How to Pack Toiletries for Travel Like a Pro? a Complete Guide

Your toiletry bag is one item you know you cannot leave behind when you start packing for your trip. Toiletry packing is an art form. Despite your desire to only bring the necessities, you don’t want to overpack and cause your suitcase to become too heavy. I’m going to offer some advice on how to reduce your load and pack toiletries like a pro.

How to Pack Toiletries for Travel?

To decide what you will and won’t need to bring, as well as how to downsize items, refer to the step-by-step packing instructions for toiletries below.

Step 1: Planning and Preparation

Start by setting out all the grooming and beauty products you regularly use. Which of these can you bring on your trip and which must you leave behind? Select everything you believe you might require.

Then, place each item into one of these categories:

• Need
• Want
• Not required
• Not applicable

You might consider certain things non-negotiable, such as your preferred brand of shampoo or high-end face moisturizer. By cutting back on toiletries and getting rid of some items entirely, you can save a lot of room and weight in your luggage.

Would you be willing to use the hotel’s provided shampoo and body moisturizer for a few days? If not for a few weeks, don’t worry. The advice in the article’s next section will help you find a solution to this issue.

Step 2: Eliminate

Create two piles: one for items you don’t need to take and one for items you must take after going through the entire list of every beauty product you own.

Travel Beauty Tip: Check to see if your lodging has items like shampoo, shower gel, a hair dryer, etc. Even more freebies like toothpaste, razors and other small necessities are offered by some hotels at the front desk. Just ask!

Picking items or products with multiple uses is one of the best ways to reduce the number of toiletries you need. See if you already have any items that can serve two purposes. Choose between two items that fulfill the same need.

Step 3: Downsize

Have you ever considered the amount of shampoo you use? Since I only wash my hair once every other day, a 3 oz. travel size can last me a week!

How far are you traveling? Throughout that period, note how much product you used. It’s time to estimate how much of each item you actually need to pack now that you are aware of the items that are essential.

It is especially important to have necessities like shampoo, toothpaste, and moisturizers. Remember to test out the bath, skincare, and makeup products. Make a note of it so you can refer to it later when you’re ready to make the final decision.

Once you have a better idea of what you actually need then consider other ways to downsize such as:

• Can you just take a few of these individual wipes like this instead of a bottle of nail polish remover?
• Is a full bottle of foundation necessary, or can you just take what you need in a little container like this?
• If you hate having your nails chipped, mini nail polish bottles like these are a good option.

A cleanser, a treatment (for wrinkles or acne), and a moisturizer should be all you bring for skincare since it tends to be more individualized. Try to reduce the number of products in your skincare routine, if you use one, to just three.

Step 4: Travel Containers

Pick out the proper travel containers. Buy a variety of sizes and bring only what you need. 3 oz bottles are frequently too big for a one or two-week trip.

Instead of immediately buying “travel-size” containers in 3oz or 100ml bottles, get a range of sizes including 1oz, 2oz, and smaller jars like these, too.

To reduce weight and prevent breakage, swap out glass containers for plastic ones.

Check your toiletry bag on a trial run to ensure that everything fits. If your belongings don’t fit, think about using multi-use products like a shampoo/conditioner combo, a conditioner as shaving cream, or baby shampoo for your body and hair.

Essential Toiletries Packing List

These are the necessities for your travel toiletries. The majority of this will be included on everyone’s list for their toiletry bag. If there are any items on this list of toiletries that you don’t use at home, they probably aren’t for you if you’re traveling. Some of these products, like hand cream or cotton buds, are purely a matter of preference. This is essentially the complete list of toiletries for men for guys.

• Shampoo – If you’re only taking a carry-on and your trip will last less than two weeks, pack your items in GoToob Travel Bottles.
• Conditioner – Packed as above
• Hairbrush/comb
• Soap/body wash
• Toothpaste – Get a travel-sized toothpaste if you’re traveling with a carry-on only
• Toothbrush – Folding toothbrushes like this are great for travel
• Dental floss – Pick a small travel size one
• Deodorant – Make sure it’s under 3oz if you’re traveling carry-on only
• Facial wipes/cleanser – Wipes are easy and less messy than a liquid cleanser
• Facial moisturizer – I use Rosehip oil as it’s small, easy to pack, and lasts a long time but whatever you use at home is right for you
• Body moisturizer – You can leave this out if you’re staying in hotels but bring it if you’re using Airbnb, cruising, or prefer a specific brand
• Hand cream – Great for the flight!
• Lip balm – Great for the flight, sun, or skiing
• Coconut oil – One of my top picks for travel-friendly toiletries! A GoToob is a great travel companion because it can be used as a moisturizer, after-sun, shaving gel, hair treatment, etc. You can omit any of the other items on this list that aren’t absolutely necessary if you intend to use this.
• Razor – I use this small women’s travel razor
• Shaving gel/oil – Shaving oil is more space efficient and is essential for a men’s toiletries list
• Tweezers
• Small mirror – I use this small magnifying mirror that has suction cups so you can use it on a hotel room window or mirror
• Nail file
• Nail clippers
• Cotton buds/cotton pads
• Medication
• Vitamins

Nice-to-Have / Trip-Specific Toiletries for Vacation

These either depend on the kind of trip you’re taking or are merely nice-to-haves. Here are some of the extra toiletries to take on vacation:

