Our Best Tips For Taking Your Beauty Products On The Go For All Your Holiday Traveling

Whether you're headed home for the holidays or running off on a vacation to escape family drama, there's a good chance you'll have some traveling to do shortly. And let's be honest: traveling during the holidays is not for the faint of heart. Even if you've never seen "Home Alone," you already know that whether you go by plane, train, or automobile, traveling in December is on par with the scariest, most unsettling stanzas of Dante's Inferno. Because of this, you at least want your beauty products organized and ready to serve looks no matter what comes your way.

But for those with extensive skincare routines, packing for holiday travels can feel like trying to solve an algebra problem. Should you pack X if you're packing Y? What if you leave Y behind, is Z necessary? If yes to X, should it be put in different packaging? Or should you try to score easy-to-pack samples of the same product? The questions can seem endless and the answers distant and complicated. "The last thing you want is something that might leak everywhere or take up all of the space in your bag," travel writer Lauren Hubbard told CNN. "For me, that means favoring creams and gels (or better yet, sticks!) over oils and serums, or single-serve packaging that keeps the products contained and ingredients at their prime."

Although taking your beauty products with you this holiday season might have you stressing a bit, it's something that can be done. It just takes some organizing and — wait for it — consolidation. Both of which you can pull off without a hitch.

If you don't usually plan your makeup looks ahead of time, then this is your opportunity to learn how to do that. If you already have every day of the month planned down to a tee, then now is your chance to learn how to effectively pack for all those plans. 

When traveling for the holidays, you need to consider who you'll definitely see, as in time with family members and familial events, and who you might see. Read: blasts from the past. With this in mind, ask yourself questions to gauge what you looks you'll need to rock. Is your family low-key enough that a full face of sparkles isn't necessary at dinner? Or are you trying to impress your partner's family with your covetable red lip à la Taylor Swift? What about in-between family time? Will you be going out to the hometown bars at night with the mindset of blowing everyone away? Are you planning to have your great Romy and Michelle moment? You want to remind yourself of these things when planning your looks. 

Although a basic skincare routine consists of cleansing, toning, and then moisturizing, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who only does these steps. Many of us have serums, day creams, night creams, eye creams, and so much more — and that's even before we delve into the makeup that goes on top of it all. While it's fine to have a 10-step or more makeup routine, when traveling you want to cut that way down, and you can do so with multi-purpose products.

"I do like to streamline when I travel," professional makeup artist Jenny Patinkin told Real Simple. "[For example], packing a bronzer that can double as contour, a buildable cheek color, and a buildable foundation for simple daytime application or more dramatic evening looks, one four-pan eyeshadow palette that can be used a lot of different ways, and keeping as few brushes with me as possible." A cream blush that can be used on the cheeks, eyes, and lips, too, is a great option to add color to your face with one stick, as opposed to several separate products. With more solid products, you also don't have to worry about the consistency leaking or breaking during travel, so that's a bonus. 

Even if you're checking a bag and space isn't an issue, lugging all your full-sized products doesn't just add up quickly in weight, but it's also overkill. (Put down the shimmery eyeliner you bought six months ago and have yet to use.) Instead of risking throwing your back out as you lug your bag from the luggage carousel to the pick-up area, consolidate your products in reusable travel-sized containers. If you've yet to invest in these super handy-dandy travel buddies, it's time. They're affordable and come in a whole slew of different sizes to meet everyone's needs. Also, depending on how much of something you need, don't be afraid to get creative. For example, contact lens cases are a wonderful option for eye creams and similar products. "They look tiny but can hold a surprisingly large amount of product and seal up really well, so you don't have to worry about spills in your bag," makeup artist Gabriel De Santino told Byrdie.

Having a travel bag of essential reduced portions of products always ready to go is something to consider. "I recommend keeping a separate toiletry kit for traveling," organizing consultant Marie Kondo told The New York Times. "Keep these items in a small pouch or box in the corner of a cabinet or drawer for easy access when packing for a trip." You never know when you'll finally get that chance to run off to Paris for a weekend, after all.

Being able to compartmentalize is an important trait. It involves separating the brain from the heart when necessary and being able to hold more than one thing true in your thoughts at once. While that's the psychological explanation of it, compartmentalizing things in your physical life can be an asset too — and there's nowhere that's more obvious than when packing. "You want to make sure you're not overpacking, but at the same time, you want to have all of your essentials in tow," makeup artist Violette told TZR. A good way to do that is by categorizing your items. "Packing one bag just for makeup and another just for skin and hair care items will make traveling less stressful." When you put things in their own compartments, you have a better idea of what you have and what you still need to pack.

If you have a lot of products, you can break down those categories even further, using them as a way to deduce what can be left at home. "Separate your makeup by skin, face, eyes, lips," makeup artist Jamie Greenberg told Byrdie. "Then try to reduce one product per category, to help save space." You'll be amazed at how effective this technique is. 

Just as you switch up your skincare routine from season to season, you want to do the same based on where you're going. "Adapting your routine will help give your skin what it needs to stay calm and balanced in a different climate, and help avoid dryness, breakouts, sunburn, and other unwanted reactions," dermatologist Dendy Engelman, MD told Women's Health.

But when considering climate, don't just think about the weather. Climate changes can also mean holiday-related stress from family drama to transportation issues. If your plane gets stuck in Chicago or Aunt Nell drops 30 political opinions on your lap before appetizers, you want to be prepared for what that turmoil might do to your skin. "Stress increases inflammation and causes the hormone cortisol to spike, which can stimulate sebaceous glands and lead to breakouts," dermatologist Shari Marchbein, MD told Cosmopolitan.

Along the same lines of expecting the unexpected, what happens if you end up on a deserted island for four weeks? While not likely, having your luggage go missing is a possibility, so make sure you have your can't-live-without products in your carry-on. "Always keep two to three essentials with you in your purse, just in case your luggage doesn't make it or in case you need to reapply before you get the chance to unpack," makeup artist Brittany Lo told Real Simple. And since you've invested in travel-sized containers, this is an easy tip to master.