What to Pack: Travel Beauty Tips for Women Over 50
I love to travel, but I don’t always love what it does to my skin, hair, or energy. One late flight or a hotel bathroom with lighting better suited for ghost stories is all it takes to throw my routine off track. At this point, I’ve lost the patience and the upper body strength to haul around a beauty bag full of “just in case” products. These are the travel beauty tips for women over 50 that I’ve come to trust. They’re simple, practical, and help me feel like myself…just in a different place, with fewer decisions and a much lighter makeup bag.
If you’re planning a trip soon, you might also enjoy Best Women’s Walking Shoes for Travel and Best Travel Bags and Suitcases for Women.
7 Travel Beauty Tips for Women Over 50
1. Simplify Your Travel Makeup Routine
When you’re living out of a suitcase, your beauty routine should feel easy and familiar, and a few multitaskers go a long way. That doesn’t mean skipping makeup altogether, but it does mean choosing products that do more than one thing and make you feel polished with minimal effort.
Here’s what’s usually in my travel makeup bag:
- A tinted moisturizer or lightweight foundation (ILIA is a current favorite, and it gives coverage without feeling like a mask)
- A brow pencil to define my face
- A cream blush that doubles as a lip tint
- Mascara for brightening the eyes
- A lipstick in a flattering neutral shade
I never leave home without my LED travel mirror. Mine suctions to windows or mirrors and has 10X magnification. It’s helped me apply mascara in dim hotel lighting more times than I can count. The only downside? I’ve accidentally left a few stuck to hotel windows… but they’re easy to replace. This is also so superior for eyebrow shaping that I leave it stuck on my window at home.
If your makeup bag could use a refresh, you may enjoy these posts with clean, cruelty-free beauty products that have earned a permanent spot in mine:
2. Don’t Skip Sunscreen—No Matter Where You’re Headed
Sunscreen is the one product I never skip, no matter the weather or the destination. And as my skin has changed over the years, I’ve gotten pickier about formulas.
I always pack:
- A facial sunscreen with SPF 50 that wears well under makeup (mineral formulas are my go-to)
- A lightweight body SPF that doesn’t leave a greasy film
- A powder sunscreen I can dust on mid-day, and it’s especially helpful for the chest, which often gets missed
If you’re unsure how to reapply SPF, here’s how to update your SPF during the day without disturbing your makeup. And if you’ll be outdoors often, add a wide-brimmed hat and your favorite pair of sunglasses for both style and protection.
3. Stay Hydrated—Inside and Out
It doesn’t matter if I’m on a long flight or a short road trip, my skin always feels drier when I travel, so I make hydration a priority.
Here’s what helps:
- A facial mist. I keep one in my personal item- I like this one
- A hyaluronic acid serum applied under moisturizer (current favorite)
- A refillable water bottle I can sip from all-day
It may seem basic, but staying hydrated is one of the most overlooked travel beauty tips for women over 50. I also keep lip balm, eye drops, and a rich hand cream within reach, especially during flights. Hydration is also important at home so you may enjoy reading How to Stay Hydrated as we age.
4. Tame Your Hair Without Overpacking
Hair can be tricky on the road, so I always appreciate easy solutions for second-day hair and humid destinations. Hotel shampoos often don’t agree with mine, and not every place has a dryer I’d trust. That said, I no longer travel with a full salon setup. I just bring what I know I’ll use.
- A travel-size flat iron or curling wand is always helpful (dual voltage if going overseas), but I find this heated brush invaluable, and I never leave home without it.
- Dry shampoo to freshen up between washes and every day for the added body.
- A small brush and a wide-tooth comb
- My hair never frizzes, but if yours does, I recommend an anti-frizz serum
And sometimes, I just pop on a wide-brimmed hat and let it go. That counts as a beauty tip…doesn’t it? You may also enjoy How to Pack a Hat In a Carry-on Without Crushing It
5. Adjust Your Products for the Climate
What works in my everyday routine at home doesn’t always hold up in different weather. Dry mountain air? I reach for richer moisturizers and even a facial oil. Beach vacation? I swap in lightweight gel formulas and go easy on heavy makeup. I don’t reinvent my routine, but I do tweak it. That might mean adding a hydrating mask for long-haul flights or switching to oil-free sunscreen if I’m headed somewhere hot. Let the weather guide you because it saves space and hassle.
