34 “TRAVEL” VERSIONS OF PRODUCTS YOU’LL WANNA BUY AND THEN KEEP IN YOUR SUITCASE FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP
1. An I Dew Care "Tap Secret" mattifying powder shampoo to tackle greasy roots without the aerosol or benzene formula. This'll even be easy to take to the bathroom toward the end of a red-eye so you can deboard feeling a bit fresher.
Promising review: "I was looking for a dry shampoo that would be easy to use on the go for a trip I was taking. I had no issues taking this through TSA and it was so easy to use on the go. You literally just pat the poof on your scalp and then rub the powder in. I do have black hair so dry shampoo is usually very visible in my hair, but I didn't have any harder time than usual rubbing this powder in. It did a really good job of soaking up all the oil and giving my hair volume. I'm not a fan of the price for the amount that you get, but it is lasting longer than I thought it would. I would definitely recommend and will purchase again." —Teresa
Get it from Amazon for $12.59+ (available in 11 colors/styles).
2. An on-the-go Gillette razor will spare you some precious space in your bag without sacrificing quality.
It comes with one handle and one blade refill!
Promising review: "I am a flight attendant, space is limited in my bag. Great product for your travel bag." —Caitlin Hemphill
Get it from Amazon for $6.99.
3. A pocket-sized, refillable travel perfume atomizer you can simply pump on your normal size perfume bottle to keep you smelling like your signature scent while you're on the go. Besides, this is much more compact than travel version of your fave perfume at Sephora.
^ That's me pumping my signature perfume into one of these travel atomizers I've been using for about three years. It's great to just throw in your purse on the reg for a fragrance re-up throughout the day. As you can see, it's about the size of my thumb and therefore takes up very little room. Plus! It's smaller than most rollerball travel fragrances you can pick up. This first one is working so well, that I just have the other three in storage. But if this one bites the dust this summer during travels, I'll be OK about digging into my stores to use one of the remaining three...especially at this price point.
Get a four-pack from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in six color sets).
4. A portable crib canopy to create a little sleep pod for your little one. And it even has pouches for a monitor and fan! Sleeping in unfamiliar places is tough enough for adults. Let's make it easier on the kids too — which in turn will make the adults happier too.
SlumberPod is a small biz that's been featured on Shark Tank!
Promising review: "We took a 10-day road trip stopping in all different locations with my 18-month-old. Such an game changer! No stress at all as to where or how he would nap! He slept great everywhere and I didn’t have to do my usual blackout shade where I’m trying to make shades on the fly everywhere we went like we had to do with my other two when they were little. Do a test run setting it up before you travel. It’s not terribly hard but the first attempt needs some extra time. The tent runs warm so make sure your child is wearing light breathable clothes is the room is 68 or above. My son wore just a short sleeve onesie and a light sleep sack and was still warm with the room temp 68. I cracked the window to make it a lot cooler in the room he slept in since we didn’t do the whole fan attachment thing." —jillyb
Get it from Amazon for $179.99.
5. Gentle 2-in-1 travel flossing toothbrushes fold up to half their size (every inch in your luggage counts!) and really get in there to give your mouth a super-clean feeling. Like, just-back-from-the-dentist cleaning. I always pack these for trips and their tiny flossing bristles make my travel nighttime routine a lot easier and efficient.
Mouthwatchers is a small business established by Ronald Plotka, DDS, that specializes in antimicrobial toothbrushes designed to get deeper cleans even patients with "great" dental hygiene might miss with traditional brush and floss routines.
Promising review: "I love that this travel toothbrush has its own self closing cover. Makes it very handy for travel at half the size of a regular toothbrush when packed and full size brush when open. Also really love the bristles on this brush, they are soft but have enough stiffness to get between teeth when brushing." —Yvonne
Get it from Amazon for $6.12 (available in two colors and a two-pack).
6. A travel iron that'll easily fit in your carry-on so you never have to chance whether or not the vacation rental or hotel room has an iron.
Promising review: "Couldn’t say more positive things about this steamer. I took it on a business trip followed by a wedding, and it was amazing! All my friends were using it for their dresses and suits before the wedding. We were all wrinkle-free 👏" —Aubrey
Get it from Amazon for $119 (available in five colors).
7. An anti-theft "sock wallet" to stash some cash and cards in an unsuspecting spot. Go ahead and ride the Paris Metro with your eyes peeled for folks "bumping" into you, knowing your stuff is stashed and you're about to make it through the Louvre in record time. Also! The socks are lightly cushioned and made of blister-preventive material.
