I'm a Beauty Editor Who Never Checks a Bag—These Are the Mini Products I Always Pack

The first slice of sunshine and thoughts of nipping away for a long weekend reign supreme. Some respite in Ibiza (I'm thinking of the wellness sect, obvs, not the dancefloor in Pacha) or a warm Tuscan patio with a glistening glass of rosé, wherever the air is warmer and the nights run long is where I'd like to be. What I don't like is having to pay over the odds to take a suitcase with me. So, I've adapted, learning to squeeze everything I might need into an Easy Jet-approved carry-on. And not the type you shove into the overhead compartment, the one that you have to cram under the seat in front of you. Don't believe me? I did 10 days with just shy of a small backpack's worth of belongings thanks to a few handy hacks.

Sacrificing multiple pairs of shoes, wearing your chunkiest item on the plane and waiting until touchdown to buy shampoo, conditioner and body wash are all valiant ways to reduce your bag size. The next very best thing is to shrink your washbag. Not the number of items (by all means, bring three types of SPF) but the size of each one. I'm talking, of course, about minis; travel-sized haircare, skincare and make-up that slot together inside the minuscule transparent bags handed out before airport security.

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(Image credit: @morganfargo)

And don't think I'm skimping. I still take enough that, should the fancy take me, I could whip out a smoky eye or slather myself in body highlighter. I'm not trying to take the things I like away, just edit them down to the most bag-friendly size. Here are the mini beauty buys and travel-sized gems your next hand luggage holibobs could do with.

1. THE BEST TRAVEL-SIZED SKINCARE

2. THE BEST TRAVEL-SIZED MAKE-UP

3. THE BEST TRAVEL-SIZED HAIR PRODUCTS

Contributor

Morgan is aBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing contributor and freelance beauty editor published in Refinery29, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire and more. She is the former beauty editor of Stylist Magazine. When not tapping away at her keyboard, Morgan is usually found interviewing brand founders and celebrities or creating beauty and skincare content for brands or for her own social media channels.