Beauty Essentials to Bring on Vacation

It’s officially travel season, which means it’s time to give in to your wanderlust urges and satisfy your #Instatravel envy. Over Memorial Day weekend I visited Montreal for the first time (stay tuned for the guide!) and put my packing hacks to the test. I literally didn’t pack until the morning of.  And though I’m a strong believer in packing lightly, there’s one thing I won’t compromise on – bringing my favorite skincare/haircare/makeup products with me wherever I go. Unlike clothes, shoes, and accessories, your cleanser and moisturizer can’t be replaced by just any product at an apotheke (unless, of course, you’re visiting France). Skincare is serious business! That’s why I put together this roundup of beauty essentials to pack for your next vacation.

Hydrate: It’s easy to get dehydrated when exploring foreign streets for 12 hours (or more). So, in addition to copious amounts of water, moisturizing during the day and night is a must.

Murad Essential-C moisturizer* for brighter skin all-day moisture; Murad hydrating toner* for refreshing skin during dry or humid days; Boscia Tsubaki Oil to hydrate and replenish skin while you sleep.

Protect: Sunscreen is probably the most important thing to wear when on vacation to protect your skin from UV rays. If your BB cream and moisturizer contain SPF – great. However, if you’ll be at the beach or directly in the sun you’ll want to use additional sunscreen.

Murad Invisiblur* primer to smooth and protect skin under makeup; Supergoop Everyday Sunscreen that won’t flake or leave white residue (it’s also water-resistant!); CoTZ Flawless Complexion sunscreen that has a natural tint that blends well with makeup.

Cleansing essentials: Never ever go to sleep without removing your makeup! No matter how tired you are from partying or sightseeing, you owe it to yourself to care for your skin at the end of the day. Here are some of my favorite products for removing eye/face makeup, including the Liz Earle cleanser which I recently brought along to Montreal.

My favorite cleanser ever by Liz Earle that cleanses, smooths, and polishes skin without stripping it of essential oils; Murad clarifying towelettes* to keep in your purse to wipe off any under eye smudge; Cailyn makeup remover balm to gently melt away waterproof makeup without irritating lashes or skin.

Emergency essentials: I tend to break out at the most inopportune times, including when I travel, which is why I bring tea tree oil with me where I go. I also keep concealer in my bag for covering up blemishes, and this one by Miracle Skin actually helps diminish them.

Miracle Skin Transformer concealer to camouflage under eye circles and blemishes, while treating them; tea tree oil to zap pesky zits; Dr. Dennis Gross Ferulic Acid + Retinol Brightening Solution to reverse dark spots and smooth fine lines overnight, while preventing future sun damage.

Hair care essentials: I keep hair products at a minimum when I travel (probably not a good thing) but I always make sure to bring dry shampoo to refresh my blowouts. Oribe’s anti-humidity spray is also a necessity if I’m going anywhere rainy or humid.

Macadamia cleansing conditioner that doubles as a shampoo without the sulfates; Oribe anti-humidity spray to combat frizz – even in Miami; Klorane dry shampoo to refresh your blowout while you’re on vacation.

Of course, this list isn’t comprehensive, I also pack tons of makeup, but I’ll save that for a future post. Let me know in the comments what beauty products you pack when traveling.

*Sponsored.

**This post contains affiliate links.