Flippysox is a small business that specializes in antitheft sock designs.
Promising review: "I had to travel across the country to attend a convention. These were a lightweight, well-fitting sock, and the pocket was big enough for my driver's license, a bank card, and folded cash. Much more comfy than sliding money in the top of my sock. I kept showing it off to my buddies. Definitely recommend." —MommaT
Get it from Amazon for $18.99 (available in sizes 6–13 and dozens of styles).
8. A portable blackout curtain to suction onto where your staying's window to give you some deep DEEP darkness you need for sleeping.
Promising review: "My kids need the room to be pretty dark to sleep. I didn’t have much faith in this, but needed to try something. These are AMAZING!! Absolutely worth every penny. Instantly darker and help keep the room at a comfortable temperature." —Julie T
Get it from Amazon for $23.13 (available in five designs).
9. A portable safe you can attach to a beach chair to keep your valuables safe or to keep your passport in your hotel room in case there's no safe or the safe isn't working. (Raise your hand if you've stayed in a small hotel without a safe. ::raises hand::)
Like most people (I hope?) I’m always a little iffy about taking a dip in the water at the beach and leaving my wallet and phone on the beach. So when I booked a 2.5-week Europe trip with LOTS of beaching involved, I bought one of these Master Lock safes that I’ve put in multiple stories. It was a bit bulky in my suitcase, but I left it unlocked and put some stuff in there so it wasn’t just dead space. It came in handy at multiple beach clubs, where my friend and I stashed our credit cards, cash, and case-less phones while we frolicked in the sea. Despite lots of people milling about our umbrella while we had our fun, we felt our stuff was completely safe and could concentrate on *just* having fun.
Promising review: "Just buy it. It's smaller than I had originally thought it might be, but it's perfect none the less. Love this little lock box that you could easily use as a purse when traveling, or at a festival." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $22.54+ (available in two colors).
10. A quick-drying microfiber beach towel built to shake off sand and pack small in your suitcase. No need to sneak out a hotel towel to the beach!
Promising review: "Love this! I am a flight attendant and keep it in my suitcase for various uses, but it's an outstanding for beach or picnic blanket. It weighs nothing, beautiful, and great quality! My new go-to gift item." —Laurance F. Haun
Get it from Amazon for $23.99+ (available in 24 patterns).
11. A packing cube that comes with built-in shelves (!!!!) that'll surely come in handy if you're bopping between a few different cities and don't want to completely unpack for two nights in one hotel. You can take it out of your suitcase and hang it in your closet.
Plus, it has a zipper compartment at the bottom you can put all your dirty clothes in, so they don't get mixed together and you end up just washing everything when you get home (bc that's usually what happens to me).
Promising review: "I used these while traveling around Europe with four children and then later on a cruise. They were super helpful in both cases." —Tucker Sw
Get it from Amazon for $25.59+ (available in 10 colors and also a smaller size).
12. And a pair of compact flashlights that'll really pack in a lot of power with five modes and a zoomable beam. Even if you're going on a city vacation, it's smart to always have a flashlight with you!
Promising review: "I was in Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. I traveled there and was stuck with no power for five days. I always travel with a flashlight. This Gearlight flashlight was the only source of light I had for five days. It was a workhorse. The zoom lens let me to see far away, as in hundreds of yards. Or close up for inside. I could put it on its end to use like a lantern. I put Duracell AAA batteries in it when I received it. Those batteries lasted the entire five days. I was stunned and thankful. I can't praise this little flashlight enough. The value is priceless to me." —Vee Nuna
Get a two-pack from Amazon for $15.99 (also available individually).
13. A stroller that'll fold up and fit in the overhead on a plane so you don't have to gate check your stroller and wait around to start on your grand family adventure.
It folds up so small that it was awarded a Guinness World Record in 2014 for the most compact stroller. It can hold kids who weigh up to 55 pounds and the stroller only weighs 9.5 pounds.
Promising review: "This is 100% the most crucial item that we took on our 3-week trip to Europe with our 2-year-old. The wheels lock to maneuver uneven surfaces, and it’s super lightweight. Buy a backpack-style bag for it. You can also buy a cup holder attachment. Being able to put it in the overhead compartment on the plane was a game changer. No more waiting at the gate for a checked stroller or worse, having it sent with your luggage. Takes just a little practice folding up, and sometimes a little elbow grease but put your weight into it and you’ll get it." —Kesley
Get it from Amazon for $170.99+ (available in four styles and four colors).
