Have you ever wondered what world travelers pack in their toiletry bags? I asked my fellow female travel bloggers to share their secrets on staying clean, fresh, and picture ready while jet setting around the globe.
What’s In My Toiletry Bag:
Barbara of Jet Settera
- Small shampoo and conditioner
- shower gel
- toothpaste and toothbrush
- deodorant
- small aloe vera for bug bites or sunburn
- sunscreen
- mosquito repellent
- tweezers
- small lotion
- mascara, eyeliner, blush and lipgloass
- hairbrush
- a few hydrating sheet masks.
Patti of The Savvy Globetrotter
I may be a minimalist when it comes to beauty products but I do have some trusty must-haves that always travel with me.
- Lip balms- Yes, plural. I like to have one regular and one with SPF protection. Although technically a men’s brand, I swear by Jack Black with shea butter.
- Klorane dry shampoo– Great for avoiding “greasies” on long travel days. I opt for the non-aerosol version.
- Lotion- The air in planes is very drying so I always stash a small tube of lotion in my carry-on bag.
- Sunscreen- Always a must when traveling to sunny destinations but I do skip it (and opt for regular face lotion with SPF) if sun exposure is not an issue. I like Blue Lizard since the cap changes colors to indicate UV rays.
- Oil of Olay face lotion– An everyday moisturizer with SPF that I use at home or while traveling when I don’t need proper sunscreen.
Mar of Once in a Lifetime Journey
LC of Birdgehls
- I’ve replaced disposable razors with a reusable Merkur razor, that I love to bits.
- I brush my hair and teeth with [easyazon_link identifier="B014TK6AUK" locale="US" tag="maro0a-20"]brushes made out of bamboo,[/easyazon_link] which can be composted once they’ve served their purpose.
- I don’t wear much make-up, but when I do, I try to avoid buying products packaged in plastic.
- I love the entire RMS Beauty range and Ilia lipsticks (more colors) in particular.
- I’ve made my own perfume and toner in the past, using rose petals – I soak the petals for six weeks in vodka for the perfume and boil them in water for toner. I smell pretty good as a consequence, if I don’t say so myself!
Allison of Eternal Arrival
My travel toiletries are fairly simple as I’m a carry-on only traveler.
For skin care, I use;
- a mini-bottle of Origins Checks & Balances facewash and organic tamanu oil as a moisturizer.
- I use a physical SPF 50 with zinc oxide since it breaks me out a lot less than the chemical formulations.
- I also have mini hydrocolloid bandages for healing pimples – I love Nexcare’s verison.
For makeup, I swear by the following: Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer, also with SPF, Make Up For Ever concealer, Smashbox mascara, and NARS blush. I tend to carry around a few small lipsticks and eye pencils though I rarely use them.
For other toiletries, I buy a simple body wash wherever I am once I land – I don’t have a strong enough alliance to any one body wash to bother transporting it.
- I swear by LUSH solid shampoo – I love their Seanik – and their dry shampoo, No Drought, to go between washings.
- I also carry a Neutrogena sunscreen stick (love my SPF),
- Secret Clinical Strength deodorant (I am a sweaty, sweaty person)
- Venus razors
- I carry a wide-toothed comb as my hair is straight and easy to take care of.
- A small travel towel since I stay mostly in hostels.
And that’s really it!
Hannah of Getting Stamped
I am a girly girl there is no other way to say it…I am that girl who has a hairdryer on the safari packing list I can’t imagine looking back at my travel photos 20 years from now and regretting always having my hair undone. I don’t do my hair & makeup every day but make sure to look good on epic travel days.
Currently in my toiletry bag is: conditioner, shampoo, makeup remover facial whips, daily face moisturizer, night moisturizer, Clinque face wash (buy this brand because I can get it world wide in airport duty free shops), razors, hair detangling spray, and heat protection spray.
My makeup is all MAC as it’s my preferred brand and like my face wash I can easily pickup more at airport shops, as I don’t like to switch brands. Makeup bag: 2 mascaras, foundation, bronzer, concealer, 6 eyeshadows, blush, mineralizer finish, and 4 makeup brushes. Oh and you can’t forget my hair dryer & hair straightener.
