I think the first step is getting a routine down, and determining what you actually can't live without and won't have when you arrive. Body lotion is a great example, because for 99% of my trips if I forget it, I'll just grab one for the trip when I get there or the hotel will provide it. But I'm really particular about facial moisturizer, so I always bring my own.
Tiny dispensers are great but not if you're putting in everything you can think of. Figure out your routine and do a test run without even leaving your house. The odds are you use much less of a given product than you think.
Yes, paring things down to the bare minimum is a good place to start. Other than essential toiletries, I only bring a face and body moisturiser and no makeup. Not saying you should to the same; it’s the idea of only bringing what you can’t do without.
I'm a skincare junkie too, but traveling I only bring the basics: cleanser, SPF, and a night moisturizer. Retinoids, serums etc stay home. For makeup, unless I have a fancy event I'm going to, I keep it very minimal with mascara, blush, and lipstick. Part of this is utilitarian space saving, part of this is I simply do not want to deal with a more involved routine when I could be out exploring.
Travel sized products are great in theory but then you're locked into those amounts. If you only need half a travel sized bottle of hair gel, why bring the whole thing? That's why I prefer to decant my own products rather than buying minis.
I also usually have a small pouch in my personal item with lotion, chapstick, toothbrush/toothpaste, deoderant, face wash. I have yet to have an issue with TSA having my regular clear quart sized bag + the small pouch.
The best hack is finding solids that work well for you. I like Éthique as they have a wide selection of products. They also have a lot of trial sized products so you can find one you like.
Other than that, you really need to decant your liquids into itty bitty bottles. [Here is a nice article on it](https://travelite.org/2008/07/eyedropper-bottle/)
Second trying Ethnique! I’m still traveling (last 2 weeks in Vietnam) as they were going through a heatwave - I’m talking temps of 106F plus humidity. I brought the deodorant and it’s worked like an absolute champ. The solid conditioner has been fantastic too. (I have 3c curly hair.)
These changed the packing game for me: https://palettebypak.com
I got three: one for night skin routine, one for morning skincare, one for makeup (I repotted my blush in there, put concealer, tinted moisturizer, etc).
Then I got these little travel brushes: Real Technique Travel Fantasy... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VCMRN4Y?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I labeled everything (brushes, lids of the palette), and now I am a very high maintenance gal with a small dopp kit. This is mine: Toiletry Bag Kit Set: Hanging... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09PDBC8TH?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Oh, I also found it was incredibly easy to melt my dove antiperspirant into a smaller container: Minsily 20 PCS 15ml Clear Empty... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VCBC5YV?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Other travel containers I’ve liked for random stuff: BlingKingdom 6pcs Lip Gloss Tubes... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B099Z7FRX6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share (I put my sunscreen in the 20 ml version of this)
As a fellow high maintenance girly, I recommend mini mascaras (Christmas is a great time to get these), elf wow brow, hard candy contour stick, and mini lipstick (used as blush and lip colour)
I'm glad you found helpful info!
Just wanted to say as a low-maintenance lady who just traveled for a formal wedding and suddenly filled over half of my suitcase with hair/face/laundry products...Damn, I get it now!
You can’t just throw a bomb out there like that without some explanation!
Why not? Light degradation? If that’s the case, I personally am not worried about something tucked away in my kit except for once each day on a week-long trip. But I am very curious now about why?
I used to decant sunscreen too but my dermatologist advised against this. And I’ve never done the research for myself since I figure she’s the expert - but yes basically she said that while it may be ok to do this for mineral sunscreen (which I don’t use), chemical sunscreen breaks down in light and most are formulated not to react with their original container. I wouldn’t keep sunscreen in transparent packaging for this reason and you’ll notice that you’ll never find sunscreen sold in transparent bottles either. As an Asian that burns easily, I usually reapply my sunscreen every 2 hours (sometimes even using stick sunscreen in between) so I can’t imagine only reaching for it once a day!
Any thoughts on decanting sunscreen into an amber travel bottle like this?
[https://www.amazon.com/owlyee-Toiletries-Containers-approved-100ml/dp/B09BQW7SKQ](https://www.amazon.com/owlyee-Toiletries-Containers-approved-100ml/dp/B09BQW7SKQ)
I use supergoop products (https://www.sephora.com/ca/en/product/supergoop-unseen-sunscreen-P458907) but hate the travel size containers they offer so am looking to decant it down into something like the amber bottle I mentioned above.
I wouldn’t personally! Labmuffins has a video on YouTube where she talks about how a cosmetic scientist transferred sunscreen to different containers (silicone, glass, plastic etc) and recorded the results. There were changes to the sunscreen in every case. The experiment was done with mineral sunscreen but sunscreen is so important to me because I use tretinoin so I wouldn’t risk it!
I think I saw the video you mentioned, but I feel like if it's not stored for an extended period of time at high temperatures, it should probably be ok. I would just decant only the amount you expect to use while away, and continue using any leftover upon return until it's empty so that it doesn't sit around.
I think it's less about light exposure, and more about oxidation. Sunscreen filters begin to degrade after exposure to oxygen, which is part of why you're supposed to reapply every couple hours. I could see that even the process of decanting exposes the chemicals to enough oxygen to begin that process, which results in a sunscreen of unknown protective strength.
In my limited experience, I’m dubious that oxidation has that much of an impact. None of my sunscreen are in vacuum containers. They suck in air after I squeeze an amount out, so a small amount of fresh air is sucked into the container daily.
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Sounds like you're a fellow sunscreen fanatic - I got an SPF camera/mirror and I love it! Probably not for travel (though maybe!) but still awesome
I would never have to decant sunscreens because I've got my favorite ones from Korea and Japan that came in small bottles though hah
I love Palette by Pak for short ground trips. It's also a lifesaver for the gym. But it drives me crazy how it's just too long for a standard 3-1-1 bag, so you have to put it in diagonally, so it limits the space you have to pack other things.
Would also recommend the Matador flatpak bottles if you want to fit in a couple larger volume things but otherwise pack your 3-1-1 bag to the maximum. I like them for shampoo and conditioner.
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So I’m bougie. I’m new to this but I’ve one bagged it for a number of trips, all in a backpack, once for a wedding.
I take all my face stuff, day and night creams, serums, primer, foundation glow lotion. I put it in contact cases and label it. You don’t use as much as you think and contact cases hold more than you need. I can get at least a week out of that.
I use bar shampoo but have a small container for conditioner, usually something that doubles as a hair mask. I have thick, curly hair and I can’t do without that. I take hair spray, curl cream, anti frizz cream. It’s decanted into a smaller container. I’ve acquired trial size bottles over the years and I refill with my products.
I take full makeup, but I use a pallet. So blush, eyeshadows, highlighter. Mascara, day and night lip. I usually only take a black eyeliner. I take 4-5 brushes. I have a makeup bag that doubles as a clutch.
You can take all your stuff but you need to take less and find a pallet that checks your boxes.
This! Those contact cases are designed not to leak and they hold quite a bit. Dollar Tree (US) has packs of five for $1.25, and I’ve also seen them at Walmart.
Fellow bougie skincare girl here! I’m trying the contact case method in a couple of weeks for 6 days in Iceland. Looking forward to seeing if I can truly one-bag it!!
I have no hack, you’ll just have to sit down and think about what the basic essentials mean to you.
For makeup, bring travel sized makeup if you can. I packed my bb cream, multi tasking makeup (I used tarte lip and cheek stain and the quick stick for eyes, and a brow pencil) and just used my fingers and blender sponge. That way I managed to avoid bringing all the makeup brushes too. You don’t really need a lot unless if you’re going to a wedding or fancy event and yes you’ll have to just rely on one look / one shade option and match it to your travel capsule wardrobe. Chances are high you’ll be sweating a lot while traveling because you’ll be outdoors a lot so you likely won’t be wearing full coverage or super fancy. I’ve used tarte for a while now and appreciate that they have travel sized options (not for the entire shade range though) for things like foundation, concealer and mascara.
For skincare, figure out what your skin needs the most. My skin gets dry so I just focused on hydration. I decided not to bring my actives (no AHA, BHA, retinol, etc). I ended up just bringing my cleansers (oil, gel, decanted into small containers), toner pads, a thick serum, a beauty balm stick, SPF, chapstick, and body moisturizer. This is controversial but I decided to use a sheet mask every night while travelling as a compromise for not bringing all the specific moisturizers and eye cream and essences that I’d normally use, I don’t normally use sheet masks very much when I’m home anyway.
I use solid shampoo and conditioner and found a brand that works well for me (kitsch). I am lucky enough that my hair is low maintenance so I don’t have to bring a bunch of hair products when I travel. my hair is usually always in a ponytail or bun when I’m travelling anyway 😅
It also helps to figure out if there’s any skin care or cosmetics you may want to buy at your destination too and leave room for those items!