6. Prioritize Sleep: It’s the Best Beauty Fix
Late nights, early wake-ups, jet lag… oh joy! Sleep is usually the first thing to go when we travel, and it shows on your face when you don’t get it. Unfortunately, it’s also the thing that most impacts how we look and feel.
Here are a few tools I use at home and don’t travel without:
- A comfortable eye mask- this one is amazingly comfy and blocks all light
- Earplugs or noise-canceling headphones
- A supplement like magnesium or a calming tea blend- I take Magnesium every night
When I sleep well, I notice the difference…my skin looks brighter, my eyes are less puffy, and I feel less grumpy, so it’s worth every effort I make to get my sleep.
7. Don’t Forget the Little Things
It’s always the little things that save the day when traveling. These are the often-forgotten items that take up barely any room but help me feel a little more human when I’m away from home.
- Lip balm and cuticle oil
- Polish remover wipes (in case of chips)
- Travel-size hand cream
- Deodorant wipes
- I never travel without hand sanitizer spray or my favorite wipes.
- Lens wipes (because dirty glasses drive me crazy)
- These TSA-Approved Containers have made traveling with my favorite products so much easier. I use them for shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and decant a few of my go-to skincare items, like my Purito Essence. They take up very little space and help me avoid relying on hotel products that may not work for my skin or hair.
If your glasses get smudged or your hands feel dry and tired from a long flight, these little items can give you a surprising boost. I keep most of them in a small pouch I toss in my carry-on.
Before your next trip, take a moment to look at what’s in your beauty bag. Are you bringing what you’ll actually use? Is it serving the woman you are now or the one who used to pack for every possible scenario, like I did? Stick with products that feel easy, familiar, and effective. Edit out the extras and if something’s never once made it out of your suitcase, consider that your sign.
If you need to add any of my favorites to your travel beauty arsenal, I’ve linked them below so it’s easier for you to shop them:
What’s one beauty item that always earns a spot in your travel bag?
This was a fabulous post! I ordered your travel bottles and that fabulous mirror you had at LTK! Thank you for reminding me!
It’s an amazing mirror
I always travel with a microfiber turban…my hair holds moisture and takes a long time to dry, so these really help get the water out – better than a hotel towel for my needs.
I bought a heated travel brush on Amazon on a friend’s suggestion and just love it! I have shorter hair so don’t need a big barrel. It works get and I use it all the time at home!
I have the small/medium sized barrel.
Great post! Finding go-to products for daily life and travel is such a win. For travel, I look for travel containers at the grocery store or keep small jars and bottles from products I used up or shop for the travel sizes, many of which are refillable from regular sizes. I can then travel with small amounts of products that I use for problems like dry skin (I love Biossance 100% Squalane Oil for dry spots as it soaks in and solves the problem within a day). Recently I found the best dry shampoo – not a spray – The Crown Affair Dry Shampoo powder in a jar with a brush. This is the best hair product I have found in years. My niece had the same reaction when I recently gifted her a jar. Thanks for sharing, Jennifer!
It’s a fabulous dry shampoo and so portable.
Wow, you really have a great plan! I usually pack my make up bag and throw in a nail file and tweezers. I don’t need to take moisturizer or sunscreen because my husband carries these items. He has had several cancerous gross removed from his face and he’s very diligent about protecting his skin. I also like to throw in a lipstick and blush from milk. It is so compact! I am intrigued by the powder sunscreen and will have to check it out. Thanks for all the helpful hints.
That little mirror of yours just went into my final purchase of my Mother’s Day gift card from my son Dave! I’ve wanted one since you first talked about it. Now I will be able to actually see my pale nearly gone eyebrows! I’m not traveling but your ideas are good for everyday. Also what happened to Merit in Cheeky? None of the current colors are quite right. I love it as it blends so well and lasts forever. Great tips Jennifer!
Sephora has the “cheeky” color. It’s a great one.
Great tips! Thank you for your recent travel blogs. Very timely as I’m planning my first international trip, to London, in September. Planning includes obsessive research on what to pack lol. Your list will certainly help me decide what’s essential and what’s just-in-case.
Have a fabulous trip. I’d be so excited. London is very special.
Thank you, I had no idea about powder sunscreen for the face!
I always pack a very small mirror (compact type) and tweezers. Handy tool. Does this count as a makeup tip?
It sure does count! I never travel without my tweezers. The moment I do, my chin hair will decide to go into overdrive 🙂
My must-have travel item is Jan Marini Physical Protectant-Tinted. It’s sun protection 45 and a light coat of color in one easy application. And it lasts all day too.
