The Holiday Beauty Edit: What to Pack in Your Travel Bag

Pack Smart. Arrive Glowing.

There is an art to packing a holiday beauty bag — and most of us get it wrong. We either lug half the bathroom through the airport, or we arrive and spend a week improvising with hotel miniatures that do absolutely nothing for our skin. Neither is acceptable.

Hannah at Oh So Luxe has curated the definitive holiday beauty edit: the products that genuinely earn their place in your bag, keep your skin glowing, your hair smooth, and your makeup lasting from beach to bar. Read on to check out our ultimate guide — and scroll down to the packing checklist to look beautiful in the sun, every single day of your trip.

Already working on your pre-holiday routine? Read our companion guide: The Ultimate Holiday Head-to-Toe Beauty Prep Guide — everything to do in the weeks before you travel.

The Golden Rule: Travel Light

Before you start decanting and packing, adopt one rule: every product must earn its place. Ask yourself — can this do more than one job? Can I buy it at my destination if I run out? Is there a smaller format available?

The best holiday beauty bags are built around multi-tasking products, smart formats, and the discipline to leave the rest at home. You don't need your full routine. You need the essentials, done brilliantly.

The Liquids Rule: What You Need to Know

If you're flying with hand luggage only, all liquids must be in containers of 100ml or less, carried in a single clear resealable bag of no more than one litre. A few things worth knowing:

• Reusable travel bottles are your best friend. Decant your favourite products into small refillable bottles — pick them up cheaply from any high street store or pound shop. Labelling them saves confusion at 5am.
• Bar soap and shampoo bars do not count as liquids — they go straight in your main bag with no restrictions. A solid shampoo bar, conditioner bar, or cleansing balm in stick form sidesteps the liquids rule entirely and is one of the smartest packing decisions you can make.
• Solid formats — stick SPF, solid perfume, balm cleansers in pot form — are worth seeking out specifically for travel. Solid balms and sticks don't count as liquids at all, making them a brilliant space-saving choice.
• Pack your liquids bag in an easily accessible pocket for smooth security screening.

The Bare Essentials: If You Pack Nothing Else, Pack These

Stripped back to the absolute minimum, a holiday beauty bag needs five things:

1. A cleanser — one that removes SPF and makeup. A cleansing balm does both.
2. SPF 50 — for face and body. Non-negotiable.
3. A moisturiser — that works hard enough to skip the serum if needed.
4. A lip balm with SPF — the most underrated product in any holiday bag.
5. After-sun — because even with the best intentions, sun happens.

Build from here.

Skincare: The Non-Negotiables

Cleansing: Balm, Oil, or Wipes — Pick Your Holiday Style

How you cleanse on holiday depends on how much effort you want to put in after a long day in the sun. Here are your options:

The thorough option: The Estée Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Balm 70ml is a brilliant travel companion — it melts away SPF, makeup, and the day in one step, leaves skin nourished rather than stripped, and the 70ml size fits perfectly within your liquids allowance.

The quick option: Face wipes are the unsung hero of a holiday beauty bag. After a late evening out, a long beach day, or any moment when a full cleanse feels like too much — a good micellar face wipe removes makeup and SPF quickly and efficiently. Keep a pack in your beach bag and one on your bedside table.

The smartest approach: Pack both. Use the cleansing balm for your proper evening cleanse, and keep face wipes for the nights when you get back late and just need a quick, effective wipe-down before bed.

A Hydrating Serum

Aeroplane cabins have humidity levels as low as 10–20% — far drier than most deserts. A hydrating serum applied before moisturiser is the single most effective thing you can do to counteract in-flight dehydration. Pack it in your carry-on and apply mid-flight for best results. The Charlotte Tilbury Magic Serum Crystal Elixir 30ml is the one to reach for — a multi-tasking serum that hydrates, firms, and gives skin a luminous, healthy glow. At 30ml it's perfectly within your liquids allowance.

A Rich Moisturiser

Heat, sun, and salt water all draw moisture from the skin. A slightly richer moisturiser than your usual formula will help maintain your skin barrier throughout the trip.

The Multi-Tasking Balm That Does Everything

One product Hannah at Oh So Luxe always recommends for travel is the Douvall's Argan Roll On Multi Balm 30g. It's a solid balm — so it doesn't count as a liquid and goes straight in your main bag — and it works on lips, cuticles, dry patches, brows, and anywhere that needs instant hydration. One product, a multitude of uses — a genuinely brilliant travel essential.