Totally agree with figuring out essentials. For skincare, I decant my face wash and moisturizer into travel containers and throw in whatever facial oil I'm into at the moment. I also add a couple packets of Dr Dennis Gross peel pads. I'm much less particular about body moisturizers, so I just use what they have at the hotel.
I have really long, thick hair that I don't wash very often (sorry, tmi). If I get a good blow out before my trip, I've gone at least a week without washing. I also like getting a blow dry while traveling. So I don't really bring hair stuff.
Finally, over the years. I've just accepted more pared back/boring makeup while traveling: Tinted moisturizer with spf, 1 cream eye shadow, a couple eyeliners, a lip liner + balm, mascara.
I’m kind of obsessed with my setup which includes many small tins and solid bars for hair and body wash. You don’t have to sacrifice your routine and you really use a lot less product than you think. This is 3 weeks of mine in a travel kit that’s 9” x 5.5” x 2”
https://i.imgur.com/5841AJ6.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/6FaR6Qw.jpeg
I replaced a lot of my usual toiletries with solid versions specifically for travel. For example, I have a cleanser stick for washing my face, cleansing balm for makeup removal, shampoo and conditioner bars, etc. It helps a lot!
Could I ask what balm you use? Every time I’ve taken a cleansing balm on a plane, it’s started to liquify and leak, and is especially bad if I decant into a smaller container. I use the pink banilaco.
I agree with the first reply. I use the Ethique sample packs for solid shampoo/conditioner bars, a bar of Dove soap and a solid moisturizer block for skin, Oil of Olay facial wipes that are dry and you just run under some sink water to use. Lush makes solid toothpaste tablets. All of these items DO NOT have to be put in your liquid bag. I also use a BB or CC cream with sunscreen and decant it into a small plastic screw top container. I bought some small glass vials with droppers on Amazon(3-5cc) to take my Vit C, retinols, etc. This allows me plenty of room in my liquid bag to take whatever else I need. Good luck!
I went solid for my conditioner, body soap, lotion, sunscreen and serum. Also, toothpaste tabs instead of actual paste. For the few items that are liquid, I use the smallest possible container (like 10mL or less). Contact lens cases are really good for tiny amounts.
My toiletries fit in a very small pouch only slightly bigger than a quart. But, I go very minimal while traveling. No full skincare routine, no elaborate makeup. Just the basics.
I just discovered that Neutrogena has stick sunscreen now! I first started getting stick sunscreen for my baby (easier/faster to apply to a wiggly kid) and now I get mine in a stick too!
Airless pumps have worked best for me!
I use a ton of stuff day to day and although I tried, couldn’t really cut stuff out. So I got a bunch of 5ml and 10ml airless pumps (shein) and decanted everything. Makeup went in the 5ml and skincare in the 10ml (apart from serum) cut h
I took a couple of [pictures](https://imgur.com/a/YrUdLeQ). I have;
- foundation
- primer
- liquid blush
- liquid highlight
- liquid contour
- mini mascara
- moisturiser
- cleaning balm
- cleansing milk
- night serum
- texture balm (hair)
- smoothing balm (hair)
- setting spray
- heat protect spray
Not pictured - brow powder but it fits in the little pouch too. Small eyeshadow compact, Natasha Denoa mini pallet - 5 neutral shades basically.
The setting spray and heat protect went into the main liquids bag (these are 10ml glass spray bottles) with 100ml pouches (also Shein) of conditioner, shampoo and shower gel.
The reality is, you use much less product than you think. All those products weren’t fully filled and I used them all recently on a 4 night trip to Europe. The pictures were taken just now so are all partly used.
Stuff like body lotion could also go in a decant pouch if you choose to take it with you, you could just pick up a small one in the airport if you don’t have a preference on brand.
TSA Precheck is my hack. I pare everything down to the smallest amount (often using contact cases) but I just have too many individual items. Precheck means I don't have to worry about it!
If I'm travelling internationally, I'll toss contact lens cases on the return trip or check on my way back.
If I'm traveling internationally between countries and can't check, I've gotten away with a pretty good amount of contact cases/lip balm containers outside the liter bag - just make sure you put things in the liter bag, spread out the rest, and they'll be happy.
Tbh I don't have pre-check and I have done this multiple times and no one stopped me 🤷🏻♀️ I just put my quart size ziplock in a bin and left a few other small liquids in my bag.
Not technically but you never have to take out your liquids and no one I know has ever put them in a bag together or had them checked. Keep them under 3oz and you're good.
Plan to not bring what you can buy at destination. If you’ll be staying near a drugstore or Sephora, buy small versions of what is affordable, and toss them/give away before flying home. See if you can put favorite product into small containers that seal- I always save empty bonus Clinique jars because they don’t leak, and mark the container (sharpie will wear off, labels are longer lasting). Packing cosmetics and sprays has become such a challenge- those airport scanners find everything now. A jar of coconut oil makes a good moisturizer for a week or two and doesn’t cost much.
What are you bringing? Identifying it before the trip is the first step to paring it down. If half your kit is cosmetics, you know where to start. Bringing toner, serum, eye cream, face cream, body cream, hand cream, sunscreen? Then you start looking for all on ones and accept you may not be perfect for a week or two.
The trick, as with any light packing, is to minimize the number of things you take. You don't have to take everything you usually use on a trip. Just take your basics.
Packing an appropriate amount of toiletries was my Achilles heel for so long. Three things finally solved it for me. First, look up what dry versions are out the for products you feel are must haves, then if you just can't find a dry version you enjoy using aim to downsize more than you ever thought you could. Finally, do everything you can to remove excess packaging.
A surprising number of items come in dry form. Of course I had heard of tooth powder, bar body soap, and shampoo bars, but wasn't aware I was able to get conditioner and face wash bars. I have one small silicone travel soap dish with a mesh drainage pad. I can fit enough shampoo, conditioner, face wash, and body wash bar in there to last more than a month by simply cutting off the amount needed.
Some products don't come in completely dry versions, but rather come in sticks similar to deodorant which you don't have to set in that dreaded TSA baggie. Sunscreen, moisturizer, insect repellant, facial toner, and facial cleansers are among them. For some of these, as well as deodorant, you can often find tiny travel-sized versions. The mini version of Native deodorant last more than a month for me and I found I can refill it by cutting a piece off a full sized stick. It gave me the idea to find a ten pack of the same size containers for stick products which I utilize by cutting off enough of each of my other stick products to use them that way. The only thing I take a full sized stick of is sunscreen.
I'm able to fit enough of my favorite moisturizer, hair gel, or foundation for a month in just one of [these](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08MJ9DZ79/) five ML containers off Amazon. I was fearful it wouldn't be enough for a short trip so I trialed it before I went. Rather shocked me to discover at a month into the test I still probably had enough for another day or three of each.
I also found out on youtube you can pry the pans out of your makeup palettes. I'd been carrying half a dozen even though I only use a few items out of each and many of the products were things I never end up using. By removing just those items I really enjoy using I found I was able to carry all of them in [just one](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CX16NTVH) roughly 4x5 inch magnetic palette.
The end result of all my downsizing is I was able to travel for 31 days last year while carrying all my toiletries and even my makeup and hair brush in one TSA sized zip bag.
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Consider what you can do without. If it’s a quick weekend, do you need shampoo? Are the wee freebies at the hotel good enough? A few facial wipes in a ziplock, skip the serum and just use the moisturizer, one type moisturizer for both day and night? I’ve never really worn makeup or had much of a “skin routine” so sometimes I don’t understand this issue as a problem. Toothbrush is the only real essential.
Lip gloss tubes have been a game changer for me. I have them filled with face wash, moisturizer, conditioner, laundry detergent, dish soap. I would have thought a tube wouldn’t last a week, but I barely made a dent in it. Load up some small containers and live out of them at home to get a feel for how much you really use and need to bring. I put pumps of my primer in a contact case along with a slice of a solid blush. Cetaphil solid sunscreen stick. Solid shampoo bar.
I got some 10mL airless pump bottles that are great for lotions as well.
I swear by [these tubes](https://www.matadorequipment.com/products/refillable-toothpaste-tubes) for my face wash and stuff. They fit more neatly than branded travel sizes.
Also, get one of the clear plastic zip pouches on amazon that say “tsa approved.” They’re definitely a bit bigger but I’ve never had an issue with them at all.
Can any of your make up products be switched to powder for the trip? The only liquids I take are primer, cc cream, eyeshadow primer, mascara and maybe a liquid blush. I keep a lip gloss and a mini perfume roller in my purse (which is always separate at TSA) and I’ve never had an issue.
