Our beauty director reveals the travel-friendly carry-on beauty essentials she can’t live without – so good in fact, she is a recent convert to the ‘five-minute face’ when she flies…
First, a confession. I am not usually a light packer. In fact, when my family goes away on holiday, my sisters all but assume that if they’ve forgotten to pack something (or just couldn’t be bothered to squeeze it into their suitcases), I’ll have a solution. And, normally, they’d be right, especially when it comes to beauty essentials.
Frankly, I just hate the idea of not having the perfect product to hand when I need it, which inevitably leads to me buying hold luggage (and often very nearly having to pay excess luggage fees) even when I fly relatively short-haul. I didn’t even have a cabin-only suitcase until fairly recently – a situation that saw me picking one up from a 24-hour supermarket in a flap about 12 hours before my flight, when I finally conceded I didn’t need a larger suitcase for a weekend in Ireland, ‘just in case’ I needed some more sunscreen.
However, my recognition of the slight ridiculousness of that situation and a recent conversation with the makeup artist Aimee Connolly, who is also a frequent flyer between her native Ireland and England, have finally helped shift my mindset. Connolly has been advocating for the ‘Five-Minute Face’ – a makeup technique that uses a tightly minimalistic approach to products and application steps, ever since she founded her brand, Sculpted by Aimee, in 2016. And she (and her customers) are known for looking flawless, if naturally, put together.
It got me thinking, maybe I could do the same with my carry-on beauty routine too – and help my fellow beauty overpackers in the process. So, I set about building a routine that would see me from dehydrated plane face to the beach and onto an evening soirée with ease, while challenging myself to keep it within one easy-to-travel-with cosmetics case.
These are the carry-on beauty essentials that made the cut.
While you don't need a transparent bag for security anymore in many airports (although do check when you travel), I'd actually like to keep the tradition alive, in a more chic fashion, because I think a cosmetics case you can see into is so much easier to keep organised. Even in the rush of packing you can quickly check you have all your products with you and find them again at your destination with ease. Anya Hindmarch's case is a classic option that's roomy enough for every essential.
I never travel without my Garnier micellar water so I didn't think twice about keeping it firmly within my carry-on beauty kit. In fact, it's been my essential for years and what I like about this travel-size is that you can slip it into your carry-on to freshen your skin on the plane as well as use it to remove even stubborn makeup, like waterproof mascara, at the end of a long day. There really isn't a need for environmentally-dubious face wipes when you can have this for less than the price of coffee.
Multitasking makeup is a must when you are travelling light and this next-gen skin tint from It Cosmetics will take you from the beach to dinner with skin that looks and feels flawless. In fact, the formula is 92% skincare with a hydrating blend of collagen peptides, hyaluronic acid and vitamin E to deeply hydrate and smooth your skin, plus enough lightweight coverage to blend away redness, breakouts and other signs of uneven tone. Plus, the pot is a lot easier to squeeze into your case than a larger foundation!
My advice is to always make space for the sunscreen you love in your beauty bag, even when travelling light and carry-on only. After all, the best sunscreen is the one you will actually wear! However, you'll get bonus points for one that's got wide-ranging benefits, such as antioxidant protection, a lightweight finish and oil control. This new one from Mecca Cosmetics ticks every box.
Well-groomed brows and defined lashes can instantly lift your face and help you feel put together even if you aren't wearing much other makeup. I absolutely love this Ruby Hammer one when on holiday, because it gives you both results using just one dual-ended product and you don't have to compromise on results either.
If you want to challenge yourself to achieve the Five-Minute Face (or your current travel schedule means you have no choice but too!), this palette is your saving grace. With flattering skin tone-boosting shades across eyeshadow, blusher, bronzer and highlight in a single travel-friendly palette, it is the only tool you need to instantly elevate your complexion.
A super hydrating formula, SPF protection and a skin tone-lifting boost of colour (with options for all skin tones), this 3-in-1 lip colour has finally helped me stop travelling with more lip colours than outfit choices! It gets bonus points for the moreish scent too, which gives you even more reason to want to apply it every day of your holiday.
I've actually managed to cut my carry-on beauty bag down even more by checking with the hotels I stay at whether they offer shampoo and conditioner as standard in their rooms – because so many of them now do. I see it as a way to test out new brands! But, if you want your holiday to extend into the shower, and give your strands a hydration boost (which is super important in hot weather) I absolutely love Sol de Janeiro's set with its now iconic moreish fragrance to boot.
Carry-on beauty isn't just about what you put on your face – it's about how you are fuelling yourself on your travels too. In fact, I'm pretty convinced these Humantra electrolytes are the reason I feel less puffy when I get off the plane, with a blend of essential vitamins and minerals that can help with energy and your immune system. That's why they have become a non-negotiable when I fly, both when packing light and for long-haul.
Becki Murray is Citizen Femme’s Beauty and Wellness Director. As one of the only UK journalists to hold a Distinction-grade diploma in cosmetic science, she combines her unique knowledge with an editor’s eye to help you make smarter choices about beauty and wellbeing. Becki also heads up CF’s spa guide so you could say she’s an expert in the science of relaxation too…
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