Not everything; just the important things.

I’m not sure what happened between the 2010s and now, but I’ve evolved (or devolved?) from a minimalist packer to a maximalist traveler even after I’ve pared down to the bare necessities. It’s all subjective, of course, and I’m attributing the heavier carry-ons and overstuffed weekender to a steadfast dedication to my job. Half is allocated to outfits, the remaining space is reserved for beauty products—which I realize is astonishing when confronted in writing. When better to test things than under the pressure of physical limitations and performance? More importantly: What if I suddenly break out into hives (which has happened) and am without the exact product to soothe the breakout—because I left it at home? Of course I can pick something up if a situation is ever that dire, but I despise being wasteful.

I share these personal findings not because anyone’s asked, but simply as a reminder to my future self to refrain from traveling with the nice-to-haves that never end up getting used. Bona fide beauty minimalists, ignore this list and reference my travel beauty guide for Editorialist instead. For everyone else, these are the things I not only packed for my New York trip, but truly relied on.

But first, context is queen when it comes to preparing:

• Destination: New York City
• Weather: Humid and hot 90° weather that likely feels closer to 100°F, given the heat wave
• Plans: Meetings, museums, a show, boat day, date nights
• Skin type: Combo-oily, congestion-prone, and suddenly sensitive (all things that popped up in recent years)

So without further ado:

Beauty Products I Actually Used

Skincare

• ISAMAYA x Facegym Sculpt 01: I’ve shared my most valuable thoughts on the tool here, but will gladly expand upon them any day. This is one of few that considers all the ways traditional gua sha is used in practice—i.e., not simply for de-puffing tired faces, but for healthy blood flow. It’s thoughtfully designed (pleasing to the eye and feel-good in the hand, too), multi-purpose, and resembles the varying wood and bone massage accouterments I’d see in Taiwanese night markets.
• Eadem Dew Dream Cleansing Balm: It melts away makeup, sunscreen, and a summer day’s worth of sweat and grime without leaving skin feeling tight or dry. The texture is sensational—Dew Dream is a cushiony, bouncy balm until it softens with warmth and water—and the scent is just as sensorial. It’s lavender with a zesty twist, yet soft: uplifting for mornings, soothing as you unwind.
• Mediheal Madecassoside Blemish Pads: I’ve always been a toner devotee, something ingrained from my years at Mario Badescu. For trips, I prefer pre-soaked pads to minimize bulk and liquids. Mediheal has been quite the TikTok sensation and rightfully so; these are the ones I keep in my toiletries because lately, travel seems to wreak havoc on my skin.
• Violette_fr Boum-Boum Milk: A milky toner-essence hybrid is vital this time of year. If my skin weren’t so problem-prone as late, I could leave the toner and moisturizer at home and Boum-Boum Milk would be the ultimate 3-in-1 for hot weather. A fuller review can be found here, but for my purposes, I use this cream spray to supplement my moisturizer in the evenings for smoother makeup prep or to replenish skin before bed.
• Aestura Theracne³⁶⁵ Soothing Active Moisturizer: For fickle or oily skin in summer, this gel-cream is great. It’s straightforward, non-irritating, and light. In fact, it’s the perfect weight: watery enough that it absorbs seamlessly, but with just enough body that your skin feels balanced.
• Peach Slices Acne Spot Dots: Aside from the pimple patches I tried and fell in love with in Taiwan, Peach Slices makes the best—and most affordable—hydrocolloid patches. Zitsticka is incredible (though pricey, especially if you rely on these regularly), Hero is just fine, but Peach Slices is my go-to.
• Superegg Calm Movements Eye & Cheek Mask: My Editorialist travel beauty product guide also featured this one. I’m a big Superegg fan as someone who works in beauty because each formula is considered and the world they’ve created through visual storytelling is beautiful. Though this is seemingly the “simplest” of products in their line, Calm Movements is spectacular. Masks can often be an easy, throwaway addition for a brand but everything—from the actual shape to the serum that each mask is saturated in—is thoughtful. I love this all year round, and in summer it’s a skin savior. Stow a few in your hotel fridge and thank me later.
• Shiseido Clear Sunscreen Stick SPF 50: Shiseido sunscreens will always be top of the list for me. The Future Solution LX is a daily holy grail but has been harder to get a hold of. (I have a feeling it’s being phased out of the line, or just pulled out of stateside offerings.) This stick though? Worth every penny, and a cult-favorite for a reason. Everything from application to performance—even how well it plays with other skincare and layers under makeup—is flawless.
• Naked Sundays Hydrating Glow Mist Top-Up Spray SPF 50+: I know Supergoop is everyone’s sunscreen darling but for me, Naked Sundays is severely underrated—and dare I say, superior in formulation (texture, performance, feel) to me. Most SPF sprays cause my skin to break out in hives, but I’ve never had irritation with this. The misting mechanism is easy, application is efficient, and the finish gives the perfect amount of radiance. (Think healthy, not dewy—something this oily-skinned girl appreciates especially if I’m topping up in summer.)

