Unless you've got tricky hair, most of us are fine suffering through hotel shampoo and conditioner for a couple of days, but face wash is a different story -- BYO to avoid a mug irritated from harsh soap. Cleansers love to spill and ooze out of makeup bags, which is why a powder or stick cleaner is a must. Urban Decay Meltdown Makeup Remover Cleansing Oil Stick, $26, melts into a liquid as you swipe it across your face and rinses off easily with no icky residue.
Likewise, Honest Beauty Refreshingly Clean Powder Cleanser, $22, gently yet effectively washes away the day's grime, and comes in genius, single-serve packaging that's no bigger than a sugar packet.
With so many overachieving products on the market (like CC creams that prime, protect and correct skin, all-in-one moisturizers that work day and night, or color sticks that add a wash of warmth to your eyes, cheeks, and lips) you're best off leaving the one-hit wonders at home. Bite Beauty Multisticks, $24, come in 18 hues, and unlike other color sticks we've seen in the past (that are too powdery on the lips, or irritate the eyes), these creamy sticks feel great gliding over the whole face.
Problem: you need dry shampoo because washing your hair daily while on vacation is a no -- but aerosol cans (in all their lovely convenience) can be total space hoggers. Solution: throw down a few bucks for this teeny tiny bottle of Verb Dry Shampoo powder, $7, which you just gently tap into trouble spots and massage in for more volume.
We've all tried out those bite-size travel brushes, and let's just say it: they stink. (If you've got super thick hair, they stink even more.) Save yourself the grief and pack a medium-sized hair brush like Sonia Kashuk Hair Brush, $15.99, that'll be worth the extra few inches in your bag to get the job done.
If you travel frequently, or know you're staying in a place with only a wimpy dryer attached to a wall, invest in high-powered, lightweight, foldable dryer to take the guesswork out of your hair beat. This sunny Drybar Baby Buttercup Travel Blow Dryer (that weighs less than a pound), $135, has a seven-foot cord to help maneuver around those oddly placed hotel room outlets. It's so powerful, you might even want to use it at home.
