Tips for packing toiletries from Kate Morris - International Travel

Sep 22, 2019

We called in an expert to share her tips for travelling 'beauty light'.

If you’ve ever packed a whole lot of ‘essential’ toiletries, only to find half of your beauty bag is left unused, you’re not alone. For those who require a little beauty maintenance on the road, packing a reasonable amount of toiletries can be one of the biggest challenges.

We called in the experts and asked Adore Beauty founder Kate Morris – who has just about every product known to beauty lovers at her fingertips – how on earth she narrows her list of toiletries down for travel. Here’s what she told us:

How I approach packing my toiletries for travel
I keep an always-packed toiletries bag full of minis, so it’s ready to go and I just need to throw it into my case. I also have a spare straightener that I never unpack, it just lives in my suitcase so I can’t forget it! Years of experience has helped me learn what I will and won’t use! I know my skin usually gets more sensitive when I travel, so I know I won’t use retinol or exfoliators, for example.

Three tips that have helped me stay as ‘beauty-light’ as possible

Pack minis. I never take full-size products – I just use mini bottles and refill them after each trip.
I simplify my skincare routine down to three steps (cleanser, serum, moisturiser) instead of the usual 6 or so!
If it’s just a short trip of three days or less, I wash and style my hair right before I go, so I don’t need to re-wash and re-style it on the road.

What you can expect to find in my travel toiletries kit

You’ll probably find more makeup than skincare items. I simplify my skincare routine while travelling, but sometimes if my trip includes an evening event, I’ll need options for both day and evening makeup.

My in-flight routine
I don’t perform any routine in-flight unless it’s more than 3 hours. On longer flights, I’ll remove most of my makeup with a cleansing wipe, then apply a hydrating mask like Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Masque and leave that on for the entire flight. I’ll also drink Hydralyte to stay hydrated, and spritz regularly with a hydrating spray like Jane Iredale D20.

The top 3 beauty products I can’t live without when travelling

La Roche-Posay Toleriane moisturiser – it’s super hydrating and calming.
Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray – which keeps my makeup on all day.
Lanolips 101 Ointment – my lips get super dry on the plane and this is my all-time favourite lip balm. It works great for cuticles and dry skin too.

What keeps me entertained during a long-haul flight
While travelling, I love to read and listen to a great podcast; my new fave is the Adore Beauty IQ Uncensored podcast hosted by Jo and Hannah from my team!