents between us.

We always day dreamed about travel-themed creative projects we could do together. As life, careers and babies happened, lengthy trips had to be whittled down to long weekends. This is how Kirstin started honing in on the idea of a travel site built around 3-day itineraries. It seemed like something useful and clicked immediately with both of us.

And we happened to have space in our lives at that time to pour ourselves into the idea, writing, discussing, designing, dreaming.

Who or what are your greatest influences and inspirations?

Ana: That’s a hard question! I guess I am most influenced by my female friends (sorry, guys). I have this incredible circle of creative, beautiful, strong ladies around me. I am endlessly in awe of the way they live their lives, relate to the world, and generally get shit done.

Not just big things, I’m talking about what they eat for breakfast, how they tie a scarf, decorate a bathroom, wear a pair of sunglasses. I’m much more likely to get ideas and inspiration from my friends than any celebrity or public figure. That being said, I have pretty significant girl crushes on Gloria Steinem, Padma Lakshmi, Jemima Kirke and many other bad asses.

What does beauty mean to you?

Ana & Kirstin: Beauty means being comfortable in your own skin, loving yourself enough to take excellent care of your insides and your outsides. The food you consume, the products you choose, the time you take for exercise, to meditate and clean a cluttered mind – it’s all part of a whole package that contributes to the ‘beauty’ of an individual.

Walk us through your beauty routine. How do you care for your hair?

Ana: I lost a lot of hair after the birth of my daughter last December. I was pulling whole handfuls each time I ran my fingers through it. I started using an Ayurvedic hair growth elixir from India on my scalp before washing (which I only do twice a week, now). And I am careful to shampoo only the roots and condition the tips of my hair so it doesn’t look limp and weighed down. I rely heavily on dry shampoo and bobby pins.

Kiki: Living by the beach, sun and salt water can damage hair quickly. Conditioning treatments and sun protection spray help to control hair damage and regular trims do the rest. A little volumizing spray to the roots after a wash and Bob’s Your Uncle.

Do you use natural beauty products?

Yes! We try to only use natural products.

What is the single most important thing you do for yourself on a daily basis?

Ana: I have a huge glass of room temperature lemon water before I eat or drink anything else. It hydrates me, detoxes my insides and fires up my digestion, which is a bit sluggish otherwise.
Kiki: Sleep. It takes real effort, but I try to get 7 hours of sleep every night. I feel and look better when I’m rested and I can tolerate whatever life throws at me when I get plenty of z’s.

Describe your perfect morning.

Ana: It definitely starts with an early ocean swim and yoga. Then coffee, eggs, and The New York Times on a porch swing somewhere beautiful with a cozy blanket and a view.

Do you have any beauty secrets, either DIY or otherwise, that were taught to you by your mother, grandmother or family elder?

Ana: My mother was a dancer and she swears by nightly Epsom salt baths. It relieves tension, muscle pain and ushers in a great night’s sleep.
Kiki: My mom taught me about the versatility of oils for hair conditioning and overall skin treatment, on cuts, cuticles and cracked heels. I use coconut oil for basically everything these days, as makeup remover, to lighten sun damage, in my bullet proof coffees or on creaky door knobs.

How do you sanctify the world around you? What do you do to give back to your community or the wider world/ environment or cause?

We try to recommend products and businesses with an eye toward sustainability and environmental responsibility. We could do more. We should do more!

How was your experience with T’zikal?

Great! Both the shampoo and conditioner have a spicy, earthy freshness that we liked. Hair was soft and manageable, and it felt good to be using a product that is made responsibly with respect for the environment and the culture that provides the ingredients.