I'm a Beauty Editor Who Never Checks a Bag—These Are the Mini Products I Always Pack

SPF is an everyday thing, not just a holiday thing. Sorry to be that person but skin cancer doesn't discriminate between you on the beach and you waiting for the bus. With that said, picking one that works for both is ideal. When it comes in a super small size, like this 20ml winner, even better. The big-size Unseen Sunscreen has been a staple in my routine for yonks, it's genuinely invisible and can be spread on without a mirror. As with all SPFs though, reapplication is key. Fortunately, this mini can be slipped into a pocket or stashed in a clutch.

I'm generous with almost all of the beauty products that come across my desk. This SPF, though? Not at all. My daily sunscreen of choice, it protects my skin and doubles up as a beautiful, luminous primer. It's slightly tacky to the touch which means it sinks into skin quickly and doesn't slide around like thinner, more wet SPFs can. It comes in two travel-ready sizes, 30ml and 10ml, and is gentle enough for ridiculously sensitive skin like mine. In fact, the skincare ingredients Dr. Sturm has included (vitamin E, beta-glucan and purslane) can help irritated, stressed skin recover more quickly.

Ok, I'll admit I'm not generous with this product either. Tatcha's Dewy Skin Cream is a bestseller for a reason. It's hydrating without being gloopy or wet and gives skin a plump, natural-looking glow. No glitter or iridescence in sight. Why's it so good for hols, you ask. Well, it's intensely moisturising and softening, thanks to hyaluronic acid and barrier-supporting algae and is exactly the thing to help soothe your skin after a day spent in the heat. All sizes are under the 100ml hand luggage limit but the 10ml is perfect for one to two-night stays and the 50ml for longer jaunts.

In our small bag world, there's only room for one cleanser. In my world, it's this one: the Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser. Think about it. You're coating your skin in SPF, sweating as the day goes on and likely swiping your face with your hand to wick off some of that moisture. That's a lot of stuff sitting on your skin; some good, others not so good (read dirt). When it comes to getting rid of it, an exfoliator that can efficiently break it down is best. This one has salicylic, lactic and glycolic acid to sort out excess oil, dead skin cells and dullness. Because we're working with limited space, my tip would be to use this for both of your double cleanses. Or, if you happen to pick up a bottle of micellar water, use this second.

Solid and soft to begin with, this cleansing balm quickly melts to oil when applied to the skin or rubbed between palms and breaks down everything – including waterproof mascara – easily. It's round (something to think about when playing the game of carry-on Jenga) and small enough to work at 50ml.

I don't buy into the shtick that micellar water doesn't deserve a place in your skincare routine. It's available almost everywhere, doesn't cost the earth and removes make-up efficiently. I wouldn't use it as my sole cleanser but, as a first step, it's brilliant. It's an open secret that insiders swear by the Bioderma Sensibio one but I'm not picky. The Garnier micellar water is as good and, like the Bioderma, can be picked up at the Boots before your gate's called.

My obsession with the beauty brand Saie is well-documented. I just wrote about the Glowy Super Skin Foundation, saying that the skincare-infused product is one of the very best out there for a beautifully dewy base. If I had to pick a favourite though, it would be this, the Glowy Super Gel Mini. Equal parts primer, luminiser, highlighter and skincare, it goes on like a gel – smooth and hydrating. In a pinch, I'd eschew all other complexion make-up, taking this and this alone as my base and highlighter of choice.

I'm not a full face person. Instead, I like a concealer that sorts out my dark under eyes, corrects the redness around my nose and eyes and lasts the day long. Only two fit the bill for me. The Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer – a waterproof, highly pigmented without looking flat or dull product – and the dewy Make Up By Mario Surreal Skin Concealer. They both blur the skin but steer well clear of looking cakey or seeping into cracks. The fact that Hourglass sell one that's smaller than the average lipgloss makes it my item of choice for holidays or last minute office touchups.

Little says holiday more like coating every exposed bit of skin with something golden and gleaming. What make-up artist and Viece founder Jamie Genevieve has created in Skin Nova is the perfect thing for it. Ostensibly a primer, it can also be used for myriad other things. Daubed on post-concealer for a wash of luminosity or smoothed onto collarbones, shoulders and thighs.

