I BEGAN TAKING travel seriously when I was 19. Like every pretentious, wannabe writer who just read Jack Kerouac’s On the Road for the first time, I piled into a barely functioning car and drove state to state, camping and crashing on couches. This is how I would spend every summer throughout college before I learned that there are, in fact, six other continents. Then, I got a job, retired my road tripping Ray Bans, and began flying. Not to mention, trading in campsites and seedy motels for actual hotels with running water.
I tell you this for a few reasons. For one, boy, was I sleeping on the delight of a quality continental breakfast for most of my life. More importantly, however, it’s to demonstrate that I have enjoyed a wide variety of traveling experiences, with varying degrees of success—and this extends to skincare and grooming.
That first cross-country trip I took, I did so without a lick of sunscreen (and my skin is still recovering). I’ve lost track of the number of shampoos and cleansers that have exploded in my bag, or have been confiscated at airport security due to poor planning (and judgment, clearly). Plus, the idea of bringing a razor or beard trimmer along was so foreign to me at the time, I’d come home from each trip looking like Tom Hanks in Cast Away.
If it’s true that to learn, you must make mistakes, then I’ve earned a PhD in this department. After making just about every traveling hair and skincare mistake possible, I’ve come to learn the importance of maintaining your grooming routine while on vacation. Better yet, you can do that with only a handful of key products. Below, I offer my cheat sheet to you: the five grooming essentials for travel.
1. Dopp Kit
You can have the most powerful engine and durable transmission around, but if you don’t have a decent car to put them in, you’re not going to get very far. Consider the Dopp kit, or toiletry bag, as your grooming routine’s body shell, a compact container that efficiently and securely holds every product in place. You’ll limit the risk of leakage or contamination and cut down the time you spend looking for your deodorant once you get to your destination.
The most durable dopp kit I’ve used is the Rains Wash Bag Small. It’s waterproof, durable, and stain-resistant, and does a bang-up job of preventing leakage. That being said, this Rains option is on the smaller size, so if you tend to overpack, look to our pick for best overall Dopp kit, Away’s The Large Toiletry Bag.
At nearly a foot long and six inches tall, it’s larger than Rains with more pockets and zippers than you’ll know what to do with. If you’re packing light and are great at playing product Tetris, go for the Paravel Toiletry Bag. Its two-liter design is one of the most compact options available, without skimping on durability.
2. Multipurpose Heroes
Whenever you can save time in your routine with a multipurpose product, it’s a win. But when you’re traveling, it’s more than minutes you’ll earn, it’s additional storage and lighter bags. Not to mention, fewer items you’ll have to lug around and set up in your temporary bathroom space. The issue is that most of these products that advertise 2-in-1 abilities struggle to follow through on that promise.
In most cases, they’re only effective in one arena, or have muffled the formula so much that they’re not really usable for anything. There are, of course, major exceptions, and this versatile grooming gear will help transform your travel experience.
Bravo Sierra’s Face and Body Cleansing Bar is one of these unicorn products. Unlike many soaps formulated for both face and body use, this one doesn’t feel harsh or drying on the face, while still being potent enough to eliminate gunk across the body. It’s super hydrating head to toe, and is fragrance-free, so it’s safe for sensitive skin. For a stellar 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner that cleans the scalp as much as it moisturizes strands, look to Method’s Cedar and Cypress Shampoo and Conditioner in travel-friendly (and TSA-approved) 3.4 oz containers.
Finally, these Dr. Squatch Beast Wipes will come in handy. They’re cleansing for those late nights when you stumble back to your hotel and don’t have the energy to wash your face with soap and water. Plus, they’re flushable for the following day when your body is, let’s say, exercising its demons from the night before.
3. Bars on Bars
Efficiently packing grooming products is a lot like being a guest on Sway in the Morning because you simply must have bars. If you’re flying, no liquids over 3.4 ounces are going to get through the TSA. While you can buy travel-friendly versions of many of your go-tos (like the Method shampoo above), they’re not always available. Plus, even outside of flying, travel involves a lot of sudden movements, which could lead to these liquids leaking.
This is easiest when it comes to body soap, especially if you’re not a body wash guy to begin with. Dr. Squatch Birchwood Breeze is the best bar soap I’ve tried. It’s made from natural oils that leave skin feeling smooth and hydrated, while smelling amazing. For face washing, there is no better option than Atwater’s Oil Regulator Facial Cleanser Bar, especially for oily skin.
