I’m not a traveler.
It *might* be because my favorite place to be is at home in my bed with soft clothes on. When I have to travel, though, I would never, ever leave my house for any length of time without my beauty products in tow.
I’ve been known to over-pack (Sorry, Dad, for all those times you had to re-pack the car to fit three bags.) but as I’ve become older and wiser, I’ve learned to plan ahead.
GIA MAZUR / STAFF PHOTO
Here’s a few tips when packing skin care, makeup and more for your next getaway.
Only take the basics
The essential skin care routine includes cleansing, moisturizing and sunscreen. If you can fit a cleanser, a moisturizer and a sunscreen in a small makeup bag, you’re skin care routine will be set — especially if you’re only traveling for a few days. As far as makeup, take concealer as close to your skin tone as possible (don’t bring a brightening one), a lipstick (I always prefer a mauve/pinky-nude) and mini Vaseline. You can mix concealer with moisturizer to create tinted moisturizer, and lipstick with Vaseline for an instant cream blush and eyeshadow.
Go multi-use wherever you can
You’ll never go wrong with an all-in-one kind of product. IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream is a full-coverage, color-correcting, hydrating formula that also includes SPF 50 and skin care ingredients like niacin, hyaluronic acid, peptides and antioxidants. Another brand, Wander Beauty, is literally made for people on the move and almost all of its products are multi-use including dual-ended On-The-Glow Blush and Illuminator and Dualist Matte and Illuminating Concealer. Full-face palettes such as Charlotte Tilbury Look of Love Palette or Flower Beauty Beauty Flash Full Face Palette provide everything you need for a look in one flat compact.
If you’re like me, you have millions of tiny packets, tubes and trial-size samples for everything from moisturizers and serums to shampoo and conditioner. Throw them in your bag and take them with you.
GIA MAZUR / STAFF PHOTO
There’s typically more than one use per packet of product but, after you rip it open, it’s bound to dry out. Here’s a little hack I picked up from Jackie Johnson of Natch Beaut podcast: Use asafety pin to poke a tiny hole in the packets and squeeze out the amount you need to get more than one use.
Don’t mess around with liquids.
I’ve had one-too-many spills and explosions inside of luggage to ever deal with it again. Save yourself the cleanup and soak cotton balls or rounds in products like eye-makeup remover, micellar water or even liquid exfoliator, and seal them in a plastic bag or container so they don’t dry out. Tons of brands also are making skin care, makeup and body care products in solid form. Try Milk Makeup Matcha Cleanser Stick, Milk Makeup Flex Foundation Stickand Lush Cosmetics’ Naked shampoos, conditioners and body lotions. These are not only mess-proof but also TSA-friendly.
Do you have any travel beauty tips? Let me know at gmazur@timesshamrock.com, @gmazurTT on Twitter or @miss.gia.m on Instagram.
Gia Mazur is an award-winning staff writer and beauty obsessive who joined The Times-Tribune’s Lifestyles department in 2015. She’s a product enthusiast who can’t live without an eyelash curler. A proud Virgo, Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk is her go-to. Contact: gmazur@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9127; @gmazurTT
