Over the years, I’ve come up with some travel beauty hacks that have worked wonders. I’ve also found lots online that I’ve tried. Some of those have worked and some haven’t. So, here are some of the travel beauty hacks and tricks that DO work and will be great to incorporate on your future trips.

Travel Beauty Hacks

1. Travel Perfume

So, this seems like an obvious one… but the tip I have is how to get SO much perfume for free! Well, one way is to get samples at Sephora. They will put any perfume you want into a little spray bottle and label it for you. Second, (and this is what I do) is buy a Sephora Perfume Sampler when they have them. Sephora always has these trial perfume kits with about 7-10 little mini perfumes (not the small spray bottle size, but bigger) that actually last me about a month since I don’t wear perfume every single day. The thing that makes these THE BEST is that it comes with a coupon for a free full size perfume of your choice from the box set. I wait until they have a sample box that has the perfume sample I want in full size anyway. Last year I got to try lots of new perfumes which I throw in my bag for travel and got a full size Burberry Body to keep at home. The box set is less than the full size perfume I chose, so I saved money and got loads of perfume that lasted me all year. Perfect!

2. Blotting sheets

I always have a package of [easyazon_link identifier=”B000UXX2D4″ locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Boscia blotting sheets[/easyazon_link] in my purse. They take off any oil from your face throughout the day. Make sure to dab, not wipe, and it will keep your makeup in place.

3. Silk Pillowcase

When you sleep, your face gets all scrunched up on your pillow when you toss and turn and it causes wrinkles and dry skin. Not with a [easyazon_link identifier=”B0027IS1O0″ locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]silk pillowcase[/easyazon_link] though! It’s woven tightly and has a low absorption rate which keeps your skin fresh and never dry. You can throw this over your hotel pillows when you’re staying at place with harsh sheets.

4. (Free) Expensive moisturizer before long flights

You know that duty-free? Those sample bottles are there to be sampled! I have an amazing [easyazon_link identifier=”B00AN5TRKG” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″] Clinique overnight moisture lotion[/easyazon_link] but if I have a couple short flights before my long-haul flight, I’ll wash my hands and face at the airport and go put some lotion on in the duty-free. Flight are SO drying and you have got to moisturize before- and not just your face, but your whole body!

5. Travel-sized Makeup

There are kits you can buy. I’ve used Stowaway and it’s VERY tiny but very high quality makeup. I also buy mini’s of regular makeup that I like. Minis actually last up to a year for me and it’s great because you can get new fun colors each year rather than be stuck with full-sized makeup that lasts forever. Some of my favorite small pieces of makeup I always travel with are:

  • [easyazon_link identifier=”B00161DDJM” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Smashbox under-eye highlighter[/easyazon_link]
  • [easyazon_link identifier=”B00MTW1448″ locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Laura Mercier brow stick[/easyazon_link]
  • [easyazon_link identifier=”B006GGIYNM” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Benefit bronze illuminator[/easyazon_link] (tiny bottle lasts FOREVER)
  • [easyazon_link identifier=”B00CJBPOG8″ locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Josie Maran stain[/easyazon_link] (lips and cheeks… amazing stuff)
  • [easyazon_link keywords=”MAC concealer” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]MAC concealer[/easyazon_link] (small and even if you only use it a few times, it’s worth taking).

6. Biore Pore Strips

I take one [easyazon_link identifier=”B006RFZ66K” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Biore Pore Strip[/easyazon_link] to use part way through a trip. I love throwing things away once I’ve used them and find this usually works as well as a facial.

7. Crest White Strips

Only on long trips, I do take [easyazon_link identifier=”B00336EUTK” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Crest White Strips[/easyazon_link]. They are my favorite… I know it’s an “American” thing to want such white teeth, but I can’t help it! I buy a box but only use about 1 a month or less a year.

8. Essential Oils

I use these for so many things when I travel and actually have a whole post on the uses of essential oils for travel. I like to throw cotton balls with a few drops of lavender oil on them unto my luggage to keep it smelling nice. I also put one in my dirty laundry bag in my luggage.

9. Mini Surf Spray all the way!

I take mini [easyazon_link identifier=”B008FVQNSE” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Bumble & Bumble[/easyazon_link]. Sometimes I make my own and you can put that in recycled mini spray bottles.

10. Travel-Size Dry Shampoo

The most famous of course is [easyazon_link identifier=”B004XMAVFA” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray[/easyazon_link]. It’s been well-known for years and I’ve never tried on that works better. Spray it on at night and when you wake up your hair will feel like it’s just been washed.

11. Contact Cases for TWO things

There are SO many things you could put in contact cases, but don’t take it too far! What works best for me is my [easyazon_link identifier=”B005O54SVS” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Smashbox primer[/easyazon_link] and [easyazon_link identifier=”B00T5ZCRNE” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Boscia BB Cream[/easyazon_link]. The original bottles are pretty big. I don’t put much in the cases as if you don’t use it, it’s wasted.

12. Mini lotion for Bath & Body Works

Umm.. you never have to pay for this! If you sign up to their emails and give your real address you get SO many coupons for free mini lotions (3 oz) that you can just keep stocking up and have them on hand for trips. I don’t know how they make money lol! One 3 oz bottle lasts for a week-long trip for me.

13. End of trip face mask

We can’t all afford to buy and have on hand amazing face cream/masks. I try to buy about 7 or 8 face masks at Sephora that I use throughout the year after big trips, like spending a week in the desert in Jordan! One of my favorites is [easyazon_link identifier=”B009GZ3U3O” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Dr. Jart+[/easyazon_link] but there are so many there in different ranges. It takes up less space than a jar, plus on the way back it’s already been used and thrown out.

14. Don’t go overboard on free samples

Brands love to stick samples in magazines, or give them as an extra when you order something online. You don’t want to take a sample shampoo or hair product you’ve never tried on your dream trip to Hawaii you’ve saved a year for. What if you hate it? You’ll have to run out to the store to buy new. Just take what you know and love. Buy some [easyazon_link identifier=”B002VS8H3G” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Go Toob containers[/easyazon_link] and squeeze your favorite shampoo and conditioner in.

15. Save your bronzer!

Bronzer is the only full size makeup I travel with. The same circle cotton pads I use to put some essential oils on, I use to save my bronzer. I put two on top of each other in my Sephora Bronzer and close it up. Supposedly, it can save them from breaking in transit.

16. Take one mini bottle of OPI

I always do in case I need to do my nails myself or am getting a manicure in Asia where they often charge extra for OPI or nicer nail polish. I get a [easyazon_link identifier=”B0157OJSLU” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]10 piece mini kit[/easyazon_link]then take one of two with me on a trip. Many hotels have emery boards so you can skip bringing that and even clipper if you keep up on the filing and don’t let them get too long.

17. Mini Sunscreen

I never travel without a [easyazon_link identifier=”B007MV4BQY” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Sun Bum face stick[/easyazon_link]. It is small and works amazing. It’s also eco-friendly and reef-friendly which is not the case for most sunscreens. Bonus: it smells like bananas.

18. Clarisonic Mia Fit

The MINI travel size [easyazon_link identifier=”B01C8277TE” locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]Clarasonic Mia Fit[/easyazon_link] is here! I have been using it a few months and love it. You can use it morning and night. I used to have to bring a face exfoliating scrub from the US to India and stock up, but now I can use any face wash and it will exfoliate. For me, this does take less space. If you pack a regular face wash and a scrub, then try this instead! Same space but works better.

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Travel Beauty Hacks

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