So, I think we’ve safely established that I’m somewhat of a packing geek.
I’m obsessed with the idea of packing light, capsule wardrobe rules for travel, and using fashion maths to avoid baggage fees.
What I like just as much are posts about what travel toiletries and make-up people take with them. I can, and do, go down the Youtube and Bloglovin rabbit holes for hours looking at this kind of content.
It seemed a wasted opportunity not to put together my own post on what make-up and toiletries I take with me when I travel, so here’s a quick peek at what’s in my bag when I go away:
Essential Travel Toiletries
If you’re anything like me, and often travel for work, you’ll know all about the tedium of long evenings stuck in a hotel room on your own.
Since I became a mum though, and time for myself became much harder to come by, I’ve treasured the odd evening at a loose end. I always use them as a chance to catch up on my self-care – take a bath, give myself a mini-facial etc. So I probably take a few more toiletries than are absolutely necessary.
Having said that, travel minis are the perfect way to explore new products or stock up on essentials. All the beauty subscription boxes at the moment are ideal for this, and pharmacies are increasingly stocking mini sizes of popular products too.
I like to keep up my skin routine even on the go, so a multi-tasking protective serum like the Clinique Custom Smart Serum is the first thing I reach for.
The Decleor Aromaessence Mandarin is like a serum and oil combined, so it's great to pop on last thing at night to keep skin hydrated and help it repair itself overnight.
A couple of lovely Elemis products are also great to pack – the Elemis Pro-Radiance Flash Balm is a great day cream, while the Elemis Gentle Foaming Face Wash smells divine and doesn't strip the skin when you wash it.
Travelling often makes me tired and dehydrated and my under eyes are the first area to show it. So taking Benefit Its Potent eye cream helps to soothe bags and dark circles.
Pixi Glow Tonic is perfect for stripping away any city grime and freshening up skin, while the Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water removes every trace of make-up. My Foreo Luna Mini is an essential for deep cleansing and giving myself a mini-facial on the go.
Lacura Caviar Eye Roll On is cooling, soothing and helps to take down the morning puffiness around my eyes. It's also fuss and mess free packaging for travelling with.
It's a daily essential for me to use sunscreen also, so this little container of Coppertone UV Protect SPF25 is great to travel with.
Elemis Vitamin Rich Body Lotion is wonderfully moisturising, so a little goes a long way when you're travelling and gives you smooth skin on the go.
I only wash my hair twice a week so I rely on dry shampoo in between to freshen up and add volume. This Batiste Invisible 2 in 1 is a step up from the usual formulas. It doesn't leave any irritating white residue and conditions hair as well as freshening it.
Molton Brown Coco & Sandalwood Body Wash smells absolutely divine- so it's a perfect way to reclaim a little bit of calm in a hectic travelling schedule. You can use it in the shower or the bath, so it does double duty too.
I've also taken a travel size of Parlor Moisturising Sea Salt Spray, so that I can add some texture to my locks for an evening out.
Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes are also great to travel with as they come in a slim 10 pack, which means that you don't have to take a massive pack of wipes with you when you travel. These are some of the best cleansing wipes I've tried as they really do get rid of every trace of makeup.
I also pack cotton pads to use with my toner and micellar water and pointed cotton buds for cleaning off eye makeup and other things. The little container is actually an empty TicTacs Breeze container, it’s the perfect size and shape for the job!
Then there are the necessities- my Venus Snap razor and Slimsonic toothbrush- I love both because they're compact and have built in travel cases- some toothpaste, and I keep all my vitamins plus some aspirin and hayfever tablets in this little pink travel Pillbox.
Beauty on the go
And when it comes to the cosmetics, I try to keep it simple when I travel. Of course, my idea of simple might not be everyone's, but for me it's very streamlined. I take just enough to do a simple,natural but polished look that can transition from day to night.
Urban Decay Naked Basics 2
This palette has six shades that do pretty much anything you could want, from a low-key daytime look to a sultry smoke for evening. It’s super-versatile but also slimline and light-weight, making it the ideal travel companion
BareMinerals 5 in 1 BB Cream Eyeshadow |Soft Linen
This is great as a primer for lids or just on its own if you’re going for a natural but polished look. The doe foot applicator makes it easy to apply in a rush. It's very smoothing, long wearing and also has sunscreen in so it's ideal.
Vaseline Lip Therapy Sugar Coated
I couldn’t travel without good old Vaseline either. I use it for so many things, from moisturising and glossing lips, to adding a natural looking sheen to cheekbones, even to removing stubborn eye makeup and conditioning lashes at night. This version has a slight pale pink tint, which is lovely.
Seventeen Tattoo Me Semi Permanent Liquid Liner
This is hands down the best liquid liner I’ve ever tried, and its also one of the most affordable. When it goes on, it has an almost sticky gel-like feel, and when it dries its literally indelible – you’ll need an oil or some of the Vaseline above to get it off! It stays in place with no smudging, flaking or smearing, and the fine brush means you can do everything from a subtle flick to a full on wing. I love this stuff.