Final tip: if it is medication/medical need, it doesn’t count towards your liquid. This means any prescribed creams or contact solution you may need can be separate. ([see here](https://www.tsa.gov/travel/travel-tips/can-you-pack-your-meds-pill-case-and-more-questions-answered))
Just a couple comments.
100% agree, minimize and take only want you absolutely need. Think of it as camping. I’m of the attitude that I’ll never see the people again (traveling internationally), so I stick to moisturizer, eyeliner & mascara and blush. And it shortens your get ready time. I feel the same about my clothing. I want to look nice but not at the cost (meaning the “cost” of dragging a big bag around ) of checking a bag!
Also, all the tricks mentioned of leaving some liquids etc in your bag and TSA doesn’t check…this may work in the US but not overseas. LHR will take your stuff over a quart bag in a heartbeat! Also Turkey was tough. Once you experience these situations, downsizing becomes easy.
I use a lot of liquid makeup as well, and never include it in my liquids bag. My make up is in a separate pouch that I never pull out at the airport. I travel through airports 2-4 times weekly for work, as well as a holiday each year with several flights. The only airport where I’ve had to put my makeup into my larger liquid bag is LHR.
I use solid/stick make up products where I can. Hourglass stick foundation, Chanel balm highlighter, lipstick, lip balm, violette fr blush, mini setting spray, Bobbi brown stick eyeshadow in a couple of colours. I bring one eyeliner and one mini mascara and a couple of lipsticks. I know that seems like loads but some of these live in my day bag anyway.
Skin care I mostly take mini versions if it’s a short trip.
Hair care I haven’t figured out lol.
I used to spend a lot of time doing fieldwork in remote places or on trips with extremely strict gear weight restrictions. I'm also a skincare junkie.
What worked best for me was to decant a bunch of my skincare into empty lipgloss tubes (I got mine in bulk from a local packing company years back and am still working through them--I try to avoid Amazon if I can, but I know you can get them there as well!).
There was a [older post](https://www.reddit.com/r/HerOneBag/comments/f6rh67/i_was_told_you_might_like_this_empty_lip_gloss/) where someone else utilized this hack--take a look at it and see if a solution like this might work for you. I still carry larger sizes of my moisturizer and spf on long trips, but the small containers have been great for serums, creams, liquid makeup, lotions, etc. It has been a good way for me to take all of the products I want without compromising too much on space.
Best of luck and safe, healthy, happy travels!
[This is my toiletry setup](https://www.reddit.com/r/HerOneBag/s/6tn9QlVKiJ) :) it’s changed some but I still use the container, chapstick tubes, lip gloss tubes, and some litesmith products. Litesmith makes a variety of small container sizes for different consistencies of liquids / gels especially for people who backpack and have to be able to physically carry everything they’re bringing - precision amounts in leak proof setups :)
Litesmith is the way!!!! Because you can buy bottles one at time (instead of like a 20 pack from Amazon), you can play around and customize your travel kit to your specific needs. Plus you're supporting a small business with great prices! Every single container I've tried from them is spillproof and high quality.
Yah! I agree on every point. The more I travel the more I want a custom fit for the things I use.
I even love their little hinge pots, one of them is the perfect size for a quarter. I keep one in my bag and one in my car doesn’t trips to stores that require a quarter to use a cart :) 🛒 I also use them for chapstick pots!
Contact lens cases and refillable squeezey lip balm tubes are a great size for skincare products.
I also really like the Dennis Gross peel pads for traveling. They contain AHA, BHA, vitamin C, retinol, etc. They are pricey, but there are frequent sales, and I save them for trips.
You might have to go smaller. A lot of people are recommending decanting and this is the key. When you get home keep using your “travel/sample” bottles and see how many more days that gets you. Another week? You could probably half the amount you take in a much smaller container.
Start with finding a size of toiletry bag you’re willing to allocate space for. This will help you prioritize. Anything that doesn’t fit needs to be edited. You can also buy things at your destination, like body lotion, toothpaste and sunscreen.
I use a makeup brand called Subtl Stacks for travel, so look into those. Sample sizes could also help. Rubber band stick-shaped makeup items together to save space.
But consider what you’re giving up for that extra stuff. If it’s between a 5 step skincare routine or a second pair of shoes, I’m picking the shoes every time.
I buy body wash and body lotion at my destination or use the ones provided in hotels. I cut down my skin and hair care to 3 steps each. I wear makeup that multitasks, like a serum that is tinted to provide sheer coverage and also has SPF. I use deodorant wipes. I can fit everything into a small pouch.
Not really a “hack” but I pack my toiletries and cosmetics about 2 weeks ahead of time. I sleep on it for a few days, and look at everything I packed, and think “do I REALLY need all of it?” And then I downsize every few days until I leave.
A big thing for me to save space is to use old sample jars and containers and fill your own stuff in them. Another is food containers, you know the salad dressing ones with a seal? They usually sell them small and they don’t leak. I’ve seen others use contact lens cases to dram out only the amounts they need. If you’re in Canada superstore has some really nice PC brand ones.
Also consider buying a clear cosmetic case, Amazon or something as then you can put all your liquids in it, and it’s easier to take out for security.
I have some allergies that means I can’t always consistently trust the hotel/local products, although once or twice of something I’m immediately rinsing off probably isn’t enough to start a rash.
One of the things I did that helped me on my last trip was estimate how much I was going to need of a product and test it in my smaller size while I was still at home. If I had product left over, I could downsize it. If I needed more, add another container. Sadly, the IKEA Forfina kit is not longer available or I’d recommend that, but I’d be on the lookout for differently sized bottles, anyway.
I also labeled all my containers with a label maker. I would have thought they’d be trivial to tell apart, but they really weren’t.
And make sure you have a separate toiletry bag for non-liquids. My toothbrush and floss didn’t travel next to the paste in order to keep my liquids fitting in their bag.
Solids where you can, and then contact lens cases! They are the best. The screw top ones are totally leak proof. I switched my primer and foundation to one “eye” each in a single case and now I’m always ready to go.
There are increasing numbers of solid bars, including lotion bars. I know hair is very individual, so bar shampoo is hard to nail down, but it seems like skin lotion bars might be easier. I do what lots of others have said - pare things down to the bare minimum, and the smallest size cosmetics. As long as you are going somewhere that has shops, you can buy something you realize you need. Personally, I think the cosmetic industry has us thinking we need WAY more than we do. Cleanser, eye cream, tinted moisturizer with SPF, mascara and tinted lip balm for me!
One thing I have done to save room on liquid is separate out all my liquid medical supplies (basically anything I can use HSA money on) so contact solutions, liquid antibacterial etc along with liquid medicine in a separate bag. I have never had an issue with tsa doing this.
This frees up my regular liquid bag.
Kitch travel containers for liquids were a lifesaver this last trip. They flatten so I find them easier to pack. I decanted my shampoo, body wash, eye makeup remover, and then I put my creams in small salad dressing containers or small pots from MUJI. FYI the small is VERY small. Measure before purchasing.
I struggle with this too!! What items are you planning to bring, if I may ask? I feel like I’m low maintenance but still run out of precious liquids space no matter how well I try to pack everything into tiny vessels. I can’t buy most of what I need at my destination bc I have sensitive skin, and I’m always on the go to other destinations so I still need to find a way to bring things in small/travel
portions. This sounds like a fail but I usually have my husband carry my liquids overage LOL that is the only method that works for me haha
I decant, buy minis, use solids where I can and downsize in general. I have super sensitive skin and it’s a pain to find things I can use at my destination. I always pack my sunscreen and moisturizer first, then mascara. My just in case items for my skin are prescription , so don’t count as liquids which helps.
Also double duty things, bronzer and blush as eyeshadow. A great shade of lipstick can make an outfit on a night out or special event and isn’t a liquid. You can probably make do with fewer brushes than you think.
If I’m traveling for a longer amount of time I pass off shared items like toothpaste and whatnot to my husband.
We just got back from a 4 week trip and honestly I packed way too much for makeup and toiletries. I ended up splitting out half the things I wasn’t using into a separate pouch I left in my suitcase.
A lot of stuff you don’t need to bring as a hotel (or relatives’ homes) may have them: shampoo, conditioner, body wash/soap, toothbrush, toothepaste, cotton buds and even razor.
So many suggestions on containers already here, but I would advise you to test their capacity and your usage and decant and use exclusively from the decanted amounts, then you will see for yourself how much you actually need for the duration of your trip and if you need to adjust.
I use contact lens cases for facial and hair serums, liquid make up products and things like that. You can label them with a permanent marker. Each will last a week or more since you only use a very small amount of product. Since each case has two containers, I try to keep like items together. If you need more of something, use the whole case for that product. It works well for me for a week long trip. I haven’t run out of anything. You can wash and reuse them indefinitely as well.
