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1. Away's popular The Carry-On so you can skip the bag check lines while still having enough room for allllll the clothes you want. (It fits 5–7 outfits and has a laundry compartment!) Plus, the TSA-approved lock will make sure no one is able to sneak a peek inside your bag.
Promising review: "I was in Rome and Florence, Italy for nine days, and the Away Carry-On was just perfect. From being able to charge up my iPhone at the airport or on the train traveling from Rome to Florence, it worked perfectly. Stylish and very versatile. It also kept my belongings packed beautifully, plus the perk of a laundry bag for my dirty clothes. Getting through security was a breeze, plus the added compliments of how beautiful it was. You have a customer for life. I was very happy and impressed." —Keith H.
Get it from Away for $315+ (available in nine colors and with optional personalization, for an additional charge).
2. Leakproof travel capsules perfect for getting your necessary beauty products, other liquids, or small items through TSA without those annoying travel bottles that are a mess to fill. Plus these are magnetic so they will stick together in your bag so you don't have a mini heart attack when you can't find the bottle of your precious face cream.
Cadence is a woman-owned small business specializing in personal care travel solutions. Each mini capsule is created from recycled ocean-bound plastic and is refillable and reusable!
Check them out on TikTok here.
BuzzFeed writer Jasmin Sandal uses these travel capsules and said: "I love my little containers that allow me to downsize but still carry my necessities while I'm traveling. They're not only cute to look at but they're pretty practical. I have used mine to store my vitamins, earrings, face cream and have not run into any issues. They have tight, screw-on tops so you know everything is secure *and* you can customize their labels so you know exactly what's in what. Oh, and the fact that they're magnetic? Genius. This way, they stay tightly together in your case or can be conveniently stored in a makeup bag."
Promising review: "This is my go to for all my travel, gym, camping trips. I can keep enough for four to five days of skincare. The best set I've had for carry-on toiletries." —Cadence Customer
Get a set of six from Cadence for $76 (originally $84; available in eight colors and 34 label options).
PS — When you choose your bundle size, each capsule can be a different color and comes with a pre-made label (custom labels are available for an additional charge).
3. A sturdy, lightweight eight-compartment pill organizer to save some space in your bag by not having eight bulky pill bottles rolling around.
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 $7.97.
4. A set of vacuum seal bags perfect for overpackers (guilty 🙋♀️) who just cannot seem to narrow down their clothes selection even when the suitcase literally will not close. With these you can easily shrink down your clothes to a more manageable size…so now you can pack even more stuff LOL.
Promising review: "A must have so you don't have to ask the staff for the vacuum, and the bags are thick and high quality. Highly recommend for traveling because they save you a ton of space. Great for at home too but a definite traveling need." —Samantha Garvey
Get them from Amazon for $28.99+ (available in five sizes and four quantities).
5. Or a packing cube ingeniously designed with built-in shelves so you don't have to rummage around in your suitcase to find that one pink shirt. When you get to your destination, just take this out of your suitcase, hang it in the closet, and boom, you're all set and neatly organized.
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 (@ my husband who automatically dumps the ~entire~ contents of his suitcase into the laundry without question).
Promising review: "I travel weekly for work. This makes living out of a bag a little less hectic. Instead of digging through my bag I simply hang this in the closet and I can see what I’ve got. It makes packing and unpacking easier, too. I just hang them in my closet at home. Take out and replace. I use the zippered bottom compartment for the dirty clothes." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in two sizes and six colors).
6. A compact makeup brush case made of silicone with vents to allow your brushes to breathe. And it's easily washable so you don't have to worry about getting it covered in blush or concealer. Not a makeup person? No worries, this is also great for toothbrushes!
Promising review: "This product definitely surprised me with how much it holds! I can store my brushes, lip liners, mascara, lip gloss, and even my (cylindrical) foundation bottle. Now I just use this holder and only put my palettes in a makeup bag.... it's so convenient since you don't have to go digging through stuff to find some skinny brush or eyebrow pencil at the bottom of your bag." —RHIANNA
Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in five colors).
