Heading away? The travel beauty essentials you need on board

Travel, especially your average long-haul flight, can play havoc with your skin and general wellbeing. Chances are you’re heading off to a stellar destination, but you will most likely not feel (or look) your best on arrival and for a while afterwards. With some trips of my own coming up and wanderlust always top of mind, I’d like to gift you some of our favourite long and short-haul beauty picks to help you on your way. Bon voyage!

MULTITASKING MAKEUP
When it comes to a travel make-up arsenal, you want it simple, spill-proof and multitasking if at all possible. Think creamy pencils rather than loose shadows for eyes, and products that can be used on cheeks and lips are a gamechanger when you’re on the go and looking for a polished look but one that needn’t be overly precise.
To build the perfect travel makeup bag, focus on multitasking formulas, mini sizes, and creams that can be applied with your fingertips. This approach saves valuable luggage space and eliminates the need for bulky brushes. I find the selection of minis at MECCA to be the perfect place to grab a few essentials before shorter trips, and my travel kit is never without a mini of Charlotte Tilbury’s legendary setting spray that I often spritz on multiple times a day.

When I’m heading somewhere humid, I often skip full foundation and use a tinted moisturiser/CC cream and a great setting powder that performs in the heat. Using a tinted formula with an SPF is always a great idea, my favourites being French-Korean brand Erborian’s iconic CC Crème and Trinny London BFF SPF30, a skin perfector that marries sheer coverage with everyday UV protection.

A HYDRATION HERO
I always pack a hydrating spray like Avène Thermal Spring Water when flying, to spritz on as needed. A naturally soothing source for sensitive skin since 1743, the water’s unique composition is clinically shown to calm, soothe and soften the skin, and the smallest size is super travel-friendly and perfect for popping in your bag or even your pocket.
A French beauty insider once shared a great hack with me using the above when you feel like your skin is irritated and in need of a little extra TLC – sandwich several facial tissues together and soak them with multiple spritzes of Avène Thermal Spring Water. Poke a couple of holes for your eyes and nose and bam – a DIY sheet mask you can use anywhere.

AN ELEVATED TRAVEL HAIRDRYER
I took my Dyson Airwrap with me to Europe last year, which sounds extra but was an actual gamechanger. By this beauty being on board with me, I literally saved hundreds of Euros in professional blow dries, which I often opt for when I travel as hotel and apartment hairdryers are nine times out of ten, decidedly subpar. At a time when our New Zealand dollar was at the lowest it has been in years, this was a godsend for my overall travel budget. Packing this beauty also proved hugely beneficial for the overall health of my hair, which stayed looking and feeling its best despite the fact that I only packed a single styling product – a multitasking one, but a single one nonetheless.

If a hairdryer is all you need however, I have found the travel-friendly dream in the form of another stellar Dyson creation: the Supersonic Travel. Smaller and lighter than the mighty Supersonic (which is already wonderfully light IMHO) this petite marvel was engineered to meet the demands of modern travellers without compromising hair health or styling results. With global voltage that automatically updates to your destination and carry-on compatible, it’s for those who want fast Dyson-level styling wherever they go, be that a summer in Italy, a weekend getaway to Sydney or packed easily into your bag for use post-workout.

THE READYMADE TRAVEL EDIT
I was recently kindly gifted the Sans [ceuticals] Travel Edit, and as a longtime fan of the brand I was over the moon. I had often packed their products for trips away, but this baby makes that even easier by offering the rituals of home, condensed for the journey. Whether across town or across the globe, The Travel Edit features a selection of six favourites that provide essential care for skin and hair, ensuring your standards of care are maintained, wherever you find yourself.

The chic, reusable canvas travel bag contains decent-sized minis of the Goji Body + Face Cleansing Oil, Activator 7 Body + Hair + Face Oil, CELLx 5 Body + Face Lotion, pH Perfect Body + Hand Wash 50ml, Nourishing Hair Wash and Nourishing Hair Hydratant 50ml, the dream edit whether long haul or short is in your plan.

SCENT TO GO
This is where a great mini-sized version of your signature scent really shines, or in the case of my favourites from Diptyque, especially so when you can grab a set like this at MECCA. Called simply the Set of 3, it’s where Fleur de Peau, Do Son and Orphéon Eaux de Parfum map out a trio of olfactory landscapes. Fleur de Peau is a tribute to musks: cottony, soft or moist, highlighted with iris and ambrette seed. Do Son presents a tuberose – a hint of its scent at the twilight hour, when the white flowers stand out in the darkness – enhanced with notes of jasmine and orange blossom. Orphéon delivers the warmth of tonka bean, the depth of cedar, the richness of jasmine and the vivacity of juniper berries.
Quite literally a scent for every mood – and highly recommended.