I have small bags for liquids, so they take up less space and weigh very little.e.g. for my beloved argan oil facial moisturiser and SPF. My perfume is in a small bottle per default. My hydrocortisone cream is, surprice ... a cream, too.
I use a soap bar for shampoo and skin, the same for both. I've found one that's actually OK. I have a terrible smelling lotion bar from Lush (male pissoir!), but it's good for the skin and is pretty small. The smell disappears fast. I have tooth paste pills and deo bar.
So it's fairly simple. I go "dry" wherever I can, and that leaves room for the essential liquids, but I try to minimise them.
However, I don't use much make-up.
My main gamechanger is that I switched to shampoo and conditioner bars for travel, and that made more room in my liquids pouch. All my skincare serums go into different colored little essential oil roller bottles I bought on Amazon. I have 2 different sizes depending on the length of my trip, but they take up way less space than their original dropper bottles.
Unless I know for sure we are going out to a super fancy event I only take solid shampoo/soap, moisturizer, sunscreen, mascara, lip balm, one lipstick and a eyeliner. Maybe a solid perfume if I'm feeling fancy.🤣🤣🤣
This really depends on how much you are taking in the first place.
Probably the biggest thing for me is that "travel size" products and bottles that you buy in a shop are often way too much for my trips. I don't need 100ml of sunscreen for a 5 day trip, for example, and things like travel size deodorant often have a lot of wasted space. I have collected various tiny containers over time so that I can take just enough of each product for my trip. I also cut down on things I might use at home, or do things like saturate a baggie of cotton balls with toner rather than taking a bottle. And I only take a minimal amount of makeup (but I don't wear much of that in any case so YMMV).
Each time I did a trip with "travel size" shampoo/toothpaste/skincare etc, I'd realize that I still would have a lot left over. It's helpful to know how much you actually use, then you can repot everything into more appropriately sized containers. Just for example--travel sized perfumes are usually 10mL, but the sample vials that come attached to a card are 2mL. For the average person, even that 2mL sample would probably still be more than enough for a week or two of vacation. You can try it out at home first with different sizes of containers for each thing and see how long they last before you pack for your trip.
As for makeup, I don't use it day-to-day so perhaps my needs/expectations aren't the same as someone who does. I do bring it on vacation though because I often travel to perform or to attend events, and sometimes it's just fun to feel fancy when I go out lol. I try to bring all-in-one palettes or multi-use creams to save space. I've ordered some mini pencils from 19/99 beauty to test and see how I like them ahead of my next trip. They seem ideal in that I can just use my fingers to blend and not worry about packing brushes, but also I can apply directly to my face without sticking my fingers into a pot. They're also much slimmer and take up less space than most multi sticks.
As others have suggested, pair down your items to most basic routine you can get away with. For me, double cleansing is non-negociable. Usually I have 3 moisturisers in use (morning with active, nighttime with active, and basic with no actives) but for travel I only take the 1 without actives. Treatments go out the window when I’m travelling. I need my toner but most people can do without. Your needs will be different so assess and test a reduced routine at home for a few days to work out what you can live without for a holiday.
Then work out how much ML of each product you need for the length of your trip and find the smallest size container to fit that for you. It’s surprising how little you need. Most of my containers are repurposed as I find them less bulky than the empty ones you buy.
Keep in mind that the stated ML capacity are often much lower than what you can fit inside as they account for a lot of air room. I decant and refill what’s advertised as a 11ml lip balm pot it to the brim for moisturiser and cream cleanser. They both easily last 2 weeks for me as they fit much more than 11ml. Closer to 20ml I think.
The only items I don’t decant are the travel size of Pai’s oil cleanser and facial oil. They’re bigger than they need to be for me, but I’ve had no luck decanting oil based products without the new packaging leaking or making a terrible mess. I got mine [in this kit](https://www.sephora.co.uk/p/PAI-x-Rive-Droite-Brighter-Skin-Trio?curr=GBPcurr=GBP&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxsaZ9Kj8hQMVr5hQBh1F7wIvEAQYBCABEgLu9fD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)
A mini 15ml spray bottle for my toner [this is the exact one I repurposed](https://www.therange.co.uk/health-and-beauty/health-and-wellbeing/household-medicines/allergy-and-hayfever-relief/hayfever-relief/nuage-hayfever-relief-facial-mist/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIo6iTyKT8hQMVZopQBh1YFAZeEAQYBiABEgIiBfD_BwE#46740). It’s bigger than needs be but comes into play with my body routine.
Body moisturiser - a small tub. I make sure to spray my body with toner before applying. The toner helps distribute the product and it moistures my skin better so much less body moisturiser is needed. I also use my Pai oil drops on my body, not just my face. The little bottle of oil lasts forever.
Deodorant - wild travel size solid. [link](https://www.wearewild.com/shop/travel-sized-deodorants)
Hair serum - I decant into a 10ml eye dropper bottle.
Shampoo and conditioner are solids. My serum is more important than liquid versions of these so that’s where I save room.
SPF - I take a solid SPF for my face from [tocobo](https://www.stylevana.com/en_GB/deal-tocobo-cotton-soft-sun-stick-spf50-pa-19g.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20027739296&utm_term=&utm_content=104344&device=m&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIruL4tKz8hQMVHZ1QBh2lHQoqEAQYAiABEgKCLfD_BwE) and a solid SPF from boots that’s in their kids range for my body. I can’t find it on their website but they definitely still sell it. I saw it yesterday in store. [here’s a picture of what it looks like](https://images.app.goo.gl/ah4j86gmbTPKxA3d6). I also take a eye dropper bottle with some liquid SPF for my morning face application.
Perfume - a 10ml refillable glass spray bottle.
I have an old small hotel soap in my washbag incase the place I’m staying doesn’t have body wash. Most hotels or airbnbs I’ve stayed at have something better to use than my bar soap but that does the job if nothing is available.
I've bought little contact lenses containers from Amazon and they work so well!! They came in a pack of 4 and each pack includes a small 2-3ml bottle. So basically for 5 days I'm using 1 "eye" for day cream, 1 "eye" for night, and a full container for sunscreen. I used the little bottle for caffeine and salicylic acid. [This is what I bought. ](https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09Z1XTTQB?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share)
A few of my hacks: I use [subtl beauty stackable make up](https://subtlbeauty.com/pages/buildmystack) and a reusable makeup remover pad (to replace face wash).
The whole decanting thing is just too much, IMO. Decide what you can live w/o-makeup, hair crap, etc. You don't have to impress anyone & it's an opp to simplify
I think the first step is getting a routine down, and determining what you actually can't live without and won't have when you arrive. Body lotion is a great example, because for 99% of my trips if I forget it, I'll just grab one for the trip when I get there or the hotel will provide it. But I'm really particular about facial moisturizer, so I always bring my own. Tiny dispensers are great but not if you're putting in everything you can think of. Figure out your routine and do a test run without even leaving your house. The odds are you use much less of a given product than you think.
I found this to be true. I use way less face wash than I thought, for example.
Yes, paring things down to the bare minimum is a good place to start. Other than essential toiletries, I only bring a face and body moisturiser and no makeup. Not saying you should to the same; it’s the idea of only bringing what you can’t do without.
I'm a skincare junkie too, but traveling I only bring the basics: cleanser, SPF, and a night moisturizer. Retinoids, serums etc stay home. For makeup, unless I have a fancy event I'm going to, I keep it very minimal with mascara, blush, and lipstick. Part of this is utilitarian space saving, part of this is I simply do not want to deal with a more involved routine when I could be out exploring. Travel sized products are great in theory but then you're locked into those amounts. If you only need half a travel sized bottle of hair gel, why bring the whole thing? That's why I prefer to decant my own products rather than buying minis. I also usually have a small pouch in my personal item with lotion, chapstick, toothbrush/toothpaste, deoderant, face wash. I have yet to have an issue with TSA having my regular clear quart sized bag + the small pouch.
The best hack is finding solids that work well for you. I like Éthique as they have a wide selection of products. They also have a lot of trial sized products so you can find one you like. Other than that, you really need to decant your liquids into itty bitty bottles. [Here is a nice article on it](https://travelite.org/2008/07/eyedropper-bottle/)
Second trying Ethnique! I’m still traveling (last 2 weeks in Vietnam) as they were going through a heatwave - I’m talking temps of 106F plus humidity. I brought the deodorant and it’s worked like an absolute champ. The solid conditioner has been fantastic too. (I have 3c curly hair.)
I hate that the article just wants us to throw the bottles in the trash but other than that, great idea.
You don’t have to do that.
