12 truly useful travel beauty sets you need to take away

Collage of travel beauty sets from Charlotte Tilbury, Maison Margiela and Color WOW, on a pink watercolour background

(Image credit: Future / Brand (L-R) Charlotte Tilbury, Maison Margiela and Color WOW)

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SPF skin and body sets
Hydration for parched skin
Hair sets for humidity
Fast glam makeup

published 8 September 2024

Heading off for some Autumn sun and looking to nail your holiday packing? We're here to share the secrets to travel beauty success, without losing too much of your precious suitcase space. It takes the form of travel beauty sets...

Many of us know the struggle of trying to fit our full beauty routines into just one makeup bag to take on holiday, from the best foundation with SPF (along with a lot of separate sunscreen, naturally) to the best makeup setting sprays to keep your look locked in place all day long. Whether you're struggling to zip your suitcase shut or aiming to avoid exceeding your weight limit, packing often means compromising your skin, hair and makeup routine when you need it most. But what if you could eliminate that stress and still fit in all of your beauty essentials?

With this guide, you can! From hydrating SPF skincare saviours and must-have anti-humidity haircare to full glam makeup kits, we've picked out the most useful problem-solving travel beauty sets of the season.

The handy beauty travel sets we're packing in our suitcase

Granted, travel sets are nothing new, but in recent years, they've become more widely available with brands launching sets designed specifically to target your holiday skincare, makeup and haircare routines.

These handy buys offer everything you need, meaning you can cut down on individual travel makeup minis and avoid trying to pack full-size items in your suitcase. You can opt for a kit filled with your go-to staples or take it as an opportunity to trial a range of new products, to see whether they're worth investing in the full-size version once home.

So, whether you're looking to boost glow on sun-parched skin, mitigate the unwanted effects of humidity or look glam without sweating over a hotel mirror for 45 minutes, we've got you. These are the genuinely useful, effective and time-saving travel beauty sets that should be in your luggage.

Protective SPF skincare sets

Have you got a beach week or sightseeing city break booked in the diary? The single most important thing is to keep yourself protected from the sun. Opt for a travel set that includes a miniature sunscreen, which makes it easy to reapply your SPF whilst you're on-the-go. If you're also planning on wearing makeup, it's also wise to invest in a kit that boasts a quality setting spray to ensure your look doesn't budge all day long in the heat.

Clinique Skin School Supplies SPF Skincare Gift Set

RRP: £48

When spending long days in the sun, ensure you're fully protected from UV rays by nourishing your skin with a lineup of SPF-enriched skincare. This Clinique set treats you to three of their stellar products, including a radiant SPF moisturiser, a replenishing overnight mask and a brightening eye cream, all of which have hydration at their core.

Ultra Violette Vi's Faves Set

RRP: £25

Ultra Violette's best-selling sunscreen duo arrives in two miniature versions, making them the perfect addition to your handbag. With one designed for your face and the other for your body, these hydrating sunscreens offer non-sticky, SPF 50 formula, which will be music to your ears if you're spending your days wandering around a city.

Sun Bum Day Tripper

RRP: £27.99

This pouch from Sun Bum plays home to all your sun care essentials in convenient travel sizes, which makes reapplication a breeze. You'll be equipped with an SPF 30 sun lotion, a hydrating sunscreen lip balm and a cooling aloe lotion, ready for your day lounging in the sun.

Glow-boosters for parched skin

Who doesn't like a hydrated, glowy complexion? If you're someone who actively seeks a healthy holiday glow, whether that be through a shimmery highlighter or the hyaluronic acid stacking trick, we've found some of the best kits to pack in your suitcase. Begin the luminous journey with a stellar skincare lineup from Fresh, that boasts a hydrating moisturiser and brightening serum, or treat yourself to Dr Barbara Sturm's ultra-luxurious skincare set before adding an instant glow with Vieve's liquid highlighter.

fresh On-The-Go Set

RRP: £29

Glowing skin starts with your skincare routine. The right prep will ensure a luminous, healthy glow complexion all day long, whether you're wearing alone or adding makeup over the top, and this set from fresh does just the job. Welcoming mini versions of a moisturising face cream, a soothing cleanser, an antioxidant essence and an anti-ageing serum, this kit helps purify, protect and nourish the skin.

Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Kit

RRP: £185

Treat yourself (if you can) with this super high end and very hardworking set. Offering a seven step, one-and-done skincare regime, Dr. Barbara Sturm's Glow Kit is all you need to pack for your holiday. Packed with a facial scrub, face mask, hyaluronic serum, face cream, glow drops, enzyme cleanser and niacinamide serum, you'll be fully set to achieve a juicy and radiant complexion.