The bar is made with soothing charcoal and produces a creamy lather that limits excess oil buildup. There are also plenty of quality shampoo and conditioner bars out there, the best of which come courtesy of Ethique. I’m partial to the brand’s Sweet and Spicy Volumizing Solid Shampoo Bar as it’s formulated specifically to pump up finer hair, but there are options for every hair type, along with conditioner bars.
While we’re on the subject of solids, don’t get too cute with your deodorant when traveling either. Stay away from the sprays or balms, and stick to a classic bar like our best overall, Oars and Alps California Coast, or the best whole body option by Native’s Coconut and Mint. These are both much easier to pack and impossible to spill.
4. Travel-Ready Devices
The Panasonic Arc5 Palm-Sized Electric Razor is the best travel shaver I’ve used. This powerful, compact razor packs nearly the same motor power as its full-sized predecessor (13,000 cuts per minute versus the OG’s 15,000), while being roughly the size of a clementine. It shaves effectively without causing irritation and barely takes up space in your bag. That’s why we recently crowned it the best electric razor in our 2025 Grooming Awards. Sure, you could pack a traditional cartridge razor, but then you’d also have to bring shaving cream (which is hard to find a travel-friendly version of).
Plus, you don’t want to spend 20 minutes shaving before heading out when you’re on vacation. This nifty tool can be used dry, without shaving cream or lotion, and can finish the job in about five minutes. It holds nearly an hour on one charge, so you might not even have to pack the charger, depending on how long you’ll be out of town.
If you’re a dedicated beard wearer, I’d recommend trimming before you head out on your travels. But if you’re going to be gone for weeks, look for durable devices with minimal attachments, like the King C. Gillette Pro. This trimmer offers up to 40 (!) length options with merely two (!!) attachments. And, it comes with a handy travel pouch.
For dental care, scale back. Sure, I love my electric toothbrush as much as the next grooming editor, but even the ones with cases can be bulky and rarely fit in a Dopp. Instead, go old school with something like Boka’s Classic Manual Toothbrush. The bristles are uber-soft and infused with charcoal for an added whitening boost. Add in the fact that it comes with a travel cap, and this is the perfect toothbrush for travel.
5. SPF SOS
I don’t care if you’re taking a trip to Alaska; unless it’s during the two months when the state has no sunlight, you need sunscreen. Dermatologists recommend at least SPF 30 to fully protect your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays. If you’re planning any strenuous outdoor activities, be it swimming, hiking, biking, etc., Freaks of Nature Peak Performance SPF 50 will be invaluable. It’s sweat and water-resistant, quick absorbing, lightweight, hydrating, and, most importantly, will never run into your eyes.
For those who simply plan to hit the town, look to the ultra-moisturizing Marlowe No. 128 Daily Face Lotion with SPF 50 for best results. This counsel extends to your lips, as well. Protect them with an SPF lip balm like the EltaMD UV Lip Balm Sunscreen with SPF 31. This will ensure your lips stay moisturized and avoid cracking or chapping, as you potentially circumvent drinking water for something a bit less hydrating and a lot more fun (read: alcohol). No judgment, of course, traveling is exhausting. But with these essentials, at least that won’t be reflected in your face.
Shop More Grooming Essentials
Electric Razors | Head Shavers | Razors for Sensitive Skin | Pubic Hair Trimmers | Straight Razors | Disposable Razors | Back Shavers | Shave Clubs | Manscaping Groomers | Shaving Kits | Beard Trimmers | Hair Clippers | Nose Hair Trimmer | Best Cleansers for Men | Moisturizers With SPF | Facial Sunscreens | Moisturizers for Men | Bar Soaps for Men | Face Scrubs for Men | Face Wash for Acne for Men | Body Washes for Dry Skin
Sean Zucker is the Grooming and Commerce Editor at Men’s Health. He brings over half a decade of experience covering health, wellness, and lifestyle. When Sean’s not writing about hair products, you can find him running for exercise, or toward the nearest food truck.
Christian is the deputy commerce editor at Men’s Health and Women’s Health, where he oversees shopping content for both brands. He started his magazine career as an accessories assistant at Vogue, and has since held editorial roles at Tatler Asia and The Manual. When he’s not online shopping, you can find him on long walks with his two corgis.