Steph of Every Steph
I tend to be somewhat of a light packer, traveling only with a small backpack or carry on, but if there’s something I can’t compromise on, it’s my toiletries.
I bring everything I might need, and probably exaggerate.
Anyway, this is what you can find in my bag:
- a folding toothbrushand a mini-size toothpaste (I have a thing for miniatures!)
- a brush
- a mini deodorant
- a hand sanitizer gel
- a mini dry shampoo for those travel days where I need to skip a shampoo.
- I usually use refillable bottles to carry my favourite shampoo and shower gel, plus I carry an intimate soap and feminine cleansing wipes.
- Make-up remover wipes and a mini facial wash gel take care of my skin while traveling.
- I also carry a small bottle of Moroccan oil which makes my hair super shiny and hydrated.
Then, I carry a small separate bag for my make-up. I don’t use lots of make-up during the day, but I like to get prettied up when I go out at night. Typical things I bring are a BB cream (lighter than foundation), a lipstick, blush, an eyeliner and mascara. A hair straightener, on shorter trips only, completes the picture.
Chloe of Honeymoon Always
Reaching into your toiletry bag and finding you’ve left your favorite lipstick behind or lost your pair of handy nail clippers can completely throw off your rhythm when traveling. Whether it’s an epic cross-country road trip or a romantic weekend at an exotic all inclusive resort, there are a few toiletry bag essentials that go with me wherever the deliciously tempting wanderlust may pull me.
The list below details what my toiletry bag is filled with:
● Reusable bottles filled with shampoo, conditioner and body wash
● Face Wipes or Baby Wipes
● Deodorant
● Foldable Brush
● Feminine Hygiene Products
● Toothbrush and cap
● Toothpaste
● Floss
● Tweezers
● Q-tips
● Nail Clippers
● Make Up staples (concealer, mascara, eye-liner, lipstick and eyeshadow)
● Sunscreen
● Lip Balm
● Small bottle of lotion
● Tide to Go pen
Trisha of P.S. I’m On My Way
Vicki of Make Time To See The World
I’m not someone who travels with lots of make-up – a black mascara and an eyeliner pen for special occasions is about my limit, and besides the usual shampoo, conditioner and wet wipes, I simply cannot travel without Dry Shampoo. It’s a lifesaver!
Perfect for refreshing and revitalizing hair and giving yourself a boost when shower options are limited/restricted. Although there are expensive brands out there, I buy GirlzOnly Dry Shampoo at less than $3 a can! It’s such a bargain and I never travel without it!
What about me? Amanda of MarocMama
I used to travel with almost nothing in my makeup bag, however as I get older I’m becoming more attuned to what I need to have on hand. I went from a tiny bag with a few items to a much larger bag that stores everything I could want. However, I always keep whatever is in this bag to carry-on safe size. I transfer enough to a set of travel size container for the trip. It’s taken me 30+ years to figure out this makeup/face/hair care thing. I am not ashamed to admit that! Here’s what’s in my bag;
- Tarte BB cream with sunscreen
- Clinique face moisturizer
- Urban Decay Naked 2 palette – it’s small and travels easily
- Smashbox contouring palette
- Becca Skin Highlighter
- Smashbox always sharpened eyeliner
- IT cosmetics concealer
- makeup wipes
- mascara
- NYX lipstain
- LUSH solid shampoo
- Davines Love conditioner (I LOVE this!)
- PURA D&'OR Organic Moroccan Argan Oil
$14.99$12.99We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.10/06/2024 06:30 pm GMT - Secret clinical strength deodorant
- toothbrush and toothpaste.
Now that you know what to pack, find a toiletry bag that fits your style. Here are a few of my current favorites:
The Baggallini line carries everything from a bright, fun travel trio organizer to a compact cosmetic case and I love the trendy look and storage space offered by Dakine Prima’s toiletry tote. For those who want simple and basic, you can’t beat the Victorinox overnight kit.
Hannah Lukaszewicz
Friday 17th of February 2017
Great to hear I am not the only traveler with a ton in her makeup bag!