Travel Skincare: packing and an in-flight routine

Whether it’s a long trip or a quick break, here is a packing guide to everything I bring and why.

Packing Guide: Skincare

I try and keep things minimal (and mini) when it comes to skincare. My skin is often more sensitive when traveling so quick, soothing fixes are top of my packing list.

Let’s cover the basics first and then I’ll talk you through the essential extras (including some non-beauty bits that might just save your holiday… #mozzies).

• A mini micellar water to remove eye makeup (and/or for use as a first cleanse at night). I’ve tried and tested many over the years and I always come back to Garnier. It’s effective, gentle, affordable and it doesn’t take up too much space.
• A gentle balm or oil cleanser to cleanse my skin and keep my skin barrier balanced and happy. I’m most partial to a mini cleansing balm from Elemis or Clinique for this, and a mini cream/gel cleanser from CeraVe.
• Exfoliating Daily Peel Pads from Dr. Dennis Gross. I usually bring two or three of these when I travel. They’re feather light and quick and easy to use.
• An antioxidant serum. Usually a mini of Sunday Riley 15% Vitamin C Serum or a mini of SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic (difficult to get online, I get hold of them in value sets or sometimes as samples from skin clinics that stock the brand).
• A moisturiser that’s also a barrier repair cream. My go-to is Dr Jart Ceramidin (there’s some great mini travel sets of this range here – it includes the sheet mask that I’m going to rave about shortly). I also like Embryolisse Lait Creme mini and Biossance Squalane Omega Cream (I can only find it in mini format as part of this set).
• Sunscreen. My favourites are Supergoop! Every Single Face (not officially travel size, but still compact), CeraVe SPF50 Lotion and Skinceuticals Advanced UV Brightening. I also bring a mist in my handbag for top ups throughout the day. Either Sculpted by Aimee SPF50 Sun Mist or Ultrasun SPF50 Mist.

Packing Guide: Essential Extras

• This sheet mask from Dr. Jart comes with me every time I travel. If I can’t get my hands on it for whatever reason then I go for this one instead. Sheet mask are brilliant for tired, puffy, irritated or sun-blasted skin. I use them when I arrive and then as and when I need them.
• I bring several pairs of eye gels and put them in the fridge as soon as I arrive. Again, brilliant for depuffing and hydrating a worn out under-eye area (or for prepping the eye area before a full face of makeup). My go-to is generally Patchology Illuminating Eye Gels. They have a great set with a couple of different versions of their eye gels here.
• A mini face mist (usually from Avene). I use before serums and sheet masks to increase absorption, over makeup to freshen up, and any time my skin needs cooling and rejuvenating. The mini sizes are brilliant for flinging in your handbag too.
• Mosquito bracelets. Maybe the most important thing on this list if you’re going to a hot climate! We wore these in Greece last year and left without a bite between us, which is highly unusual. I wore them as bracelets and as hair ties and the boys wore them on their ankles. We also used this mozzie repellent plug in the bedrooms.
• Instant Stain Remover Pen from Tide. Again, not beauty related, but honestly a must have in your suitcase, especially if you a) have kids and b) wear a lot of white t-shirts like me.

Haircare and Bodycare

Hair and body products are limited to the bare essentials and where possible, always travel size.

• The last two trips I went on I brought this clever set from Sam McKnight. Dry shampoo, texture spray and a lightweight balm to tame and style. So many boxes ticked.
• And I really like Living Proof Perfect Day Hair range, so I usually bring a mini shampoo and conditioner from them.
• When I’m really on the ball I try to remember to bring this powder SPF50 from Supergoop! I dust over the hairline to protect my scalp from the sun (it soaks up oil too).
• And for bodycare, it’s nearly always a travel size pot of Sol De Janeiro Bum Bum Cream.

Packing Guide: Makeup

Makeup is probably where I’m most minimal when traveling. There are so many great products on the market now that do several things, helping to clear the clutter from your case.

• My go-to base (and the perfect size for travel) is Sculpted by Aimee HydraTint. Brilliant for day, night, sweaty or cold climates.
• The only mascara, corrector and concealer I ever bring, this bronzing stick that also doubles up as eyeshadow, this lip balm/lipstick hybrid (my favourite shade is Rose), this cream blush (in the shade Hope), and at least one of these cream eyeshadow pots (my go-to shade is Rose Gold).
• I always bring a mini tube of Sculpted by Aimee Body Base. It’s quick and easy to use, doesn’t transfer to clothes and you can also mix a drop or two with foundation to bronze up the face. Genius.

• I generally try to only bring double-ended brushes, so it’s usually this one for foundation and concealer, this one for bronzer and blush, and this one for eyeshadow.
•  I like this small makeup brush case too. I’ve used it so many times now I’ve lost count. It’s wipe clean, has a magnetic closure and holds approx. 6-8 brushes. I also like this much larger version for when I want to bring more brushes than usual.
• And this silicone sponge case for my Beauty Blender. It keeps the sponge clean and separate from all your makeup. No smudging all over products and on your makeup bag – and the same version for powder puffs, both round and triangular.

What I Put Everything In

I have a collection of travel bags that I use again and again. I switch them up based on how long the trip is and how many products I can bring.

• For quick nights away or short weekend trips, my go-to is this all-in-one cosmetic bag from Amazon. It keeps everything compartmentalized when open and closed; skincare on one side, makeup on the other, with storage pockets and the sides and in the centre – and it’s wipe clean.
• For longer trips or for when I want to bring several smaller bags with more products; e.g one for haircare, one for makeup, one for skincare, my go-to is Sculpted by Aimee travel bags. There’s different versions, but I use this larger square one the most, and this smaller one for carry on (you can see both of them in use in the image above).
• I also really like this sturdy double travel bag from Cult Beauty.

Bonus Packing Guide: Saving Your Skin In-Flight

If you’re flying long-haul (or four hours or more) and you don’t want to look like a dehydrated prune when you arrive, try my tried-and-tested method for keeping your skin plump and hydrated at all times.

• Get on the plane with clean, makeup-free skin. If you can’t, this is the only time I condone use of face wipes! 🙂 Use ones that are gentle as possible.
• After this, dampen your skin with a hydrating mist (like the mini one I mentioned from Avene) and then apply a hydrating serum. My preference in-flight is always Polyglutamic Acid from The Inkey List. It holds more moisture than Hyaluronic Acid and it weighs practically nothing.
• Immediately after this, apply a thick layer of a barrier repairing cream. Use something like Avene Hydrance Cream or Dr Jart Ceramidin Cream. No light, water-based creams. We need moisture and lots of it.
• Repeat this process every four hours (without the face wipes part). Do not remove what’s already on the skin.
• If you like, you can use a sheet mask after the face wipes and before the other products to get things going. Just be sure to leave it on no longer than 15-20 mins as it can inadvertently further dehydrate your skin.
• And speaking of dehydration, never, I repeat – NEVER, mist your skin and then doing nothing else. In a dry environment like an airplane, water molecules that are not immediately locked in with moisturiser will evaporate, taking any existing moisture on the skin’s surface with it. So, mist, hydrate, moisturise, and repeat 🙂

I hope this packing guide is useful. For more skincare guides click here.