How to Pack Beauty Products for Travel. Best Tips & Tricks.

This article shares tips on how to pack beauty products for travel. Topics discussed include makeup and travel beauty essentials and non-essentials, and beauty product recommendations. A travel beauty checklist is located in our The Beauty Maestra Resource Library here.

How to Pack Beauty Products for Travel

While I love to travel, like most people, I dislike packing. More specifically, I dislike beauty products packing. Additionally, with so many hair, skin, and makeup products from which to choose, packing takes on an unwieldy life of its own. No matter how often I travel, I end up overwhelmed and indecisive.

A plan and checklist is almost always in order.

From my vantage point, “beauty packing” is a two-fold puzzle to solve. First, which beauty products will take up the least amount of space for the maximum return. Second, what are the best ways to pack said beauty essentials.

When done well, those whittled down product choices nestled nicely in a suitcase and/or carry on offer great beauty diversity for any travel time duration. If done very well, hardly a thought will be given to those things that did not make the cut.

Let’s talk about what and how to pack, some great small footprint products on the market, and containers that are a level above. It just might make packing a little easier and more fun.  

Travel Friendly Makeup

Travel-friendly beauty products are “small but mighty”. They fall into the 3 categories below.

1. Multi-Use Beauty Products

To reduce the beauty footprint in the suitcase, consider multi-use products that act as makeup for multiple areas of the face. The packaging should ensure no mess and easy portability in a purse, carry-on, or suitcase. Bonus points for a product that needs only fingers which means no additional brushes to apply and pack.

Fortunately, brands increasingly offer these options.

Here are a few of my well-worn travel-friendly, solid, and/or bullet makeup favorites.

Ilia Multi-Use Stick

If you’ve read my blog for a while, you will know that I love the Ilia brand, and this is no exception. Each multi-use stick addresses makeup for multiple areas of the face: cheeks, lips, eyes. They are also skin-nourishing.

Merit Flush Balm Cream Blush

Creamy with a compact footprint, and creatively designed for a no-brush application, it deposits sheer color to cheeks, lips, and eyes. Merit offers some beautiful color options.

Merit The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Foundation and Concealer Stick

One of my favorite dual-function concealer and foundation products in its own tough travel-ready case. Easily applied and fingertip blendable.

2. Travel-Size Beauty Products

Travel-size beauty products are nearly ubiquitous now. Sephora, Ulta, and Target all carry a wide assortment of travel sizes.

Here are a couple of mini versions of luxury clean, silicone-free makeup from Westman Atelier that I and my skin are currently loving. They are multi-use, hold up well, and because of their mini size, they are much less expensive than their full size counterparts.

Westman Atelier Mini Petite Baby Cheeks Lip and Cheek Cream

This product is similar in functionality to Ilia and Merit, however it is smaller in size. The one color offered is beautiful and works for most everyone.

Westman Atelier Lit Up Cream Highlighter Stick

This mini version functions both as a highlighter to accentuate specific areas of the face and as a silicone-free under-makeup primer to even out the skin and provide a lit-from-within glow.

3. Makeup Palettes for Travel

Travel palettes are defined by their small footprint and their multi-functionality. Here are a few that I consider stellar.

RMS Beauty Quad Palette-Signature Set

This one small palette contains 5 “clean” beauty products that address cheeks, lips, eyes/face with bronzer, highlighter, and even skin with a balm for dry spots. It is offered in 2 color versions. Thoughtfully chosen palettes shades.

Kaja Face Bento Cream Bronzer, Powder Blush & Highlighter Trio

Kaja is a Korean brand that specializes in very clever packaging along with good products. This is 3 different makeup products stacked together in an all-in-one tiny compact. Available in a variety of color options.

Kaja Eye Bento Bouncy Eyeshadow Trio

Stacked eyeshadow options in a variety of colors and finishes for many looks during 1 trip.

How to Pack Beauty Products for Travel

Refillable Travel Containers

For those of you who have favorite products that are not travel-friendly or liquid products like shampoo, skincare etc., reusable travel containers are essential. Unfortunately, good ones are not easy to find.

Over the years I have tried many different container types from contact lens cases to a variety of inexpensive to more expensive products.  Most of them were a lackluster disappointment due mainly to product flimsiness, leaking, and/or size. After one or two trips the containers were no longer useable.

Here are a few good options.

Palette By Pak

An ingenious and eco-friendly way to store any kind of beauty product. They are also squeezable to get the last drop out.

HumanGear REI Cooperative

I have heard a lot about this brand through my travel group although I have never tried them. While it’s made for more rugged traveling, it has rave reviews and can be adapted to more urban travel. They do not leak and are great for anything including anything liquid and cream.

Gemice Silicone Cream Jars

From Amazon, a best seller, highly rated with screwtop lids and TSA approved.

Packing Tips

A few tips for more successful packing.

• Packing is always easier with a plan and checklist prior to the start. I have created one here.
• A plan may also include outfits and coordinating makeup with the clothes.
• Limit the number of beauty products to only those that you will use. Before choosing a product, a good practice is to ask yourself whether you are really going to use it or whether another product already packed/chosen can replace it in some form or fashion.
• Even if you check luggage, think about carrying beauty essentials in your carry-on bag. This is helpful if your luggage is delayed. Just be sure to follow the 3-1-1 liquids rule from TSA explained here.
• TSA has a separate blog here that answers many commonly asked questions (i.e. is mascara considered a liquid).
• If you pack your beauty essentials in your checked bag, place your products either in a padded beauty bag or cushioned and wrapped with clothes.

Other Travel Beauty Essentials

From jet lag to dehydration and the accompanying puffiness and dry skin, traveling is physically demanding. Consider bringing some beauty “first aid” products along on the trip to help ease some of the symptoms. Here are just a couple of recommendations.

Face/Eye Masks

I always bring a long a hydrating and depuffing mask for the face and eyes. Sephora has an assortment of options at all price points here. For more information on sheet face masks, read my article here.

Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray

Amazing spray for the face containing mainly hypochlorous acid. It hydrates, balances PH, is anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory, and supports the skin barrier. Available in a travel size.

This post was all about how to better pack beauty products for travel. Thank you for reading!

xO

Andrea

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