Makeup

• Haus Labs Triclone™ Skin Tech Hydrating + De-Puffing Concealer (21N): Since buying this on a whim I’ve never looked back: Haus Labs concealer is the only complexion product I need. If you loved Glossier’s original Stretch Concealer formulation or adore CHANEL Sublimage Le Correcteur Yeux (which I use all over), this is worth trying. Coverage is effective yet skin-like, the shade match (and range!) is impeccable, and it wears well throughout the day.
• N°1 de CHANEL Lip and Cheek Balm (9 Purple Energy): CHANEL makeup—particularly their cheek and complexion products—is sublime. Multiuse lip and cheek creams are a dime a dozen but this is by far better than everything I’ve come across. I had the pleasure of interviewing makeup artist Tasha Reiko Brown and since then, have looked to her recommendations as Bible. The moment she highlighted Purple Energy as one of the most universally flattering shades—especially on deeper skin—I requested a sample. On me (light to medium, with neutral undertones), it’s the perfect berry. I can’t recommend it enough.
• CHANEL Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick (Transparent): Another beautiful formula from CHANEL. I’ve tried countless transparent dewy-skin highlighters, this is the best product for achieving a glossy sheen sans shimmer.
• MERIT Brow 1980 Volumizing Mousse (Taupe): In the last few years I’ve discovered that a light, cool-toned brow gel looks better on me even though I have dark brown hair. Formula is fine—likely because I have pretty fine, easily tameable brow hairs—but the shade is the winner for me. If you’re after volume that lasts with all-day hold, Urban Decay Big Bush Brow Gel is pretty incredible.
• Makeup by Mario Master Mattes Eyeshadow Palette (The Neutrals): Makeup by Mario knows how to make good eyeshadow, period. If you love a neutral brown eye or have been looking for a solid palette of basics, this is the one. It’s all I need to travel with, but if I know I have events or nights out where I want to amp up my eye look, I’ll pack a Byredo (Mineralscapes is my favorite, though limited edition; I found one on eBay here, and the ISAMAYA Industrial palette is like a warmer, bolder version) or the ISAMAYA Wild Star palette.
• MERIT Clean Lash Mascara: Favorite mascara, hands down. I live, love, swear by tubing mascaras and this is the best one for hold.
• Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Blurring Under Eye Powder (Pink): Mother excels at powder formulas, and this is no exception. I use it all over on high points to blur and set, and the baby pink shade adds a touch of brightness that looks lit from within. It’s soft in effect, versus a starker contrast that a banana setting powder gives on my skin tone.
• ONE/SIZE On ‘Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray: Because I have oily skin and makeup tends to disappear on me, I need a setting spray year-round. In summer, though? It’s a new level of non-negotiable. This is another category I’ve exhausted and ONE/SIZE has no competition in the consumer space. (Kryolan Fixing Spray and Ben Nye Final Seal are entirely different beasts. For most of us laymen, setting sprays of that caliber aren’t necessary.)
• MAC Lip Liner Pencil (Half-Red): I love that MAC is having a resurgence. This is classic formula and this shade specifically is so adaptable. With a light hand and blurred edges, Half-Red is an enhanced shade of my natural lips. A firmer application gives a richer, more statement finish.
• Eadem Le Chouchou Lip Softening Balm (Fig Sauce): Eadem’s latest launch made this guide, too. Like with everything the brand has put forth into the world, this doesn’t feel like just another lip balm. It’s driven by purpose—the gentle peeling properties differentiate it from the rest—and the shades truly are designed for people of color first and foremost. Fig Sauce is my favorite right now; I pair it with the MAC liner and CHANEL cheek balm for a monochromatic berry look.

