The Genius Way a Beauty Editor Packs For a Vacation

Prior to my trip, I had never used the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser ($11), but I quickly learned what I was missing out on. I loved that this face wash was gentle enough to remove my makeup and remnants of my sunscreen without irritating my skin. It also has the most refreshing cucumber scent that calmed my senses with each use.

Lying out in the sun for hours calls for products with soothing and hydrating ingredients, so you better believe Kiehl's Calendula & Aloe Soothing Hydration Masque ($45) was coming along with me. It's packed with calendula flower petals and aloe to calm irritated (or, in my boyfriend's case, sunburned) skin.

Sunscreen is mandatory, but a white, greasy cast is not. To protect my skin without looking like Casper the ghost, I used Glossier's Invisible Shield Daily Sunscreen ($25). It has a smooth, serum-like texture that won't clog pores or make you look greasy. It also dissolves into your skin completely clear — so no white cast over here.

The Tarte Hydration Vacation Skin Care Travel Set ($15) comes with everything you need to keep your complexion refreshed on vacation. Of the kit, I only packed the Drink of H2O Hydrating Boost Moisturizer and the Pack Your Bags 911 Under Eye Rescue Patches. The moisturizer has a gel-like consistency that keeps thirsty skin quenched. I used the under-eye patches to hide all signs of my excessive margarita consumption during my trip.

During my daily stints in the sun, I made sure to carry Mario Badescu Facial Spray ($7) around with me. It has soothing ingredients like cucumber, aloe, and green tea, which helped prevent irritation from being out in the heat.

I loved using this Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15 ($24) because it protected my lips from harmful UV rays while giving them a subtle pink tint.

Because there's no such thing as too many eye masks in my world, I also packed Wander Beauty Baggage Claim Gold Foil Eye Mask ($25).

Instead of carrying a full-size aerosol deodorant with me, I tossed Secret Freshies Invisible Solid Antiperspirant and Deodorant ($5) in my kit. The mini antiperspirant was perfect for my beach bag whenever I needed to freshen up on the go.

To keep my skin hydrated (and to avoid peeling), I layered on Weleda Skin Food ($5) before bed. I usually use the full-size tube at home, so a travel-size version came in clutch for my trip.

The miniature Olay Fresh Outlast Cooling White Strawberry & Mint Body Wash ($2) was the perfect treat for shower time. It's also super hydrating, and it didn't leave my limbs feeling dry.

Instead of carrying a huge pack of makeup wipes, I brought along these SkinFix Facial Cleansing Cloths ($22). Each cloth is individually packaged, so I could bring them with me on beach days and leave a few at the hotel without worrying about them drying out. They're also super moist, and I only needed one of them to completely remove my makeup and leave my face feeling clean.

To get the mascara remnants that makeup wipes can miss, I used the Almay Oil-Free Makeup Eraser Sticks ($7). Each swab has a small vial of oil remover, which travels to the cotton tip when you lightly snap the end of it. The liquid soaks the cotton so you can easily cleanse your eye area then dump the cotton swab.

To keep all my travel essentials organized in style, I kept them in this spacious Sephora Collection Weekender Bag ($38), which comes with a section for makeup brushes, too.