Beauty Essentials Travel Checklist for High Maintenance Girls Everywhere

High maintenance girls, raise your hands…proudly! Ain’t no shame in our game ladies. While the minimalistic approach works for some, for those of us that like to treat our beauty routine like a time-honored ritual, three steps is simply not in the cards. While in the comfort of home you have access to all of your favorite goodies, when you’re on vacation it’s not always as simple. That’s why we’ve developed the ultimate high maintenance girl’s travel guide for packing her beauty and skin care products. Heading on a vacation? Read this.

First off let’s set things straight… no one wants to have to check luggage. It’s expensive, it’s inconvenient, and what the heck happens if it doesn’t show up at your final destination? For this reason, we’re making sure everything you bring follows TSA standards and fits into your carry-on. You’re welcome.

Whether you’re hitting the slopes or heading to the nearest chaise lounge, sunscreen should be the first item you check off your beauty packing list. Look for broad-spectrum protection and prepare to reapply at least every two hours if you’re planning to be outdoors or seated near windows. While the 3 fl. oz tube may take up the most amount of space in your quart-sized plastic bag… it’s worth it. We like SkinCeuticals Sport UV Defense SPF 50.

For your face look to products that perform double-duty… think: BB cream or primer plus SPF. This way, you can save a little room in your plastic baggie for say that travel-sized hairspray without sacrificing your skin. When it comes to BB creams formulated with SPF we can’t get enough of La Roche-Posay’s Effaclar BB Blur. This lightweight BB cream has been formulated for oily skin types and helps to minimize the appearance of large pores, conceal blemishes, and absorbs excess oils to give skin a matte-looking finish. As well, it’s formulated with SPF 20 to help you protect your skin from the sun’s harsh UV rays!

If you’re always on-the-go you’ll want to take advantage of the gift-giving season when it comes to finding travel-sized options of your favorite full-sized skin care products. Case in point? Kiehl’s Day-to-Night Healthy Skin Set—or as well like to call it, the perfect “treat yourself” holiday gift! This essential skin care kit comes complete with travel-friendly sizes of Kiehl’s faves: Ultra Facial Cleanser, Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado, Ultra Facial Cream, Daily Reviving Concentrate, Hydro-Plumping Re-Texturizing Serum Concentrate, and a limited-edition bag! You’ll essentially (pun…intended) have everything you need to continue your entire skin care routine when you’re away. What’s more: the hydrating products are perfect for caring for skin after a drying flight.

Let’s face it, us high maintenance girls prefer to bring along our own shampoo and conditioner rather than leave it up to our hotel to pick one for us! Pack your favorite along by using a TSA-approved travel container or pick up a travel-sized version of your current must-have.

During air travel it’s great to switch out your go-to liquids for formulas which can be easier to travel with since they can simply go into your normal makeup bag. For example, swap out your go-to foundation for L’Oréal Paris True Match Mineral. Formulated with SPF 19 this preservative-, talc-, and fragrance-free mineral foundation has a built in brush and comes in 12 beautiful shades. This way you’ll have room for your mascaras and liquid eyeliners and any nail polish you want to bring along in your quart-sized bag.

Happy travels!