Travel Essentials: Beauty on the Go

My husband and I took a much-needed trip out of town over the long Fourth of July weekend. I wanted to do a quick post showing you what I took with me for three days and offer my thoughts on some of those products. I took advantage of some travel-sized products and samples I have saved up to pack all of these in my carry-on.

Skincare

Paula’s Choice Resist Super Light Daily Wrinkle Defense SPF 30: one of my very favorite sunscreens, this is long-lasting and truly lightweight.

Paula’s Choice C15 Super Booster: I add a few drops of this vitamin C serum to my moisturizer daily for added antioxidant protection.

Tatcha Brightening Serum: Honestly, I haven’t been overly impressed with many of the Tatcha products I’ve tried, but I do like this serum, the One-Step Camellia Cleansing Oil, and the Camellia Lip Balm. The serum is very lightweight and absorbs quickly. It’s hard for me to review skin care products because I don’t suffer from fine lines or dullness yet, but this serum feels very nice, is moisturizing, and hasn’t caused any adverse reactions for my sensitive skin.

Tatcha One-Step Camellia Cleansing Oil: A really nice cleansing oil that emulsifies quickly and removes almost all traces of makeup. I do find that it does leave behind some mascara residue right under my lower lashline, but otherwise, this is a star.

Amore Pacific Future Response Age Defense Cream: This is a thick cream, whereas I usually prefer thinner, lighter lotion, as my skin is blemish-prone. I dilute it with either the Tarte oil or the Paula’s Choice serum, which makes it a little more manageable for me. So far, so good: no breakouts or irritation.

Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Eye Concentrate: Light and hydrating. I could be imagining it, but I think it might be helping to diminish my undereye puffiness. I might look into purchasing a full size of this.

Tarte Maracujá Oil: I love this light oil, especially in summer. I’ve on my second full-size bottle and I like to keep a couple of travel sizes on hand for trips. Absorbs very quickly and hydrates without greasiness.

Tarte Fresh Eyes Maracujá Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover Wipes: These things smell delicious and do a pretty good job of removing makeup, but I always seem left with a little bit of eyeshadow and mascara around my upper and lower lash lines.

Nude Advanced Renewal Serum: I got a sample of this as a 100-point reward from Sephora and I’ve now finished it up. Again, I don’t notice any particular benefits from using this, but my skin feels hydrated when using it and it’s very lightweight and fast-absorbing.

By Terry Baume de Rose: This lip balm is moisturizing without being greasy, and it smells beautifully of roses. I’m not a huge fan of the number of parabens in this balm, but it really is a lovely lip product. A little goes a long way, too, which is great when you consider the high price.

Various samples, including Origins Modern Friction exfoliant and GlamGlow Supermud Clearing Treatment, both of which I’ve used before and like a lot.

Makeup:

NARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation: A beautiful and travel-friendly foundation. Stays put in hot, humid weather.

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer: Also a longwearing product that blends seamlessly into the skin.

Maybelline Dream Wonder Powder: As creamy as a powder can be. I need only a touch to set my makeup for the day.

Maybelline Baby Skin Pore Eraser: Review here. A great pore minimizer on par with offerings from premium brands.

NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base: One of the best eye shadow primers out there.

Chanel Joues Contraste in Canaille: Review here.

Burberry “Light Glow” Natural Blush in Earthy: Gives my fair skin a natural glow and doubles as a contour.

Chanel Poésie: Review here.

MAC Extra Dimension Eyeshadows in Soul Serenade and Lorelei: Lorelei is easy to use for a daytime look; I add Soul Serenade to the crease and outer corner for a more dramatic nighttime look.

Stila Smudge Stick in Damsel: My go-to brown-black eyeliner.

Blinc Tubing Mascara in Black and Lancome Hypnôse Star: Together, these mascaras give super thick and long lashes.

Rouge Baiser Eyebrown Pencil: I picked this up in Paris last year, drawn to its ash tone. I find that many US products tend to be red-based, which I don’t find particularly flattering.

NARS Lipgloss in Orgasm: A flattering summery shade, reformulated.

Scents:

Chloé Roses de Chloé: A beautiful rose-based scent that is youthful and subtle.

Tom Ford Noir: I love every Tom Ford scent I’ve ever tried. Noir is a spicy unisex scent perfect for a night out.

Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black: I didn’t expect to like this as much as I did, but it reminds me of Tom Ford Black Orchid.

LaVanila Vanilla Summer: This natural deodorant promises the tropical scents of mango and pineapple. It smells like a slightly fruity vanilla to me, but I can’t detect specific fruits. I love LaVanila deodorants: they really work to keep you smelling fresh.

Hair:

Alterna Cleanse Extend: I’ve been letting my hair air dry lately and using a touch of dry shampoo to add texture and volume. I don’t particularly like the way Alterna’s dry shampoo smells, but it does provide a texturizing element.

I also brought assorted makeup brushes from MAC, Sonia Kashuk, Hakuhodo, and Real Techniques. Click here and here for my top brush picks.

What do you take with you when you travel?