When the Monday morning alarm buzzes, I’m usually not thrilled.  And I doubt you are either.  I know I try to snooze as long as I can and often cut short my makeup routine.  But when it comes to travel, your excitement for adventure may not match your desire to disregard your lack of sleep and tired feet to put on a pretty dress and nice makeup.  But have no fear!  Here are the basic but the best beauty products for travel.

1. Mascara – There’s about 3 million+ beauty products you could put onto your face, but personally, I find mascara to be one of the most important.  It instantly makes your look a bit more dressy and put-together.  And it takes very little effort to just brush some of it onto your lashes.  I personally recommend Revlon Volume+Length Magnified Mascara or Maybelline Great Lash Mascara.  For more tested mascara recommendations and reviews.
2. Eyelash Curler – If you’re ready to take #1 to the next level, this is it.  An eyelash curler gives your lashes a nice boost and makes them look incredibly more feminine and fuller in a quick 30 seconds.  I use Revlon’s eyelash curler, and I’d give it a thumbs up.
3. Eyeshadow – I’m completely in LOVE with Too Faced’s The Return of Sexy.  I’m a sucker for sparkles, and this wide-ranging palette contains 15 colors.  It may be a large item to add to your packing, but if you’re planning on going out or just want to add some spice to your look, I’d 110% recommend.  And be sure to include the Too Faced Shadow Insurance primer.  If you want more than mascara but aren’t ready for the commitment of a 15-color palette, I’d recommend Almay Intense i-color Liquid Shadow + Color Primer™.  Built-primer and eyeshadow all in one?  Bingo.  This simple yet elegant eyeshadow is quick and easy.
4. Travel brushes – When Riley bought me my Sephora 5pc travel brush set, I didn’t realize how wonderful they’d be.  They all fit into the container and take up very little space.  And they get the job done for #3!
5. Baby Vaseline – Other than the fact that this is actually the cutest thing you’ll ever see (other than little babies and tiny kittens, of course), Baby Vaseline is an amped-up chapstick.  It’s incredibly easy to slip into a purse or toiletries bag and provides moisture for dry lips.  I put mine on during the day, but I prefer applying it right before bed so it doesn’t rub off as quickly.
6. Sun Bum Pomegranate Chapstick – I’ve always been a fan of Blistex’s Raspberry Lemonade Chapstick, but when a sweltering afternoon ruined it, I began the hunt for chapstick nearby Huntington Beach.  I found Sun Bum Pomegranate chapstick which tastes phenomenal.  It also helps that it’s POMEGRANATE-flavored!!  And 30 SPF is a miracle for someone as fair-skinned as me!
7. Tanning lotion – I’m all for looking like a bronzed babe, but skin cancer is not cool.  But if you’d like to not blind the entire beach with your printer-paper white legs (I speak with authority here), apply some tanning lotion to darken your skin without inflicting long-term damage to your skin.  If you’ve never done this before, definitely try a couple times before you leave because streaky skin is more unattractive than just straight pale.  I’d recommend Sally Hansen’s because it smells nice and works fairly quickly.
8. It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-in Product – If you’re trying to cut down time and knock out several birds with one stone, It’s a 10 can accomplish, well, 10 things for you.  On the back of the bottle for this gel-like spray, you’ll find each of the 10 benefits of this product which include a detangler and thermal protector.
9. Travel Set of Nail Polish – I own entirely too many bottles of nail polish, and there are maybe two weeks during the year you’ll find my nails completely bare.  Having fabulous nails during vacation is very important to me (all about those photo opts!), but it’s not fun when your favorite bottle spills all over your suitcase.  Reduce the risk and room by taking a travel set or even just one or two of these mini polishes.  I received OPI’s Trend on Ten which offers an array of colors with consistent quality.
10. Towel Turbie – The world basically ends when I forget my Towel Turbie at home.  I don’t know how people survive without this essential.  I’ve found that this towel wrap dries my hair more effectively than your average towel.  And bonus: it doesn’t take up much space especially when compared to a hand towel.

It may be tempting to pack the entire Clinique counter or absolutely no makeup at all, but keep this round up of my top 10 beauty products for your next trip.

Bises,

Kristin

{What beauty products do you refuse to leave at home?}