Packing the perfect travel beauty essentials for your trip is a struggle. Check out our list of travel-friendly products for every budget you won’t regret packing.
Updated on: 22nd December, 2020
Going away on holiday is often the perfect opportunity to dress up and make good use of your beauty and skincare collections.
There is an obvious problem though…
Taking your entire beauty and skincare routine on your trip away isn’t usually possible – especially if you are only taking hand luggage, you don’t have anyone’s space to steal or your collection is just too large.
As someone who has worked in the beauty industry for her whole career, I can definitely relate.
Decisions decisions, am I right?
This is why finding flexible, multi-tasking products with durable packaging can help you save much-needed space.
This curated list of top travel beauty essentials from a beauty geek weighs up the best products for every budget, for everything from cleansers to makeup.
Travel Beauty Essentials – Skincare
Best Travel Cleanser
The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser | £5.50
If you haven’t heard of the brand before, The Ordinary is all about stripping back to basic with straight to the point ingredients at a reasonable price.
Squalane Cleanser is a balm-to-oil cleanser that works great for any skin type — even sensitive ones!
Squalane oil is an amazing ingredient that helps retain skin moisture and suppleness.
For such an affordable price, this cleanser is great for removing daily grime and makeup without worrying about dryness or tightness.
Best for: All skin types.
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser | £11.50
An extremely gentle cleanser with refreshing cucumber scent, perfect for removing both makeup and dirt.
Beautifully formulated with added natural ingredients – soy protein, cucumber extract, borage seed oil and rosewater – to soothe and nourish even the most sensitive skin.
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser has a pH-balanced gel that won’t strip or dry out your skin.
Best for: Sensitive skin.
Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel | £15
Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel is a multi-award winner for a reason.
The peachy-pink cleanser is jam-packed with amazing ingredients such as Vitamins A, C & E, Omega 6, Starflower Oil, Pumpkin Enzymes, Chamomile and Rose to strengthen and nourish your skin.
The calming chamomile and rose scents will make your daily cleansing routine feel like a spa session.
Best for: Blemish-prone skin.
Best Travel Moisturiser
Weleda Skin Food | £7.95
If it’s good enough for models….
Weleda Skin Food is used by makeup artists to create that highly coveted glowing skin – to prep model’s face.
The moisturiser is considered one of the best travel beauty essentials as it reduces any dry patches and primes the skin for makeup.
Use this nourishing balm all over to add instant hydration to the face, body, and any dry patches – it’s small, mighty and multi-tasking!
The hardworking balm contains extracts of gentle viola tricolour, calendula and chamomile – to help replenish your skin moisture.
Yup, definitely worthy of being a desert island product.
Best for: Dry skin.
Versed Dew Point Moisturising Gel-Cream | £13.50
A moisturiser like no other.
Versed Dew Point Moisturiser is a jelly-texture, non-greasy, fuss-free, lightweight gel-cream to soothe and calm breakout-prone skin.
The aloe leaf and sodium hyaluronate draw and retain moisture for a dewy complexion.
Best for: People who break out easily.
Jordan Samuel Skin The Performance Cream | £34
Jordan Samuel Skin is an indie brand favourite among skincare fanatics and this cream truly puts on an outstanding performance.
It calms inflammation and moisturises the skin with peptides, squalane and botanical extracts.
The result? A well-balanced complexion on the go.
What is not to love?
Best for: Any skin type.
Best Travel Facial Sunscreen
Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+ PA++++ | £8.60
A very popular lightweight and non-greasy sunscreen that works well under makeup.
Formulated with moisture-rich water capsules, hyaluronic acid and royal jelly extract to prevent skin dryness.
The thin formula is easily spreadable and applies evenly onto the skin to provide effective sun protection.
You are all wearing sunscreen daily right? So, without a doubt this is one of your must-pack travel beauty essentials.
Best for: Reapplication.
Hawaiian Tropics Silk Hydration Airsoft Face SPF 30 | £12
Water-resistant sun cream with a lightweight texture that absorbs quickly — no need to excessive rubbing.
This daily facial sunscreen will leave your skin feeling moisturised and protected from UVA and UVB.
Formulated without Oxybenzone or Octinoxate, so they are reef friendly!
Best for: Daily protection.
Murad City Skin Broad Spectrum Sunscreen | £60
A perfect travel beauty essentials for a city getaway.
Murad City Skin is the ultimate mineral facial sunscreen with SPF50 broad-spectrum protection.
It protects against pollution and blue light – think artificial lights and devices. So, you can even use it when you are WFH.
The lightweight texture and fragrance-free formula also provide a peach colour correction for even looking complexion.
It guarantees to sit perfectly underneath your makeup.
Best for: City getaway.
