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Just in time for peak travel season, our inaugural travel beauty awards offer the definitive list of the best travel beauty products to pack in your wash bag for the summer and beyond. To create this list our editors researched and tested over 200 of the top beauty and wellness products from a traveller's perspective to determine which are worthy of space in your luggage.
How we chose the winning products
Each product was tested by an editor over a period of time and given a score out of 20, after considering the following factors:
Efficacy: Did you see results? Was it easy and enjoyable to use? Did something about it make you want to keep using it? It could be anything from how it smelled to the texture.
Travel-friendly: Is it easily packable, compact, leak-proof? Maybe it's under 100ml too? Does it smell like holidays? Is it evocative of a certain place or location?
Innovation: Does it feel novel, clever, new or different in some way?
Packaging: What's this like? Did you find it easy to use? Is it innovative? Is it good or better for the planet in any way? Can it be composted or recycled?
This list features the top scoring products, along with quotes from our testers describing why we recommend each product for travel.
The ultimate travel must haves
This nourishing face mask uses skin-repairing ceramides to rescue flight-weary skin.
Our tester says “I tried it as a mask, night cream and regular moisturiser. It’s invisible, so I didn’t feel self-conscious using it on a flight.
The part of our brain that processes memory is right next to the part that processes scent. A single spritz of this warming fragrance is especially transportative, with creamy sandalwood, fresh Egyptian jasmine and earthy Italian bergamot notes that suit all climates. The set comes with a refillable gold bottle for extra travel style.
This monogrammable leather-like vanity case holds an array of beautiful travel-sized products such as a personalisable lip balm and a nourishing hand cream. Super useful, no matter where you’re going.
Our tester says “Every travel lover will adore this, whether they use it or admire it as a vintage inspired keepsake.”
Best innovative travel beauty buys
This fruity scent is infused with jasmine, sandalwood and berries. With an innovative and travel-friendly product design, each biodegradable capsule holds one application of fragrance: just twist and squeeze onto your skin.
With all the prowess of a regular serum, this wonder stick contains natural moisturiser squalane, plus Japanese lemon balm to reduce inflammation. You can apply it over or under make-up and as a top-up during the day to prevent dehydration.
This do-it-all moisturiser boosts radiance, lightens dark spots and improves skin condition.
Our tester says “I saw a huge improvement in my dull, dry skin – it’s like a daily spa facial.”
This genius kit gives you everything you need to apply small strips of false lashes underneath your own, making them undetectable and natural-looking. The technique requires practice but, once on, the lashes last for up to 10 days – ideal for travelling.
Best SPFs
This classic SPF now comes with Mexoryl 400, a sun filter that targets the 380 to 400 nanometre range of UVA rays, which are hard to protect against. It’s lightweight, non-greasy and works on all skin types – key when snow can reflect up to 90 per cent of UV radiation.
Those with sensitive skin can struggle to find an SPF that protects and is enjoyable to use: this orange tube of wonder delivers so much. The water- and sweat-resistant formula is the consummate companion for water sports, plus it keeps skin hydrated for up to eight hours, all without leaving white streaks.
Our tester says: “For a thick-ish cream it absorbs very quickly without being greasy at all, and it’s ocean-friendly. Ideal for people with very fair skin, dermatitis or increased sun sensitivity.”
Australian sun protection is widely known to be the best in the market, and this weightless and invisible formulation is the best of the best. Like its more mattifying predecessor, this SPF seems destined for cult status, but this version has the added bonus of skin-regulating niacinamide, ideal for ensuring your skin doesn’t overproduce oil. It also uses subtle light-reflecting pearls that melt into the skin for a dewy finish with no white cast in sight.
This spray-on SPF contains soothing Australian botanicals and protective antioxidants, which give it an edge over the rest. A simple spritz of mist produces a gentle, non-greasy glow. It has high SPF protection, and the lack of white cast means you can use it over make-up.
This watermelon scented stick fits in handbags for on-the-go SPF touch-ups. Its brightening and hydrating formula gives a dewy finish, but isn’t greasy when used on the scalp.
Best travel skincare
A deep-cleansing gel that uses gentle salicylic and azelaic acid to sweep away sweat, salt water and SPF, which can clog pores.