Bodycare

• Soft Services Buffing Bar: I cannot, will not, go more than three or four days without this. My skin is a little more resilient (and therefore responds well to physical exfoliation a handful of times a week).
• Sol de Janeiro Delícia Drench Body Butter: This is the only Sol de Janeiro scent (and body butter) that matters. It’s a solid moisturizer and the fragrance is the cherry on top.
• Naked Sundays Glow Body Mist SPF 50+: Non-negotiable, period. Easily one of the best sunscreen body mists I’ve tried. (I do prefer a classic lotion or cream for my first application—I’m not picky as long as it’s water- and sweat-resistant, but this Naked Sundays mist is the perfect product for regular touch-ups).

Haircare

• Drybar Hot Toddy Heat Protectant Mist: I’m scrupulous with heat protectant but indifferent to products as long as they don’t weigh my hair down. However, I’ve religiously used (and replenished) Hot Toddy for my travel haircare bag. It started with a little set of Drybar staples during Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale—and because the brand brings back some iteration of a trio or quad of travel mini, I’ve taken to it. Love the scent of this, though.
• Living Proof Full Texturizing Foam: As an ex-Jersey girl with ultra-fine hair, trust when I say I’ve tried nearly every drugstore to prestige texturizing and volumizing product under the sun. This is easily one of the best texturizing foams I’ve used yet—and it’s surprising that this formula doesn’t get half the recognition that some of Living Proof’s cult stars receive. It’s weightless, non-sticky, and fluffs up hair with a lived-in—not frizzy—finish. (A rarity since most pre-styling products weigh down my hair.) I tend to use this with my waver and it extends the style beyond two days.
• Drybar Triple Sec 3-in-1 Finishing Spray: This is another one I travel with out of habit, quite frankly; it’s part of that grab-and-go set I mentioned above. I much prefer the Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray but Triple Sec doesn’t disappoint. It’s reliable.
• Drybar Detox Dry Shampoo: The third of the traveling trio! If you have dark hair, you need to take the extra few minutes to check your roots; the powder casts a bit of an ashy tone that takes elbow grease to make disappear. I used to be partial to Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo (I’ve used this religiously for at least six years but am readyfor something new), I’m perfectly happy with Detox Dry Shampoo. Is it because it’s in a convenient kit? Likely. Does it work? Definitely. I’m a creature of convenience so long as efficacy is there.

Fragrance

• Amouage Guidance: Fuller thoughts are on Editorialist. Guidance is controversial but I’m of the camp that loves its musky guava-like sweetness—and not just because it draws in compliments like moths to a flame. It’s undoubtedly intense; one spritz at an arm’s-length distance is all you need (any more is an unconscionable act toward society).
• Perfumehead LA LA Love: It’s on heavy rotation, still. (I’ve waxed poetic about it.) I’m reluctant to name it a signature night-out fragrance simply because I have too many perfumes to limit myself to a singular scent, but LA LA Love is as close as it gets.
• Celine Zouzou: It was love at first sniff. I picked this one up on my second day in New York and haven’t stopped wearing it since. The way it just wafts about you—cirrus clouds of sweet powder and soft skin—is dreamy.

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xx