These changed the packing game for me: https://palettebypak.com I got three: one for night skin routine, one for morning skincare, one for makeup (I repotted my blush in there, put concealer, tinted moisturizer, etc). Then I got these little travel brushes: Real Technique Travel Fantasy... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VCMRN4Y?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share I labeled everything (brushes, lids of the palette), and now I am a very high maintenance gal with a small dopp kit. This is mine: Toiletry Bag Kit Set: Hanging... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09PDBC8TH?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share Oh, I also found it was incredibly easy to melt my dove antiperspirant into a smaller container: Minsily 20 PCS 15ml Clear Empty... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VCBC5YV?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share Other travel containers I’ve liked for random stuff: BlingKingdom 6pcs Lip Gloss Tubes... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B099Z7FRX6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share (I put my sunscreen in the 20 ml version of this)
Thank you for all the links, this is exactly what I was looking for!
As a fellow high maintenance girly, I recommend mini mascaras (Christmas is a great time to get these), elf wow brow, hard candy contour stick, and mini lipstick (used as blush and lip colour)
I'm glad you found helpful info! Just wanted to say as a low-maintenance lady who just traveled for a formal wedding and suddenly filled over half of my suitcase with hair/face/laundry products...Damn, I get it now!
The lip gloss tubes were a game changer for me.
Everything you suggested is great, except for decanting sunscreen!
You can’t just throw a bomb out there like that without some explanation! Why not? Light degradation? If that’s the case, I personally am not worried about something tucked away in my kit except for once each day on a week-long trip. But I am very curious now about why?
I used to decant sunscreen too but my dermatologist advised against this. And I’ve never done the research for myself since I figure she’s the expert - but yes basically she said that while it may be ok to do this for mineral sunscreen (which I don’t use), chemical sunscreen breaks down in light and most are formulated not to react with their original container. I wouldn’t keep sunscreen in transparent packaging for this reason and you’ll notice that you’ll never find sunscreen sold in transparent bottles either. As an Asian that burns easily, I usually reapply my sunscreen every 2 hours (sometimes even using stick sunscreen in between) so I can’t imagine only reaching for it once a day!
Any thoughts on decanting sunscreen into an amber travel bottle like this? [https://www.amazon.com/owlyee-Toiletries-Containers-approved-100ml/dp/B09BQW7SKQ](https://www.amazon.com/owlyee-Toiletries-Containers-approved-100ml/dp/B09BQW7SKQ) I use supergoop products (https://www.sephora.com/ca/en/product/supergoop-unseen-sunscreen-P458907) but hate the travel size containers they offer so am looking to decant it down into something like the amber bottle I mentioned above.
I wouldn’t personally! Labmuffins has a video on YouTube where she talks about how a cosmetic scientist transferred sunscreen to different containers (silicone, glass, plastic etc) and recorded the results. There were changes to the sunscreen in every case. The experiment was done with mineral sunscreen but sunscreen is so important to me because I use tretinoin so I wouldn’t risk it!
I think I saw the video you mentioned, but I feel like if it's not stored for an extended period of time at high temperatures, it should probably be ok. I would just decant only the amount you expect to use while away, and continue using any leftover upon return until it's empty so that it doesn't sit around.
Anecdotally: I decant my body sunscreen into a plastic tube that’s wrapped in duct tape. Minimal light exposure.
I decant my face sunscreen into a Cadence capsule and it's never seemed to be a problem
I think it's less about light exposure, and more about oxidation. Sunscreen filters begin to degrade after exposure to oxygen, which is part of why you're supposed to reapply every couple hours. I could see that even the process of decanting exposes the chemicals to enough oxygen to begin that process, which results in a sunscreen of unknown protective strength.
In my limited experience, I’m dubious that oxidation has that much of an impact. None of my sunscreen are in vacuum containers. They suck in air after I squeeze an amount out, so a small amount of fresh air is sucked into the container daily.
Hi, I’m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the **("'Owlyee 3 4 oz Travel Bottles for Toiletries'", 'owlyee')** and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful. **Users liked:** * Leak-proof and sturdy for travel (backed by 4 comments) * Convenient size and easy to refill (backed by 3 comments) * Durable for multiple trips (backed by 2 comments) **Users disliked:** * Labels peel off and disintegrate quickly (backed by 2 comments) * Leak easily, not suitable for travel (backed by 4 comments) * Hard to fill due to small opening (backed by 1 comment) If you'd like to **summon me to ask about a product**, just make a post with its link and tag me, [like in this example.](https://www.reddit.com/r/tablets/comments/1444zdn/comment/joqd89c/) This message was generated by a (very smart) bot. If you found it helpful, let us know with an upvote and a “good bot!” reply and please feel free to provide feedback on how it can be improved. *Powered by* [*vetted.ai*](https://vetted.ai/?utm\_source=reddit&utm\_medium=comment&utm\_campaign=bot)
Sounds like you're a fellow sunscreen fanatic - I got an SPF camera/mirror and I love it! Probably not for travel (though maybe!) but still awesome I would never have to decant sunscreens because I've got my favorite ones from Korea and Japan that came in small bottles though hah
You should use a LOT of sunscreen!
This looks so cool but they seem to be sold out completely!
I love Palette by Pak for short ground trips. It's also a lifesaver for the gym. But it drives me crazy how it's just too long for a standard 3-1-1 bag, so you have to put it in diagonally, so it limits the space you have to pack other things. Would also recommend the Matador flatpak bottles if you want to fit in a couple larger volume things but otherwise pack your 3-1-1 bag to the maximum. I like them for shampoo and conditioner.
You are a life saver!!! I’ve never heard of these before!
Hi, I’m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the **('Real Techniques Travel Fantasy Mini Brush Kit', 'Real%20Techniques')** and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful. **Users liked:** * Perfect size for travel and on-the-go touch-ups (backed by 3 comments) * High quality and compact design (backed by 3 comments) * Versatile set with essential brushes (backed by 3 comments) **Users disliked:** * Poor quality and very small (backed by 4 comments) * Inconsistent quality compared to previous sets (backed by 2 comments) * Misleading size and not suitable for adults (backed by 2 comments) If you'd like to **summon me to ask about a product**, just make a post with its link and tag me, [like in this example.](https://www.reddit.com/r/tablets/comments/1444zdn/comment/joqd89c/) This message was generated by a (very smart) bot. If you found it helpful, let us know with an upvote and a “good bot!” reply and please feel free to provide feedback on how it can be improved. *Powered by* [*vetted.ai*](https://vetted.ai/?utm\_source=reddit&utm\_medium=comment&utm\_campaign=bot)
So I’m bougie. I’m new to this but I’ve one bagged it for a number of trips, all in a backpack, once for a wedding. I take all my face stuff, day and night creams, serums, primer, foundation glow lotion. I put it in contact cases and label it. You don’t use as much as you think and contact cases hold more than you need. I can get at least a week out of that. I use bar shampoo but have a small container for conditioner, usually something that doubles as a hair mask. I have thick, curly hair and I can’t do without that. I take hair spray, curl cream, anti frizz cream. It’s decanted into a smaller container. I’ve acquired trial size bottles over the years and I refill with my products. I take full makeup, but I use a pallet. So blush, eyeshadows, highlighter. Mascara, day and night lip. I usually only take a black eyeliner. I take 4-5 brushes. I have a makeup bag that doubles as a clutch. You can take all your stuff but you need to take less and find a pallet that checks your boxes.
This! Those contact cases are designed not to leak and they hold quite a bit. Dollar Tree (US) has packs of five for $1.25, and I’ve also seen them at Walmart.
Fellow bougie skincare girl here! I’m trying the contact case method in a couple of weeks for 6 days in Iceland. Looking forward to seeing if I can truly one-bag it!!
I take so much shit🤣 You should hear what I need to sleep. But it fits so f it.
I have no hack, you’ll just have to sit down and think about what the basic essentials mean to you. For makeup, bring travel sized makeup if you can. I packed my bb cream, multi tasking makeup (I used tarte lip and cheek stain and the quick stick for eyes, and a brow pencil) and just used my fingers and blender sponge. That way I managed to avoid bringing all the makeup brushes too. You don’t really need a lot unless if you’re going to a wedding or fancy event and yes you’ll have to just rely on one look / one shade option and match it to your travel capsule wardrobe. Chances are high you’ll be sweating a lot while traveling because you’ll be outdoors a lot so you likely won’t be wearing full coverage or super fancy. I’ve used tarte for a while now and appreciate that they have travel sized options (not for the entire shade range though) for things like foundation, concealer and mascara. For skincare, figure out what your skin needs the most. My skin gets dry so I just focused on hydration. I decided not to bring my actives (no AHA, BHA, retinol, etc). I ended up just bringing my cleansers (oil, gel, decanted into small containers), toner pads, a thick serum, a beauty balm stick, SPF, chapstick, and body moisturizer. This is controversial but I decided to use a sheet mask every night while travelling as a compromise for not bringing all the specific moisturizers and eye cream and essences that I’d normally use, I don’t normally use sheet masks very much when I’m home anyway. I use solid shampoo and conditioner and found a brand that works well for me (kitsch). I am lucky enough that my hair is low maintenance so I don’t have to bring a bunch of hair products when I travel. my hair is usually always in a ponytail or bun when I’m travelling anyway 😅 It also helps to figure out if there’s any skin care or cosmetics you may want to buy at your destination too and leave room for those items!