Vieve Glowbetrotter Set

RRP: £29

If you can't leave the house without a pop of highlighter, Vieve's glowy travel-sized trio will be right up your street. Arriving with a hydrating niacinamide primer to boost radiance, a gleaming liquid highlighter and nourishing shine-inducing lip oil, this set will have you glowing on the go.

Anti-Humidity hair heroes

Many of us know the struggle of dealing with humidity. From unwanted frizzy hair to styles that drop in seconds, that hot and bothered feeling can put a dampener on your holiday. So, why not opt for an all-in-one travel set that fights all the unwanted effects of humidity, including some of the best hair products for humidity? We've done the scrolling for you and found the best travel sets to holiday-proof your hair.

Philip Kingsley Holiday-Proof Hair Care Travel Collection

RRP: £33

With the main goal to protect dry and damaged hair, as well as smoothing frizz, this Philip Kingsley set is the ultimate travel haircare kit. Offering a deep conditioning treatment for brittle hair, a water-resistant mask to shield your locks against the drying effects of salt and chlorinated water, a leave-in conditioner to encourage shiny and hydrated locks, plus a must-have frizz-fighting gloss serum. What more could you want?

Color Wow Dream Smooth Kit

RRP: £29

Sleekly tame your locks for a glass hair finish with this travel-sized kit of Color Wow's must-have products. The set contains a gentle cleansing shampoo and conditioner, designed specifically to boost the vibrancy and glossiness of colour-treated hair, plus the brand's viral Dream Coat Spray to waterproof strands and help combat frizz - each leaving your hair looking soft, shiny and healthy.

Moroccanoil Moisture Repair Discovery Kit

RRP: £27.55

Constantly getting in and out of the salty sea and chlorinated pool can leave lasting damage on your locks, from dryness and breakage to knottiness and irritated scalps. So, it's important to treat your strands to some hydration with this Moroccanoil set. Offering a moisture repair shampoo and conditioner to strengthen hair for a thicker appearance, the iconic oil treatment to nourish and smooth strands and a moisturising hand cream to beat any dryness

Fast glam for easy evenings

Despite the heat, a holiday is the perfect time to get glam and dressed up - whether you're away to celebrate a special occasion or simply heading out for dinner. But the last thing anyone wants to do on hot evenings is sweat over a mirror for hours. Thus, we've selected the easiest glam kits going. Whether you're completing a photo-ready makeup look in minutes or spritzing a sexy scent, treat yourself to a glamorous experience with these handy travel sets...

Charlotte Tilbury the Pillow Talk Look

RRP: £175

Looking for your entire makeup routine in one travel-friendly zipped pouch? Get your hands on Charlotte Tilbury's most sought-after products, including a chic eyeshadow quad, shimmery powder blush, pink nude lip liner and co-ordinating lipstick, high-shine lip gloss, volumising mascara and soft brown eyeliner. Achieving an event-ready makeup look has never been easier.

Milk Makeup Summer Bag Set

RRP: £48

For a rosy dewy complexion that lasts all night, despite the heat and humidity, Milk Makeup's travel-friendly kit is the perfect option. The set boasts four of their most popular swipe-on products, the lip and cheek stick for a natural flush of colour, a high-shine lip oil gloss, a shimmer-inducing highlighter and their iconic Hydro Grip Setting Spray, which promises to keep makeup locked in place for up to 12 hours.

Maison Margiela Replica Memory Box 10 X 2ml

RRP: £36

Sometimes a spray of scent is all you need to get into the sultry holiday mood - it's the fastest way to feel glam. Maison Margiela's Memory Box offers a scent for every occasion on your travels. With a lineup of 10 scents, each perfume transports you to different holiday activities, including sandy, blue-sky beach days and strolls amongst zesty lemon trees, designed to evoke nostalgia thanks to their familiar notes.

Sennen is Digital Beauty Writer at woman&home, where she shares the latest beauty buys and trending products from makeup and hair to skincare and nails. Previously, Sennen worked as a Junior Digital Editor at FROW Magazine, where she wrote about the latest fashion and beauty news, trends and viral must-have products to shop, and reviewing a lineup of beauty products. She has since worked with numerous brands including Who What Wear UK, HuffPost UK and Harvey Nichols. When she’s not writing about all things beauty, Sennen spends her spare time watching the latest Netflix series, doing lots of online shopping and walking her dog.