Best Travel Body Sunscreen
Hawaiian Tropic Satin Protection Sun Lotion SPF30 Mini Tottle | £5.99
A travel-friendly body sunscreen with SPF30 broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection – with a light and silky feel.
Despite the low price, this cream texture feels luxurious and it’s also water-resistant for up to 80 minutes.
The SPF contains vitamins C & E, mango fruit extract and a shea butter complex to moisturise the skin for a radiant look, all without feeling greasy.
Best for: Adding radiance.
Soleil Toujour Organic Sheer Sunscreen Mist SPF30 Travel Size | £19
The formula is 70% organic, this antioxidants and botanical infused nourishing sunscreen is free from Oxybenzone and Octinoxate – which are harmful to coral reefs.
The sheer mist sunscreen is easy to apply, offers broad-spectrum UV protection and is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes.
Best for: Easy to apply sunscreen.
Ultrasun ULTRA SENSITIVE 50+ – VERY HIGH PROTECTION | £22
Oils and perfume free sunscreen suitable for sensitive skin that offers long-lasting protection.
The airless pump container prevents product contamination and deterioration so you can use it until the very last drop.
Best for: Extreme sun locations.
Best Travel Lip Balm
Burt’s Bees Pomegranate Lip Balm | £3.99
A moisturising lip balm with Pomegranate Oil and beeswax to condition and soften your lips.
With 100% natural ingredients, this lip balm will keep your lips hydrated with a subtle hint of colour.
Burt’s Bees has many different versions of this lip balm to choose from but pomegranate is the nicest.
Best for: Adding hydration and a tint of colour.
Lanolips 101 ointment | £10.99
A magical multi-tasking balm with pure lanolin which mimics skin oil to restore and seal in moisture.
The lanolin transforms any dry cracks and patches into smooth and hydrated skin.
Use it on your lips, face, elbows, cuticles or anywhere that needs extra hydration.
Make sure to get the 101 ointment version as other version doesn’t seem to work as well.
For me, this isn’t just one of my travel beauty essentials but it is one of my day to day beauty essential – since I’m always picking on my lips!
Best for: Using as an overnight lip mask.
Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment Advanced Therapy | £21.50
Antioxidant-rich orange extract lip treatment protects your lips from environmental damage.
This ultra-nourishing lip treatment boosts hydration and volume to your dry and chapped lips!
Packaged in a metal twist-up tube – no need to worry about losing the lid in your bag.
Best for: Durable packaging.
Travel Beauty Essentials – Makeup
Best Travel Palette
Nabla Liberty Twelve Customizable Palette | £9.50
A durable and portable customisable palette to create your perfect makeup palette.
Depot your favourite eyeshadows, blusher, powder, highlighter and bronzer into this magnetic palette and take them around the world.
Best for: If you already have existing favourites.
theBalm Alternative Rock Vol. 2 | £25
Multi-tasking palette with six user-friendly eyeshadow shades – alongside blusher, bronzer and highlighter to complete a full-face look.
Gathered in a conveniently compact palette, taking this palette will save space and shorten your makeup application time – no wasting time rummaging through your makeup bag!
Best for: Easy makeup look.
Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look In a Palette | £49
The palette for on-the-go, it has everything for creating a flawless face – with seven powders in a palette.
Three eyeshadows hues to brighten, enhance and deepen any eye looks.
Alongside bronzer, highlighter and two blusher shades to define and enhance your complexion.
Best for: On-the-go.
Best Travel Foundation
The Ordinary Coverage Foundation | £5.90
The foundation that almost broke the internet, with thousands of people on the waitlist.
This long-wearing high coverage foundation comes in a lockable travel-friendly plastic bottle.
It has a semi-matte and natural-looking finish with SPF 15 mineral sun protection.
Using colour pigments suspended in The Ordinary’s ‘spreadability system’ – the foundation has a lightweight feel.
Best for: Non-cakey high coverage foundation.
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser | £35
Looking for the perfect base for a no-makeup makeup look?
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser provides a sheer tint and breathable coverage that also brightens and illuminates your skin.
The finish is dewy and hydrated looking skin. Also, with a broad spectrum SPF30 protection.
Best for: Easy base.
Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick | £45
Stick foundation, re-imagined, unlike the dry and cakey stick foundation that we once knew.
This high-to-medium buildable coverage stick foundation glides on smoothly without tucking!
The lightweight formula feels like powder and provides an effortless blending.
Since it’s a stick, it also doesn’t take up room in your liquid limit – hooray!
Best for: Buildable coverage and filtered finish.
Best Travel Concealer
Maybelline Instant Anti Age Eraser Concealer | £8.99
A much-loved drugstore concealer that you probably have seen on multiple beauty gurus!
The concealer features an anti-microbial cushion applicator for a mess-free and easy application.
The formula contains goji berry to hydrate skin.
Best for: Easy to apply.
