Travel Skincare Survival Guide – A Girl On The Go

It’s been busy lately, and I’ve been traveling more than usual for work and personal reasons. The one thing I hate about traveling is not having access to my bathroom and full array of products at home. Over the years I’ve developed a few habits for travel skincare to keep me looking fresh while on the road.

Travel Sizes Are A Must

I know—I used to get irritated knowing that I’m paying more money per ounce for smaller products. I’ve learned to love the 3 oz. traveling rule though, because it cuts down on the weight and size of my luggage. I use travel as a great opportunity to take advantage of Value Sets or Gifts with Purchases. For those of you who travel a lot, you’ll notice Duty Free Stores at airports love bundling products together in an exclusive “Travel Kit.” I stocked up on Vichy products in Asia this time around knowing that I’ll use all of these products and the sizes come in convenient when traveling. The Vichy Ideal White kit below comes with the following for NT$1,180 which is about $36 USD. Not bad when you consider the Vichy ProEven Overnight Dark Spot Concentrate is $48 USD.

I use travel as a great opportunity to take advantage of Value Sets or Gifts with Purchases…knowing that I’ll use all of these products and the sizes come in convenient when traveling.”

Samples Come In Handy

Smart brands always make sample sizes of their best selling items because this is a method that is known to drive sales of full sized products.  This is especially true for newer brands or brands who have launched new products. In order to generate buzz and excitement, they will allocate budget for samples. Skincare is a category that always invests in samples, because they know it’s a riskier investment for the consumer.

If you’re undecided at the beauty counter, or in Sephora, you can always say, “This is interesting, I’d love to try a sample before I commit.” If you order online with Sephora, they give you three samples with any purchase.  If you are trying something new and are considering it to bring with you on a trip, I recommend trying a little bit at home first, just to make sure you don’t have a negative reaction. There’s nothing worse than traveling with irritated skin!

Here’s my samples box that I keep at home—as you can see, it ranges from hair to skincare to beauty. I always dig through this box before traveling to take something with me.

Multi-Taskers Save Space and Weight

When I travel, I bring tinted moisturizers or cushion compacts because it eliminates the need to pack a sunscreen, foundation, and primer. NARS “The Multiple” is a great item to have on hand because you can use it for blush or on your lips. Aquaphor is a fantastic thing to bring because it’s a lip balm and alleviates dry spots in an instant. Plus, if you apply it first before you put on lipstick, it gives your lips a nice sheen so you can leave your lip gloss at home.

Here’s a breakdown of the skincare I brought with me to a business trip to Philadelphia. Everything is 3 oz. or less and fit nicely into my travel bag, also pictured below.

Skincare is a category that always invests in samples, because they know it’s a riskier investment for the consumer.”

Use Travel-Friendly Forms

Some liquids and oils are notoriously difficult to travel with. Not only are they heavy, you run into the risk of leaking. This is why I recommend wipes and powder cleansers when you are on the go. Not only do you reduce the risk of spilling, it’s also lighter. Gels and balms are another good option, just be careful if you’re going somewhere warm because they do tend to melt in high temperatures. Nude Skincare and Tatcha both make cleansing powders that are worth checking out if you have an upcoming trip and don’t want to deal with liquids and other higher maintenance forms.

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Tatcha

Laura Mercier

Avène Rich Compensating Cream

Aquaphor