Travelling can be a tiresome thing to go through, especially when it requires you to hop on planes to get to your destination. Being up in the air can dry out your skin and the never-ending security checks can mentally and physically drain you out before you even get to your seat onboard.
Luckily, the solution can be right under your nose. Don’t make the mistake of including products that can easily break, spill, or burst in your suitcase. Packing correctly can have a say in whether you’ll have a pleasant or problematic journey. Read on to see what you should and shouldn’t take with you.
Beauty On-The-Go: The Basics
When you’re ill-equipped as you pass through airport security, it can become a hectic nightmare that you don’t want to ever go through. In the name of safety, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has strict rules on what you can and can’t bring with you onboard – including beauty products.
It may sound a little intimidating, especially if you haven’t flown in a while, but it’s all pretty straightforward if you just follow a few simple rules.
1. A little over 3 ounces
You can bring 3.4 ounces or smaller-sized containers of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams, and pastes. Anything larger has to go into your checked bag instead.
2. Exemptions to the rule
Although there are strict regulations, there are exemptions to the above, including medications, as well as baby formula or breast milk. However, this has to be declared and packed in a reasonable quantity.
3. Put into a bag
These containers must fit into 1 quart-sized, resealable bag. Separating these items from your carry-on bag will ease the screening process
4. Container is the limit
Remember that even if there is clearly 3.4 ounces or less of product in a bottle, it won’t be permitted if the container itself is larger than the limit
5. Solid makeup and skincare
Products like bronzers, blushes, powders and stick deodorants aren’t included in the 3-ounce limit. As they’re more solid rather than liquid, you can keep them in the original packaging.
6. It’s a yes for nail polish
Nail polish is allowed onboard, but it’s best not to apply some during your flight. The distinctive smell of polish can be considered off-putting to other passengers.
7. Don’t risk it if you’re not sure
When in doubt, leave the product at home. There’s always a risk of having it confiscated at the screening and it’s never fun to part with your favorite beauty product!
For the curious-minded, there is a reason for the little-over-3-ounce limit. According to the TSA, this magic number is the safest amount before it could become a potentially dangerous explosive liquid. Purchasing TSA-approved products or transferring products into smaller containers can be tedious and inconvenient, but it’s necessary to ensure passenger safety.
Travel-Appropriate Beauty Products
Travelling can take a toll on your body, especially long-haul flights. Passing through different time zones, the thinner air, and the constant sitting are able to make anyone feel immensely tired. Don’t forget that flying can also cause a lot of stress for some people!
When you’re feeling dehydrated and stressed, it useful to have your go-to pick-me-ups on hand. Having a refreshing moisturizer or fragrance in your carry-on can help you leaving the plane looking and feeling anew. Choose products that have these qualities and contain invigorating ingredients, such as the ones below.
Things to Consider When Buying Products for Travelling
Purchasing beauty products can be hard as it is, due to the abundance of choice. From all the amazing cruelty-free products available on the market, it can be difficult to narrow down a few that you get to take with you on your travels. Here’s a few points to consider before you buy a beauty product for travelling.
- Packaging. Apart from size, you’ll want to pick products that have quality packaging. The last thing you want is your bottle foundation to pop and break in your bag.
- Application. Consider how you’re going to apply that certain product – the more fuss-free, the better. Travelling light is always preferred, and it helps to choose beauty products that won’t require you to pack additional tools. For instance, a brow tool that includes a spoolie can save space in your makeup purse.
- Clear toiletry bag. A clear bag eases your time at the security check, especially a quart-sized one to meet TSA requirements. Security officers will be able to clearly see into them and see what products you have if it needs to be thoroughly checked.
The Best Travel-Friendly Beauty Products
Get rid of unnecessary packaging and weight when travelling. A plastic-free shampoo is how you can do just that. Similar to the shampoo that comes out of a bottle, Meow Meow Tweet’s Shampoo Bar can also lather when applied to the hair and scalp. It also works as a body wash if you wish. The bar contains avocado oil and aloe vera to condition, as well as rosemary and hops flowers for shinier and brighter hair. You’ll walk away with a sweet and herbal scent!
Never sleep with makeup on, even while you’re on the plane if you can help it. To avoid queuing up for the lavatory for a face wash, use a sheet from Pacifica’s Glowing Makeup Removing Wipes. They have various scents, but the Orange & Vanilla one contains glycolic acid, coconut water, calendula, and aloe to support the skin while removing your makeup and excess oil. Get a good night’s shut eye and feel clean, bright, and a little exfoliated after wiping some of this on. The 10-sheet pack is a good travel size that can slip right into your purse or the pocket of your carry-on luggage.
