Our Ride-or-Die Hair and Beauty Products (Travel Edition)

We asked one of our writers to compile her must-have beauty products while traveling. Because who doesn’t love lists?

Background

When I was in my early 20s, I moved to the Dominican Republic. I was younger and a bit of a minimalist back then. I was the let-your-hair-down-and-soak-up-the-sun kind of gal. You can tell because all I packed was:

  • Face moisturizer with SPF

  • Mineral makeup

  • Eyeliner

  • Mascara

  • Soft curl styling lotion

I didn’t even own a hair dryer or a curling iron. Impressive, right?

But now that I’m in my late 20s, I’ve learned to pay more attention to my skin, have refined my makeup technique, and overall have finally come into my own skin. So, I’ve carefully curated my ride-or-die hair and beauty products that I’ve brought with me abroad.

(This list doesn’t include all of my favorite makeup products, but only the ones I can’t live without when traveling. So you probably won’t see finishing powders or setting sprays — you know the stuff that makes you look flawless. Why must airlines have weight limits?!)

1. Face Moisturizer with SPF

Many people only think about SPF protection or sunscreen when they hit the beach. But unless you live under a rock, you come into contact with UV rays every day — even on cloudy days and in the winter.

Here’s a great article about the benefits of wearing SPF.

But you don’t need to smother your face in thick sunblock. There are face moisturizers with SPF protection built right in.

And you don’t need an SPF of 50 or 100. Let’s not get crazy now. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, an SPF 30 allows about 3% of rays to hit your skin, while an SPF of 50 allows 2%. Not a huge difference. They recommend an SPF of at least 30 if you’ll be outside for an extended period of time, like for an outdoor activity.

So, for me, a face moisturizer of SPF 15 or 30 is good enough for everyday wear. Here are my two favorites:

The Olay moisturizer is a bit thicker than the Aveeno moisturizer. So, if I’m wearing heavier face makeup, like liquid foundation, I’ll opt for the Aveeno. If I’m only wearing light mineral makeup, I’ll use Olay. 

2. Foundation

For foundation, my favorite is the Maybelline Fit Me Matte and Poreless line. For full glam days, I’ll use the foundation and powder together. For natural makeup days, I’ll just use the face powder to control shine.

3. Bronzer

The Physicians Formula Murumuru Butter Bronzer is hands-down the best bronzer in the world.

4. Blush

I’ve brought 2 blushes with me because I have a weakness for pinks. The Milani Baked Powder Blush in Luminoso and Wet n Wild Icon Blush in Pearlescent Pink are my favorites. Be warned, the Milani has a bit of an iridescent glow, so I save that for a more glam look.

5. Highlighter

You’ll get the most bang for your buck with E.L.F. Baked Highlighter in Moonlight Pearls and Blush Gems. These tiny little domes pack a punch if you layer it on. So, they’re the best options for travel.

Also, you’ll need to scratch off the top surface of the highlighter when you get it. There’s something weird about how E.L.F. finishes the product. Once you get rid of the surface layer, you’ll get some intense shine.

6. Eyeliner

I have oily eyelids. Like the grease on your hand after you’ve eaten a bag of potato chips.

Pencil eyeliners always transfer to my top lid. So, I only wear liquid eyeliner. 

My original holy grail liquid eyeliner is the Physicians Formula Eye Booster Waterproof Ultra-Fine Liquid Eyeliner. The only catch is, I have to touch up my lids with powder throughout the day to avoid transferring.

But, this month, I discovered the NYX Matte Liquid Liner. It held up all day without any touchups. Right now, it’s winter, so the air is dry and I’m not sweating like a pig. I can’t wait to test this eyeliner in the summer, because I have some high hopes for it.

7. Mascara

If you haven’t noticed yet, I’m Asian. And I have short, straight eyelashes. Mascara has been the bane of my existence because I absolutely love fluttery lashes. 

