The Ultimate Travel Skin Care Emergency Kit

When you’re always on the go, taking care of your skin can sometimes take a backseat—especially if you’re ill-prepared. But, when a (skin) disaster strikes, you’ll wish you would have planned ahead in order to zap that pimple, wipe your makeup off, hydrate your dry skin, and more. Ahead, we share ten skin care items to keep in your car, purse, or carry-on in the event of a skin care “emergency.” 

CLEANSER

Cleansing your skin of makeup and impurities is one of the most important steps in any skin care routine. So, you certainly do not want to be without face wash—especially when you’re on the go! We recommend picking up a travel-size micellar water—like La Roche-Posay’s Micellar Water in 100 ml— to help you remove makeup and impurities with just a few swipes of a cotton pad. This no-rinse cleanser is formulated with micelle technology that attracts, traps, and removes makeup and other impurities on the skin’s surface without having to lather up. 

La Roche-Posay Micellar Water 100 ML, $7.99

MAKEUP REMOVER 

In addition to micellar water, we recommend packing makeup remover wipes in your skin care emergency kit. You can use them to quickly clean the surface of your skin and remove your makeup, or wipe down your hands with them before cleansing your skin and applying the rest of your products (assuming you are nowhere near running water). We love Garnier’s SkinActive Clean+ Refreshing Remover Cleansing Towelettes because not only can they remove impurities and makeup, they can also revitalize the skin and leave you with a healthier-looking complexion! 

Garnier SkinActive Clean+ Refreshing Remover Cleansing Towelettes, $5.99

FACE LOTION

No matter where you are in the world, you never want to be without a moisturizer— especially if you are prone to experiencing dry skin. We like to keep a bottle of Garnier’s SkinActive Clearly Brighter Brightening & Smoothing Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15 in our emergency kits because it can provide our skin with protection from the sun and is also formulated with antioxidant-rich vitamin C and E, pine bark essences, and gentle exfoliating Lip-Hydroxyl Acid (LHA) to promote a healthy-looking, replenished complexion.

Garnier SkinActive Clearly Brighter Brightening & Smoothing Daily Moisturizer SPF 15, $14.99

SUNSCREEN

You should always have sunscreen on you— but, in case you run out, keep a backup in your skin care emergency kit. We love SkinCeuticals Physical Matte UV Defense SPF 50 because it is lightweight, has a matte finish, helps to absorb excess oil, and can give our skin a little color. Plus, it’s formulated with a translucent tint and is non-comedogenic—so, it won’t clog your pores! 

SkinCeuticals Physical Matte UV Defense SPF 50, $34 

SPOT TREATMENT

Because you never know when acne might strike, be prepared with a spot treatment, like Kiehl’s Blue Herbal Spot Treatment. It helps to dry and clear blackheads, whiteheads, and acne blemishes by penetrating the pores to ellimenate most acne blemishes and help prevent new ones.The Blue Herbal Spot Treatment is one of our favorite spot treatments for acne blemishes.

Kiehl’s Blue Herbal Spot Treatment, $18 

FACE MASK

We don’t know about you, but just because we are not in the comfort of home with our complete stash of skin care products, does not mean we skip out on face masks. Luckily The Body Shop’s line of Expert Facial Masks come in (disposable) minis! If you’re planning to use your kit this fall or winter, we recommend packing it with The Body Shop’s Ethiopian Honey Deep Nourishing Mask Packette, as this face mask is all about providing the skin with hydration, nourishment, and comfort. For more on The Body Shop’s Expert Facial Masks, see our full review here. 

The Body Shop Ethiopian Honey Deep Nourishing Mask Packette, $2.50 

LIP BALM

Now, we know your purse is probably littered with “lost” lip balms but, just in case, you should keep a lip balm in your skin emergency kit, too. We recommend Kiehl’s Lip Balm #1… because it is, number one. Formulated with emollients, like squalanea, lanolin, wheat germ oil, and vitamin E, this ultra-hydrating lip balm is by far one of our favorites. 

Kiehl’s Lip Balm #1, $7

BODY LOTION

Dry skin doesn’t just happen to the face, it can happen to the skin on your body, too. Keep a travel-size bottle of body lotion in your emergency kit for those busy days when your skin really needs it. We like Kiehl’s Creme De Corps because it is hydrating, nourishing, and comes in five different sizes! Pack the 2.5 fl. oz. bottle in your kit to ensure that you are never without moisture!

Kiehl’s Creme De Corps 2.5 Fl. Oz., $11

HAND CREAM

Hand cream is a skin care must— especially during the fall and winter months when the cold, dry weather can take its toll on the delicate skin on our hands. Keep a bottle of hand cream in your skin emergency kit for days when your hands need some extra nourishment. We love Carol’s Daughter’s Ocean Healing Hand Cream because it is formulated with green algae, soy, vitamin E, and sunflower seed oil.

Carol’s Daughter Ocean Healing Hand Cream, $6

CUTICLE OIL

No time for a manicure? No problem! Give your cuticles a quick reboot on the go with a hydrating cuticle oil, like essie’s Apricot Cuticle Oil. Keep a bottle in your emergency kit for days when you really need it!

Essie Apricot Cuticle Oil, $9

In addition to these skin care items, you’ll want to keep your kit stocked with a small mirror, cotton pads, cotton swabs, band-aids (you never know!), tweezers, and any other items you think you might need in a beauty emergency. Better safe than sorry!