The Best Travel Toiletries from Sunscreen to Sanitizer Spray (2024)

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Want to click buy on one thing and pretty much be ready for take-off? Here’s your answer. This Oars + Alps set includes travel size (all 3.4 ounces or less) versions of the following: Hydrating shampoo, hydrating conditioner, luxury body wash, solid charcoal face wash, ultra-hydrating shine-free lip balm, and aluminum-free deodorant. It’s all packed up in a water-resistant travel bag, and even though geared toward men, we promise that the ladies will swoon for this lineup of superb travel toiletries, as well.

Okay, so don’t expect the most luxe products ever at this product's price point, but this Amazon’s Choice product boasts travel-sized essentials: Gillette Foamy Shave Cream, Disposable Twin Blade Razor, Old Spice Body Wash, Comb, Old Spice Swagger A/P Deodorant, Crest Toothpaste, Toothbrush, TSA Compliant Quart Size Zip Top Bag, Travel Zippered Bag with Black Trim. All liquids are TSA-friendly sizes. (Yes, this bundle is geared toward men, too, but it’s unisex as far as we’re concerned.)

Yes, you should wear sunscreen on your face every day. When you travel, you can’t do better than this 3-ounce tube specially formulated for active days. In addition to being free of oxybenzone, octocrylene, octinoxate, phenoxyethanol, and parabens, this zinc sunblock is water-resistant, long-lasting, and formulated for all skin types. The unscented sunblock also has blue algae, sea kelp, jojoba, sunflower, and rosemary extracts to keep your skin extra-happy. As a bonus, a portion of every sale goes to the Surfrider Foundation, which promotes plastic reduction and ocean and beach conservation.

If you prefer to go the stick route in the SPF department, you’re going to adore Bare Republic’s non-nano Zinc Oxide SPF 70 sunscreen stick. It’s sheer and non-greasy. And its smartly designed teardrop-shaped applicator makes it easier to apply all over your body. The water-resistant formula also includes moisturizing Shea butter, antioxidant-rich raspberry seed extract, and carrot seed extract to help keep your skin in tip-top shape. Free of mineral oil, synthetic fragrance, and parabens, this formula also doesn’t have any chemical sunscreens as active ingredients. For tinted sunscreen for your face, we’re also obsessed with the Bare Republic Tinted Mineral Sunscreen, SPF 30. It’s also got a non-greasy, sheer finish.

Lugging a bulky makeup bag on vacation? No thanks. Kite Beauty to the rescue. This new beauty startup focuses on on-the-go beauty, and this vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, fragrance-free, AAPI- and female-founded, made-in-the-USA concealer does not disappoint. The company offers a “shade match guarantee” (and a helpful, brief survey to help you figure out the right shade for you), and the concealer arrives in six convenient pods that are great for tossing in your purse while you travel or for placing in your toiletry bag. All of the concealers provide a beautiful natural finish with medium coverage and will make any pimples or dark circles from jet lag disappear in a jiffy.

Hello, facial cleanser Shangri-la. This sustainability-minded brand makes a highly concentrated face wash with no water added that’s free of parabens, sulfates, fragrances, dyes, phosphates, and more. The 1-ounce container is entirely plastic-free, and the formula is pH balanced to be gentle on your face (pH 4.9). If you’re looking for an alternative to that gross shampoo bar with caked-on paper packaging you’ve been toting around, consider their 1.7-ounce Lazy Coconuts Radical Paste Shampoo, that’s also free of junky additives.

This “calming cream” features nine hydrating and soothing natural ingredients, such as calendula, turmeric, honeysuckle, sea buckthorn, and rosemary. The 2-ounce elixir comes in cutting-edge sustainable packaging, including a compostable outer shell, PCR aluminum tube, and a biodegradable bamboo lid. Designed to revive dry, tired skin and treat sunburn, rashes, and other minor breakouts, the moisturizing properties give your skin a lovely boost. And did we mention Organic Skin plants one tree for every product sold? Bonus: This cream is certified vegan and certified by Biogro as “made with organics” (meaning it contains over 70 percent organic ingredients; 78.4 percent organic ingredients, to be precise, for this product).

Already have a stuffed-to-the-gills weekender but need amazing hair products? Look no further than FoxyBae's Travel Collection. This trio includes 2-ounce versions of their Moisturizing Shampoo, Moisturizing Conditioner, and 12-in-1 Magic Daily Leave In Hair Mask. If you're a real hairdo enthusiast, you might want to also travel with their rose gold Mini Travel Flat Iron, Mini Travel Hair Dryer, or Mini Travel Curling Wand. You can buy all three of these styling tools in their Mini Travel Kit.

Maisons Pariente has partnered with Tata Harper Skincare—an upscale natural luxury skincare line—to offer the beauty company’s products at several of its five-star boutique hotels, including Crillon Le Brave, Lou Pinet, and Le Coucou. If you can’t make it to these dreamy getaways, bring the dreamy getaway to you in the form of this luxurious face mask. The 1-ounce jar easily slips into your makeup bag or toiletry kit, and 100 percent of the ingredients are from natural origins, such as chia seed water, shea butter, and banana flower oil. Made in the USA, this moisturizing face mask helps alleviate redness, even your skin tone, and gives you a dewy glow. It also makes you feel oh-so-relaxed and in the mood for a vacation, whether on the road or in your bathroom “spa” at home.