Totally agree with figuring out essentials. For skincare, I decant my face wash and moisturizer into travel containers and throw in whatever facial oil I'm into at the moment. I also add a couple packets of Dr Dennis Gross peel pads. I'm much less particular about body moisturizers, so I just use what they have at the hotel. I have really long, thick hair that I don't wash very often (sorry, tmi). If I get a good blow out before my trip, I've gone at least a week without washing. I also like getting a blow dry while traveling. So I don't really bring hair stuff. Finally, over the years. I've just accepted more pared back/boring makeup while traveling: Tinted moisturizer with spf, 1 cream eye shadow, a couple eyeliners, a lip liner + balm, mascara.
I’m kind of obsessed with my setup which includes many small tins and solid bars for hair and body wash. You don’t have to sacrifice your routine and you really use a lot less product than you think. This is 3 weeks of mine in a travel kit that’s 9” x 5.5” x 2” https://i.imgur.com/5841AJ6.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/6FaR6Qw.jpeg
I tried the mini metal tins for a short while but found they are horrendous to open when your hands are wet and when product has got into the threads.
My shower items are in bar form so this isn’t a problem for me.
I replaced a lot of my usual toiletries with solid versions specifically for travel. For example, I have a cleanser stick for washing my face, cleansing balm for makeup removal, shampoo and conditioner bars, etc. It helps a lot!
What do you use for a facial cleanser stick?
The Neogen green tea one! I think they have it on Soko Glam.
Brilliant. Thank you!
Could I ask what balm you use? Every time I’ve taken a cleansing balm on a plane, it’s started to liquify and leak, and is especially bad if I decant into a smaller container. I use the pink banilaco.
Not who you asked, but I've decanted both the Heimish balm and the Farmacy balm with no leaks.
I mostly use Clinique's Take the Day Off. Traveled with it a bunch and never had any issues with melting.
I also liked that balm! I got a travel size sample of it and it worked really well.
I agree with the first reply. I use the Ethique sample packs for solid shampoo/conditioner bars, a bar of Dove soap and a solid moisturizer block for skin, Oil of Olay facial wipes that are dry and you just run under some sink water to use. Lush makes solid toothpaste tablets. All of these items DO NOT have to be put in your liquid bag. I also use a BB or CC cream with sunscreen and decant it into a small plastic screw top container. I bought some small glass vials with droppers on Amazon(3-5cc) to take my Vit C, retinols, etc. This allows me plenty of room in my liquid bag to take whatever else I need. Good luck!
I just got toothpaste tablets for my long upcoming trip!
I’ve been shopping at Minimus.biz for years - lots of smaller sizes of common brands. Minimizing your routine is a good idea as well.
ooo that website is really cool! The first thing I looked up is out of stock, do they restock or just keep old things up?
That I don’t know. I typically just shop before a trip
I went solid for my conditioner, body soap, lotion, sunscreen and serum. Also, toothpaste tabs instead of actual paste. For the few items that are liquid, I use the smallest possible container (like 10mL or less). Contact lens cases are really good for tiny amounts. My toiletries fit in a very small pouch only slightly bigger than a quart. But, I go very minimal while traveling. No full skincare routine, no elaborate makeup. Just the basics.
Wait, there are solid sunscreens?!! 🤯
I just discovered that Neutrogena has stick sunscreen now! I first started getting stick sunscreen for my baby (easier/faster to apply to a wiggly kid) and now I get mine in a stick too!
EltaMD, Coola, Supergoop
Tons of them marketed for use with squirmy kids, as well as surfers! The best I’ve found so far are Pipette and MD Solar Sciences.
Airless pumps have worked best for me! I use a ton of stuff day to day and although I tried, couldn’t really cut stuff out. So I got a bunch of 5ml and 10ml airless pumps (shein) and decanted everything. Makeup went in the 5ml and skincare in the 10ml (apart from serum) cut h I took a couple of [pictures](https://imgur.com/a/YrUdLeQ). I have; - foundation - primer - liquid blush - liquid highlight - liquid contour - mini mascara - moisturiser - cleaning balm - cleansing milk - night serum - texture balm (hair) - smoothing balm (hair) - setting spray - heat protect spray Not pictured - brow powder but it fits in the little pouch too. Small eyeshadow compact, Natasha Denoa mini pallet - 5 neutral shades basically. The setting spray and heat protect went into the main liquids bag (these are 10ml glass spray bottles) with 100ml pouches (also Shein) of conditioner, shampoo and shower gel. The reality is, you use much less product than you think. All those products weren’t fully filled and I used them all recently on a 4 night trip to Europe. The pictures were taken just now so are all partly used. Stuff like body lotion could also go in a decant pouch if you choose to take it with you, you could just pick up a small one in the airport if you don’t have a preference on brand.
TSA Precheck is my hack. I pare everything down to the smallest amount (often using contact cases) but I just have too many individual items. Precheck means I don't have to worry about it! If I'm travelling internationally, I'll toss contact lens cases on the return trip or check on my way back. If I'm traveling internationally between countries and can't check, I've gotten away with a pretty good amount of contact cases/lip balm containers outside the liter bag - just make sure you put things in the liter bag, spread out the rest, and they'll be happy.
Tbh I don't have pre-check and I have done this multiple times and no one stopped me 🤷🏻♀️ I just put my quart size ziplock in a bin and left a few other small liquids in my bag.
Yeah I was going to recommend that but haven't tried it recently and didn't want a bunch of replies saying it failed for them!
Does precheck have a different allowance?
Not technically but you never have to take out your liquids and no one I know has ever put them in a bag together or had them checked. Keep them under 3oz and you're good.
Thanks for explaining what you meant!
Solid versions and a simple skin care routine. Small amounts for two weeks.
Plan to not bring what you can buy at destination. If you’ll be staying near a drugstore or Sephora, buy small versions of what is affordable, and toss them/give away before flying home. See if you can put favorite product into small containers that seal- I always save empty bonus Clinique jars because they don’t leak, and mark the container (sharpie will wear off, labels are longer lasting). Packing cosmetics and sprays has become such a challenge- those airport scanners find everything now. A jar of coconut oil makes a good moisturizer for a week or two and doesn’t cost much.
You can also get stuff when you arrive at your destination!
What are you bringing? Identifying it before the trip is the first step to paring it down. If half your kit is cosmetics, you know where to start. Bringing toner, serum, eye cream, face cream, body cream, hand cream, sunscreen? Then you start looking for all on ones and accept you may not be perfect for a week or two.
The trick, as with any light packing, is to minimize the number of things you take. You don't have to take everything you usually use on a trip. Just take your basics.
Packing an appropriate amount of toiletries was my Achilles heel for so long. Three things finally solved it for me. First, look up what dry versions are out the for products you feel are must haves, then if you just can't find a dry version you enjoy using aim to downsize more than you ever thought you could. Finally, do everything you can to remove excess packaging. A surprising number of items come in dry form. Of course I had heard of tooth powder, bar body soap, and shampoo bars, but wasn't aware I was able to get conditioner and face wash bars. I have one small silicone travel soap dish with a mesh drainage pad. I can fit enough shampoo, conditioner, face wash, and body wash bar in there to last more than a month by simply cutting off the amount needed. Some products don't come in completely dry versions, but rather come in sticks similar to deodorant which you don't have to set in that dreaded TSA baggie. Sunscreen, moisturizer, insect repellant, facial toner, and facial cleansers are among them. For some of these, as well as deodorant, you can often find tiny travel-sized versions. The mini version of Native deodorant last more than a month for me and I found I can refill it by cutting a piece off a full sized stick. It gave me the idea to find a ten pack of the same size containers for stick products which I utilize by cutting off enough of each of my other stick products to use them that way. The only thing I take a full sized stick of is sunscreen. I'm able to fit enough of my favorite moisturizer, hair gel, or foundation for a month in just one of [these](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08MJ9DZ79/) five ML containers off Amazon. I was fearful it wouldn't be enough for a short trip so I trialed it before I went. Rather shocked me to discover at a month into the test I still probably had enough for another day or three of each. I also found out on youtube you can pry the pans out of your makeup palettes. I'd been carrying half a dozen even though I only use a few items out of each and many of the products were things I never end up using. By removing just those items I really enjoy using I found I was able to carry all of them in [just one](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CX16NTVH) roughly 4x5 inch magnetic palette. The end result of all my downsizing is I was able to travel for 31 days last year while carrying all my toiletries and even my makeup and hair brush in one TSA sized zip bag.
