Happy Holiday Skin: 6 Travel Skincare Must-Haves for Your Carry-On

What kind of traveler are you? Do you pack your 8-step skincare routine or get down to the basics? We’re here to remind you that an in-between is possible – you should pack enough skincare to keep your skin balanced during the holidays while not overstuffing your suitcase. 

Whether you’re taking an airplane, train, or road trip to visit the fam, holiday travel puts your skin in unpredictable environments that make it hard to restore balance. Your simple at-home skincare routine might not cut it, so we’ve got you covered with the top essentials to pack in your carry-on this holiday season!  

What makes holiday travel especially tricky for your skin is the combination of environmental changes, stress, and indulging in foods and drinks you don’t normally have. From dry airplane cabins to chilly winter weather, your skin faces plenty of challenges that can leave it feeling dehydrated, dull, or even broken out. But don’t worry—traveling doesn’t mean compromising on your skincare routine. With the right essentials in your carry-on, you can keep your skin healthy, hydrated, and glowing no matter where your holiday plans take you.

Don’t Leave for the Holidays Without These Skincare Essentials

Don’t let your skin suffer – there’s a way to prevent pimples, dry patches, and uneven skin to keep your skin glowing this holiday season! These 5 items are essential to a well-balanced winter skincare routine, so make sure you pack them.  

1. Face Wash & Moisturizer
2. Hydrating Face Masks & Hand Masks
3. Under-Eye Gels
4. Pimple Patches
5. Cleansing Wipes for Dirt & Makeup
6. Lip Gels

Let’s dive deep into each item, why you should make room for them in your carry-on, and how they’ll help your skin stay balanced this season. 

1. Don’t Forget The Basics: A Reliable Face Wash and Moisturizer

Travel brings a lot of stress to your skin that it’s simply not used to, but there are ways around it. The first step in your travel skincare routine is to make sure you have a reliable face wash and moisturizer.

It’s great to pack your go-to facial cleanser and moisturizer with you to give your skin a sense of routine and familiarity while you’re away. Travel-sized versions of these are ideal, allowing you to tote them along in your carry-on. You can look for a travel-sized face wash as well as mini-moisturizers that fit TSA requirements.

If you’re in the market for a new cleanser and moisturizer, make sure you choose items based on your skin type. Keep in mind that travel causes the skin to dehydrate and exposes it to more pollutants, so choose hydrating and clarifying formulas that will give your skin exactly what it needs. This curated list of the best face washes can help you narrow your search for a cleanser that serves your skin well, even far from home.

2. Fight Winter Dryness: Hydrating Face Masks and Hand Masks

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is not packing hydrating products in your carry-on. The low humidity while onboard aircraft sucks moisture right out of your skin, leaving it dry, flaky, and sensitive. Even if you’re not flying, the change in location, dry air, and temperature drops also can impact your skin.

To fix this, we believe everyone should carry hydrating face masks in their carry-ons during the winter months.

Carry-On Must-Have: Hydrating Face Masks

Dryness when traveling can be hard to reverse – no amount of moisturizer seems to do the trick. For a burst of hydration that revives your skin, try the FlashMasque Hydrate 5-Minute Sheet Mask. In just minutes, this mess-free sheet mask infuses skin with hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5 to reduce dryness and reinvigorate your skin. It’s a great way to treat thirsty skin to supple smoothness.

All you need to do is unfold the mask, apply it to your clean, dry skin, and press it snugly into your facial contours, letting it work its magic for at least 5 minutes. You can then pat the remaining serum into your skin.

If you’re looking for a dewy glow to show off in pictures, the Illuminating Face Mask provides a radiant finish in just 5 minutes. With an unbeatable combo of vitamin C, licorice extract, and grapefruit seed extract, dull skin will transform into a bright, radiant complexion just in time for the holidays. It’s super easy to apply just like the hydrating mask, meaning you can even pop it on mid-flight.

Carry-On Must-Have: Hydrating Hand Masks

Your face isn’t the only part of the body impacted by winter travels – your hands are, too! Not only does washing your hands with hot water cause dryness, but cold wind can also strip your hands of hydration. When no amount of hand cream can save you, hydrate your hands with Rosé Renewing Fingers Mask. Wrap your hands in rose-gold foil mittens for a quick pampering session before your next holiday gathering and you’ll be shocked by the boost of moisture you’ll receive. 

This luxurious spa-like experience restores moisture, smoothness, and elasticity in the skin with a blend of shea butter, strawberry oil, and resveratrol from grapes. You’ll be surprised how helpful a self-care moment can be among the holiday chaos. Side bonus: it comes in a convenient, travel-friendly package!

3. Skincare In The Air: Under-Eye Gels

If you haven’t hopped on the in-flight skincare trend, we highly recommend it. All you need are some eye gels and 5-10 minutes of your time. Open up your tray table, prop up a mirror or your phone front camera, and apply under-eye gels. You’ll combat dark circles, dry under-eyes, wrinkles, and more from the comfort of your seat. 

You won’t be able to tell that you’ve had a long travel day. Who doesn’t want to touch down in the next city with refreshed, moisturized under-eyes? 

If you have a morning or afternoon flight, we recommend Rejuvenating Eye Gels to relieve dryness, puffiness, and dark circles while smoothing wrinkles and fine lines. The innovative formula includes hydrolyzed collagen, caffeine, hyaluronic acid, and peptides that take action in just minutes while you fly.

