Is it just me, or would life be easier if you could teleport your medicine cabinet when you travel? Unfortunately that isn’t the case, and unless I want to check an entire piece of luggage full of product, I have to get strategic about what products I pack. Yes, I have my fair share of travel-sized products, but the truth of the matter, most of my favorite products at home don’t come in smaller sizes, and also don’t pack the punch that I need them to when I’m on the road.
So, in an effort to maximize space, and make sure my skin and hair have the added oomph needed from the stress of flying, lack of sleep, and even varying levels of mineral content in water, I swap a few things out. Check out some of my favorite beauty must-haves and the reasoning behind bringing certain products off the bench when I travel below.
HOME: Rodial Dragon’s Blood Essence Mist ($52)
I am absolutely obsessed with the entire Dragon’s Blood range from Rodial. If your skin is craving hydration, reduced redness, and some serious plumping, this is a great line for you. This particular mist is a serious multi-tasker; it’s a tonic, a setting spray, and a makeup primer. In my skin care routine, I usually use it after I wash my face and apply toner morning and night.
TRAVEL: e.l.f. Primer Sheet Mask ($0.80 – $2)
Kick big pores to the curb, brighten your skin, and get ready for your makeup to look flawless with a single sheet mask. Infused with Vitamin C, Hyaluronic Acid, and Vitamin B3, sliding a handful of these into my messenger bag is a must for trips.
Why I Swap
The full size bottle of the Rodial Mist is 100mL (3.3oz), meaning it’s a tad too large to make it into my carry on bag – the carry on limit is 3.2oz. Rodial makes a travel size version, however, I usually like to try to minimize liquids altogether. Masks are an awesome replacement as they don’t cut into your liquid allotment, and you can bring exactly as many as you need versus risking a spill.
HOME: Naturally Serious Supercharge Anti-Oxidant Serum ($56)
About a year ago, I was introduced to Naturally Serious. The two above are a couple of products I have fallen in love with, I also like their lip serum and plumping mask. Since being introduced to the products, I’ve been using this serum twice a day religiously. Ingredients like colloidal oatmeal and ceramide to help soothe, moisturize, and revitalize the look of stressed, dehydrated skin.
TRAVEL: Naturally Serious Illumi-Nation Anti-Fatigue Power Serum ($58)
A glossier and amp’d up version of the anti-oxidant serum, the anti-fatigue power serum is aptly named. This particular product is formulated to reduce stress in your skin, reduce the look of fine lines in 24 hours, and just about anything else you would want from a product while on the road.
Why I Swap
Flights and long days take a lot out of my skin, so I always try to sub in some products that pack a slightly bigger punch. The fast-acting nature of the anti-fatigue serum is exactly what I need on-the-go, but I don’t need it every day. Bonus: This serum also contains a natural blush color, which helps cut down on my morning makeup routine when I need it most.
HOME: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Wild Oat Hydrating Toner ($22)
This is hands down the best toner I’ve used! Since using it twice a day at home, my skin has been visibly less red and my complexion is much more balanced. For those who are debating using a toner, the reason why having a toner in your skin care routine is so important is because it leaves your skin in the best condition to absorb serums and moisturizers; essentially making the rest of your products more effective.
TRAVEL: Peter Thomas Roth Peptide 21 Amino Acid Exfoliating Peel Pads ($52)
Much like toner, these peel pads are designed to gently exfoliate for a natural glow and prepare it for treatment products, helping them to absorb better. This product claims to contain peptide building amino acids, so your skin regenerates it’s own peptides, which are building blocks of proteins such as collagen, elastin and keratin.
Why I Swap
Sadly, this toner doesn’t have a travel size as of yet (the full size is 6oz), and it requires me to pack cotton pads as well to use. Too much bulk, and way too much liquid! The peel pads are a fantastic, non-liquid substitute.
HOME: SkinCeuticals Glycolic Renewal Cleanser Gel ($38)
When I’m at home, I usually rotate between 2-3 different types of cleansers; one of them being the glycolic renewal cleanser above. I think having a regular glycolic product in your skin care routine is important – it exfoliates skin and strips it of impurities. It can be pretty harsh on your skin though, especially for those of you with sensitive skin, so I use it about every other day.
TRAVEL: SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight ($80) & Fresh Soy Face Cleanser ($15)
These two travel friendly sized products are always packed up and ready to be taken on the move. I actually only use them when I travel. Why? Because the cleanser is a gentle substitute for all of the other cleansers and a little bit goes a long way. And, the glycolic overnight product is a good product to use every other night to get the gunk from traveling out of your skin.
Why I Swap
The perks of swapping out these two products in exchange for the glycolic cleanser are three-fold: 1) there is no travel size of the glycolic cleanser, making checked luggage a must, 2) I’m bringing a gentle cleanser instead that I feel good using twice a day on my skin, and 3) I’m still enjoying the perks of glycolic acid, but as much or as little as I’d like while traveling. Can you imagine having to use the glycolic cleanser on a sunburn and have that be your only cleanser option? Ouch!
HOME: Kerastase Aqua Botanica Masque Fondamental Riche ($62)
Love me a good hair mask! At home I try to do a hair mask at least once a week. This one from Kerastase costs a pretty penny, but it has completely transformed my hair. If there is one hair investment product that I would recommend, it would be this one. This particular mask is meant to help with dry hair, which I have in spades, and reduce frizz. It doesn’t leave my hair oily like other products I’ve tried, which is a big win.
TRAVEL: Amika The Kure Intesnse Repair Mask Mini ($14)
What do all hotel shampoos and conditioners have in common? They dry your hair out… like realllllly dry your hair out. I don’t care what brand name is slapped on the little bottle in those showers, your hair always looks thirsty after using hotel products. So, I travel with a hair mask, too! With shea butter and bolage oil, this mask is a heavy hitter. I wouldn’t be able to use this regularly on my fine hair at home, but it tames dry and frizzy hair in a pinch on the road. I only use it on the bottom 6-8 inches on my hair to avoid any grease.
Why I Swap
At over 6oz, all of the Kerastase hair mask products are too big to pack in a carry on. It’s actually pretty hard out there to find travel sized hair masks, but after a bit of research I found this one and it has been a game changer on the road, when my hair is put through the ringer.
HOME: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream ($34)
When your massage therapist compliments how hydrated your skin is, you know you’re doing something right. I’ve been using this ultra repair cream for years – it is one of the hallmark products from the team at First Aid Beauty, and if the fact that I go through two tubs of this a month is certainly a testament to that.
TRAVEL: Lano Everywhere Multi-Cream ($17)
If you haven’t had a chance to try Lano products, you’re missing out. Their products use medical grade lanolin. If you aren’t familiar, lanolin is a unique, 100% natural wax found on sheep’s wool, and is a moisture reservoir, holding up to 400% of its weight in moisture.
Why I Swap
Here’s the thing with moisturizer: it is one of the most important things that I pack on a flight. This Lano tube is 2.87oz, making it travel friendly. And, when the label says “everywhere”, it means it. I can use it it on my lips, face, hands, and anywhere else. The best part? It soaks in right away, so I can lather it on while running out of my hotel room to drinks or a photo shoot. Win!
After all of this swapping, I’m usually lucky if I remember my toothpaste (we’ve all been there), but at the end of the day, if I can keep these products straight, I’d like to think the trip will go slightly smoother.
Venture travelist 