Our tester says “This stuff is amazing. My skin looked noticeably brighter, clearer and fresher after just one use – it felt as if I’d had a facial.”
This clay-based mask, which comes in a handy recycled tin, helps to decongest your skin, making it an ideal salve for bacteria-laden flights. It’s easily washed off to reveal less visible pores and more matte skin.
Our tester says “My skin can get greasy on flights, but this left it calmer and less reactive.”
This fragrance free intense moisturiser is a must for cold climates. It’s deeply hydrating, prevents transepidermal water loss from the skin and protects against environmental aggressors such as pollution.
Using a combo of vitamins C and E to protect against environmental damage, this is the go-to serum for all skin needs.
Our tester says “My skin looked brighter, and a patch of redness was reduced. The small bottle is easy to slip into a carry-on too.”
Every adventurer needs an SOS skin remedy, and this tube contains moisture-boosting hyaluronic acid, skin-repairing ceramides and petrolatum that locks the ingredients into the skin.
Our tester says “I used this under socks at a festival and my usually sore feet were super soft and didn’t ache at all.”
Lyma is the only FDA-approved at-home laser out there. It promises to help stimulate collagen production and skin healing over a three-month period.
Our tester says “After a couple of uses, my skin looked fresher and plumper. It’s hand luggage size and has a useful travel pouch.”
Best travel make-up
Sleep helps you look well rested after a journey, but the other secret weapon is blush. This lightweight, easy-to-apply balm contains skin softening vitamin E, and uses micro-fine pigments that blend with the skin’s texture for a sheeny glow. It comes in nine gloriously vibrant shades and its pot is made with 43 per cent recycled plastic.
Some tinted moisturisers can feel a little greasy, but this formula is light, SPF 20 and comes in five adaptable shades for those with golden undertones – a space-saving moisturiser and foundation in one little tube.
Matte lipstick in arid temperatures can too often mean cracked lips, but if it’s too moisturising it becomes heavy in sweaty weather. This lipstick, in 23 shades, combines pigmented matte hues with a slight moisturising sheen.
Our tester says “It’s my new travel make-up essential, lasting all night without touch-ups.”
Best hair products for travel
Philip Kingsley’s expert trichologists created this heavy-duty mask for the US Olympic synchronised swimming team to protect their hair against the damaging effects of chlorine, salt water and UV rays. There’s nothing else like it on the market.
Extreme climates often cause dehydrated, crispy and frizz-prone locks. This moisturiser infuses wet or dry hair with strengthening ingredients and heat protection.
Our tester says “This compact cream is essential for reconditioning dry hair - it even gave my fine strands extra volume.”
If flying flattens your hair, this clever heatless curling tool should be your new travel companion.
Our tester says “It’s easy to use and lighter to pack than heated curlers or tongs. Plus, you never have to wait for it to cool down.”
Our tester says “Designed to keep your hair super sleek, this straightener is simple to use, doesn’t take up much room in your hand luggage and has a 10-minute turn-off function. Universal voltage and an extra-long cord for tricky plug points make it ideal for travel.”
A new generation of smaller-cylinder hairdryers do away with the need to have a separate travel version. This one weighs less than a can of Coke and is powerful yet super quiet, with changeable attachments and a padded case.
Best body products for travel
Created by professional West End dancers, this natural deodorant balm was designed to be planet friendly as well as effective. Elegant scents such as After Thunder and Orange Grove are perfume-worthy, and each recyclable tube lasts six to eight weeks, with a travel-friendly mini size also available.
This body balm is a must-have for intrepid travellers to lock in moisture and calm skin with camellia seed and apricot kernel oils.
Our tester says “Once it has absorbed, you’re left with super-soft skin that feels replenished. I used it to rehydrate my lips, hands and areas of dry skin.”
This bath and shower oil hydrates and perfumes using skin-softening mogra, a type of jasmine often found in Indian skincare.
Our tester says “I love the delicate scent, and my skin felt so soft after washing with it.”
The best travel tanning products
For those sunny UK days, this calming lotion – with buriti fruit oil for an even tan – cloaks the skin in a cooling velvety emulsion.
