25 best travel-sized beauty minis that everyone needs in their hand luggage
With less than twelve months to go before the 100ml liquid allowance on flights is scrapped and a new limit of two litres is put in place, it could signal the end of travel-sized beauty minis. Except we're not sure it will because while it certainly takes away any confusion when packing, there's no denying that miniature versions tend to look cuter and more covetable than their full-size counterparts.
Plus, until the new rules come in, why wouldn't you stock up on some pocket sized products? Not just handy for overseas trips, they're gym bag appropriate, festival friendly and far less imposing when you want to start leaving your beauty routine behind at a new partner's abode.
What size are travel-sized toiletries?
At the moment, anything that's 100ml or less is considered travel sized as that's the legislation administered by the Transportation Security Administration. However by June 2024, up to 2 litres of liquids will be allowed in your carry on travel bag so the choice will be yours as to whether you stick to the smaller sizes and get away with packing more or cram in your full size products but risk doing your back in trying to board with your entire beauty cabinet in tow.
From make-up to SPF, haircare to fake tan, with holiday season upon us, we really are spoilt for choice when it comes to lightweight, transportable travel-size essentials.
Here's what's on our list right now…
jamesjThe does-everything concealer
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer Mini 1.4ml, asos.com
From concealing dark circles to evening out redness to hiding spots, this liquid concealer gives great coverage without caking on the skin. In 22 shades with light-diffusing technology, there isn't anyone who can't benefit from the airbrush effect finish this provides.
Save when you shop for the best travel minis with these ASOS promo codes.
The roll-on perfume
& Other Stories Sicilian Summer Perfume Oil 6ml, £13, stories.com
A warming summery scent, perfume oils are a win when you're away as they have a tendency to last longer on skin than EDTs. Made from essential oils rather than alcohol - which can make them more favourable for those with sensitive skin - roll this on your pulse points and inhale the warm lemony aroma. Truly satisfying.
The radiance-boosting skin tint
Chanel Les Beiges Water-Fresh Tint 15ml, £38, selfridges.com
Made of 75% water, this miniature bottle of sheer multi-droplet pigments blends into skin beautifully, blurring any imperfections and allowing its natural luminosity to shine through. Hydrating and refreshing, it's available in eight shades and can be applied with the fingers for ultimate ease and convenience.
Save when you shop for the best travel minis with these Selfridges promo codes.
The non-drying lipstick that lasts
MERIT Beauty Signature Lip Lightweight Lipstick in Aperitif, £28, meritbeauty.com
The brand that everyone's talking about, MERIT beauty has excelled itself with this satin finish buildable lipstick that doesn't dry lips out - a must if you're holidaying where there's heat and humidity. Highly pigmented but with zero heaviness and vitamin C and sunflower seed oil to protect and care for lips, this true red shade looks amazing with a tan.
The practical travel kit
Jo Loves Pomelo Travel Collection 75ml x 4, £45, joloves.com
If you could bottle the smell of summer, this would be it. Crisp, zesty grapefruit blended with musky patchouli and earthy vetiver, it screams Mediterranean at dusk. Containing a travel size shower gel, body lotion, shampoo and conditioner, it will leave your skin and hair softly scented.
The skin softening shower cream
The Body Shop Coconut Shower Cream 60ml, £3, thebodyshop.com
Perfect for dry skin or skin that's feeling parched from hours spent sitting in the sun, this shower cream made with Fair Trade organic virgin coconut oil sinks into skin leaving it feeling soft to the touch and super hydrated. The tropical scent transports you to exotic climes, even if you're on a UK staycation.
The 16-hour setting spray
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray Travel Size 30ml, £12, Look Fantastic
If you plan to dance on tables until 4am, this setting spray is your best ally for keeping your makeup in place. Innovative temperature control technology wards off humidity while the extra fine mist won't suffocate pores – or let foundation settle into them.
Save when you shop for travel-sized beauty minis with these LookFantastic discount codes.
The fragrance discovery set
Byredo La Sélection Florale Discovery Set, £78, Cult Beauty
Discovery sets are a great way to try new scents without the commitment. An added bonus for holidays is the mini sized vials but also the fact that it's a clean slate so you'll forever associate your destination with the smell. This selection contains three of Byredo’s best: La Tulipe Eau De Parfum with clean florals and a woody dry down; the powdery skin-like scent of Blanche Eau De Parfum and the subtly sweet Rose Of No Man's Land.
Save when you shop for travel-sized beauty minis with these Cult Beauty discount codes.
The monodosed cleansing capsules
Eve Lom Cleansing Oil Capsules Travel Pack, £20, Space NK
Oil attracts oil so breaking down stubborn suncream has never been easier thanks to these biodegradable pods of Eve Lom cleansing oil that contain just the right amount of product to take off the day (for 14 days). Loaded with a soothing blend of botanicals, skin is left refreshed and hydrated without ever feeling stripped of moisture.
Save when you shop for travel-sized beauty minis with these Space NK discount codes.
The 2-in-1 blusher
Glossier Cloud Paint in Dawn, £15, Glossier
With its pillowy gel-cream formula and coral shade that flatters all skin tones, this blusher is all you need for a diffused puff of colour on the cheeks, or a more punchy hue on the lips.
The multi-purpose oil
Nuxe Dry Oil Huile Prodigieuse 50ml, £19, LookFantastic
If you’re a sucker for a multi-purpose product, then this one is definitely for you. Nuxe’s cult oil can be used anywhere that needs a shot of moisture, whether that be your limbs or your hair. Or, if you’re feeling especially boujee, dab a little on your wrists and neck – the smell is good enough to wear as a perfume.
