ELLE Editors Reveal the Travel Beauty Essentials They Always Bring On Vacation

Nothing lifts a mood quite like the promise of an impending trip on your calendar. However, the prep work leading up to boarding is pretty close to that feeling, from planning and collecting your beachside or sunset dinner outfits to meticulously crafting your itinerary. What’s even better is packing all the makeup, body care, and skin care products in your travel cosmetics bags.
ELLE editors are pros at shopping for the best travel beauty essentials to lug on our trips, so much so that we launched First Class Beauty, an exhaustive guide of the newest and buzziest items to take you through your summer and winter travel plans. Still, those guides don’t even begin to cover the gamut of the holy grail makeup, skincare, and fragrance we lug around for each adventure—some even in our day-to-day handbags. Many of us are loyal to a subtle musky base perfume oil, an illuminising makeup enhancer, and even a cute, compact sanitiser that leaves hands moisturised and can dispense up to 500 sprays. And because sunscreen is non-negotiable, we found a universally flattering formula that won’t embarrass you on your sunny excursions. Plus, several of these toiletries are housed in a cute travel pouch, and ELLE editors have been gatekeeping the best ones—until now. Why spend hours scrolling through thousands of pages when we produce a thoughtfully curated list of our editor-approved essentials? Ahead, find the eight best travel beauty essentials ELLE editors can’t live without.

Banana boat spf 50+ spray

"My travel must-have is sunscreen! I usually spend a lot of time in the sun and Banana Boat SPF 50+ spray for body and Neutrogena 70+ for my face. Also, the best piece of advice through music i've ever received is from, "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)" by Baz Luhrmann: Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '99 wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be that long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists."—Zoha Castelino, Fashion Director

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Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides Travel Sticks

“I stir these into hotel room coffee, or even coconut water if I’m poolside. It’s like a sneaky beauty supplement you actually want to take. My suitcase may be bursting at the seams, but I always find space for these sleek sachets. There’s no bulky tub, no messy scoops, and no excuses to skip my skin nutrition on the go. Travel throws your diet and skin rhythm completely off balance—this brings both back without compromising on your aesthetic. It’s self-care disguised as convenience, and my nails, hair, and gut health are better for it.”—Kannagi Desai, Beauty Editor

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 Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil Free Gel Cream 

I keep a handy beauty pouch that takes me from in-flight to holiday. It includes the Sohrai Face Wash that's gentle on the skin, the absolutely lightweight Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream and D'you unkissed sunscreen and Forest Essentials Som Rasa Silk Skin Tint Foundation that perfectly sets my face for the day.—Ismat Tahseen, Digital Editor 

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Mini Glowy Super Gel Lightweight Dewy Highlighter

“When I want to go makeup-free but still want my skin to look great, I smooth on Saie’s Glowy Super gel. I never travel without it.”—Alexis Bennett Parker, commerce content lead

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Travel Hair Dryer Brush Hair

“It’s so easy to get that straight-from-the-salon volume and bounce with a round brush. It especially comes in handy after long days at the beach or swimming in the pool.”—Alexis Bennett Parker, commerce content lead

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Daily Routine Capsule Set Cadence

“I can’t help but laugh whenever I travel with my friends, and we all line up our Cadence capsules along the bathroom sink. To be frank, these little colourful containers are pricey, but they’re also the best. I’ve used them to transport moisturiser, sunscreen, vitamins, and even jewellery, and the fact that they’re magnetic means you’ll never misplace one. They also make a perfect gift!”—Madison Feller, deputy editor 

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Supreme Screen Ultra Violette

“Australian sunscreen brand Ultra Violette has finally launched US-friendly versions of its famed formulas, which had those in the know smuggling bottles into the States from the land down under. Although Supreme Screen isn’t a carbon copy of the original, it’s still pretty darn great; the chemical sunscreen has the hydrating abilities of a moisturiser, the skin-prepping skills of a primer, and SPF 50 protection. I took it with me on a recent trip to Miami, and my skin came out unscathed.”—Carol Lee, associate beauty e-commerce writer

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SkincareThe Kit Joanna Czech