Aluminum-free, extra-strength deodorant that smells amazing? Sign us up! Choose from lavender and tea tree oil or lemon and vanilla scented versions of this TSA-friendly* deodorant made with baking soda containing arrowroot powder to neutralize odor naturally and to reduce wetness from sweat. Organic coconut oil also hydrates the skin and fights odor. If you like this paraben-free deodorant, check out more of their travel products here. (FYI: It’s TSA-friendly because it’s not a liquid and, ergo, not subject to the 3-ounce liquid travel rule.)

Hand sanitizer has become reasonably ubiquitous these past two-plus years. When traveling, these lightweight single-use packets are great to toss into your wallet, pocket, or glove compartment as you go about your day (and you'll also want to throw a handful of these packets into your liquid bag if you're traveling by airplane). As you'd expect from America's number-one sanitizer brand, it kills 99.99 percent of the most common germs that may cause illness. The "pinch and go" packets are a breeze, and the hand sanitizer is free of synthetic fragrance, parabens, phthalates, and other ingredients. On Amazon, it's also Climate-Pledge friendly and Cradle to Cradle Certified Gold (the world's most advanced standard for safe, circular, and responsible materials and products).

If you like traveling with a spray, this option from NOMATIC gets our vote. In addition to killing 99.99 percent of germs on your hands and giving you more than four hours of protection, we appreciate that this spray is fine to use on the entire body, your clothes, your phone, or just about any surface. (When traveling, you might want to use it on a gas pump, door handle, or remote control for the TV in a hotel room.) Even better, it contains soothing aloe, so your hands won’t get dried out.

For a stellar travel toothbrush, it’s time to befriend the Amazon Basics brand. By that, we mean become smile buddies with the Amazon Basics Pulsating Deep Cleaning Toothbrushes, which have flexible VibraClean Bristles to remove plaque and debris between teeth and gently massage and stimulate your gums. Stash a pack of these toothbrushes in your toiletry kit at all times so you'll be ready to maintain your dazzling smile whenever the road calls.

For affordable, high-quality razors, Amazon Basics delivers yet again with these twin-blades. A pivoting head and lubricating strip help you get a close shave, and a rubberized handle makes for a solid grip, especially when the razor is wet. Ideal for single-use shaving, there’s good reason this Amazon’s Choice product has more than 900 five-star reviews.

Cavity protection? Check. TSA compliant? At 1 ounce per pack, you sure bet it is. Fresh breath? Hello, mint (and even better, it’s sourced from American mint farmers). This top-notch toothpaste will help keep your teeth clean, and your breath fresh. Since travel-sized toothpaste always seems to be one of those things you realize you’re out of on the night before you’re going on vacation, buying a bulk pack of 24 is a great idea.

Plopping on your hotel room bed after a long day, only to realize that you didn’t pack makeup remover, is no fun. Pout no more with these two resealable 25-count packs of makeup-removing face wipes. The dermatologist-tested face wipes are hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and free of parabens, phthalates, sulfates, ethanol, isopropanol, and rubbing alcohol. It’s safe to say we’ve never been more excited to remove makeup, including waterproof mascara. P.S.: Try the Original or Night Calming if you prefer scented versions.

All of these spiffy toiletries deserve a spiffy place for storing. And we can’t think of a better option than this selection from minted, an online marketplace for independent artists. The 100 percent cotton Dopp Kit has a leather handle and a foil-pressed leather tag. Each Dopp Kit has a leather handle and a custom foil-pressed leather tag, which you can personalize with a name or initials for free. With a water-repellent liner, you’re ready for all the fun and curveballs that travel throws at you, and you can choose from a wide array of fun patterns and designs like pastel geo and wandering.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What are the essential travel toiletries to pack?

  Don’t forget your mini-toothpaste. We repeat: Don’t forget your mini-toothpaste. You will be slapping yourself when you arrive at your destination, and your first order of business is finding a convenience store rather than making it to your 8 o’clock concert on time. Beyond toothpaste, your essential travel toiletries list should include a toothbrush, shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant, hand sanitizer, sunscreen, and face wash. A razor, moisturizer, and a toiletry kit to stash it all are nice to have, too.

• How do you minimize the toiletries needed while traveling?

  Check out your hotel or Airbnb’s website for details on what’s included in your stay. It might list what kind of toiletry essentials are provided in their accommodations. (If you’re staying at a friend’s place, you can always ask, too.) That way, if you see that your digs have shampoo, conditioner, soap, face wash, and the like, you can skip on packing your own. Another way to cut down on what you pack is to try double-duty products; for instance, sunscreen doubles as a foundation or 2-in-1 shampoo.

  In general, paring down your “beauty routine” on vacation is always a good choice. Spending less time futzing in the bathroom, and more time on the beach or exploring a museum, is always a win in our book. And one more savvy tip: Do that overnight hair mask the night before you leave on vacation. That way, you’ll have one fewer thing to pack in your toiletry kit.

• What's the best way to pack toiletries?

  If you’re traveling by plane, remember TSA’s liquid rule. “You are allowed to bring a quart-sized bag of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams, and pastes in your carry-on bag and through the checkpoint. These are limited to travel-sized containers that are 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less per item.” You can check out all the juicy details on the policy at TSA.gov here. Put all of these items into one clear, quart-size toiletry bag or zip-top plastic bag. Even if you’re not flying, it’s nice to do this to stay organized.

  Ensure that the toiletry bag, zip-top plastic bag, and all liquids or gels are securely closed. We also recommend using this rule of thumb when packing travel toiletries: When in doubt, leave it at home. If you’re unsure you’ll use it while out of town, leave it behind and free up the luggage real estate.

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