The Best Makeup for Travel: The only products you’ll need this summer
As I was preparing for my upcoming bachelorette trip, it dawned on me that many of us could use a beauty packing guide to help us stay organized. It can be extremely difficult to narrow down what products to bring on holiday, especially in the summertime months.
In this blog post I will be sharing my carefully curated list of the best makeup for travel for that perfect summer complexion. If you’re looking for that lightweight, oil-free healthy glow, then keep reading!
SPF
While technically not a beauty product, I had to include this matte sun stick by Beauty of Joseon. Not only does it mattify your skin and help with sebum-control, but it is absolutely traceless!
This is the only SPF I’ve ever tried that doesn’t leave behind any weird sunscreen feeling or residue. It performs amazing under makeup, and helps keep my skin looking oil-free all day long.
Bonus: It’s not a liquid, so it’ll save you space in your toiletries bag!
Primer
In the spirit of saving room in our liquids bag, this poreless putty primer by E.L.F. is the perfect addition to your must-have vacation beauty essentials checklist.
The last thing any of us wants is for our pores to be accentuated when we’re sweaty and shiny, thankfully this primer paired with the SPF is the perfect duo to prevent this!
It’s noncomedogenic formula ensures you won’t get clogged pores and breakout, and for $9 you get quite a bit of product. I don’t know about you, but I’ve already added this one to my suitcase!
Skin Tints, BB Cremes, & Foundation
The Summer Fridays Sheer Skin Tint is my go to this summer. It’s ultra lightweight formula provides just the right amount of color to even out my skin tone, while still looking like skin.
This product is perfect for everyday use when you just want to throw something on and get out the door. I purchased this for my upcoming trip to Las Vegas because I know it will be hot, and I don’t want my makeup looking cakey.
It’s on the pricier side, so if you are on the fence or are not a fan of super sheer coverage, then this may not be the product for you.
Looking for a bit more coverage? The NYX Bare With Me Tinted Veil bb cream has been a ride-or-die in my collection for years.
It provides a bit more coverage than the Summer Fridays skin tint, but still feels lightweight and traceless on the skin.
It’s also affordable and can be found at pretty much any drugstore. The finish is natural, so you won’t be super mattified, but also won’t be dewy either.
If you’re in the market for a proper foundation, and don’t mind paying extra for quality, then I’d highly recommend you try the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation.
The name truly says it all, it really does feel like silk on the skin. It has a beautiful natural skin-like finish, and I always receive compliments on my skin whenever I wear this product.
It’s long-lasting formula is perfect for summer, and you get the best of both worlds with buildable coverage and a beautiful finish.
I never find myself looking oily throughout the day when I wear this foundation, and it pairs well with all my other beauty products.
Concealer
The Honest Beauty Honestly Bright Eyes Tinted Eye Cream is the perfect everyday no-makeup makeup product. This has been a staple in my collection for years, and I find myself reaching for it daily in the summer.
It provides just enough pigment to help conceal dark circles, but still looks very natural. Since it’s technically a skincare product, it can be worn as such.
Note that if you have dark under eye circles or bags, that this may not be enough coverage for you.
Much like the NYX Bare With me skin veil, the NYX Bare With Me Concealer Serum is another product I could not live without.
It’s said to be a dupe for the Kosas concealer, so if you like that formula but not the price, then try this one out instead.
I use this concealer year round, whether I’m going full glam or not. It provides medium buildable coverage, and never creases on me. I don’t even have to set it with powder.
If you try this product, you’ll understand the hype.
Bronzer
Nobody has ever regretted purchasing one of the E.L.F. Putty Bronzers, trust me. Their buildable, blendable, creamy formula makes them perfect for even the most novice makeup users. They also come in a luminous shade range.
They perform just as well if not better than some of the high-end cream bronzers on the market, and are small and compact enough to be perfect for travel.
At around $7 a pop, you simply cannot go wrong. So if you’re in search of a cream bronzer, then look no further.
Blush
Likewise, the E.L.F. Putty Blushes are just as amazing as the bronzers. These blushes also come in the original formulation as well as the luminous line. I personally have both and love them equally.
Not only are these perfect for travel because of their size, but the product literally lasts forever.
So skip those expensive cream blushes, because honestly these perform just as well.
Up to splurge? The Patrick Ta Cream and Powder Blushes are worth the hype.
What’s unique about these is you actually use the powder blush before the cream blush. It sounds odd but trust me on this, it works.
The shade range is stunning, and honestly I had a hard time deciding which one to purchase, however I went with the shade “She’s Blushing” which is a warm beige shade.
It ended up being perfect for summer, and giving me that sunkissed/sunburned effect without actually being burned.
Highlight
The Wet n’ Wild MegaGlo Highlighters have been a cult favorite among many for awhile now.
They’re highly pigmented and reflective, so if you’re looking for that wow factor, you’ll find it here.
They also work great as inner corner highlight and eyeshadow, and their thin, compact packaging makes them perfect for travel.
The shade range is pretty decent for a drugstore product, I personally love the shade “Golden Flower Crown”. If you love a champagne gold highlight, then you’ll love this one!
Setting Powder
I can’t get enough of the Huda Beauty Mini Setting Powder. I purchased the mini to save space in my carry-on, and absolutely love it.
It provides a mattifying, pore-blurring finish, and is also perfect for baking your face. I know when I use this product that my makeup won’t budge and will look flawless all day long.
It comes in a variety of shades, I went with the neural light shade called “poundcake”, and find it to be the perfect shade for me.
Brows
I’m a big fan of the NYX Thick It Stick It Brow Gel for a great all-in-one product. Not only does it hold my brows in place all day, but it also provides a tint and thickness to them.
I find that when I use this product I don’t necessarily need to fill in my brows. It gives me that effortless “model off duty” look, and is much cheaper than paying to get my brows laminated.
It also lasts a long time and doesn’t dry out in the tube.
Eyeshadow
Nobody does a neutral eyeshadow palette like Tarte. The Tartelette In Bloom Clay Palette is the most used eyeshadow pallete in my collection.
It has all the shades I need to create my favorite makeup looks with, and I take it everywhere with me.
I love that it comes in both warm and cooler shades, and some of the darker shades I’ve even used on my brows.
Mascara
I’ve been using the Maybelline Lash Stiletto Mascara for 15 years now, and it’s still at the top of my list for #1 mascara I’ve ever tried.
Not only is it smudge proof, it adds so much length to my lashes and never clumps. Seriously I don’t know what is in this formula, but it outperforms some of the top high end mascaras out there.
I know I can rely on this macara no matter the occasion, and it will never let me down.
Lips
I’ve tried many a lip oil, and the Clarins Lip Comfort Oil is simply the best. While it’s not drugstore pricing, it’s still a better price point that the popular Dior lip oil.
I find the shade range to be fantastic, with universally flattering colors. The product itself offers a nice amount of pigment, enough to make the lips look juicy and plump, but still just sheer enough.
The texture is cushy and comfortable, and keeps my lips feeling soft and hydrated for hours. This is by far my most worn lip product!
That concludes my top recommendations for the best travel makeup this summer! Whether you’re exploring ancient cities in Europe, heading to a tropical destination, or simply want to treat yourself, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed by any of these tried and true reliable products.
Safe travels and as always, stay beautiful. xx
Still looking for more? Check out my blog post on the 15 Travel Essentials for Women!