Eye Cream

The delicate skin around the eyes shows dehydration and fatigue faster than anywhere else. The Clinique All About Eyes Eye Cream 15ml is a brilliant travel size — depuffs, hydrates, and takes up almost no space in your bag.

Hand Cream — Don't Forget Your Hands

Hands are one of the most neglected areas in a holiday beauty routine — and one of the first to show sun damage and dehydration. The Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Touch Hand Cream 50ml is the perfect holiday hand cream — deeply nourishing, beautifully scented, and 50ml so it fits neatly in your liquids bag. Hannah's top tip: keep it in your beach bag so you never forget.

SPF for Your Face — Don't Compromise

Your face SPF deserves its own dedicated product — not a body sunscreen applied to the face. The FILLMED® Skin Perfusion UV Skin Protect SPF50+ 50ml is a brilliant holiday companion — 50ml, perfectly within your liquids allowance, and a genuinely luxurious formula that wears beautifully in the heat. Browse our full SPF Skincare collection at Oh So Luxe for face and body options.

SPF for Your Body

For body SPF, consider buying a larger bottle at your destination to save luggage space — but pack something for the first day. The Sol de Janeiro Rio Radiance Body Spray SPF 50 is a lightweight, fast-absorbing spray SPF that leaves skin with a subtle, luminous finish — protection and a gorgeous scent in one step.

Sol de Janeiro Rio Radiance Body Spray SPF 50 

Cooling Sprays for Dewy Skin — The Mario Badescu Edit

If there's one product category that absolutely belongs in a holiday beauty bag, it's a facial spray. The iconic Mario Badescu Facial Sprays cool, hydrate, and refresh skin in seconds, and double up as a makeup setting spray for a dewy, just-spritzed finish that lasts in the heat.

• Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater 118ml — the original cult spray. Soothing, hydrating, and beautifully fragrant.
• Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Cucumber and Green Tea 118ml — the cooling option. Instantly refreshing and calming on sun-exposed skin.

Hannah's tip: keep one in your beach bag and one on your dressing table. Spritz over makeup before you head out for an instant dewy finish — no touch-ups needed.

After-Sun

Even with diligent SPF application, skin can feel warm and tight after a day in the sun. The Holika Holika Aloe Vera Soothing Gel 250ml is a cult favourite — cooling, calming, and deeply hydrating. Apply generously every evening after showering. Pack this even if you don't think you'll need it.

The Sol de Janeiro Jet Sets: The Smartest Holiday Packing Decision You'll Make

If you want to travel light without sacrificing luxury, Sol de Janeiro's Jet Sets are the answer. Each one bundles the brand's hero body products into travel-sized formats — perfectly sized for your liquids bag, beautifully presented, and genuinely effective. Hannah's personal recommendation at Oh So Luxe — and they make brilliant gifts too.

Bum Bum Jet Set

• Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Jet Set — the iconic Bum Bum Cream and matching body butter in travel sizes. Firming, deeply hydrating, and that unmistakable Cheirosa 62 scent. The holiday body routine in one pouch.
• Sol de Janeiro Bom Dia Jet Set — a brightening body care edit featuring the Bom Dia Bright Body Cream. Vitamin C-infused, skin-evening, and gloriously scented.
• Sol de Janeiro Beija Flor Jet Set — the ultra-nourishing Beija Flor Elasti-Cream in travel size. Deeply moisturising and perfect for skin that needs extra care in the heat.

Pick the Jet Set that matches your skin's needs and your scent preference — or collect them all. Shop the full range at Oh So Luxe Sol de Janeiro.

Haircare: Work Smarter, Not Harder

A Shampoo Bar

One of the best travel haircare decisions you can make. A solid shampoo bar doesn't count as a liquid, lasts for weeks, and takes up almost no space. Many are sulphate-free and colour-safe.

The Hair Oil That Does It All

If you pack one haircare product in liquid form, make it the Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil 30ml. This is the travel haircare hero — it reduces frizz, protects against heat damage, adds a brilliant shine, and strengthens the hair bond with every use. At 30ml it's perfectly within your liquids allowance. Apply a few drops to damp hair before blow-drying, or smooth over dry hair to tame flyaways.