Save when you shop for travel-sized beauty minis with these LookFantastic discount codes.
The non-chalky facial sunscreen
La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Invisible Fluid Tinted SPF50+ 50ml, £14.40, Cult Beauty
New research by La Roche-Posay has shown that long UVA rays are able to penetrate deeper than both UVB and shorter UVA rays, causing more significant damage in the form of wrinkles, pigmentation and slack skin. If you're serious about sunscreen, this one contains a new cutting edge protective filter and has a barely-there-finish on all skin types. Proof that effective sun protection can coexist with luminous skin.
The cleanser for oily skin
Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser 60ml, £8, Glossier
Going away no longer has to mean forgoing your favourite cleanser. If you have oily skin, the jelly formula will remove excess sebum without leaving your face feeling so tight you're rushing to moisturise afterwards. It also contains poloxamer, the same mild cleansing agent found in contact lens solutions, so it's gentle enough to remove eye makeup, too. This tiny little bottle is coming everywhere with us this summer.
The all-in-one highlighter and primer
Charlotte Tilbury Mini Hollywood Flawless Filter 10ml, £13, Charlotte Tilbury
Mimic golden hour skin with this multi-tasking, illuminating ‘filter’ that’s now available in travel-size. Use it as primer for fresh-faced radiance, mixed in with foundation for a soft, dewy glow or dotted on top makeup to highlight cheekbones and brow bones.
The soothing anti-perspirant
Ritual of Sakura Anti-Perspirant Spray 50ml, £4.50, Rituals
Long, stuffy journeys don’t usually do us any favours when it comes to our natural scent. Heat + confined space = sweaty pits. For all travel odour emergencies, this handbag-sized deodorant is bound to come in handy. Plus, it smells absolutely heavenly.
The hydrating facial self-tan
Tan-Luxe The Face Illuminating Tan Drops Travel-Size 10ml, £15, Space NK
Don’t fancy damaging your skin in the sun? Opt for these tanning drops from Tan-Luxe instead. The nourishing formula that is brimming with aloe vera and vitamin E, hydrates and brightens skin while delivering a natural-looking tan. Use alone or mix in with moisturiser for a subtle glow.
Save when you shop for travel-sized beauty minis with these Space NK discount codes.
The refreshing facial mist
Caudalie Beauty Elixir 30ml, £12, Cult Beauty
If you buy just one beauty mini, make it this refreshing Beauty Elixir from Caudalie. The fine mist can be spritzed on under or over makeup, by the beach, at the bar or on the dance floor to perk up and hydrate tired, partied-out skin. It’s a game-changer.
Save when you shop for travel-sized beauty minis with these Cult Beauty discount codes.
The chlorine shielding hair mask
Philip Kingsley Swim Cap Water Resistant Mask 75ml, £16.58, Look Fantastic
Protect your hair when sunbathing and swimming with this hair mask that was originally developed for the first US Olympic Synchronized Swimming Team. Blondes, in particular, and those with damaged strands should lean on the blend of hydrolysed elastin to reduce breakage and moisture-locking olive oil and vitamin E.
Save when you shop for travel-sized beauty minis with these LookFantastic discount codes.
The texturising spay
Hair By Sam McKnight Cool Girl Barely There Texture Mist 50ml, £10, Cult Beauty
Whether you like your hair tousled and lived-in or just lifted at the roots, texturising sprays will come to the rescue of fine hair when humidity makes it fall flat. A few blasts of this mini mist creates volume and grit for model-off-duty hair even in a heatwave.
The nourishing conditioner for Afro hair
Aveda Nutriplenish Deep Moisture Conditioner 50ml, £7.20, Feel Unique
Curly and natural hair types often suffer from dry ends as it takes longer for the scalp's natural oils to travel down the hair shaft. Factor in sun, sea and chlorine and you'll want to reach for this powerful hit of post-beach hydration, packed with omega-5 rich pomegranate oil, coconut oil and softening mango butter.
Save when you shop for travel-sized beauty minis with these Feelunique discount codes.
The glow-enhancing bronzer
Benefit Hoola Matte Bronzer Mini, £15, Cult Beauty
A holiday handbag hero, this dinky bronzer from benefit comes with a handy brush so you can dial up your glow whenever and wherever you want. As for the formula, it’s completely matte with a buttery soft texture that melts into skin to deliver an all-over sun-baked finish.
The volumising mascara
Eyeko Mini Black Magic Mascara, £5, Look Fantastic
For most of us, anything more than a few swipes of mascara and a bit of bronzer or blusher on the cheeks is overkill in summer. This mascara's curved brush, inky shade and keratin-infused formula creates drama and curl without leaving lashes feeling crispy.
The nourishing hair mask
Hair Mask for Normal Hair with Rose & Apricot 60ml, £14, John Masters Organics
There’s no doubt that summer holidays can take its toll on our tresses. Hot weather combined with chlorine-treated pools and salty sea water can leave strands seriously dried out – and sometimes conditioner alone isn’t enough. Luckily, it turns out our favourite hair mask for shiny, glossy locks comes in a mini so that we never have to be without.
The moisture-replenishing shampoo
MONDAY Haircare Moisture Shampoo 50ml, £3, asda.com
This dinky lightweight bottle of shampoo is barely bigger than the size of a credit card. A blend of rice protein that strengthens, coconut oil that hydrates and vitamin E that supports hair and scalp strength, it works for all hair types, from dry to curly to straight.