Even though powder doesn't count towards your liquid allowance, carting around a full-size one isn't necessary. I throw this Nars pressed powder into my washbag, mostly for the fact that it's so small I can easily take it out to dinner should the weather get the better of me. It includes flashback technology which means it won't look stark or pasty in photographs and can be pressed in with a puff or swept on with a brush. Instantly mattifying, it doesn't rid you of glow – just sheen.

So much of what makes a fantastic mascara is down to the brush. Formula fanatics don't @ me. I know the ingredients, viscosity and longevity play a crucial role but a good brush, that separates, fans and lengthens is priceless. Ilia's viral Limitless Lash Mascara comes in a dinky 3g/3ml size and includes the brand's patented double-sided brush. One side sorts out the curl and volume, the other helps to lengthen and separate.

Trust me, contour sticks, bronzing balms and cream blushers all count as liquids in the eyes of border security. The multiple run-ins I've had with uniformed-people proves that. Rather than nix the possibility of a carved out cheekbone though, pick one that runs smaller and thinner, like the Victoria Beckham Beauty Contour Stylus. On first glance, you might think it too narrow to create the type of shadow that looks like believable contour. But, it's thinness is what makes precise application that much easier, avoiding the muddy demarcation that can happen when contour is taken too low on the cheek and jaw. Plus, it can double as eyeshadow. A two-fer.

Refy's cream blush is a holiday no-brainer for a number of reasons. It holds up in hot (and cold) weather and doesn't look obvious on the face. It's highly pigmented, so you'll get a lot of colour payoff even when using a small amount, but it's soft enough to melt into the skin without disturbing what you've already got on. Think real flush, not stripe of blusher.

The first time I used Dream Coat, it felt like a revelation. Not only did my hair not fluff up and frizz as it likes to do but even a hot bath couldn't shake the sleekness. Three days later, my hair was as smooth, albeit a little dirtier, as when the blow-dry had originally been done. Naturally, it became a non-negotiable holiday item. My failsafe for when I want my hair to resist the effects of hot or muggy weather, it's a product I've put multiple friends onto.

Remember, though, be generous when applying it to damp hair. A few spritzes won't cut it, unfortunately. Then, make sure to spend enough time on each section while blow-drying to seal it in. It might feel more laborious in the moment but, days later, when your hair looks and feels just as smooth, you'll be grateful.

Davines are synonymous with understated, luxurious haircare that takes a real stand on environmentally-beneficial practises, sustainable packaging and, put plainly, just trying a bit harder to be good to the planet. They also make some of the most beautiful hair products going. This one – the famous Oi Oil – is packed full of roucou oil and is lightweight, moisture-rich and non-greasy. It helps with frizz, post-swimming tangles and adding heaps of shine. Stunning.

Whenever Tracee Ellis Ross speaks, I listen. The actor and founder of Pattern Beauty is one of the most considered and truly involved (side eye, many celebrity beauty brands) people in the industry and her brand is a testament to that. This gel is medium-hold, so you won't get any of the crispy stringiness that stronger gels can create. Instead, aloe vera, coconut oil and cacay oil help fortify curls, kinks and coils – at home and away.

There isn't a holiday or overnight stay in the last year that I haven't taken a bottle of the Hershesons Almost Everything Cream with me. It works as a leave-in conditioner, styling cream and flyaway smoother but also for detangling, slicking back and frizz control. A slightly thicker cream, my fine hair only needs a little bit to get the full effect, it adds shine and hydration without looking greasy or shiny on the hair. If you're trying to save space in your bag (aren't we all?) take my word for this part-mask, part-primer, part-texturiser being a ridiculously useful addition.

Sometimes, good hair needs a little extra help. And, if the hair you want is effortless-looking, tousled waves, that extra help comes in the form of Ouai's mini Wave Spray. Forget the scratchy, drying salt-sprays of your tweens, this spray uses rice protein and coconut water to create texture and movement in the hair. If you love it, Ouai sell a travel-sized leave-in conditoner and hair oil, too.