Summer hair care and travel makeup essentials were made possible by our fabulous product sponsors, including Stowaway Cosmetics, AQUIS, Umberto and Conair.
I love to travel, and summertime is one of my favorite seasons for trips. My husband and I recently flew to California without the kids, so we had to fit everything for the weekend into a single carry-on. We were determined to avoid checked-bag fees, which meant packing light and smart.
Packing a carry-on is challenging because of the 3-ounce liquid rule. That meant leaving full-size hair and makeup products at home and relying on travel-sized versions of everything I wanted to bring. Finding compact, effective hair care and makeup that meet carry-on requirements isn’t always easy, but I found some great options.
Stowaway Cosmetics rescued my travel makeup routine. All their products come in travel-friendly, lightweight sizes. Stowaway’s Essentials Kit is perfect for travel and for keeping makeup basics handy for quick touch-ups. The kit is customizable, so I can choose the shades that work best for me. It includes BB cream, concealer, rouge, lipstick, eyeliner, mascara and an eye palette—everything I need for a polished look on the go. Despite containing multiple items, the whole kit fits into a compact zip bag that’s about the size of a sunglasses case.
The neutral shades in my eye palette are especially versatile for travel. Because the kit is customizable, it’s great for anyone who wants to curate a small, portable collection of makeup essentials that won’t take up much space in a carry-on.
With my travel makeup sorted, I turned to summer hair care. Sun, humidity and styling tools can damage hair, so I look for products that protect and nourish while staying compact for trips. Here are a few items I relied on this season.
AQUIS Lisse Luxe Hair Towel
The Aquis Lisse Luxe towel is ideal for most hair types, including normal, curly, fine and damaged hair. Its Aquitex fabric improves absorbency and comfort while reducing friction. The towel wraps and tucks easily, leaving your hands free as hair dries. Because it dries hair faster with less rubbing, it helps minimize frizz and damage.
My take: I replaced my regular towel with the Aquis towel after showers and noticed less breakage and faster drying time. The gentler fabric reduces friction and drying time, which means I spend less time blow-drying and subjecting my hair to heat.
Conair Shower Detangling Brush
This brush has soft, flexible bristles that distribute conditioner evenly and gently detangle knots without tugging. Its handle includes a hook so it can hang from a shower head for easy access.
My take: I used the Conair detangling brush while conditioning to comb through wet hair. It removed tangles without pulling and works well for long, frequently knotted hair. It’s a convenient, affordable tool for wet combing and detangling.
Umberto Beverly Hills Moisturizing Gift Set
The Umberto travel set contains airport-friendly sizes of essential hair care products to transform dry, coarse or unruly hair into smoother, shinier hair. The set includes Moisture Shampoo, Moisture Conditioner, Controller Conditioning Spray (a lightweight detangler and heat protector that controls frizz and flyaways) and Super Hold hairspray. A travel-size lifting powder adds lift and texture when needed.
My take: Travel-sized products are not only convenient for trips but also a smart way to try a line before committing to full-size bottles. The Umberto set makes it easy to follow a complete routine while traveling and see whether the formulas suit your hair.
Which Stowaway Cosmetics essentials would you choose? Have you tried an AQUIS hair towel? Share how you travel with beauty products in the comments below.