The beauty, skincare and the makeup industry seems to show no sign of stopping. With literally millions of YouTube tutorials on any type of “look” you might be going for, it’s clear that this saturated world of products has something for every type of woman in the world. However, as a traveler, we’ve actually found it to be quite a struggle to find TSA approved beauty products that do the trick and also meet packing standards!
Our most frequently asked questions on Instagram are almost always related to packing. That’s why we’re loving our new series Pack Perfect, where we get a chance to share our tips and tricks. Even though we’re definitely minimalists when it comes to makeup and skincare, we’ve definitely collected some standby favorites in perfectly small sized. Here are some of our TSA approved beauty faves!
TSA Rules
Before packing, it’s important that you become aware of the TSA’s security measures in place. For carry ons nearly all liquids, gels, aerosols and personal care items must be in a 3.4 oz or smaller container and in one single quart sized zippered bag that you can see through. That means, no ladies, you can’t bring a full-sized shampoo or conditioner!
If your skincare and haircare products are liquids or aerosols, put them into that clear quart sized bag. If your makeup is primarily powder based or compact, put it in a small makeup bag. Don’t stress out too much! We’ve found that those “iffy” products (like mascara and cream blush… are those liquids?) typically are fine if you place them in your makeup bag, instead of your clear bag. If it should be a problem, just leave a little wiggle room in your quart sized bag. As you can probably guess, the limits put in place by the TSA offer us an interesting challenge!
Our Beauty Must-Haves Standards
Typically, before any beauty item even comes close to touching our precious carry-ons, it must be a product that works in “real life.” Meaning, we’re not interested in packing products that are small just because of their size. We want each item to truly pack a punch. That means if a product doesn’t meet our standards in our day to day lives, it certainly isn’t entering our suitcases!
Knowing that a product is going to do its purpose is one thing, but a bonus is when a product can be used for multiple purposes. For example, a CC cream that doubles as a daily SPF while out and about? Total win-win. A face wash that also is capable of makeup removal? Count us in! You get the idea.
We’re also big on sticking to beauty products that hold up over time. You know, the type of product that doesn’t completely fall apart after some heat or crack with one bad fall. Even though our TSA beauty approved products are small, they’ve got to be mighty!
Here are our TSA Approved Beauty Favorites
Facial Spray with Aloe & Rosewater | Headband | Dry Shampoo Set |
Bronzing Powder |Mini Milky Jelly Cleanser | Half-Moon Pouch |
Moroccanoil Volume Set | Tinted Lip Balm | CC+ Cream With SPF 50 |
Travel Size Mascara | Le Labo Body & Hair Set | Organic Sunscreen Spray |
What tops our favorite list? Well, we’re huge fans of Le Labo’s Travel Sized Body & Hair Set for getting clean and smelling just amazing, as well as Moroccanoil’s Volume Travel Kit for kicking our hair’s volume up a notch. Considering we love using these products at home, it’s amazing to also have them while on the road too! Each little bottle is so adorable and also smells just amazing. We also absolutely love using Glossier’s famous Milky Jelly Facial Cleanser to both wash away the girt and grime of a long day traveling, as well as remove makeup! If you’re off to sunny parts of the world… don’t forget to invest in organic sunscreen that won’t hurt the environment, like Coola’s Travel Size Sport SPF 50 Organic Sunscreen Spray and tie your hair up with something adorable. And ladies, our true saving grace… travel sized dry shampoo by Living Proof. This stuff will save any bad hair day, and is great during those in between days when you haven’t had time to wash your hair!
Rounding out our list are a classic tube of Burt’s Bee’s Tined Lip Balm (for adding a dash of color while also hydrating those lips!), It Cosmetic’s famous SPF 50 CC+ Cream (this bad boy packs a punch for healthy skin and light, airy coverage), Mario Badescu Facial Spray (perfect for a long flight and dehydrated skin), a great Hoola bronzer by Benefit, and a perfectly sized mascara (that will certainly make give any jet-lagged lady a lash lift). And, of course, every travel gal should have a glam little clear makeup case to keep all her goodies organized in!
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