Home / Life / Beauty & Style / Beauty & Style Shopping Guides 11 beauty products you should have for traveling (and the perfect bag to pack it in!) From sunscreen to dry shampoo, eye masks to lip balm (and even the best bag to pack it in), I've got you covered. By Sara Goldstein Updated May 14, 2024 Rectangle We independently select and share the products we love—and may receive a commission if you choose to buy. Packing for vacation can be an overwhelming task–especially if you’re traveling with kids. After you’ve gathered everything your children could possibly need (and then some), you’ve still got your own suitcase to sort out. What outfits should you bring? And how many pairs of shoes is too many? (I am not the authority on this. Just ask my husband.) But most importantly, how do you cram your bathroom into one small toiletry bag? The answer? With a very strategic collection of travel beauty products. Related: Your next hack for traveling with kids: Rent your baby gear when you get there Since TSA regulations limit each person’s carry-on to a quart-sized bag of liquids, aerosols, gels and creams in containers that are 3.4 oz. or less, tossing your at-home favorites into your bag isn’t always an option. But that doesn’t mean you can’t keep up with your skincare routine and look fabulous as always. Whether you’re headed to the beach, the mountains, or the city, these products are compact, multitasking, and perfect for busy moms who want to look and feel their best. From sunscreen to dry shampoo, eye masks to lip balm (and even the best bag to pack it in), I’ve got you covered. My favorite travel beauty products Calpak Medium Clear Cosmetics Case • $85 If there’s a more thoughtfully designed toiletry bag out there, I haven’t found it. (There’s a reason it has a very dedicated fan base!) The sturdy, built-to-last Clear Cosmetics Case from Calpak is small enough to fit in your carry-on but large enough to haul all your essentials and then some. (“Essentials” being subjective when it comes to traveling, as I remind my husband. Don’t judge me.) The clear, zip-around construction keeps everything in view while the interior zippered flaps make it easy to access exactly what you need without digging around. It comes in mini and large sizes as well, but IMO this one is just right. (Word on the street, this is a comparable lookalike if you’re looking to spend a bit less.) SHOP CALPAK Anrui Toiletry Bags • $17.98 Looking for something more budget-friendly? These will do the trick. Personally, I find the side zip so much more convenient than top zippers for keeping things organized. And while theses are smaller than the Calpak, you can still fit a good amount of product in each. (Comes as a set of three.) SHOP Batiste Dry Shampoo Pack of 3 Minis • $15 How did we ever live–let alone travel–without dry shampoo? This one from Batiste does an awesome job of absorbing oil and refreshing locks without making it feel dry or sticky like some formulas do. It works better than dry shampoos that cost twice as much and comes in a convenient 1.6 oz. travel size. SHOP AMAZON Ursa Major Essential Face Wipes • $26 I never travel without these handy wipes from Ursa Major. A quick swipe makes me feel clean and refreshed without leaving my face stripped and tight–an amazing feeling after a long flight. I also love that they’re individually wrapped so you can tuck one right into your pocket or purse and not have to rifle through your toiletry bag to find them. SHOP URSA MAJOR SHOP AMAZON Summer Fridays Mini Jet Lag Mask • $34 If flying makes your skin turn to dust, toss this into your cosmetics bag. The Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask works like a moisturizer on steroids to re-hydrate and plump skin thanks to the hard-working trifecta of niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and antioxidants. Just slather on a thin layer, wait 10 minutes then wipe off with a damp cloth. You’ll be dewy, fresh and ready to make the most of that OOO message. SHOP SEPHORA LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask Intense Hydration with Vitamin C • $24 Nothing like hours of recycled air and zero humidity to turn your lips into cornhusks. A little proactive application of everyone’s favorite Lip Sleeping Mask will keep them comfortably hydrated and soft as ever. SHOP SEPHORA MDSolarSciences Hydrating Sheer Lip Balm – SPF 30 • $23 But if you’re heading outdoors, you’re going to need some SPF protection for that pout! I’ve found many formulas I’ve tested to be super drying (which also happens when they get sunburned so why am I being punished for doing the right thing?) but there is a stand out: MDSolarSciences Hydrating Sheer Lip Balm. It’s got shea butter, avocado and olive oils for long-lasting moisture and even comes in tints if you prefer a little color. SHOP MDSOLARSCIENCES Wander Beauty Baggage Claim Eye Masks • $26 Nothing says vacation like some gilded self care. For that post-plane puffiness the gold Baggage Claim Eye Masks from Wander Beauty are drenched in hydrating and smoothing glycerin, panthenol, aloe leaf juice, and calendula extract to do battle against tired eyes. The gold foil fabric helps trap the serum so it sinks in thoroughly leaving you refreshed and ready for the day of fun ahead. SHOP SEPHORA baebody Travel Eye Gel • $13.95 My constant beauty-related travel dilemma is this: I hesitate to decant my at-home faves and risk ruining their efficacy, but dragging full-size everything along means checking my bag (and suffering ridicule from my family). For this, I absolutely LOVE the fact baebody finally offers their bonkers best-selling eye gel in a convenient travel size. The cooling, de-puffing formula is absolutely perfect for travel but the OG pot took up too much space. Not so anymore! SHOP BAEBODY Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen • $22 Packing sunscreen should be as non-negotiable as packing toothpaste no matter where your travels take you. This one from Supergoop is perhaps the most raved about facial sunscreen in the game–and for good reason. The fuss-free formula blends right in (on all skin tones), doesn’t pill and leaves skin feeling silky soft. SHOP SUPERGOOP SHOP SEPHORA Tula Best Sellers Discovery Kit • $49 With a cleanser, exfoliator, serum and moisturizer, this kit isn’t just great for travel–it’s also an easy way to try some of my absolute favorites from this raved-about brand. The probiotic enriched formulas are gentle and effective, protecting and giving a noticeable glow-up to all different skin types. (Be prepared to immediately purchase the full size So Polished Exfoliating Sugar Scrub which actually smells like vacation in a tube and instantly fixes dull, tired skin.) SHOP TULA MAKEUP BY MARIO SoftSculpt Shaping Stick • $30 Multitaskers rule–especially when you’ve got limited space. This contouring stick is designed with an angled buffing brush under one end so you don’t have to bring a separate one along. SHOP SEPHORA Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Lip + Cheek Cream Blush Stick • $48 Another multitasker that deserves some coveted real estate in your makeup bag is the luxe Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Lip + Cheek Cream Blush Stick. The buildable, blendable formula offers lips, cheeks and lids a healthy glow and it’s even enriched with ingredients like Jojoba Seed Oil and fruit extracts to help hydrate and soothe skin. And even though it’s what’s on the inside that counts, the packaging gets a gold star as well– the magnetic lid means never opening your bag to find a rosy pink disaster. SHOP SEPHORA Everyday Oil Mainstay Blend • $24 This cult favorite, minimalist skincare staple checks so many boxes–which makes it something I never travel without. The gorgeous blend of nourishing oils can be used as a face and body moisturizer, cleanser, hair oil, and even a makeup remover. But more than its delivery of dewy, hydrated skin, it’s the intoxicating and calming scent that got me hooked. One sniff of the signature blend of palo santo, lavender, geranium and clary sage sends me right into my happy place. SHOP CREDO The latest Motherly Stories Understanding my family’s ‘time blindness’ taught me to see Parenting How did sleepovers become the latest battleground for parents? Motherly Stories The bittersweet birthday of a SAHM Women's Health Normalizing maternal exhaustion hid my real problem: Chronic illness