For extra frizz-fighting power, pair it with the Color Wow Travel Dream Coat Supernatural Spray 50ml — apply to damp hair before blow-drying for a mirror-like, humidity-proof finish that lasts for days.

Color Wow Travel Dream Coat 50ml Living Proof Dry Shampoo 90ml

Dry Shampoo

A beach holiday essential. The Living Proof PhD Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo 90ml refreshes roots, adds volume, and buys you an extra day between washes — in a travel-friendly size that won't take up precious bag space.

Multi-Tasking Makeup: Do More with Less

Holiday makeup should be minimal, quick, and heat-proof. The secret is choosing products that work harder than one job.

Setting Powder — Hannah's Holiday Must-Have

"The one product I never travel without," says Hannah. "A good setting powder keeps everything in place in the heat, controls shine, and means your makeup actually lasts the day." The Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder 29g is the gold standard — finely milled, weightless, and universally flattering. It sets foundation, blurs pores, and keeps skin looking fresh from beach to bar.

The Colour Stick That Replaces Three Products

The Douvall's Argan Colour Stick Balm 30g delivers a sheer wash of colour to lips and cheeks — tap onto the apples of the cheeks and blend with fingertips for a flushed, sun-kissed blush, then swipe across the lips for a matching tint. Argan oil-based so it nourishes as it colours. And because it's a solid stick, it doesn't count as a liquid. One product, three uses, zero fuss.

The Highlight Stick for a Sun-Kissed Glow

The Douvall's Argan Highlight Stick Balm 30g is the finishing touch your holiday makeup bag needs. Sweep across the cheekbones, brow bone, and inner corners of the eyes for an instant, luminous glow. Solid format — no liquids allowance needed.

A Mini Mascara

The Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes Mascara in 4ml is the perfect holiday size — the same volumising, glossy-black formula as the full size, in a carry-on friendly format.

A Tinted Lip Balm with SPF

Replaces both your lip balm and your lip colour in one step. Wear it on the beach, at the pool, and on low-key evenings out.

A Bronzer or Tinted Blush Stick

A cream bronzer or blush stick can be used on cheeks, eyes, and lips for a monochromatic, sun-kissed look that takes two minutes and no brushes. Stick formats are solid, so they don't count towards your liquids allowance.

Evening Glow: Looking Gorgeous After Dark

Daytime holiday beauty is all about protection and practicality. But evenings? That's when you get to play. After a shower, after-sun applied, skin glowing from a day in the sun — this is when a body glow oil transforms your look from beach to beautiful.

The Sol de Janeiro Glowmotions range is made for exactly this moment. Lightweight, fast-absorbing body oils that leave skin with a luminous, golden shimmer. Hannah's evening tip: layer over the Bum Bum Cream for a scent and glow combination that turns heads.

• Sol de Janeiro Rio Sunset Glow Oil 75ml — a warm, bronzed shimmer that catches the light beautifully. Perfect for evenings out.
• Sol de Janeiro Copacabana Bronze Glow Motion 75ml — a deeper, sun-kissed bronze shimmer for a more dramatic evening glow.

Apply to shoulders, décolleté, legs, and arms after moisturising. A little goes a very long way.

Don't Forget Your Holiday Scent

A holiday deserves its own fragrance — one you'll never smell again without being instantly transported back. The Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa '62 Eau de Parfum 8ml is the perfect travel perfume. At just 8ml it takes up almost no space and sits well within your liquids allowance, but it delivers the full Cheirosa '62 experience — that iconic blend of pistachio, salted caramel, vanilla, and heliotrope that is pure, unapologetic summer.

Layer it over the Bum Bum Cream or your chosen Jet Set body cream for a long-lasting scent that lingers beautifully in the heat.

Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa '62 EDP 8ml

The Pretty Travel Bag

A beautiful wash bag or cosmetics pouch makes the whole ritual more enjoyable — and keeps everything organised so you're not rummaging at the bottom of your suitcase at midnight. Look for one with a waterproof lining, a clear inner pocket for your liquids bag, and enough compartments to keep skincare and makeup separate.

Browse our edit of toiletry bags and cosmetic pouches at Oh So Luxe — from spacious wash bags to compact clear pouches, there's something for every type of packer.