“I received this as a gift and immediately loved the puffer bag. I’m a sucker for a cute pouch because the bottom of my larger bags can be a maze to sort through, especially when travelling. I prefer to check my bags, which means my personal bag needs to have everything I need to get through short- and long-haul flights. This chic, puffy pouch houses all my knickknacks across two large zip compartments—perfect for my passport, cleansing wipes (also included in the Joanna Czech kit), lip balms, and more—and one smaller one where I keep any vitamins or first-aid essentials.”—Nerisha Penrose, beauty commerce editor

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Jet Lag Mask Summer Fridays 

“I hate how tired and dehydrated my skin looks after long flights. This mask is a lifesaver that wakes the skin up and infuses it with moisture.”—Alexis Bennett Parker, commerce content 

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Cabana See-All Set Paravel 

 

“I like keeping everything organized in my monogrammed Paravel cases.”—Alexis Bennett Parker, commerce content lead

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Base Perfume Oil Maya

“As you can imagine, I pack a lot into my liquid bag whenever I fly somewhere. There is no room for a large perfume bottle, which is a shame because I like to layer anywhere from three to four perfumes each morning. But when I have to consolidate, I choose Maya’s Base, a musk perfume with touches of amber, sandalwood, and lily petals. Because it’s a perfume oil, it lasts and projects well, and I know for a fact that I smell good when I wear it. Plus, it’s a tiny vial and takes up very little space.”—Carol Lee, associate beauty e-commerce writer

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Travel Size Mint Mouthwash Packets Go Essentials

“I keep these little packets in every purse to freshen up my breath after meals. Of course, they are also perfect for vacations, thanks to their TSA-friendly size.”—Alexis Bennett Parker, commerce content lead

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Terra Hanging Toiletry Bag Calpak

“I’m not sure how I used to travel without this hanging toiletry bag. It has so many compartments (potentially too many compartments?) that I find myself giddy while packing, dividing my products up into the most niche categories. It’s also cute, easy to clean, and fits my entire bathroom cabinet. I repeat: How did I used to travel without this?”—Madison Feller, deputy editor

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Glow Mist Hand Sanitizer - Rosewater Touchland

“When you’re travelling, you always need hand sanitiser, and mine is Touchland. The packaging makes a big difference—it’s absolutely leak-proof, so you won’t be dealing with spilt hand sanitiser all over your TSA-friendly liquids bag. The Glow Mist in Rosewater has a light floral scent (instead of a headache-inducing alcohol one) and goes an extra step further to add a subtle glow to your hands.”—Carol Lee, associate beauty e-commerce writer

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Anthelios Tinted Sunscreen SPF 40+La Roche-Posay

“Ironically, the regular version of this sunscreen is the main thing I stock up on when I'm shopping at a French pharmacy, so I was delighted to see a US equivalent that’s also tinted. When I squeezed a glob out, the colour was off-putting, to say the least. However, it blended seamlessly when I applied it all over my face and covered my dark spots. Tinted sunscreens are typically sheer, but this formula rivals my full-coverage foundations—and is just as long-lasting as them, too.”—Nerisha Penrose,  beauty commerce 

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Chronos Flat Iron Ghd

“Say it with me: universal voltage. I like that I can bring this straightener anywhere in the world and know it will work without blowing a fuse.”—Katie Berohn, beauty editor 

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Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Hydrating Foundation Stick Charlotte Tilbury

“I like to travel with as few liquids as possible, and I hate bringing a full-sized foundation with me. This foundation stick is in my regular rotation anyway, but it’s especially good to travel with, and it gives you such an ethereal glow while still providing coverage.”—Katie Berohn, beauty editor

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Private Island Glow Blue Water Girls

“It’s not a good vacation unless I get a gorgeous, bronzed tan. I don’t tan easily and am always jealous of my friends who can step foot in the sun for mere minutes and return with evidence of a sunkissed glow. This glow accelerant is my cheat sheet for tanning for Black girls; after applying my sunscreen all over, I follow up with this, focusing on my arms, decolletage, and legs. After a few hours in the sun, I’m always pleased to slip out of my bikini to see my tan lines.”—Nerisha Penrose, beauty commerce editor

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Style + Treat Yuzu + Plum Oil Hair Styling Sleek Stick Briogeo

“I slick my hair back all the time, especially when I’m on vacation and can’t be bothered (or am in some place hot and humid!). This one stick provides an all-day hold and tons of shine. Plus, it’s easy to wash out—I’ve been burned by other slick sticks.”—Katie Berohn, beauty editor

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Read the original article in ELLE USA.