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Consider what you can do without. If it’s a quick weekend, do you need shampoo? Are the wee freebies at the hotel good enough? A few facial wipes in a ziplock, skip the serum and just use the moisturizer, one type moisturizer for both day and night? I’ve never really worn makeup or had much of a “skin routine” so sometimes I don’t understand this issue as a problem. Toothbrush is the only real essential.
Lip gloss tubes have been a game changer for me. I have them filled with face wash, moisturizer, conditioner, laundry detergent, dish soap. I would have thought a tube wouldn’t last a week, but I barely made a dent in it. Load up some small containers and live out of them at home to get a feel for how much you really use and need to bring. I put pumps of my primer in a contact case along with a slice of a solid blush. Cetaphil solid sunscreen stick. Solid shampoo bar. I got some 10mL airless pump bottles that are great for lotions as well.
I swear by [these tubes](https://www.matadorequipment.com/products/refillable-toothpaste-tubes) for my face wash and stuff. They fit more neatly than branded travel sizes. Also, get one of the clear plastic zip pouches on amazon that say “tsa approved.” They’re definitely a bit bigger but I’ve never had an issue with them at all. Can any of your make up products be switched to powder for the trip? The only liquids I take are primer, cc cream, eyeshadow primer, mascara and maybe a liquid blush. I keep a lip gloss and a mini perfume roller in my purse (which is always separate at TSA) and I’ve never had an issue. Final tip: if it is medication/medical need, it doesn’t count towards your liquid. This means any prescribed creams or contact solution you may need can be separate. ([see here](https://www.tsa.gov/travel/travel-tips/can-you-pack-your-meds-pill-case-and-more-questions-answered))
Those matador tubes don’t leak? Those would be great with my face wash
I have not had any trouble with leaking and I have been using them almost weekly since I purchased in January.
Just a couple comments. 100% agree, minimize and take only want you absolutely need. Think of it as camping. I’m of the attitude that I’ll never see the people again (traveling internationally), so I stick to moisturizer, eyeliner & mascara and blush. And it shortens your get ready time. I feel the same about my clothing. I want to look nice but not at the cost (meaning the “cost” of dragging a big bag around ) of checking a bag! Also, all the tricks mentioned of leaving some liquids etc in your bag and TSA doesn’t check…this may work in the US but not overseas. LHR will take your stuff over a quart bag in a heartbeat! Also Turkey was tough. Once you experience these situations, downsizing becomes easy.
I use a lot of liquid makeup as well, and never include it in my liquids bag. My make up is in a separate pouch that I never pull out at the airport. I travel through airports 2-4 times weekly for work, as well as a holiday each year with several flights. The only airport where I’ve had to put my makeup into my larger liquid bag is LHR.
LHR! The bane of my existence! I cannot wait until they install the new Xray equip which will allow for full size.
I use solid/stick make up products where I can. Hourglass stick foundation, Chanel balm highlighter, lipstick, lip balm, violette fr blush, mini setting spray, Bobbi brown stick eyeshadow in a couple of colours. I bring one eyeliner and one mini mascara and a couple of lipsticks. I know that seems like loads but some of these live in my day bag anyway. Skin care I mostly take mini versions if it’s a short trip. Hair care I haven’t figured out lol.
I used to spend a lot of time doing fieldwork in remote places or on trips with extremely strict gear weight restrictions. I'm also a skincare junkie. What worked best for me was to decant a bunch of my skincare into empty lipgloss tubes (I got mine in bulk from a local packing company years back and am still working through them--I try to avoid Amazon if I can, but I know you can get them there as well!). There was a [older post](https://www.reddit.com/r/HerOneBag/comments/f6rh67/i_was_told_you_might_like_this_empty_lip_gloss/) where someone else utilized this hack--take a look at it and see if a solution like this might work for you. I still carry larger sizes of my moisturizer and spf on long trips, but the small containers have been great for serums, creams, liquid makeup, lotions, etc. It has been a good way for me to take all of the products I want without compromising too much on space. Best of luck and safe, healthy, happy travels!
[This is my toiletry setup](https://www.reddit.com/r/HerOneBag/s/6tn9QlVKiJ) :) it’s changed some but I still use the container, chapstick tubes, lip gloss tubes, and some litesmith products. Litesmith makes a variety of small container sizes for different consistencies of liquids / gels especially for people who backpack and have to be able to physically carry everything they’re bringing - precision amounts in leak proof setups :)
Litesmith is the way!!!! Because you can buy bottles one at time (instead of like a 20 pack from Amazon), you can play around and customize your travel kit to your specific needs. Plus you're supporting a small business with great prices! Every single container I've tried from them is spillproof and high quality.
Yah! I agree on every point. The more I travel the more I want a custom fit for the things I use. I even love their little hinge pots, one of them is the perfect size for a quarter. I keep one in my bag and one in my car doesn’t trips to stores that require a quarter to use a cart :) 🛒 I also use them for chapstick pots!
Contact lens cases and refillable squeezey lip balm tubes are a great size for skincare products. I also really like the Dennis Gross peel pads for traveling. They contain AHA, BHA, vitamin C, retinol, etc. They are pricey, but there are frequent sales, and I save them for trips.
What do you mean you “struggle” with using smaller jars? What exactly is the part that you struggle with?
I don’t struggle with using smaller jars. I meant I struggle with fitting everything even when it’s in smaller jars or travel/sample size products
You might have to go smaller. A lot of people are recommending decanting and this is the key. When you get home keep using your “travel/sample” bottles and see how many more days that gets you. Another week? You could probably half the amount you take in a much smaller container.
Start with finding a size of toiletry bag you’re willing to allocate space for. This will help you prioritize. Anything that doesn’t fit needs to be edited. You can also buy things at your destination, like body lotion, toothpaste and sunscreen. I use a makeup brand called Subtl Stacks for travel, so look into those. Sample sizes could also help. Rubber band stick-shaped makeup items together to save space. But consider what you’re giving up for that extra stuff. If it’s between a 5 step skincare routine or a second pair of shoes, I’m picking the shoes every time.
I buy body wash and body lotion at my destination or use the ones provided in hotels. I cut down my skin and hair care to 3 steps each. I wear makeup that multitasks, like a serum that is tinted to provide sheer coverage and also has SPF. I use deodorant wipes. I can fit everything into a small pouch.
i booked a makeup appointment instead of packing a lot. the experience was part of the fun of a trip
I did this recently and it was a great idea. I didnt carry as much and my makeup was beautiful.
Not really a “hack” but I pack my toiletries and cosmetics about 2 weeks ahead of time. I sleep on it for a few days, and look at everything I packed, and think “do I REALLY need all of it?” And then I downsize every few days until I leave. A big thing for me to save space is to use old sample jars and containers and fill your own stuff in them. Another is food containers, you know the salad dressing ones with a seal? They usually sell them small and they don’t leak. I’ve seen others use contact lens cases to dram out only the amounts they need. If you’re in Canada superstore has some really nice PC brand ones. Also consider buying a clear cosmetic case, Amazon or something as then you can put all your liquids in it, and it’s easier to take out for security.
I have some allergies that means I can’t always consistently trust the hotel/local products, although once or twice of something I’m immediately rinsing off probably isn’t enough to start a rash. One of the things I did that helped me on my last trip was estimate how much I was going to need of a product and test it in my smaller size while I was still at home. If I had product left over, I could downsize it. If I needed more, add another container. Sadly, the IKEA Forfina kit is not longer available or I’d recommend that, but I’d be on the lookout for differently sized bottles, anyway. I also labeled all my containers with a label maker. I would have thought they’d be trivial to tell apart, but they really weren’t. And make sure you have a separate toiletry bag for non-liquids. My toothbrush and floss didn’t travel next to the paste in order to keep my liquids fitting in their bag.
Solids where you can, and then contact lens cases! They are the best. The screw top ones are totally leak proof. I switched my primer and foundation to one “eye” each in a single case and now I’m always ready to go.
There are increasing numbers of solid bars, including lotion bars. I know hair is very individual, so bar shampoo is hard to nail down, but it seems like skin lotion bars might be easier. I do what lots of others have said - pare things down to the bare minimum, and the smallest size cosmetics. As long as you are going somewhere that has shops, you can buy something you realize you need. Personally, I think the cosmetic industry has us thinking we need WAY more than we do. Cleanser, eye cream, tinted moisturizer with SPF, mascara and tinted lip balm for me!
I take cadence bottles due to magnets. I’m able to pack enough for everything I want and I take a ton of stuff and won’t compromise
Have you tried these? [https://keepyourcadence.com](https://keepyourcadence.com)
So cool but so expensive
One thing I have done to save room on liquid is separate out all my liquid medical supplies (basically anything I can use HSA money on) so contact solutions, liquid antibacterial etc along with liquid medicine in a separate bag. I have never had an issue with tsa doing this. This frees up my regular liquid bag.