Unfortunately, only waterproof mascara can hold a curl for me. I literally cannot wear the regular formula. On top of that, not all waterproof versions get the job done.

While I love a few different mascaras, I only brought the L’oréal Voluminous Million Lashes Waterproof Mascara and the Maybelline Full ’N Soft Waterproof Mascara with me abroad.

8. Brows

I’m lazy when it comes to brows. I use the L'oréal Brow Stylist Definer.

9. Eyeshadow

My makeup style is very subtle and natural. I have a neutrals palette and something with a hint of pink. I pair these with the Milani Eyeshadow Primer.

10. Lips

When I’m traveling, I don’t line my lips. Yes, the makeup police are going to come get me. Ironically, my most beloved makeup product type is for lips.

Now that we’ve finished up my makeup products, here’s my nighttime routine.

11. Makeup Remover

I take off my makeup using the Makeup Eraser. And I make sure to get it all off by doing a second run over my skin with Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water.

12. Face Cleanser

Ulta, Sephora, and Target are littered with face cleansers. There are foam, gel, oil, and even milk cleansers! This article by youbeauty really helped me choose the best cleanser for my skin. 

Basically, gel cleansers are for a nice deep clean, which is perfect for a fresh canvas to apply makeup. While both can remove makeup, milk cleansers are more gentle while oil cleansers really break down emollients — aka that waterproof nonsense. 

Because oil cleansers can leave a residue, I sneak this cleanser in before I wipe my face with micellar water.

So basically, I use a gel cleanser in the morning to start my day and alternate between an oil and milk cleanser to finish it off at night.

12. Face Masks

We are nearing the end, I promise! And I’ll keep this simple. Clay mask + apple cider vinegar.

13. Night Cream

The last step of the night is night cream. And we are back to the Aveeno vs. Olay battle.

14. Hair

My hair is damaged. I literally take 30 minutes to brush out my knots after every shower. It’s mostly because I haven’t cut it in nearly 2 years. Don’t @ me! I’ve been abroad and I don’t trust these locks with anyone but my stylist. And you can’t heal damaged hair, but that’s a topic for another blog.

Here’s my hair routine:

I wash my hair and treat it with OGX Argan Oil. Then, I’ll spray it with Not Your Mother’s All Eyes on Me 10-in-1 Hair Perfector to blow dry and curl.

Finally, I’ll lock it in with Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Texturing Sea Salt Spray (for a firmer hold) or Soft Waves Spray (for a looser hold). If I really want it to stay, I’ll finish it off with Tresemme Micro Mist Hair Spray.

Of course, the days following, I’ll need some Not Your Mother’s Dry Shampoo.

15. Perfume

I have one signature scent Chloé Eau de Parfum. I also have two lighter scents Philosophy Nude Rose and Ballet Rose, which are not eau de parfum, but rather eau de toilette. I’ll do another blog post explaining the difference and how to wear each.

Backpacking

You may feel like I have a lot of products here. Considering I had 2 check-in suitcases and a carry-on, I was able to manage to lug it all here to Asia. Of course, when we do backpacking trips, a lot of these products stay at our home base.

When we backpack, I stuff these 12 products into my Mountaintop 40L Hiking Backpack.

While it feels like I’ve become more high maintenance, which is probably true, a large portion of this is self-care. Psychology Today phrased it really well, that self-care is taking time to pay attention to you, but “not in a narcissistic way.” Here’s a really interesting Ted Talk about the importance of self-care, if you’re interested.

In the mornings, I get 30 minutes to myself before I become a mom, wife, writer, and blogger. But I also get a structured nighttime routine to take off my makeup, lathering some face oil, exfoliate the day away, and apply a night cream that builds me up to do it all over again tomorrow.

This is how I unwind and take care of myself physically and emotionally. Plus, if it helps keep my skin and hair looking awesome, who can complain?

Featured Photo: Shop This Look

BeautyKimberly Ellismakeup, hair, travelComment