I've Been Traveling Nonstop—My Friends Can't Stop "Borrowing" These 9 Beauty Essentials I Pack

“Your skin looks porcelain,” senior beauty editor Jamie Schneider quipped as we sat down during a meeting during my New York–stationed week. Yes, I may have received a facial a few days beforehand, but the culprit behind my even complexion and undetectable skin makeup was this budget-friendly skin tint from e.l.f. Cosmetics. I brought this tinted serum on a scorching trip to Sonoma, California, where my skin felt light as air despite the layer of glowy, pore-blurring makeup atop it. Better yet, this tint doubled as a much-needed mineral sunscreen due to its SPF 50–infused formula, which didn’t leave any trace of a white cast on my skin and kept me sunburn-free.

As I’ve matured, so has my taste in face moisturizer, and the mini lotions in the drugstore travel aisle haven’t cut it for a long time. While I worry about traveling with some of my daily go-tos (ahem, Augustinus Bader’s hefty glass packaging), I never hesitate to throw this rich, skin-soothing cream from Korean skincare brand Dr. Althea into my toiletry bag. Its sensitive skin–friendly formula is packed with niacinaminde and panthenol, which help to hydrate and calm dry skin with rosacea (ahem, mine), which always tends to flare when I travel. Knowing this, I keep this malleable tube near my suitcase at all times.

My sister is an avid self-tan fan, so it’s no surprise that this three-in-one contour wand caught her attention when I had it sitting on her counter during a downtown Chicago stay. Voted one of the best self-tanners we’ve tested, this bronzing and contouring wand that gradually tans your skin as it sits has been the answer to my multitasking makeup prayers. Popularized by Hailey Bieber for its “tantouring” abilities, I too bought in and have simplified my travel routine for the better with this hybrid face-snatcher.

One of the greatest travel hacks I’ve discovered in 2025 is the art of stackable, travel-friendly makeup via Subtl Beauty. Designed for the person on the go, these twist-off plates house just enough product to get you through months of travel, and they’re refillable, too. But if you don’t want to splurge on $60 worth of stacks, you can build your own for $14 to $20 a pop. (IMO, all you need are the cream concealer, the lip and cheek tint, and pressed powder.)

I packed this Who What Wear award–winning fragrance for a few reasons: It’s timeless enough to fit every season (summer amplifies its rosy, floral accords), and its classically warm scent effortlessly transcends everyday wear and special events alike. A few spritzes were perfect for both a casual happy hour and a ritzy Chicago wedding—my mom even asked for a light mist in between the ceremony and reception.

If you can’t tell by now, I’m fighting my overpacking tendencies by packing hybrid products. This brow gel that Kylie Jenner and Billie Eilish have used was a game changer when simplifying my travel makeup routine, doubling as a stay-put gel that persevered in the sweltering California heat and a no-budge hair gel that offers comfortable hold for slicked-back hairstyles (and is even better for people with natural hair who like to lay their edges).

I know, I know, another blush. What can you expect from me when pop stars like Addison Rae and Sabrina Carpenter have planted it front and center in my mind? My May trip to Sonoma included a weekend full of bachelorette vineyard hopping, which inspired me to try my hand at (what I’m calling) “merlot makeup” to set the vibe. Hourglass’s Unreal Liquid Blush in the juicy vino shade Craft was easy to blend onto my cheeks for a wine-splashed flush, and its 12-hour wear ensured that my color didn’t budge—even in the California sun.