How to Fit a 10-Step Skincare Routine in a Carry-On: 10 Toiletry Hacks That Actually Work
- Cosmopolite
- Jun 30
- 7 min read
If you're the kind of traveler who refuses to abandon your evening ritual just because you’re traveling — hello, kindred spirit. I have a full ten-step routine, and I have flown it across the Atlantic and Pacific in a single quart-sized bag more times than I can count.
Despite shifting standards across the world, in the US and Canada the familiar 3-1-1 rule still applies: liquids in containers of 3.4 ounces (100 ml) or less, all tucked into one clear quart-sized bag, one bag per passenger. A handful of airports — particularly across the UK and Ireland — have rolled out new scanners and quietly relaxed the old 100 ml limit. The trouble is that it's wildly inconsistent: the rule can change from country to country and even from terminal to terminal within the same city.
So my philosophy is simple — pack as though the strictest rule applies, if you’re going to spend $100 on a product, you don’t want to see it get tossed into a bin at security.
Here is my tried and true carry-on travel method.
1. Build a "capsule" version of your ten steps
Start by building a capsule version of your skincare routine, the same you would a capsule travel wardrobe. At home, I do all ten steps and alter active ingredients throughout the week; on the road I edit down to my non-negotiables and let the rest go for a few days. A pared-back routine that you actually follow on vacation beats a maximalist one you're too jet-lagged to bother with.
Identify the two or three products your skin genuinely can't travel without (for me it's my sunscreen, retinol, and a moisturizer) and build outward only if there's room. These are the products I'll usually take with me - I've narrowed it down to seven and i'll add some other options back in if I have room. If I had to, I could honestly exclude three of the serums above, but because of the next step, I don't have to!
2. Decant your serums into tiny dropper bottles
This really is the single hack that lets me bring my whole routine. Most of my actives — azalaic acid, peptide serums — only need a few drops each day, so a full 30 ml bottle, while small, is wildly more than I'll use on any trip. I have a little set of 3 ml and 5 ml glass dropper bottles (you can use amber bottles for light-sensitive actives like vitamin C and retinol) and decant just enough for the trip plus a buffer day.
Label each one with a label maker or sticker so you're not playing guess-the-serum at 11pm (I’ve done this a few times - not ideal). A five-day trip rarely needs more than 3-10 ml of any single serum, which means my entire serum lineup takes up less room than one standard bottle.
3. Decant travel size products
Just because it's “travel size” doesn’t mean it won’t take up precious space. I have a handful of products I don’t want to swap out or part with, but I often won’t need a full 3 ounces, or the travel size version is just too big. Some good examples - I have a liquid roll-on anti perspirant that i love. Yes, I should probably swap this for a stick (which will definitely free up some space in your carry-on). But for me it’s a non-negotiable. So I decant it to a smaller 1 oz roll-on bottle, which is just about two week’s worth.
Another thing i’ll frequently decant is perfume. If I'm just going on a weekend getaway that doesn’t require a flight, i’ll grab my favorite travel size perfume from Salt & Stone. For carry on, i’ll either swap to a sample size perfume or decant my favorite scent into one of these mini atomizer bottles. I'll often bring the mini atomizer and a sample so i have some different options.
4. Use tiny containers for creams and balms
And i mean tiny. I've seen a lot of people use cadence capsules for travel, but as aethetic as they are, they're expensive and often much larger than I need them to be. For creams, balms, and other liquids, i’ll decant into a variety of different small travel containers. I adore these tiny cream containers from Muji for creams or balms - they have a container for every need. I often only need a small amount of retinol and these are perfect for that.
You could also use contact lens cases. I can easily add a couple of extra skincare steps by sneaking in a few of these tiny cream containers.