Glossier Stretch Concealer | £15
This buildable dewy finish concealer does it all – covers dark circles, blemishes and redness.
With elastic micro waxes, the concealer moves with your skin – hence the stretch.
Blends seamlessly into skin to cover any imperfections and deliver a brightening effect.
Best for: Dewy finish and to use all over as a sheer foundation.
Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer | £24
Despite the ‘matte’ name, this high coverage concealer somehow manages to blurs and smooths imperfections while giving a soft natural finish.
Hiding your dark circles is so simple with this long lasting and crease-proof formula.
The product stays in place without settling into pores or fine lines, making it perfect for camouflaging blemishes or any imperfections.
It’s not just one of my favourite travel beauty essentials but it’s an all-round favourite for keeping you flawless on-the-go.
Best for: Natural looking finish.
Best Travel Eyebrow Product
Zoeva Graphic Brows | £9
Zoeva Graphic Brows has an ultra-fine pencil and a spoolie, this dual-ended combination is the secret for shaping precise brows.
The pencil creates realistic hair strokes while the brush seamlessly blends the product.
The waxy formula is completely smudge- and transfer-proof so you can have fun without any brows worries.
Best for: Creating realistic hair strokes.
Glossier Boy Brow | £14
Your search for the perfect brow gel ends here!
Boy Brow thickens, shapes and grooms brows into place with a few brush strokes.
No more messy or stiff brows – Boy Brows gives a soft and flexible hold all day long.
Best for: Effortless looking brows.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz | £23
From the queen of Brow, Anastasia Soare of Anastasia Beverly Hills.
The brand is well known for its collection of brow products.
Brow Wiz is a skinny pencil with a twist-up mechanical nib that won’t disappoint. Comes in an array of tones to match any hair colour.
The dual-ended pencil and brush make the perfect combination for convenient blending for creating your best looking brows on the go.
Best for: Brow fanatics.
Best Travel Eyeliner
NYX Epic Ink Liner | £9
Liquid eyeliner with a slim brush tip and waterproof formula makes this eyeliner an instant hit with many.
This intensely pigmented eyeliner is easy to control for an effortless ‘flick’ — whether it’s a classic cat-eye or graphic wing.
Best for: Simple pigmented brush-tip liquid eyeliner.
Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner | £16
An easy-to-use liquid eyeliner that glides on smoothly to provide intensely pigmented formula.
This waterproof and smudge-proof eyeliner will leave you with a perfect flick all day long.
No more panda-eyed at the end of the day.
Best for: Smudge-free wings.
Hourglass 1.5mm Mechanical Gel Eye Liner | £17
A non-liquid eyeliner that doesn’t smudge or leave a film on the contact lens.
This portable gel liner has a moisturising and waterproof formula that dries quickly – without excessive pot, brush or clean up.
The thin tip is great for creating the tiniest flick.
Best for: Contact lens wearers.
Best Travel Mascara
Maybelline Lash Sensational Waterproof | £8.99
Waxy waterproof formula that adds volume and holds up curls all day long — even for ones with the straightest of lashes.
The curve bristle brush means you can catch and coat even the smallest of hair.
Best for: Those with straight and short eyelashes.
Glossier Lash Slick | £14
Not quite like getting a lash extension like their marketing claims but this tubing mascara lengthens, curls and volumises your lashes without clumping.
A water-resistant fibre mascara that won’t let you or your lashes down during the day.
Also, the millennial pink packing is just too cute.
Best for: Smudge-free lashes.
Fairydrops Scandal Queen Waterproof Mascara | £18.50
There is something about Japanese mascara that performs well with short and straight eyelashes.
The unusual bubble-shaped wand lifts and separates lashes while lengthening and adding volume – thanks to non-irritating fibres.
The formula is enriched with squalene, jojoba seed oil, panthenol, hydrolysed collagen and moisturising hyaluronic acid – to nourish your lashes while being smudge and budge-proof.
Best for: Long wearing lashes.
Best Travel Powder
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder | £3.99
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder is an absolute OG lightweight translucent powder to help keep shine at bay for up to 5 hours.
This super-affordable powder will keep you looking matte without looking cakey – no matter your skin type.
The packaging is a little flimsy but if you can overlook that Rimmel Stay Matte Powder is one of the best powder for such a low price.
Best for: Keeping skin shine-free.
MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation | £27
One of the best travel beauty essentials for when you can’t be bothered to fuss around with the messy liquid foundation application on the go.
This nifty powder provides a high-medium buildable coverage with an ultra-matte finish, that can be applied with the enclosed sponge.
Boasting 24 hours long wear, you can say goodbye to any shine.
Best for: Oily skin.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder | £45
Totally gorgeous and finely milled, buttery, ultra-flattering illuminating powder.
Use it as an all-over finishing powder for a beautiful lit-from-within-look.