14. Tide sink packets because it is absolutely necessary when you want to pack as few clothes as possible and don't want to pack 30 different undies for your trip. Just rip open one of the packs and pour it into any sink full of water — instant suds for a wash on the go.
Each pack comes with three packets. And, because they *are* liquid, they'll easily slide into the side of your toiletries bag.
Promising review: "I used these during a month in Italy and two months in a nursing home when I was recovering from a broken leg. They are a perfect size. Each packet was good for two washes of my delicates. I folded the top down and stored it upright in a plastic bag for use for the second washing. Super useful and convenient. I highly recommend for the traveler who likes to travel light. I was gone a month and only took a backpack and a suitcase that stowed under the airplane seat. So frequent washing was necessary to not offend my fellow travelers. These were perfect." —Gigi
Get three packs from Amazon for $4.29.
15. Or a pack of 50(!) laundry soap sheets if you have a long trip and don't want to carry any liquid. All you have to do is plop one of these in the sink and dry your clothes on the hotel balcony for a quick wash, no matter where you end up.
Elizabeth: I travel just about any chance that I get and found a WHOLE lot of success with these little laundry sheets on an almost-three-weeks European vacation this summer where I carried on only and re-wore outfits several times.
Promising review: "I saw these recommended on a travel blog, and I'm glad I bought them. I used them both in a washing machine and to hand-wash some items on my trip, and in both cases, they were super easy to use and got my clothes clean while taking up a minuscule amount of space in my luggage. I would highly recommend these for extended travel." —angal2
Get it from Amazon for $12.95.
16. Alleyoop's Pen Pal so you're not lugging around a packed bag full of makeup as this one lil pen has an eyeliner, brow liner, lip liner, and a highlighter all in one. Just toss it into your fanny pack so that you can have a quick touch while onboard the plane.
Alleyoop is a woman-owned small business creating "beauty efficiency" products. Many are compact and/or have several functions!
My former BuzzFeed shopping colleague Jasmin Sandal has this and loves it. She says: "I didn't realize I'd ever use a makeup product in my 20s that had the ability to transport me back to something I used in sixth grade, but here we are; and here I am using a multitool pen... for my face. I gotta say, I love the concept of the Pen Pal from Alleyoop! After using all of the functions (eyeliner, highlighter, lip liner, eyebrow pencil) and as someone who LOVES makeup but was applying as little as humanly possible during lockdown, I think it’s a great tool for anyone looking to streamline their routine. It's ideal to use for touch-ups come the end of the work day, or a subtle, minimalist way to apply makeup in the a.m. The brow pencil is particularly soft and pigmented, and filled in my eyebrows quickly. I just adore the ease of application of each product, and appreciate the universal, does-it-all-for-you concept. Plus, it saves me so much room in my already overflowing makeup bag!"
Get it from Amazon for $20 (available in three colors).
17. A 4-in-1 makeup brush set with a makeup sponge, eyeshadow brush, eyebrow/eyeliner brush, and blush/blending brush — literally everything you could possibly need to get your day started — without you needing to bring an entire case full of brushes.
18. A compact eight-compartment pill organizer so you'll have space for all the stuff you take from all the delicious food that sometimes makes you feel bad on your travels.
Promising review: "My husband and I travel a lot and take a number of prescription drugs. It was always a hassle accessing our medication when needed, so I purchased this organizer to make things easier. I used a label maker and labeled each little compartment and it has performed wonderfully. I highly recommend this organizer to anyone who travels and needs medications throughout the day." —Jacqueline
Get a three-pack from Amazon for $9.97 (available in two color sets).
19. A travel-friendly blanket-slash-pillow because those tiny plane pillows never do the trick and we can say the same about the blankets. With this, you'll have options. Oh! And it clips onto your backpack or carry-on.
BlueHills is a small biz specializing in travel and home items.
Promising review: "I bought it to use it on my flights since I always like to cover my entire body with blankets. It was compact and lightweight- but perfectly warm for a long flight. No lint came off, even after repeated washes- and it's so soft that I am actually using it on my couch right now!" —Anthony Choi
Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in 14 colors).
20. A portable handheld fan for those moments when the breeze takes a break. Oh, and it's also a power bank *and* flashlight. So you'll be sure to find all sorts of other uses for it.
