The Skincare And Haircare Products A Beauty Editor Always Travels With

The last thing anyone wants is for an unexpected summer breakout or humidity-induced hair mishap to ruin their vacation photos. But travel exposes the skin and body to a host of stressors, from the dehydrating effects of air travel to the sudden influx of alcoholic beverages and sugary treats. This is why the beauty-savvy crowd wants to be travel prepared.

“I travel a lot for work, so I have become a pro at this,” writes beauty expert and journalist Kayla Greaves in an e-mail to Forbes.com. Whether she is shooting a campaign, consulting or writing, the frequency with which the beauty editor travels has remained steady for over a decade. This has resulted in a streamlined curation of beauty products for travel that she has personally vetted.

“[As a beauty editor], the free products and everything is cool, but my real goal has always been to create stories that help people who look like me feel seen and understood,” she explains of her passion for inclusive beauty reporting. “I never had that growing up, so I know how impactful that representation can be.”

Read on to peek inside beauty editor Kayla Greaves’ travel beauty kit of skincare, haircare and body care essentials.

Travel Beauty Essentials: Skincare

“I always want to make sure that my skin is thoroughly cleansed without being stripped, gently exfoliated, moisturized, soothed and protected,” Greaves says of her travel skincare regimen. Her daytime picks include a cleanser, antioxidant serum, hydration and sun protection—her favorite being the mineral sunscreen Tatcha The Silk Sunscreen SPF 50, $64.

“I am in love with the Norie Kimchii Cleanser, $18. It gives me a thorough cleanse, but keeps my skin balanced and curbs breakouts,” Greaves says of the gently exfoliating, probiotic-enriched cleanser. Like most daytime serums, her pick is formulated to help protect the skin from free radical damage with antioxidants like vitamin C. “AlumierMD EverActive C&E Peptide Serum, $195, is a must for me. They come in a pack of three, so I can usually keep one in my travel bag.”

If you happened to lose sleep on the flight, Greaves has a fix for that. “Fresh Black Tea Anti-Aging Eye Cream, $72, is fantastic and so easy to pack,” she says of the de-puffing eye cream. “It’s gentle and helps my eyes look brighter [and] lasts for quite a while.”

At night, she reaches for the Shani Darden Lactic Acid Exfoliating Serum, $89, for its gentle but effective exfoliant and brightening effect. When her skin is being “testy,” or if she needs to do extractions, she calls Rescue MD DNA Repair Complex, $88-$388, a “godsend” for soothing the skin and curbing post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). Another travel-friendly way to reduce inflammation is by icing the face for two-to-three minutes at a time, which can be easily done on-the-go with the reusable Melissa Imperial ‘Cryo” Facial Ice Popsicle, $32.

Greaves also names the skin barrier care as a top priority as the skin’s “first line of defense.” The dehydrating nature of plane travel and changes in climate pose two additional travel-related challenges that can compromise the barrier and the render skin more prone to inflammation. “The Augustinus Bader Skin Infusion, $430, is something I am really excited to add to my travel capsule,” she says of the luxury brand’s barrier-specific new launch. “I’ve been testing it for a few weeks and I can see a serious difference in my skin’s texture and tone. The [bottles] are also perfectly sized for travel.”

Travel Beauty Essentials: Haircare and Bodycare

Greaves’ travel haircare products depend on her hairstyle. “Right now I have my hair in a bob and I’m heat styling. So, my Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer, $429.00, and my go-to flat iron I’ve had for almost ten years are always coming with me,” she explains. “I try to wash my hair before I leave, but in case I need a styling product, Dove 7-in-1 Miracle Mist, $9.99, is a one-and-done for me.”

She likes to keep her body care regimen simple and straightforward. Because sun protection is non-negotiable, she uses the Coola Clear Sunscreen Spray SPF 50, $28, or Vacation Classic Spray SPF 30, $19, while on the road. The non-aerosol sprays are TSA-friendly and use chemical (as opposed to mineral) UV-blockers that make them blend invisibly on all skin ones.

“I recently partnered with Brown Sugar Babe on a body oil and perfume oil called IT Girl, $55, so that will definitely be coming with me [in my suitcase],” she adds. “In terms of lotion, you can never go wrong with Vaseline Intensive Care Nourishing Moisture, $3.99. I’m left with super soft and delicious-smelling skin.”

The Importance of Inclusive Beauty Picks

As Greaves offers up her expertise for curating travel beauty essentials, she reminds us that inclusive beauty messaging in the media is important; media bias impacts us all but is particularly damaging for underrepresented groups. This is exactly why Greaves believes so strongly in inclusive storytelling, having recently written a piece for Vogue on the topic of braids, their cultural significance for the Black community, and the impact of hair loss due to improper braiding practices. “Beauty is personal; it’s emotional. There are cultural ties we have to it,” she says. “Digging a little deeper for whoever is reading or listening is what makes stories memorable and what makes a difference.”