5. Go solid wherever a solid exists
The cleverest way around liquid limits is to bring products that aren't liquids at all. The category has exploded, and the quality is finally there. I travel with a solid shampoo bar, a conditioner bar, and — a personal favourite — Kitsch's Shave Butter Body Bar, which lathers beautifully and lasts months. You can cut it down into smaller pieces for travel. Or you can try Kitsch's Shampoo & Conditioner Sampler set, which come in small, travel-size cubes (and smell amazing).
I’m also a fan of sunscreen sticks - like this one from HaruHaru Wonder. Since sunscreen is the one toiletry you shouldn't
decant, I’ll always bring my favorite full-size 50 ml liquid sunscreen (HaruHaru Sunscreen or House of Hur Sunscreen) but you can toss one of these sunscreen sticks in you non-liquids bag for touch-ups. I keep one in my purse even when i'm not traveling.
6. Swap for dual use products
I love a product that serves multiple purposes. Maybe it’s a combined shampoo and conditioner or a solid conditioning bar that doubles as shaving soap. My favorite dual use product is Prequel’s Gleanser. It’s one of my favorite gel facial cleansers, but because it’s 50% glycerin, it doubles really well as a shaving gel and their travel size is perfect for a shorter trip - it's more than I need for just my face, but the perfect size for cleansing and shaving. Conditioner also works well for shaving - I’ll sometimes just use whatever conditioner the hotel provides.
7. Single-use non-liquid products
If you have to give up a serum, swap it for a sheet mask. I’ll toss these in my non-liquids bag. You can also swap micellar water for single use make-up cleansing wipes, or soak some cotton rounds and toss them in a baggie.
My go-to hack for eliminating face wash from my carry-on is Olay’s Cleansing Melts. I was skeptical at first, but these tiny single-use wafers are water activated and surprisingly foamy. If I’m low on liquids space, I opt for these instead and will always keep them in my bag as a back-up.
8. Hoard your deluxe samples for travel only
As tempting as it may be to try all those Sephora VIB samples you got in your last order - save them. Sample sizes often come in even smaller packaging than the brand’s travel size version. If I see a sample size of one of my go-to products available, i’ll order it just for travel. I love OUAI’s Detox Shampoo and the Sephora VIB rewards size is the perfect size for a short trip - much smaller than their actual travel size version
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9. Buy it when you get there
Depending on where i’m going, i’ll often just buy certain products when I arrive. Pack what you need most that first day, and stock up on new travel minis when you get to your destination. As an American who lives in Canada, Target is usually one of my first stops whenever I am back in the US. You can never have too many minis! I can usually get by on a hotel shampoo and conditioner or i’ll buy some shaving cream at the drug store when I arrive.
10. Be strategic with your makeup products
You might be thinking - ok, that covers skincare and essentials, but what do I do with my makeup? Honestly, I rarely add any of my make-up products to my carry-on liquids bag. You don’t really need to in my experience. I’ve switched to cushion or balm foundation (TirTir and Dior) and if I need a liquid foundation, i’ll decant it into a smaller container. I've reused my empty NARS concealer pots for foundation and had no issue. Mascara, concealer i’ll just toss in my make-up bag.
I’ve flown throughout the US and Canada as well as the UK and Europe without any issue. I might include my lip balm in my liquids bag but even some of those have probably snuck on through in my makeup bag. Again, not all airport security is the same, so let me know what your experience has been!
Bonus Tip
While some airports allow any clear plastic quart size bag for liquids, I live in Canada and they tend to be a bit more strict about the type of bag you use for your liquids, so I tend to stick to the standard quart ziplock baggie. I know, not as aesthetically pleasing as far as travel toiletries bags go, but it's a safe bet. But it’s worth noting that not all quart-sized bags are the same. I’ve tested the same products in two different types of zip-lock bags and I've found that the flat bottom shaped bags pack much better. And if I can squeeze in one more serum, you know I will!
Happy travels! I hope this list has helped you maximize your carry-on skincare routine. I’ve linked some of my go-to travel toiletries below and you can find more curated travel products in my store.
What are you packing?
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