So much has happened in the world in the last couple of years that traveling nowadays has not been easy. There is the fear of getting to your destination, the anxiety of how to travel and the stress of what to pack, just to name a few. All well-founded and reasonable worries nonetheless, but worries that should not stand in the path of your next adventure. The biggest favor you can do yourself, is to prepare ahead. It sounds intuitive, yet it can easily be overlooked.
I’ve left the days of last-minute packing far behind me and always aim to plan what I need in advance. It’s one less thing to worry about. It doesn’t mean things will run smoothly without a hitch, as that never seems to be the way I roll, especially nowadays when traveling with a toddler in tow, but it eliminates the stress of not having certain necessities readily available. I typically start packing a few days before my trip to ensure I have all of my travel necessities and don’t have to worry about overlooking or leaving any ‘can’t live without’-type products behind. I’ve made myself a list of travel beauty essentials that I like to bring with me and thought it was a good idea to share it with you all.
Lip Balm
To be honest, I have several lip balms on me and with me at all times, not just when traveling. Loyal readers are already familiar with my lipstick addiction, which is why it’s always important to me that my lips are well nourished and hydrated, especially when traveling. I have my M-61 SuperSoothe Lip Balm from Bluemercury that I like to take everywhere, as it does an excellent job protecting, nourishing and keeping my lips moisturized. It’s formulated with shea butter, vitamin E, seaweed, aloe, golden berry and pomegranate. I like that it’s paraben-free, synthetic fragrance-free, dermatologist and allergy tested. If the skin on my lips feels particularly dry, I apply a couple of layers onto my lips for ultimate moisture. I also like that it comes in a tube making it the perfect travel companion.
Hand Cream
This is another key item that follows me everywhere and one of the first items to be popped into my travel bag. Whether I’m going on a quick weekend getaway or flying across the ocean, it is important to have a moisturizing hand cream without parabens and other harmful chemicals and that hydrates and nourishes my skin and nails. The best hand creams I’ve tried thus far, hands down (and pun intended), have been by L’Occitane. I’ve previously raved about their Lavender hand cream here. They have a light texture and a formula enriched with essential oils to nourish and moisturize without leaving a greasy residue. The scents are all pleasant and relaxing and you can’t help but feel yourself ease up every time you use these hand creams.
Face Mask
When it comes to taking care of my skin while traveling, a face mask is an essential part of my skincare routine. While regular cleansing removes surface dirt and grime, only a facial mask will wipe off dead skin cells and draw out impurities from beneath the top layers of the skin, thus unclogging pores. The Antipodes Manuka Honey Mask is an old favorite of mine and generally my preferred travel companion. There are so many things I like about this mask! The formula is enriched with natural antibacterial Manuka honey and it’s meant to deeply moisturize, cleanse and provide antioxidants to the skin. I like the packaging as it’s comes in an easy to use, sanitary tube. I like the consistency as it doesn’t dry on your face and it’s very easy to remove without tugging the skin. The scent is pleasant, fresh and clean. I apply a thin layer all over my face, avoiding the eye area, and leave on for 15 minutes. After that my skin feels soft, plump and hydrated. This mask is also said to bring balance to your aura, meaning you are tending to your skin, as well as to your spiritual needs. I love that. The mask is suitable for all skin types and definitely a fool-proof one for blemish-prone skin.
Facial Mist
I like to use a facial mist throughout the day when traveling and the one I always end up reaching for is the Caudalie Beauty Elixir, a product I’ve used for years and mentioned before here. It is incredibly luxurious and spa-like, formulated with rosemary, mint, grape extracts, rose essential oils and free of parabens. It completely lifts the skin from a sallow state to a refreshed and reinvigorated one. The scent is a little strong, but I find it very fresh, herbal and natural. It almost leaves a balmy residue behind which makes the skin feel hydrated and moisturized.
Miscellaneous Supplies
This category includes cotton balls/pads, qtips, hair ties, nail file. Not very glamorous in nature, but necessary in the beauty process. You just don’t know when you might need one of these.
I’d love to know your travel beauty essentials! Please do let me know in the comments down below.
Safe travels!
Great post Cat,your blog is amazing.
Thank you so much, Edra! I really appreciate it! ~ Cat L.