Eyedew Dazzling Eye Drops
I get quite dry eyes, especially in the morning and brightening eye drops are a quick way to restore some sparkle and make yourself look and feel fresher. Its quite a subtle thing, but it can really perk you up. Plus, if you find a surprise monster spot popping up, these things will shrink it and calm the redness in a pinch.
Mac Pro Longwear Concealer
My ride-or-die concealer, this is something that me and my eye bags wouldn’t leave home without out! There’s zero creasing and it doesn’t settle into fine lines. Its also the longest wearing concealer I’ve ever tried, so its great when you’re out at meetings or sightseeing all day. The compact glass tube with pump is really hygenic as well.
Bourjois Volume Reveal Radiant Black
This is a new addition to my beauty bag, but I’m really pleased so far. Its super black, very lengthening and easily buildable, so whether you want a natural look or a bit more flutter power, you’re covered. It comes in an unusual triangular tube and one side has a magnifying mirror which is so useful. A couple of times lately I’ve had really early starts so I’ve opted to do my make-up on the train, so that mirror has been a lifesaver.
L’Oreal Infallible Total Cover Light Sand
Another new addition that has become a go-to immediately. I’m so impressed with this! Its full coverage but not mask-like and gives a nice airbrushed look that's ideal for business or going out. The best part is that its very long-wearing too and looks as good after a long day getting on and off the tube as it did when you applied it in the morning. Full review coming soon!
Laura Mercier Blemish-Less Foundation Primer
And if you need your make-up to last through a long day, then primer is an essential. That goes double for when you are travelling as the skin tends to get dehydrated easier, so something to smooth and plump is a must. This one gives a lovely smooth finish and the travel size tube doesn't take up too much space in your beauty bag.
Doll 10 Lip Velvet Material Girl
Arriving in a Tili box, this liquid lipstick was an instant hit for me. Its really pigmented, and one of the only matte liquid lipsticks I’ve tried that genuinely isn’t drying. This pretty pink colour is the perfect shade to double up as a cream blush. I dab some on the apples of my cheeks with the applicator and then blend out with a fingertip.
Astor Rouge Couture Lipliner Bois de Rose
This great neutral lipliner is creamy and the colour goes with everything. Sometimes, if I want a really natural look, I just use this to line and fill in and then add some Vaseline over the top.
BareMinerals Lasting Line Long Wearing Eyeliner Absolute Black
This is the best pencil liner I’ve ever tried, smooth and creamy to apply, a deep black colour and with the fine tip it's easy to get a neat, low-key line or a smoky look. There’s a built in smudger and a tiny sharpener (that works for all automatic pencils, so I can use it for my lipliner too). And once on, its pretty hard wearing. If I’m doing a winged liner, sometimes I’ll use this first and then go over the wing with some liquid liner.
Beauty Pie Super Brow Precision Pencil
Groomed brows are a must for me, even on more natural days. They frame the whole face and can transform your look. So when I go away, I still take products to do my three step brow routine. First I brush them thoufh- this brow pencil has a spoolie on one end, which is really useful. Then I set them using a brow gel or clear mascara. Then I outline the shape, and that's where this pencil is also ideal as it had a micro-fine tip. I also fill in the head of the brow with this pencil using short, feathery strokes. Finally, I use a brow powder to add fullness and definition through the middle and the tail of the brow. This pencil is really useful and so slim it takes up no space at all.
Nars Contouring Blush Duo Paloma
Absolutely love this for getting a subtle contour. It contains a matte blush-bronzer and a matte highlight shade, so subtle sculptures lying can be yours on the go. The slimline packaging and big mirror in the compact are also really useful.
Benefit Ready Set Brow
A while ago, I accumulated all these travel Size Benefit brow products, and they're really handy for popping in a small makeup bag when I have to go away. This one is just a clear brow gel with a great brush that works well to hold any strays in place
Benefit Gimme Brow
And then I also carry the travel size Gimme Brow. It's a tinted powder that fills in brows and helps them look more dense. Sometimes I'll use a powder shadow to do that too, but this gives a more defined look.
BareMinerals Radiant Veil Diamond Light Powder
My absolute favourite setting powder. This contains blue mineral pigments that act like a real life photo filter to give skin that beautiful, expensive airbrushed effect. It was probably my favourite discovery from the BareMinerals Divine Decadence kit I got a while ago. I use a small round brush to pay it on under my eyes to set my concealer and then a fluffy powder brush to buff it all over my skin. It's a total beaut.
Glossybox for Kryolan Highlighter Cashmere
A great little highlighter to take with you on the go, I'm just obsessed with the peachy pink colour of this. It's super flattering and gives a gorgeous dewy halo to skin; and being a cream it's also easy to blend.
Custom Lash Kit
I wear subtle lashes most days as I don't get on with extensions, and so this little thing is my travel lash kit. The outer case is actually from a contact lens kit, but it's just the right size to hold a pair of lashes (I'm usually rocking the Ardell Naturals Demi Wispies at the moment), a mini pair of tweezers that I got with some Nouveau Lashes and are really useful for positioning and a tube of House of Lashes glue.
So that's what I take away with me- all my basic beauty essentials for an overnighter. The only things I'd add for a longer trip would probably be a couple more lip colours.
What do you take away with you when you travel? Link me to any travel makeup posts below.
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