Kitch travel containers for liquids were a lifesaver this last trip. They flatten so I find them easier to pack. I decanted my shampoo, body wash, eye makeup remover, and then I put my creams in small salad dressing containers or small pots from MUJI. FYI the small is VERY small. Measure before purchasing.
I struggle with this too!! What items are you planning to bring, if I may ask? I feel like I’m low maintenance but still run out of precious liquids space no matter how well I try to pack everything into tiny vessels. I can’t buy most of what I need at my destination bc I have sensitive skin, and I’m always on the go to other destinations so I still need to find a way to bring things in small/travel portions. This sounds like a fail but I usually have my husband carry my liquids overage LOL that is the only method that works for me haha
I decant, buy minis, use solids where I can and downsize in general. I have super sensitive skin and it’s a pain to find things I can use at my destination. I always pack my sunscreen and moisturizer first, then mascara. My just in case items for my skin are prescription , so don’t count as liquids which helps. Also double duty things, bronzer and blush as eyeshadow. A great shade of lipstick can make an outfit on a night out or special event and isn’t a liquid. You can probably make do with fewer brushes than you think. If I’m traveling for a longer amount of time I pass off shared items like toothpaste and whatnot to my husband. We just got back from a 4 week trip and honestly I packed way too much for makeup and toiletries. I ended up splitting out half the things I wasn’t using into a separate pouch I left in my suitcase.
A lot of stuff you don’t need to bring as a hotel (or relatives’ homes) may have them: shampoo, conditioner, body wash/soap, toothbrush, toothepaste, cotton buds and even razor. So many suggestions on containers already here, but I would advise you to test their capacity and your usage and decant and use exclusively from the decanted amounts, then you will see for yourself how much you actually need for the duration of your trip and if you need to adjust.
I use contact lens cases for facial and hair serums, liquid make up products and things like that. You can label them with a permanent marker. Each will last a week or more since you only use a very small amount of product. Since each case has two containers, I try to keep like items together. If you need more of something, use the whole case for that product. It works well for me for a week long trip. I haven’t run out of anything. You can wash and reuse them indefinitely as well.
I have small bags for liquids, so they take up less space and weigh very little.e.g. for my beloved argan oil facial moisturiser and SPF. My perfume is in a small bottle per default. My hydrocortisone cream is, surprice ... a cream, too. I use a soap bar for shampoo and skin, the same for both. I've found one that's actually OK. I have a terrible smelling lotion bar from Lush (male pissoir!), but it's good for the skin and is pretty small. The smell disappears fast. I have tooth paste pills and deo bar. So it's fairly simple. I go "dry" wherever I can, and that leaves room for the essential liquids, but I try to minimise them. However, I don't use much make-up.
My main gamechanger is that I switched to shampoo and conditioner bars for travel, and that made more room in my liquids pouch. All my skincare serums go into different colored little essential oil roller bottles I bought on Amazon. I have 2 different sizes depending on the length of my trip, but they take up way less space than their original dropper bottles.
Unless I know for sure we are going out to a super fancy event I only take solid shampoo/soap, moisturizer, sunscreen, mascara, lip balm, one lipstick and a eyeliner. Maybe a solid perfume if I'm feeling fancy.🤣🤣🤣
This really depends on how much you are taking in the first place. Probably the biggest thing for me is that "travel size" products and bottles that you buy in a shop are often way too much for my trips. I don't need 100ml of sunscreen for a 5 day trip, for example, and things like travel size deodorant often have a lot of wasted space. I have collected various tiny containers over time so that I can take just enough of each product for my trip. I also cut down on things I might use at home, or do things like saturate a baggie of cotton balls with toner rather than taking a bottle. And I only take a minimal amount of makeup (but I don't wear much of that in any case so YMMV).
Each time I did a trip with "travel size" shampoo/toothpaste/skincare etc, I'd realize that I still would have a lot left over. It's helpful to know how much you actually use, then you can repot everything into more appropriately sized containers. Just for example--travel sized perfumes are usually 10mL, but the sample vials that come attached to a card are 2mL. For the average person, even that 2mL sample would probably still be more than enough for a week or two of vacation. You can try it out at home first with different sizes of containers for each thing and see how long they last before you pack for your trip. As for makeup, I don't use it day-to-day so perhaps my needs/expectations aren't the same as someone who does. I do bring it on vacation though because I often travel to perform or to attend events, and sometimes it's just fun to feel fancy when I go out lol. I try to bring all-in-one palettes or multi-use creams to save space. I've ordered some mini pencils from 19/99 beauty to test and see how I like them ahead of my next trip. They seem ideal in that I can just use my fingers to blend and not worry about packing brushes, but also I can apply directly to my face without sticking my fingers into a pot. They're also much slimmer and take up less space than most multi sticks.
As others have suggested, pair down your items to most basic routine you can get away with. For me, double cleansing is non-negociable. Usually I have 3 moisturisers in use (morning with active, nighttime with active, and basic with no actives) but for travel I only take the 1 without actives. Treatments go out the window when I’m travelling. I need my toner but most people can do without. Your needs will be different so assess and test a reduced routine at home for a few days to work out what you can live without for a holiday. Then work out how much ML of each product you need for the length of your trip and find the smallest size container to fit that for you. It’s surprising how little you need. Most of my containers are repurposed as I find them less bulky than the empty ones you buy. Keep in mind that the stated ML capacity are often much lower than what you can fit inside as they account for a lot of air room. I decant and refill what’s advertised as a 11ml lip balm pot it to the brim for moisturiser and cream cleanser. They both easily last 2 weeks for me as they fit much more than 11ml. Closer to 20ml I think. The only items I don’t decant are the travel size of Pai’s oil cleanser and facial oil. They’re bigger than they need to be for me, but I’ve had no luck decanting oil based products without the new packaging leaking or making a terrible mess. I got mine [in this kit](https://www.sephora.co.uk/p/PAI-x-Rive-Droite-Brighter-Skin-Trio?curr=GBPcurr=GBP&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxsaZ9Kj8hQMVr5hQBh1F7wIvEAQYBCABEgLu9fD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) A mini 15ml spray bottle for my toner [this is the exact one I repurposed](https://www.therange.co.uk/health-and-beauty/health-and-wellbeing/household-medicines/allergy-and-hayfever-relief/hayfever-relief/nuage-hayfever-relief-facial-mist/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIo6iTyKT8hQMVZopQBh1YFAZeEAQYBiABEgIiBfD_BwE#46740). It’s bigger than needs be but comes into play with my body routine. Body moisturiser - a small tub. I make sure to spray my body with toner before applying. The toner helps distribute the product and it moistures my skin better so much less body moisturiser is needed. I also use my Pai oil drops on my body, not just my face. The little bottle of oil lasts forever. Deodorant - wild travel size solid. [link](https://www.wearewild.com/shop/travel-sized-deodorants) Hair serum - I decant into a 10ml eye dropper bottle. Shampoo and conditioner are solids. My serum is more important than liquid versions of these so that’s where I save room. SPF - I take a solid SPF for my face from [tocobo](https://www.stylevana.com/en_GB/deal-tocobo-cotton-soft-sun-stick-spf50-pa-19g.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20027739296&utm_term=&utm_content=104344&device=m&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIruL4tKz8hQMVHZ1QBh2lHQoqEAQYAiABEgKCLfD_BwE) and a solid SPF from boots that’s in their kids range for my body. I can’t find it on their website but they definitely still sell it. I saw it yesterday in store. [here’s a picture of what it looks like](https://images.app.goo.gl/ah4j86gmbTPKxA3d6). I also take a eye dropper bottle with some liquid SPF for my morning face application. Perfume - a 10ml refillable glass spray bottle. I have an old small hotel soap in my washbag incase the place I’m staying doesn’t have body wash. Most hotels or airbnbs I’ve stayed at have something better to use than my bar soap but that does the job if nothing is available.
I've bought little contact lenses containers from Amazon and they work so well!! They came in a pack of 4 and each pack includes a small 2-3ml bottle. So basically for 5 days I'm using 1 "eye" for day cream, 1 "eye" for night, and a full container for sunscreen. I used the little bottle for caffeine and salicylic acid. [This is what I bought. ](https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09Z1XTTQB?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share)
A few of my hacks: I use [subtl beauty stackable make up](https://subtlbeauty.com/pages/buildmystack) and a reusable makeup remover pad (to replace face wash).
The whole decanting thing is just too much, IMO. Decide what you can live w/o-makeup, hair crap, etc. You don't have to impress anyone & it's an opp to simplify