If packing light isn’t your style, you’ll know the struggle of squeezing your makeup and other cosmetics into your carry-on case.
Aside from the significant weight this can add to your luggage, there’s also the risk of arriving at your destination to find that your powders, tinted liquids, and favourite lip colours have spilled, smashed, or been squashed.
Our beauty editor’s selection of the best hair, fragrance and makeup minis – including Valentino’s clutch-friendly lipsticks and GHD’s foldable hairdryer – offer the high-quality shades, textures and packaging you love, in travel-friendly sizes that make packing a lot easier.
These are the best makeup minis to get your hands on this summer.
Lightweight and oil-free for a freshed-faced glow, a size that allows you to take your coverage with you on the go, and with ingredients to protect your skin from the sun and pollution; I liked this Laura Mercier summer-ready mini tint so much that I reinvested in the full-sized product too.
Say goodbye to bringing bulky palettes with you on your travels. Urban Decay has made its iconic eyeshadow selections available in mini sizes, so you always feel fully put together. Plus the shades have been streamlined to include the most popular ones so you don’t pay for lots of colours you’d never use.
I've experienced first-hand the pain of opening my makeup bag to discover a smashed powder that I shoved a little too aggressively into my luggage. Luckily, mini versions are a simple solution that can be slotted into handbags as well as suticases. This version of Hourglass' illuminating powder is your ticket to a lit-from-within glow.
Mini versions of your favourite powders are a simple solution that can be slotted into handbags and purses, as well as suitcases.
Primer is commonly the first makeup product you leave behind when travelling light, as you try to squeeze in more coverage and SPF-protection. However, if you are off to hotter climates, a makeup-extending primer can keep you looking flawless longer in the heat. This one is my favourite and is available in a small, 10ml sample.
When I want to pack really light in terms of makeup but still have an evening event to go to, this mini red lipstick is my secret weapon. Valentino has a statement rouge tone to suit all complexions (in chic packaging to match), and it's also the perfect size to slot into your clutch for quick touch-ups during the night if needed.
Don’t forget about your travel brushes. This clever innovation from leading makeup artist Ruby Hammer means you get three brushes-in-one by interchanging the magnetic heads. They even work across liquid, cream and powder products so you don’t have to compromise on makeup precision when travelling.
We all know the struggle of trying to style hair using a hotel hairdryer… This GHD travel hairdryer is what dreams are made of. The foldable mini-version of the brand's iconic tech is 50% lighter than the at-home models so won't send you over weight allowances but still offers the power and control you need, especially for textured or frizz-prone hair.
This foldable travel hairdryer means you no longer have to struggle with lacklustre hotel technology when styling your hair on your travels.
Offering maximum volume, curl and a jet-black formula to define your lashes in one wave of the wand, Too Faced's best-selling mascara – one of TikTok's most recommended – now comes in a micro version. That means you don't have to compromise when on the go and can instantly revive travel-weary eyes too.
If summer travels tend to leave your makeup slipping off your face, a good setting spray will keep everything in place with ease. Skip large, heavy bottles in favour of Sculpted by Aimee's new mini spritz. It won't leave a sticky, uncomfortable feel on your skin either.
Blush sticks are my favourite quick and easy way to fake a warm summer flush and this formula can also be used as a lip tint, making it a brilliant multitasking essential for your makeup bag. With Summer Friday’s buttery, glossy formula now in a little 5g size, there’s no better time for you to try it for yourself.
So you never forget to pack a good hairbrush again, keep this mini detangler in your travel toiletry bag. It makes light work of knots and tangles without causing lots of breakage. While travelling, different water softness can make your hair harder to brush, making this brush especially handy.
Travelling to different countries with different water quality can change how easy your hair is to brush. Keep this mini detangler in your travel toiletry bag.
When A-list stars get pimples – believe me, it does happen – this is the creamy formula so many of them use to instantly defuse redness and even skin tone without causing extra irritation. The finish means any blemishes are easily disguised too, including in your holiday photos. Nars' travel variation means you are never caught without it.
You can find the majority of Mac’s rainbow of lip colours in handbag-friendly sizes, but the staple I’d recommend is the wide selection of skin tone-flattering nudes that can be found in both velvety matte and shiny formulas. From beach holidays to working travels in the city, they won’t let you down.
Whether you’ve known the panic of forgetting to take a full-sized fragrance out of your carry-on handbag, or simply hate the fragility and weight the flaccons can bring, an atomiser is your solution. This statement one by Killian is a favourite of fashion insiders and encases the brand’s gorgeously cocooning floral scent.
The finishing touch to any travel makeup routine is the cosmetics pouch you put it all in. This simple yet chic transparent case from Cult Beauty is my tried and tested favourite as you can actually see what you are packing, find what you are looking for quickly – and it’s so easy to clean should you need to.
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Lead photo credit: Pexels
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