Kopari Beauty
Coconut Melt Mini
$18
Look no further than Kopari’s Coconut Melt for a multitasking coconut oil that can cleanse well in addition to hydrating and moisturizing the body. You can even apply some of this product on hair to prevent it from looking dull. The creamy consistency also makes for an effective face cleanser when travelling, as it’s not prone to spilling, especially when it’s in a jar instead of a tube. While it is mostly made up of coconut oil, this Kopari product doesn’t leave a greasy or oily feel compared to the real thing.
Name us a better refreshing combo than cucumber and mint – we’ll wait. Feeling fresh is important when you’re travelling, especially in the underarm areas. It’s a good thing that Native has a mini version of their popular aluminum-free deodorants that you can sneak into your pocket. It’s said to provide effective long-lasting odor protection, which is extremely useful for long journeys.
Dry lips are the first signs of dehydration, which tends to happen while you’re travelling. Keep your lips moisturized throughout with a reliable lip balm. Burt’s Bees Moisturizing Lip Balm is nourishing, yet strong enough to repair cracked lips. It also comes in a variety of irresistible, aromatic fragrances The Pear & Coconut one is especially fitting for dehydrated lips. It’s also budget-friendly, so you wouldn’t get too mad if you lost one of these on your travels.
Less is more when it comes to travelling and packing, and this is where a foundation and concealer combo comes in handy. Stila’s Stay All Day Foundation & Concealer consists of their lightweight, yet buildable, matte foundation and a creamy concealer that hides conveniently inside the cap. The concealer can cover up under-eye circles, which is useful in looking rejuvenated after a long flight. Additionally, the concealer is also refillable, which means you can reuse the packaging when the foundation has run out.
LUSH
Solid Perfume
$14.45
There’s nothing worse than finding out your favorite perfume has spilled everywhere inside your luggage. Avoid having all your clothes smelling strong of your fragrance by packing a solid perfume instead. Lush is a good start – they have 14 solid perfumes to choose. You’ll be tempted to buy one for every day of the week! Simply twist the cap open to reveal the fragrant jar contents and dab on your wrists, neck or even your hair.
There’s a reason why the Better Than Sex Macara from Too Faced is a cult-favorite. The end-result looks like falsies in a way that it volumizes, lengthens and curls at the same time. When travelling, it’s a good idea to have a versatile mascara that can go from day to night. Stick with one coat of this intense black shade to define your lashes or add more to create a dramatic look. The travel-sized one is just as good as its regular size, except you can easily put this in your makeup bag without adding more clutter.
Anastasia Beverly Hills
Brow Wiz
$23
An all-in-one brow tool that’s good to bring with you everywhere is worthy of being included in your travel bag. On one end of Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Brow Wiz is a retractable eyebrow pencil for outlining and detailing brows. You can make tiny individual hair-like strokes, thanks to its ultra-slim shape. On the other end, there’s a spoolie to help blend it all for a natural finish. You don’t even need to bring any additional brushes or gels for faking a full brow. You can have it all in an instant with this tool.
You’ll forget how you were able to travel in the past without a multi-functional makeup product. Milk Makeup’s Lip & Cheek Blush comes in six shades and can be used as a lip stain or a cheek stain, as well as eyeshadow. With a satin finish, the shades will provide a natural blush. It’s also made with super clean ingredients, including mango butter, avocado and apricot oil, which helps the product blend into the skin effortlessly. It’s a great product to have lying in your toiletry bag – you’ll never know when you need to look fresh-faced and this product can do it in snap.
In addition to moisturizing the skin when it dries out from being in the air, Acure’s Day Cream also provides sun protection with non-nano zinc oxide. There’s also plenty of nourishing botanicals, as well as turmeric and ferulic acid to provide anti-aging support. Antioxidants also help in keeping the skin supple and won’t cause irritation, making it suitable for sensitive skin. Its small tube (1.7 oz) makes it easy to squeeze into your carry on without trouble.
Final Verdict
While we love our vacations, travelling to the destination can be unfavorable for some. Regardless of whether or not you enjoy flying, you can make the process easier on yourself by packing your carry-on with TSA-approved products.
It’s extremely important to meet the TSA requirements, such as only including liquids, aerosols, and gels that are 3.4 ounces or less. When you have regulations to follow and maximum luggage allowance to abide by, there are only so many beauty products you can take with you. With this in mind, it helps to pack multipurpose products like ($18) and Stila’s Stay All Day Foundation & Concealer ($40).
Other handy beauty products to have in your carry-on would be skincare goods to keep you moisturized. Ingredients like coconut are well-suited for this: Burt’s Bees’ Moisturizing Lip Balm ($3.44) and ($18) are beneficial to have with you when travelling.
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