Our tester says “I love the gentle smell, and my tan definitely developed quicker and held for longer than usual.”
A few pumps of this silken bronze-booster in your moisturiser will produce a sun-kissed glow without the sun damage.
Our tester says “It feels nourishing and non-greasy, with a shade that looks incredibly natural: golden, not at all orange.”
The best travel fragrances
Citrus scents work well in coastal climates due to their lighter notes and mood-boosting effects, but they can be fleeting: not in this case.
Our tester says “The citrus blooms as soon as you apply it, but the warming cashmere wood helps it adhere to the skin, enveloping you in a gentle and balanced scent.”
An ode to the ancient incense trade route city of AlUla, this perfume combines notes of pepper, plum, cardamon and tobacco to create a sweet warming scent that becomes richer and darker over the day.
Our tester says “It’s complex and intriguing in equal parts.”
Laced with rose, iris and musk, this elegant scent is a love letter to the Spanish capital. Designed to celebrate the statue of Cibeles in the heart of the city, its complex, uplifting and takes you on the sweetest of journeys.
The best wellness products for travel
Need some post-ski physio on the go? This gadget targets muscular tension with six speed settings and up to 200 minutes cordless run time.
Our tester says “It’s so easy to transport and was really effective after skiing.”
There are a lot of LED masks on the market, but this one folds best for travel and comes with clever global adapters.
Our tester says “I noticed a positive difference after a couple of uses. The LED bulbs take up a large surface area so it’s very effective.”
Our tester says “This mask feels like a silk duvet for the eyes and keeps puffiness at bay. It’s stylish, washable and adjustable, so it stays in place and doesn’t let in any light – a must, given that I need total darkness for a good night’s rest.”
This science-backed probiotic is delivered by subscription in a recyclable glass jar (with mini travel container). Inside each capsule are 24 probiotic strains proven to support gut health.
Our tester says “This is the only probiotic that’s made a tangible difference to me. It’s a must for sensitive stomachs.”
Developed by a team of dieticians, neuroscientists and doctors, this all-in-one multivitamin is designed to fuel your body and feed your brain with 20 nutrients, such as DHA omega 3 and vitamins D3 and B12. It’s subscription based, so you won’t run out, and helps eliminate travel induced brain fog.
Early studies of collagen’s effect on skin health have shown promising results. Drinking from these travel friendly sachets of natural marine collagen, antioxidants and vitamin C can also aid collagen synthesis, keeping joints supple and boosting your overall immunity.
But sustainable travel beauty buys
Infused with omegarich oils, this silky shower formula cleanses and softens the skin unlike any other. It’s an essential in hard water areas and to hydrate the skin in dry climates. Plus, it’s vegan-friendly, uses Braille on its refillable packaging and also comes in a mini size that’s perfect for a weekend away.
This smart toothbrush was a hit with several members of the team, partly for its eco credentials and focus on lifetime use.
Our tester says “I love this brush: it’s compact, innovative, progressive and sustainable – and the battery lasts a very long time, making it perfect for travel. And it looks stylish in the bathroom.”
Brimming with moisturise-boosting hyaluronic acid and skin-defending fruit extracts, this gel-creme is truly the travel moisturiser of dreams. It relieves parched skin in air-conditioned environments, is light enough for the hottest of climes and has clever refill pods.
The best airport beauty buys
Applying this serum, which is enriched with hyaluronic acid and minerals, helps to rehydrate parched and dry skin in arid and air-conditioned environments.
Our tester says “I felt that my skin was immediately softer after using this product, and I love the packaging and the price point too.
Created by master perfumer Francis Kurkdjian, this reinterpretation of the original 1947 scent combines jasmine, mandarin and woody accords that suit a variety of climates.
Our tester says “It’s not too strong yet lasts beautifully throughout the day, revealing an uplifting range of notes as time goes on.”
Retinol might be part of your daily ritual anyway, but these mini serum vials are especially suited to travel, with added ingredients such as soothing ceramides, which help to combat sun-induced sensitivity. The capsules are easy to use and pop into the smallest of cosmetic bags, so you can stick to your skincare routine no matter where you are.