Check out a TikTok of the portable fan in action.
I own this and use it ALL the time. It comes in handy in a variety of situations at home *and* while traveling — especially when you're sitting in a stuffy plane in Miami in July with the doors open, waiting for the pilot to board and take off. I def got some jealous side-eyes from other passengers as I kept myself cool with this.
Get it from Amazon for $15.99+ (available in four colors).
21. Plus, a stroller fan with bendable foam legs for wrapping around a stroller, car seat, or pretty much anything to keep your lil' munchkin cool as a cucumber, even when it's a gazillion degrees outside.
Promising review: "We bought this for a road trip with our little one, who is still rear facing — it was perfect! We knew the seat was warm from just driving around town and wanted to make sure it was comfortable for a long drive. It kept it cool, isn’t loud, and love that we could plug it in vs. only the battery. We use it regularly in town now, too." —K Maddock
Get it from Amazon for $23.69+ (available in three colors).
22. A mini lightweight flat iron to help you get your signature smooth locks, or at least tidy up your blowout you're really banking on lasting for a few days.
It also comes with a heat-resistant pouch for easy carrying!
Promising review: "Would buy again. I bought this for a trip to Europe as opposed to buying an expensive and bulky voltage converter for my flat iron at home and was not disappointed, it saved a ton of luggage space and it worked like a charm both curling and straightening my hair! I will say though, since the flat iron is quite smaller than the typical flat iron and my hair is only just past my shoulders it would probably take considerably longer to use on long hair." —Holly M
Get it from Amazon for $16.19+ (available in three colors).
23. A trifold travel wallet so all your important documents are in one place and you're not wearily holding up the line when it comes time to show the TSA agent your passport and boarding pass.
The wallet has a passport pocket, boarding pass compartment, three credit card slots, an ID slot, a slim card pouch, slim pocket, a ticket slot, a cellphone pouch, a coin zippered pocket, key holder, and pen holder.
Promising review: "Buy it now! I went to Europe and visited five countries, and was able to keep all my tickets/boarding passes here, along with all the important items such as passport, credit card, even phone! Loved it!!!!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in 33 colors).
24. Some expandable hangers will help you better organize all your beautiful ensembles *and* have a legit place to hang up any clothes you launder while you're on your luxurious two-week vacation.
Promising review: "On a trip to Europe, I used these hangers to hang my laundry to dry. I even hung a pair of wet jeans (through the belt loops). I thought the hanger would break, but it held up fine! Hotels never supply enough hangers, so I will be bringing these along when I travel." —debi
Get a pack of 12 from Amazon for $9.99.
25. A hanging toiletry bag to contain alll of your beauty haul if you're the check-your-bag type because of your multi-step skincare routine. Its hook on top means it's super easy to hang on the back of the bathroom door.
Promising review: "I love how it kept all my toiletries organized and in plain sight when hanging. It's very sturdy and great quality. I ordered this before I went on a two-week trip to Europe and was so happy that I did. This travel bag exceeded my expectations!" —Jackie Cooney
Get it from Amazon for $17.99+ (available in two sizes and six colors).
26. A portable white-noise machine because you booked a spot in THE best neighborhood for nightlife — which was all well and good until the night you went to bed early to catch the (cheap) first flight out. (Ahem, Trastevere.)
Promising review: "I purchased this for my trip to Europe as I sleep with white noise every night. The rohm scores extra points for volume control, and it can get quite loud. It’s also lightweight and chargers easily with a USB." —Jessie W.
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (also available in two- and three-packs).
27. A *solid* Neutrogena SPF 50 sunscreen that really sticks to your skin on your tropical (or just plain sweaty) vacation. Oh, and because it's a solid, it's carry-on–friendly!
I first bought this for a weeklong Croatian vacation in 2021 when I did carry-on, and as long as you are *thoroughly* reapplying, this stuff stays on pretty well. On a beach club afternoon, I did haphazardly reapply and missed a strip on one arm, but I tend to do that with spray-on or lotion sunscreen, too. Since then, I've packed this for any trip I've been on, including a two-day Disneyland trip where I toted this around in my bag and shared with friends. I sometimes carry it with me in my purse on my everyday adventures because I know it's so easy to apply. Also worth mentioning...I am about the palest lady you've ever seen and swear by daily application of sunscreen. But when on a beach trip, I'm constantly swimming in the water and sweating. So yeah, this stuff works.
