Travel Skincare Tips + Skincare Packing Checklist

Darlings, working as a makeup artist all over the world has taught me a thing or two about packing. I’ve curated my skincare packing checklist to help everyone, everywhere curate a portable and powerful skincare routine that’s easy to travel with.

Whether you’re travelling near or far and by plane, train, or automobile, it’s important to bring supercharged skincare along for the journey that will keep your skin feeling hydrated and glowing from day to night.

Discover my tips and tricks for skincare packing and tick off your checklist to make sure you’re travelling equipped with all the skincare you need to prep, protect, and perfect the look of your skin while you’re away.

Travel Skincare Tips: How Should I Pack Skincare?

Darlings, when packing your skincare, there are a few magic rules that I live by:

Magic Tip #1: Pack travel-sized skincare products

Reaching for travel-sized versions of your go-to skincare products will allow you to travel with your favourite formulas while saving space in your luggage. Travel-sized options are lighter to travel with and are conveniently sized to slot into your wash bag; by choosing smaller, travel-friendly skincare, you can pack lighter or make room for more beauty essentials.

Shop travel-sized beauty

Magic Tip #2: Consider the duration of your trip

Before you pack your bag, consider how long you will be travelling for as this will inform how much skincare you really need to take with you. I know you love skincare darlings, but on a three-day weekend break you don’t need to pack full-sized serums, face masks and moisturisers. On the other hand, if you’ll be travelling for weeks or months, you might want a larger size of your favourite formulas, as well as more variety in your skincare kit to allow for a pamper night or two. For shorter trips, my advice is to pare back your skincare edit to your ultimate favourites and daily essentials, and for longer trips, I recommend packing full-sized favourites or multiple travel-sized options to give you choice and the right quantity to maintain your routine.

Magic Tip #3: Separate your skincare from your makeup

Having a wash bag dedicated to your supercharged skincare routine makes all of your skincare products easy to find and avoids unnecessary clutter. Choose an accordion-style cosmetic bag with different compartments to help organise your products.

Discover how to organise your skincare and makeup

Magic Tip #4: Make sure all lids are secure

Travelling with skincare products always poses the risk of spills, so it’s important to secure the lids on each of your favourites before packing them into your bag. After every use, make sure lids are air-tight to help avoid any spillages, and pay particular attention before travelling to and from your destination to help prevent any accidents in transit.

Magic Tip #5: Decant into lightweight bottles

If you want to bring your favourite serum on your travels and the bottle is already half empty, I suggest decanting the formula into a smaller, lightweight container that’s designed for travel. Working as a makeup artist, I’m constantly scooping, scraping, and pouring different products into new containers – it’s an easy way to use up the last little bits of a product without carrying its packaging around. I suggest doing this for any products that you think you’ll only require a small amount of while you’re away, or products that are running low and are almost used up.

Magic Tip #6: Streamline your skincare routine

It’s always best to pack light, darlings, and streamlining your skincare routine will help to save space in your luggage. When packing your skincare, reach for the essentials first such as a purifying cleanser, gentle toner, hydrating moisturiser and a high-factor sunscreen to form the core of your routine. Then, you can add any additional products that you’ll want to reach for on your trip such as concern-targeting serums, energising eye cream and refreshing face mist.

Magic Tip #7: Choose tried-and-tested formulas

Your next trip isn’t the time to start experimenting with skincare – it’s always best to travel with tried-and-tested formulas that work for your skin and won’t cause irritation or a reaction. Travel with your go-to skincare products that suit your skin type and leave your skin feeling hydrated and perfectly primed.

Magic Tip #8: Wear sunscreen even on travel days

Sunscreen is an unmissable step in your skincare routine, darlings. Whether you’re travelling somewhere hot or ice cold, it’s always essential to apply a high-factor SPF that helps to shield the skin from sun damage. You should be wearing sunscreen every day – even on a long-haul flight or train journey – in order to give your skin vital protection from harmful UV rays.

Learn more about SPF

Can I Bring Skincare Products on the Plane?

You can take skincare products onto the plane with you, but they must comply with TSA regulations. Some airports and airlines require liquid and cream products such as moisturisers, mists and serums to be below 100ml or 3.4 ounces and sealed in a see-through, ziplock bag to board the plane. If you are travelling with a carry-on bag, you’ll need to make sure that all your skincare essentials are cabin friendly - be sure to check before packing to ensure you’re complying to the rules and regulations when flying!

Discover my inflight skincare essentials