I hope you have a great time in Europe, Cat! Love all these essentials. I need to try the Antipodes mask, I haven’t tried anything from the brand before actually but have heard so much about it. They have an exfoliator that I have my eye on! I might be in the minority but I actually do not like the Caudalie mist, I thought I would but it ended up irritating my skin quite a lot–such a shame! I do like Caudalie as a brand though! I want to try their Grape Water. Can’t wait to hear about your trip once you get back and see your pics 🙂
xoxo
http://www.hellohimawari.com
Hi Mika, thank you so much for stopping by. I am a big fan of your blog http://www.hellohimawari.com so your feedback is greatly appreciated. I have heard similar opinions on the Caudalie mist. I’ve used it for years, ever since I read that Victoria Beckham credits this mist for her glowy skin. However, it does have a very strong scent and it also has sodium benzoate which can be an irritant. Definitely listen to your skin. Rosalena has a mist that I’ve had my eyes on and will probably order around the holidays. It’s supposed to be very natural in formulation and gentle. I’ll keep you posted. As far as the Antipodes Manuka Honey Mask, I strongly recommend it. I actually prefer it over my Caudalie Detox Mask. It can be difficult to get Antipodes here in the States, but Amazon sometimes carries it. Will be catching up with your blog this weekend. Looking forward to it. ~ Cat L.
Awesome post!!! I usually pack alot of beauty minis that I get and save for traveling. A good moisturizer, sunscreen, and plenty of little foundation samples!! Thank you for sharing!!!???
Hi Laura, thank you for stopping by. So true about the minis, they are travel essentials. I opted for some full size products as my trip was 15 days and figured a bunch of minis would end up taking too much space! But I’m all about the minis when it comes to shorter trips! ~ Cat L.
Hey Cat
I hope you are having a great time on your Jollies, I swear by Omorovicza Queen of hungry mist, Elizabeth Arden eight hour cream, Whamisa mask sheets, plain Manuka honey & Obagi Physical SPF 50.
I love everything you have lined up here and if I didn’t have this list above these would be great alternatives. I hope you will do a feature on your your holiday if only in pictures. Have a Fab time and a good rest ?
Esnath, thank you so much for stopping by and for your wonderful recommendations. I devour your blog http://www.prettypeachblossom.com so you know I’ll be buying all these wonderful products you mentioned in your comment. I’m already a fan of the Omorovicza mist so I’m sure I’ll love the others as well. Now off to catch up with your blog! ~ Cat L.
Hi Cat! I was thinking “YESSS!!” the whole time I was reading this. You are right that there is fear and anxiety about getting to your destination and dealing with anything that could pop up at any given time when you’re traveling with little ones! I am already sweaty for you thinking about it! LOL. But, I love the hydration products you are traveling with. I am familiar with all except your lip balm and I’ve seen the antipodes product all over the place. It looks so delicious and helpful that it’s in a travel friendly tube! Have a wonderful trip and can’t wait to hear back about your adventures! xoxo
Hi Kate, thank you for reading and commenting. I subscribe to your blog http://www.makeupbrew.com (just finished reading your article on Self Worth) so your feedback means more than you know. Turned out that traveling with my soon to be 2 year old was not as bad as I envisioned and for the first time I really appreciated that what I envisioned didn’t materialize. 🙂 As far as the Antipodes Manuka Honey Mask, I strongly recommend it. Your skin will love it for all the reasons stated above. The lip balm is from a new natural skincare line called M-61 and available at Bluemercury. I’ve tried a few products from this line already (the lip balm, the face scrub and the eye cream) and really have enjoyed everything. Definitely check them out if you get a chance. ~ Cat L.
Hi Cat, love your blog and Instagram. What is your favorite eye cream? Would you recommend investing in La Mer?
Hi Joanna, Thank you so much! Your kind words mean more than you know! I really appreciate it! As far as eye creams, it can be tough finding something that addresses the concerns we each have. For me, my troubles relate to fine lines, dark circles and crows feet. The two eye creams that I’ve used for years and I seem to constantly return to are the Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado, which I use during the day, and the La Mer Eye Concentrate, which I use at night. I mentioned these in my Daytime and Nighttime Skincare Routine posts here on the blog. The Kiehl’s one is not advertised as being anti-aging, but I find that it works wonders hydrating the undereyes and thus keeping fine lines at bay. The La Mer Eye Concentrate (I’ve also tried the La Mer Eye Balm but didn’t find it as moisturizing) is pricey and has mixed reviews, but for me it seems to work really well to the point where I notice a difference (in the form of fine lines and crows feet that are more visible or concealer that cakes up and settles in my fine lines) when I don’t use it. Given that the La Mer Eye Concentrate is pricey and has mixed reviews, I would recommend getting a few samples (one is never enough) to see how it agrees with your skin. Hope this helps and don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any other questions. Thank you again for reading my blog! ~ Cat L
Great Post Cat! I have dry hands so while traveling I always make sure I have my soap and glory hand food handy. Although I do love most of the Loccitane hand cremes, which i treat myself to once in a while , but don’t use as sparingly as the Soap and glory hand food. Love the post Cat!
Thank you for reading my post and so glad you enjoyed it! Yes, hand cream is definitely a necessity, hands down and pun intended 🙂 ~ Cat L.