6 Must-Have Beauty Essentials for Home, Travel, and Beyond

The beauty industry has gone miniature mad. Today, any self-respecting beauty blogger, glossy magazine, or media star feels compelled to release boxes of seasonal cosmetic novelties that fly off the shelves into the hands of curious consumers.

Sets for Every Occasion

Sets for every occasion, lovingly assembled by sponsors, include mini or, if you’re lucky, full-sized copies of creams, emulsions, makeup, and more that have just hit the market or are long-standing bestsellers.

We’ve decided to curate our own travel beauty kit, packed with everything your skin needs, regardless of trends or advertising hype. These products take up minimal space in your beauty bag and help maintain your youth and beauty for the long haul.

Makeup Remover Wipes

These aren’t just for travel. At home, makeup remover wipes cleanse and moisturize your skin just as well as your usual makeup remover liquid, plus they save you money on cotton pads.

Pro Tip: Almost every brand has these types of cleansing products, so you can stick with your favorite cosmetic line.

Dry Clean Wipes

If your cosmetologist hasn’t given you this advice yet, it’s time to take note. Unfortunately, towels tend to collect bacteria with repeated use, and the humid environment of the bathroom only exacerbates this. To keep your face truly clean, pat it dry with a clean wipe after every morning and evening wash. You’ll notice a significant reduction in pesky inflammations.

Pro Tip: Make it a habit to dry your skin with clean, dry wipes after every wash with gel, foam, or cleansing soap. Always have a pack of wipes on hand, no matter where you are.

Matting Wipes

Nothing is worse than a shiny face, unless it’s a highlighter skillfully applied to the right spots on perfectly smooth skin. Even dry skin produces oil, which, as we know, contributes to breakouts and blackheads.

Compact matting wipes, infused with special components that absorb excess oil, can rid you of unwanted shine with a single touch. Your makeup stays intact.

Pro Tip: Matting wipes are a beauty product that takes up minimal space in your bag, but their benefits are invaluable.

Thermal Water

We already know that drinking enough water daily—between 1.5 to 2.5 liters, depending on your climate—is crucial for maintaining youthful skin. However, our skin also needs hydration from the outside. The moisturizing cream we apply in the morning doesn’t always fully deliver on this function. It needs support, especially if you spend all day in front of a computer: screen radiation dries out the skin, and a tense gaze forms unwanted expression lines around the eyes and on the forehead.

For travel, it’s convenient to carry small spray bottles, no more than 50 ml, so you can take them with you on the plane. In-flight SOS hydration is especially important!

Pro Tip: To relax your facial muscles and give your skin a “breath of freshness,” spray thermal water several times throughout the day. It’s an indispensable source of moisture for your face, not just in summer but also in winter when indoor air is dried out by central heating radiators.

Olive Oil

Yes, the same one you have in your kitchen (just make sure it’s natural and high-quality). Find a convenient container for it so that this miracle product is always at hand: you can look for clean containers at the pharmacy or order them online. Olive oil nourishes, softens, and moisturizes the skin, so at the first sign of dryness or irritation, use a few drops on any part of the body, including the tips of your hair if they become dry and lifeless.

Pro Tip: Another pleasant property of this universal product is that it can be used to treat the cuticle: it’s cheaper, but the effect is no worse than professional products—any manicurist will confirm this. Just remember that for maximum effect, you need to treat the cuticle with oil daily.

Dry Shampoo

This is like BB cream for your face, but for your hair. One product combines several functions: cleansing, adding volume, and protecting from the sun. Why buy three different products when you can get by with one and not miss out on anything?

Dry shampoo is ideal if your pace of life often involves rushing from one place to another, if you’re a mother of many children, or if you travel frequently—perhaps all of the above.

Pro Tip: Dry shampoo not only quickly absorbs all the dirt but also has a styling effect, giving your strands a well-groomed look. Just spray the shampoo at the roots several times, lifting and separating the hair with your fingers—and voila—you’re a star again!

For more beauty tips, check out this guide on thermal water.