And if you're a bit hesitant about jumping on the solid sunscreen bandwagon, you can pack a stick of this, knowing you have enough sun protection to get you through to finding some spray-on or lotion SPF at your destination.
Get it from Amazon for $9.88.
28. A set of DEET-free handy mosquito-repelling bracelets in case the thought of putting something else on your skin besides SPF (like smelly bug repellent) sounds like a total nightmare.
Cliganic is a small biz specializing in health and wellness products. Check out a TikTok of the mosquito-repelling bracelets in action.
Promising review: "I bought this to take on a cruise. Never had issues with bites. Once back home I put them on my son who is allergic to some bites and always itchy after time outdoors. Since he’s had these on outside it’s hardly an issue anymore. Very cool." —MardiGrasGirl
Get a 10-pack from Amazon for $9.49 (also available in packs of 25 and 50).
29. A 66-pack of Olay facial cleansing cloths that come pre-treated with the cleanser that foams up once you add water — making them TSA-friendly.
I'm a frequent traveler and always pack some of these for all my trips. I wear a full face of makeup every day and these are textured and foamy enough to help get all my makeup off at the end of the day on my trips! On tropical trips when I've put on layers and LAYERS of SPF (I *am* the sunscreen queen), I'll sometimes use with a solid cleanser to make sure I'm really removing everything. But that isn't required for most days on my travels. I've found that I can cut each in half and store them in my personal item backpack pocket to make the most of each package.
Promising review: "I take these with me every time I travel. Great cleansing, softens skin, and TSA-friendly. My go-to facial cleaners when on the go!" —Heather Daly
Get 66 wipes from Amazon for $11.74.
30. Plus a solid facial cleanser I like to pair with the cloths to remove piled-on SPF layers. It's gentle enough for sensitive skin that'll be small in your bag but last you for weeks and weeks and weeks instead of figuring out how to pack a liquid cleanser.
This brand specializes in solid toiletry options that are perfect for travel. I gave this cleansing stick a spin on a 2.5-week trip to Vietnam and Malaysia where I only did a carry-on. So I had to make some sacrifices with my toiletries in order to do that. Using this green stick didn't feel like a sacrifice! It helped get off makeup and sunscreen easily, and I still have a LOT of the stick left after that long trip! It's also worth noting that I have rosacea and dry, sensitive skin. This worked great on it.
Get it from WYOS for $12.49 (originally $16).
31. Some tablet-to-gel freeze-dried serums so you won't have to make room in your toiletries bag for a bottle of serum (they end up taking up so much room!). When you're reading to use one, just add a few drops of water to activate.
Onélogy is a small, sustainable skincare brand from Roxana Bazgoneh.
Current serums include: Niacinamide 2%, Alpha Arbutin 2%, Peptides-CU 0.6%, HPR Retinoid 0.3%, and Pad Azelaic 5%.
Promising review (for Alpha Arbutin 2%): "I absolutely love the Alpha Arbutin. It has made such a difference with my hyperpigmentation spots! I feel much more confident without makeup on where as before I would never leave the house! It has made a noticeable difference evening out my skin tone. I also tried the Niacinamide which really helped control oil and breakouts. My skin feels fabulous after application — super fresh and tight! I love these products and I have tried so many other brands but none of them have worked as well as these!" —Kate
Get them from Onélogy for $30.40+ (available in five varieties).
32. An anti-theft neck wallet that's also RFID-blocking so you'll more easily navigate your cruise-ship excursions without having to keep your hands hovering over your pockets the entire time. Pickpockets exist, and you've gotta be aware of 'em, but let's focus on taking in the sights.
33. A cruise-approved power strip that's non-surge AND has USB-C, USB, and three standard outlet plugs to charge up all your devices you could possibly need on your cruise ship or during excursions. Cabin with one outlet? NBD.
Promising review: "I bought this for my cruise to the Bahamas. It worked perfectly, and we were able to charge our device and use all our hair tools without extension cords everywhere!! Great value for the money!" —Melissa Kendirck
Get it from Amazon for $15.99+ (available in six configurations).
34. A fold-flat jewelry organizer if you've given up on a blocky jewelry organizer. (Same!) This design will let you easily slip your baubles into your personal item without hogging a bunch of space.
Promising review: "What an adorable and efficient way to pack your jewelry! I have been hesitant even to bring jewelry on my last few vacations because it always got tangled. Love this! Bought one for my sister-in-law as well." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $16.99+ (available in two sizes and 10 colors/prints).
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