It sounds great
I have a smaller makeup bag for travel. When I’m getting ready the day we’re leaving I put my makeup items in the bag as I go. I don’t forget things that way. I agree sleep is so important. Jet lag really gets me and I hate feeling out of it all day.
That’s how I pack my makeup…day of, as I apply it! Great minds think alike Rosemary.
I was given a decorative plate by a dear friend that reads ” you will travel in many countries but with too much luggage”. That sums me up! I try, oh I try, but I haven’t mastered traveling with only carryon bags (especially having to bring a travel-size CPAP machine). My question, Jennifer, is how you get all those liquids and creams, including sunscreens, moisturizers, etc., into a quart bag??? I travel a lot internationally where the airlines have stricter luggage size and weight limitations and the quart/liter bag is strictly enforced.
I decant them to smaller containers. The smaller the better!
Great tips! Yes, I, too, am guilty of packing products I rarely use even at home😂 I always say I’m going to do better.
Lol, it’s so easy to do.
I always pack as though there will be no store for miles around! 😂 I try so hard to limit my packing, but usually fail. “I might need this” is my favorite saying while packing. Thanks for the tips!
I appreciate the travel tips, and it makes me curious about your daily routine. Do you use both facial sunscreen and the tinted moisturizer with sunscreen in it? And what about primer? At what point does that go on? And when do you spritz with the hydration? It all is so confusing to me as to when to use what!!!!
I do. After washing, I use my purito essence, then a Vit C serum, (both are very watery and dry in a flash), moisturizer, apply a creamy sunscreen, then makeup primer and follow up withn tinted sunscreen as a light foundation. I will do a post on my current routine. It sounds like a lot, but its very quick.
Thank you! I’ll look forward to that post!
I started using Super Goop sunscreen on your recommendation. I like how it feels on my face and it works well. I also like that there a re small sizes available for travel or my pocketbook.
Yes! It’s a great sunscreen
I love the SuperGoop Sunscreen, too…the tinted ones are what I wear as “makeup” when traveling…
Since 2021 high SPF sunblock, moisturizer, mascara and red lipstick are always in my travel makeup bag along with hand sanitizer and generally that’s it. If I’m going on a cruise that has formal nights, I’ll add a small eyeshadow palette, eyeliner, foundation, and blush.
This is much simpler than the 5 pound bag of “just in case” supplies I used to cram into my suitcase for far too many years.
It sounds brilliant!
I’m a carry on traveler when possible. That means I’m always looking for solid toiletries vs liquid to best use that quart bag. Example:shampoo bar of soap, body bar of soap. I also decant products because you use way less during a trip than you think. I have some round small containers with screw on lids that I use for facial creams. Finally, I have to sing the praises of that expandable Longchamps Le Pliage. It fits under the seat expanded or folds down flat in your suitcase (doesn’t fold into the square like the regular ones). Big enough to be a market tote or beach bag, water resistant. Only available during the Nordstrom Anniversary sale from what I can tell.
I’ve agree about that tote. It’s incredibly versatile.
Well, I’m guilty! I always pack like I’m getting on a ship so I takes all the essentials, maybe could be essentials and probably won’t need but better take. We are traveling this weekend so I am ready to cut back proceeding bravely! Thank you!
LOL! Have a great trip.
Thanks for the great tips on reapplying sunblock during the day. Living in Florida, it a necessity and one I’ve ignored so far. But yesterday, the dermatologist had to freeze off a couple of spots on my forehead, so I’m going to be extra cautious from now on.
And that roller bag looks familiar. If it’s the one from Quince, it’s a bargain at $169.95 for the expandable version. Ed and I each have one, and we can fit 3 weeks worth of clothes….love the built-in compression panel!
I’m sorry to hear about your spots! Hats are really helpful too.
Thanks! Very helpful suggestions and reminders. The tote bag intrigues me. I guess the size is adjustable? I usually use a backpack. A suggestion for another article is to review travel purses. Specifically, ones that are smallish but large enough to hold sunglasses, have pockets on outside like for phone and can be stashed in a carry on tote. Maybe not super fashionable but practical and accommodating.
Yes, the horizontal zipper allows the bottom to extend.
Contact lens containers are handy for many things when traveling and they seal well! I put in anti frizz gel for hair and eye makeup – products you only need a dab of.
Yes! Great idea.
Good morning,
Great tips for travel.