Got a late flight? Say bye-bye to the redeye with Restoring Night Hydrogel Eye Patches to repair your skin while you (try to) sleep. These patches infuse skin with a powerful combo of retinol, peptides, and arnica extract to reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles while boosting collagen production. Even better, squalane is also included to squash free radicals while naturally hydrating and softening your skin. Instead of stumbling into baggage claim with dark, puffy, and tired eyes, you’ll at least look better than you feel.

Looking for a full spa experience in the air? Check out the On The Fly travel facial kit. This travel-friendly skincare set includes revitalizing eye gels, restoring eye patches, hydrating sheet masks, and a hydrating lip gel for a well-rounded routine on-the-go.  

4. Pimple Patches for Photo-Ready Skin

Acne is a common concern around the holidays, even for non-acne-prone skin. Let’s face it, the holidays have us eating new foods and trying new drinks we don’t normally have. This, plus a change in environment and weather, can cause the skin to act out in ways it normally wouldn’t. 

That’s why we recommend traveling with pimple patches, even if you’re not usually acne-prone. Not A Spot includes whitehead-absorbing hydrocolloid dots to fix things fast, so you’re not caught in family photos with big red blemishes. When used regularly, these dots can promote faster healing and minimize the risk of infections that make breakouts worse.

They’re super simple to use – just make sure your skin is clean and dry first before peeling a dot from the backing and covering your blemish with it. Press it down and let it stay in place for 6 to 8 hours, or even overnight while you catch some sleep. No more embarrassing white, goopy pimple cream…just pop on a pimple patch at night and wake up ready for family photos.

5. Cleansing Wipes to Remove Makeup and Dirt

Makeup and dirt have no place on your skin after a long day of holiday travel, but let’s face it, sometimes you’re too tired to commit to a full cleansing routine. That’s where Clean AF Cleansing Wipes come to the rescue, offering a quick, effective, and gentle way to clean your skin anywhere, anytime.

These wipes aren’t your average makeup removers. They’re loaded with skin-loving ingredients like vitamin B5, which delivers maximum moisture, and biotin, which gives your skin a lit-from-within glow. Folic acid works behind the scenes to detox and purify your pores, leaving your skin feeling fresh and clean without the dryness that typical wipes can cause.

What sets these wipes apart is their versatility. They’re perfect for removing makeup before bed, wiping away grime after a day of travel, or even as a midday refresh when your skin starts to feel dull. Plus, their travel-friendly packaging makes them an ideal carry-on companion.

Pro Tip: Use these wipes as a first step in your skincare routine to remove makeup, dirt, and oil before applying your face wash. They create a clean canvas for your other skincare products to work their magic. Whether you’re prepping your skin for a hydrating mask or simply winding down after a long travel day, these wipes are a holiday essential you won’t want to leave behind.

6. Don’t Forget Lip Care: Hydrating Lip Gels for a Holiday Glow

Holiday travel can leave our lips feeling dry, cracked, and anything but photo-ready. Between low-humidity environments on planes and cold winter air, the delicate skin on your lips needs extra love. Enter FlashPatch® Hydrating Lip Gels – your secret weapon for soft, smooth lips ready for any close-up photo.

Formulated with a soothing blend of vitamins and antioxidants, these lip gels deliver essential hydration while locking in moisture to keep your lips supple and refreshed. Their advanced hydrogel patch technology ensures powerful moisturizing ingredients like niacinamide, peptides, and green tea extract reach your lips fast. Say goodbye to dry, flaky lips and hello to a smooth, hydrated pout that’s perfect for kissing under the mistletoe.

These lip gels don’t just hydrate — they also banish the appearance of fine lines around the lips, leaving them looking plump, youthful, and radiant. It’s self-care made simple: just apply the gel patch to clean, dry lips, sit back, and let it work its magic in just 5 minutes. Whether you’re traveling across the country or cozying up by the fire, this luxurious lip care solution is a travel must-have.

Jet Set & Glow This Holiday Season

Traveling during the holidays can be chaotic, but your skincare routine doesn’t have to suffer. With the right travel-friendly essentials, you can keep your skin glowing and hydrated no matter how many time zones you cross or how dry the airplane air gets. The key is to focus on multipurpose products that are easy to pack and deliver powerful results — like Clean AF Cleansing Wipes for a quick refresh, FlashPatch Hydrating Lip Gels to banish dry lips, Rejuvenating Eye Gels to multitask while you fly, and Illuminating Face Masks restore your skin’s radiance.

By packing a simple yet effective skincare routine, you’ll not only look your best but also feel confident and refreshed throughout your travels. After all, caring for your skin isn’t just about looks – it’s about carving out small moments of self-care amid the holiday chaos. Whether it’s a 5-minute face mask at the hotel or swiping a cleansing wipe before bed to take off the day, these little rituals help you slow down, recharge, and show up as your best self the next day.

So pack your bags (and your skincare essentials) with confidence, knowing you’re ready to tackle the holiday season with radiant, healthy skin. No matter what’s on your holiday agenda, your skin will thank you for the extra TLC. Because when your skin’s happy, you’re happy — and isn’t that the true holiday magic?

Need holiday gift ideas for your loved ones? Check out our holiday gift guide to shop for everyone on your list!