I used to be someone who would bring a big suitcase on any trip that lasted seven days or longer. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that I never got to use/wear all of the stuff I brought. Also, I was tired of schlepping around a big suitcase and having to wait for it at the baggage claim.
Of course, it really depends on where you’re going and how much time you spend there (I share my printable travel packing checklist over here). Your destination’s climate largely influences the thickness and quantity of your clothing items you’ll bring and in turn how much space you have to allocate in your suitcase for clothing.
But I digress somewhat. I don’t want to talk about packing clothing in this post. A big part of the reason why I would bring a big suitcase on trips was all the different creams, lotions, washes and make-up I would bring on such a trip. And I’m NOT someone who has or uses a lot of stuff by any means (I’m a minimalist after all).
I’d like to show you what I’ve learned over the years in terms of packing toiletry and beauty items for travel.
Reduce, Reduce, Reduce
There’s no need to bring all of the stuff you use at home on a regular basis. And here’s why:
- Don’t bring items you only use on an irregular basis. For example that exfoliation cream you’re using once a week (if you don’t forget). Just exfoliate before your trip and leave it at home. The same goes with that special shampoo you’re supposed to use twice a week and the three different nail polishes you want to throw in because you can’t decide on a color. Let’s be real, doing your nails on vacation should not be a priority and just eats up precious vacation time.
- You use less than you think. Trust me. A little bottle of face cream goes a long way.
- If you really run out of an essential, chances are you can buy something at a local store (unless you decided to hike up Machu Picchu for 10 days – but then a proper skincare regime is probably not what’s at the forefront of your mind).
- Think about sharing items. Let’s say if you’re going on a trip with two friends, you could only bring one tube of toothpaste.
- Taking a break every now and then from the products you’re using is actually good for your skin. You’re on vacation after all, so just relax!
How To Pack Toiletry For A Carry-On
If you want to travel without checking in luggage, the best way is to use little travel containers, bottles etc. whose holding capacity is 3.4 oz or less. I got mine at Muji. But you can also get these sorts of containers online.
Yes, it’s a little bit of work to transfer the liquid beauty items into the little containers. But I promise, it’s worth it!
What I Would Bring On A 3-Week Trip
Here’s what I would pack into my carry-on:
Body Care Products
- 2 Face sunscreen
- 1 Body lotion w/ SPF
- 1 Day/night cream w/o SPF
- Coconut oil packets (both as a body lotion and for oil pulling)
- 1 Body wash
- 1 Shampoo
- 1 Conditioner
- 1 Facial toner
- 1 Deodorant
- 1 Tube of toothpaste (travel-size)
- 1 Eye drops
Cosmetics/Perfume
- 2 Perfume samples
- 2 Nail polish remover pads
- 1 Eyebrow pencil
- 1 Eyeliner
- 1 Lipstick
- 1 Pressed make-up
- 1 Concealer
As you can see in the picture above, I refilled some of the items into travel-size containers. Others, however, already come packaged in an appropriate size. I always look to buy travel-sized toothpaste in advance, for example. I pack everything in clear pouches or Ziploc bags.
Please note, I didn’t list any tools like hair brushes or q-tips here. I only wanted to show the (mostly) liquid items since these are the ones that often take up a lot of space if you bring them in their original packaging.
Another Tip
If you’re not willing to do all the transferring of liquids, consider using solid products that can be used as body bar soaps, shampoo bars, conditioner bars, toothpaste tablets and so on. Personally, I don’t have a lot of experience with these so far but would like to try them out in the future.
What type of packer are you? Do you prefer to travel light or do you need to have your familiar selection with you at all times?