A product that’s hard to explain but easy to fall in love with. It gives an inexplicable soft-focus radiance that can’t be imitated by other products.
Best for: Illuminated looking skin.
Best Travel Blusher
Milk Makeup Mini Lip + Cheek | £12
A mini multitasking lip and cheek product for creating a dewy flush of colour.
Stored in a twist-up container, so you can forget about accidentally losing the cap in your makeup bag and its disastrous result.
The formula is jam-packed with good-for-you ingredients such as avocado oil, mango butter and peach nectar — to hydrate and shield your skin from free radicals.
The buildable and blendable tint is excellent for patting on to your cheeks, lips and eyelids – for a monochromatic makeup look.
Best for: A natural-looking rosy glow.
Glossier Cloud Paint | £15
Think finger painting but on your face!
Dab this little gel-cream blush onto your cheeks and blend with your fingers. Voilá, seamlessly rosy cheeks.
The lightweight and buildable formula mean it’s impossible to mess up.
Best for: Easy to use blusher.
Code8 Blush Palette in Rosé | £34
A trio-colour blush palette that can be used as a blusher, highlighter and eyeshadow (think of all the space you can save in your bag!).
Created with revolutionary Knead Technology, the powders are highly pigmented and yet super blendable.
The peachy shade combinations are universally flattering and can easily perk up any complexions.
Best for: Multitasking.
Best Travel Bronzer
Milani Baked Bronzer | £12.75
A warm-toned bronzer with a slight shimmer that glides on smoothly for a glowy finish.
Dust the powder all over your face where you’d normally catch the sun for a radiant and healthy sunkissed glow.
Best for: Adding a diffused sunkissed look.
Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer | £20.50
Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer has a velvety smooth formula.
The texture is blendable and buildable, perfect for adding natural-looking dimensions to your facial features.
Blend it using a brush or a Beautyblender to add a seamless healthy warmth to your complexion.
Use this jumbo-sized stick on your face or body for a sunkissed look all over.
Best for: Seamless natural-looking bronze.
Nars Bronzing Powder Laguna | £31
A bronzer that needs no introduction – Nars Laguna.
You know it’s iconic when the brand keeps releasing the same shade repeatedly across its range of products.
Nars Laguna Bronzing Powder is an ultra-finely milled bronzing and contouring powder with a subtle golden shimmer for the ultimate sunkissed glow.
Best for: Universally flattering bronze.
Best Travel Highlighter
Maybelline FaceStudio Chrome Extreme Highlighter | £8.99
Accentuate your features with a blinding shine.
This spellbinding, seriously pigmented and glowing highlighter can compete with a fancier counterpart easily.
Buff the powder on the high point of your face for a metallic sheen. Or use your finger to add the product to the centre of the lid to intensify your look.
Best for: When you really want to shine bright, like a metal statue.
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter Mini | £16
Becca is basically the originator of highlighter.
Their smooth and creamy texture delivers lit-from-within-glow in multiple hues.
One downside is that the big pan is quite delicate and shatter-prone. Opt for the mini version for more durable and travel-friendly packaging.
Best for: Non glittery glow.
Kosas Color + Light Creme | £32
A duo-purpose creamy blusher and highlighter with a long-wearing and non-creasing formula – to effortlessly perk up your lacklustre complexions.
Packed with good-for-you ingredients such as Vitamin C, apricot kernel oil, jojoba oil and marula oil for a glow-boosting effect.
Blend effortlessly onto your cheeks for a seamless dewy glow.
Best for: Multitasking blush and glow.
Best Travel Lips
NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream is your answer for long-lasting, comfortable feel matte lip.
Explore their lineup of distinctive hues – inspired by cities around the world. So, you can match your lip colour with your visiting city.
Best for: Creamy matte lips.
MAC Mini lipstick | £10
Iconic MAC lipstick now comes in small packagings – like all good things on this list.
Choose from nine best selling shades – from nude to red.
The mini lipsticks are just adorable and tiny that you might even find room to fit two or three in your makeup bag – you know, just for switching up your looks.
Best for: Travel-friendly lip colours.
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution | £25
A hydrating matte lipstick that glides smoothly onto your lips – with a blend of oils and waxes.
The buildable pigment has a soft matte finish without highlighting dry patches.
At first, the gold casing looks and feels luxurious. Unfortunately, it’s prone to superficial scratches.
Best for: Comfortable luxurious lip colour.
Discover our range of travel articles to inspire your next trip.
- A Bangkokian’s Ultimate Guide to 17 Best Things to Do in Bangkok - May 17, 2022
- A Thai’s 10 Top Restaurants & Cafes in Chiang Mai - April 9, 2022
- 13 Mindfulness Gifts To Promote Calm and Self-Care in 2024 - December 9, 2021