• Sunscreen – This sunblock smells wonderful!
• Insect repellent spray
• After sun lotion/aloe vera – Toiletry bag essentials if you’re at the beach for preventing sunburn or moisturizing your skin after exposure to the sun!
• Anti-chafe balm/powder – If you plan to do a lot of activity, walk a lot, or are traveling to a humid area, you should purchase this anti-chafe balm.
• Foot powder – If you plan to do a lot of walking around cities or hiking, invest in a travel-sized foot powder. Anti-chafe balm can also be used for this.
• Tiger balm / Deep heat – This is a great thing to have if you’re taking an active vacation, like a ski trip.
• Hand sanitizer
• Menstrual cups / Tampons / Sanitary pads – depending on the time of the month you’re traveling, a necessary addition to any female toiletries list!
• Condoms
• Personal lubricant
• Aftershave/beard oil
• Contact lenses and solution
• Essential oils – If you need them, pack them in these small travel bottles for essential oils

Here is a Winter Vacation Packing List.

Hair & Beauty Toiletries for Women

A large portion of these is feminine hygiene products. Men can almost entirely skip this section because men’s travel toiletries are a little bit simpler. Most of these are toiletries to bring on vacation, whether you’re taking a cruise, visiting a nice resort, or going on a weekend city break. This kind of toiletry is probably not necessary if you’re backpacking.

• Hair ties – Then, place bobby pins on top after wrapping your hair ties around the handle of your brush!
• Bobby pins
• Travel Flat iron – Think about bringing a flat iron if your hair is difficult to manage. My picks for the top travel flat irons are listed below.
• Travel hair dryer – If you’re staying in an Airbnb or friend’s home rather than a hotel, make sure to bring your own hairdryer. Here is my list of the top hair dryers for traveling.
• Dry shampoo – Get a travel-size dry shampoo spray
• Hair styling products – Travel size versions of hairspray and styling gel are easy to find or put your gel into a GoTubb
• Shower cap – If you’re staying in a hotel, it’s not necessary but if you’re in an Airbnb or staying at a friend’s then it’s useful
• Makeup
• Makeup brushes
• Makeup remover
• Eye cream – You can scoop some into a little pot like this for travel
• Solid perfume – For travel, these are fantastic! Hawaiian-themed fragrances are available under the Pacifica brand.

What Toiletries Can I Take on a Plane?

The ability to pack appropriately is one of the most crucial things to understand before you begin making travel arrangements. Whether you are checking your luggage or not will affect the toiletries you can bring on a flight.

• For cabin or carry-on toiletries: airlines require that liquid products are no more than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) and all bottles must fit in a clear quart-size ziplock bag when traveling with a carry-on. Liquids, aerosols, gels, creams, and pastes must all be contained inside a quart-sized ziplock bag. This is called the 3-1-1 Liquids Rule. Read about How To Pack A Carry-on?
• For checked toiletries: items that are in containers larger than 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters (regardless of amount) should be in checked baggage. To learn precisely what can be placed in a checked bag, visit the TSA page.

These regulations apply to airlines with US bases. These, however, are frequently the standards for all airlines. Always check the airline’s website for specific information or get in touch with them and ask them. Read More: Are Packing Cubes Worth It?

How Do You Keep Your Liquids from Leaking?

Here’s a tip to help you prevent liquids from leaking in luggage: remove the cap from the bottle, place a small square of plastic wrap over the opening, and replace the cap.

On a flight, changes in air pressure can cause your bottles to leak or explode. The bottle constricts (as if you were squeezing it with your hand) under the pressure as the plane rises. Leaks are stopped by the plastic wrap acting as a seal.

This is the cause of the never-ending capacity of travel-sized toiletries that are purchased from stores. So that the liquids won’t be forced out by pressure changes, you should leave a little extra room. (Additionally, this is the cause of your ears plugging up while flying.)

The solution: don’t fill your bottles all the way to the top. Instead, fill them only 2/3 or 75% of the way.

Tips for Packing Toiletries

Packing toiletries is simple when you use my travel advice! Here are a few of my top recommendations for packing toiletries while traveling to prevent spills and overpacking.

• Packing toiletries for flight – Even if the lid is screwed shut, the air pressure of the plane can cause bottles to squeeze in and push the contents out, so I always pack my flight toiletries in Ziploc bags in case of spillage. Pack anything that could leak into a Ziploc bag and then place it inside your toiletry bag to prevent messes. You’ll see that I pack shampoo and conditioner in GoToobs as part of my toiletries list for air travel. Because they won’t leak, this is. Nevertheless, exercise caution when handling any liquids.
• Packing toiletries for international travel – You can typically buy the majority of necessary travel toiletries while you’re abroad unless you’re going someplace extremely remote or off the beaten path. If you’re picky, bring your favorite brands with you because you might not be able to find them.
• Packing toiletries for carry-on luggage – You must follow the rules for items under 3oz or 100ml when packing toiletries for travel by air. The majority of men’s and women’s toiletries are available in travel sizes. Alternative: Pour your larger shampoo/conditioner bottles into GoToobs. The use of a solid shampoo bar is another option, though I personally don’t like these and many of them require you to rinse your hair with vinegar afterward.
• Pick the right toiletry bag – In order to prevent leaks, choose a toiletry bag with a high-quality waterproof/spill-proof fabric. When there isn’t a lot of counter space, a hook for hanging is also extremely helpful so you can hang up your toiletries.