The Golden Rule of Holiday Beauty

Simplify. Your holiday routine doesn't need to replicate your at-home routine step for step. Focus on the essentials — cleanse, hydrate, protect — and let your skin breathe. A pared-back routine, done consistently, will keep your skin looking its best throughout the trip.

And when you get home? That's when you reintroduce your actives, your treatments, and your full routine. Your skin will be ready for them.

Your Holiday Beauty Bag Checklist

Hannah at Oh So Luxe has put together this ultimate packing checklist to help you look beautiful in the sun. Save it, screenshot it, tick it off — and never forget an essential again.

✅ Skincare

• ☐ Estée Lauder Cleansing Balm 70ml — or face wipes for quick wipe-downs after evenings out
• ☐ Charlotte Tilbury Magic Serum Crystal Elixir 30ml (pack in carry-on)
• ☐ Douvall's Argan Roll On Multi Balm 30g — lips, cuticles, dry patches, brows (solid — no liquids allowance needed)
• ☐ Moisturiser
• ☐ Clinique All About Eyes Eye Cream 15ml
• ☐ Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Touch Hand Cream 50ml
• ☐ FILLMED® Skin Perfusion UV Skin Protect SPF50+ 50ml — face SPF
• ☐ Sol de Janeiro Rio Radiance Body Spray SPF 50 — body SPF that smells gorgeous
  
• ☐ Mario Badescu Facial Spray — Rosewater 118ml — cooling & dewy makeup setting spray
• ☐ Mario Badescu Facial Spray — Cucumber & Green Tea 118ml — refreshing & cooling on sun-exposed skin
• ☐ Holika Holika Aloe Vera Soothing Gel — after-sun
• ☐ Lip balm with SPF
• ☐ Face wipes — for quick cleansing after evenings out

✅ Body Care

• ☐ Sol de Janeiro Jet Set — or your chosen body cream
• ☐ Sol de Janeiro Rio Sunset Glow Oil 75ml — evening shimmer
• ☐ Sol de Janeiro Copacabana Bronze Glow Motion 75ml — deeper evening bronze
• ☐ Body exfoliator
• ☐ Deodorant
• ☐ Shaving essentials

✅ Haircare

• ☐ Shampoo bar (no liquids allowance needed)
• ☐ Conditioner bar or travel conditioner
• ☐ Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil 30ml — frizz reduction, heat protection & shine
• ☐ Color Wow Travel Dream Coat 50ml — humidity-proof finish
• ☐ Living Proof Dry Shampoo 90ml
• ☐ Hair ties, clips, and pins

✅ Makeup

• ☐ Tinted moisturiser or light foundation with SPF
• ☐ Concealer
• ☐ Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder 29g — Hannah's must-have
• ☐ Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes Mascara 4ml
• ☐ Douvall's Argan Colour Stick Balm 30g — lips & cheeks in one (solid)
• ☐ Douvall's Argan Highlight Stick Balm 30g — instant glow (solid)
• ☐ Tinted lip balm with SPF
• ☐ Bronzer or blush stick (solid — doesn't count as a liquid)
• ☐ Setting spray
• ☐ Face wipes (for quick makeup removal after evenings out)

✅ Fragrance

• ☐ Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa '62 Eau de Parfum 8ml — the holiday scent that layers beautifully with the Jet Sets

✅ The Bag to Put It All In

• ☐ A beautiful toiletry bag or cosmetic pouch from Oh So Luxe — waterproof lining, compartments, and pretty enough to leave on the bathroom shelf
• ☐ A second smaller clear pouch for your carry-on liquids

✅ Extras

• ☐ Clear resealable liquids bag
• ☐ Reusable travel bottles (from any high street or pound shop)
• ☐ Cotton pads and cotton buds
• ☐ Tweezers, nail file, nail clippers
• ☐ Any prescription skincare or medication
• ☐ Insect repellent (destination dependent)

Frequently Asked Questions

Shop Travel Size Beauty at Oh So Luxe

Everything you need for your holiday beauty bag, in travel-friendly sizes. Explore our Travel Size Beauty collection at Oh So Luxe — luxury skincare, haircare, and beauty essentials ready to go wherever you do.

Planning your pre-holiday routine? Read our companion guide: The Ultimate Holiday Head-to-Toe Beauty Prep Guide.

Free standard UK delivery on all orders over £50.