7. And an Alleyoop 4-in-1 makeup brush that eliminates the need to pack multiple brushes cause this bad boy does it ALL. It has a makeup sponge, eyeshadow brush, eyebrow/eyeliner brush, and blush/blending brush. We love a good multi-tasking tool. 🙌🏼
Alleyoop is a woman-owned small business that creates compact beauty products that typically have several functions.
Promising review: "I absolutely love this travel makeup brush and sponge combo! It's so convenient for when I'm on the go and need to touch up my makeup. The bristles are soft and the sponge is great for blending. Plus, it's compact and fits perfectly in my purse. I highly recommend it!" —Mary G. Murphy
Get it from Amazon for $28.
8. A pocket-sized, refillable travel perfume atomizer you easily pump from your normal perfume bottle to make sure your signature scent can go everywhere you go.
BuzzFeed editor Elizabeth Lilly has this and says, "^ That's me pumping my signature perfume into one of these travel atomizers I've been using for about a year. As the reviewer down below mentions, 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."
Promising review: "These little bottles allowed me to take four different scents with me on my trip. I was about to take one big glass bottle, but I was worried that it would break, so when I saw these, I read reviews and took a chance, and I'm glad I did. I love it!" —QueenFrecklez
Get a four-pack from Amazon for $8.65.
9. A collapsible water bottle that won't take up like half the room in your backpack, but still saves you from having to buy an $8 disposable water bottle when you get to the airport.
Promising review: "This is perfect for airport travel or traveling with kids. I keep it folded until I pass security then fill it at the water fountain at the gates. Can dump it out and close it up when you're done. Definitely worth it!" —MP Lee
Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in two sizes, four colors, and multi-packs).
10. A TSA-approved travel toiletries pack so you can toss that grungy old plastic baggie you've been reusing for the past who knows how many trips. This will easily hold all your toiletries and the silicone bottles make it easy to get every last bit of your product out.
This set includes a high quality plastic bag, four bottles (two different sizes), four jars (two different sizes), two spray bottles, two product spoons, one funnel, one cleaning brush, and one page of labels.
Before buying this I had just a hodgepodge of random travel size products and a bag that didn't really fit any of it. I wanted to find a cohesive set, all of which actually had a place to go. Enter this guy. Not only is it all matching, but the variety of bottles, jars, and spray bottles is super convenient for all kinds of different products. The labels are also really helpful for making sure you don't end up conditioning your hair with body wash. The bottles are incredibly easy to fill because the openings are super wide and you can easily pour directly from the full size bottle.
Promising review: "I absolutely love this travel set!! First of all it looks great, clean, classic. Not only does it come with bottles and jars and spray bottles, it also comes with a spoon, a funnel, a cleaning brush and a page of labels. They thought of everything. The larger bottles for shampoo etc, are made of silicone, so you can squeeze the product out. My favorite thing about this set is the size. It fits into luggage so easily." —Funnymom
Get it from Amazon for $16.69.
11. And a Subtl Beauty Stack that'll store five makeup products in one convenient and easy stack. And if you need more, you can create your own version with all the products you want. No more rummaging in your bag for your concealer because they'll all be connected!
The five piece set comes with concealer, highlighter, bronzer, lip cheek, and shine control powder.
Promising review: "This is the best makeup kit I have ever experienced! It is the perfect starter kit to build on, with all the right products included. The makeup itself is silky soft, buildable, super easy to apply, and the most portable ever! I am completely in love and fully intend to continue to add to my Stack!!!" –Tina
Get the Starter Stack from Subtl Beauty for $60 (originally $70; available in 19 tones), or customize your own stack starting at $14 per layer.
12. A 50-count set of laundry soap sheets so you can pack fewer clothes because you can actually wash them easily in the hotel sink. And contrary to popular belief, you actually *can* wear the same outfit multiple times on your trip.
These work best with hand-washing!
Promising review: "This came SO in handy during my vacation to Europe! I was making lots of different stops to places with different types of weather. With these laundry soap sheets I was able to wash my clothes in the sink — letting me pack just the right amount of clothes for all the different places I went." —Katie Fujarski
Get a pack of 50 from Amazon for $12.55.
13. A lightweight, water-resistant Neutrogena SPF 50 face and body stick sunscreen perfect for tossing in your carry-on because it's TSA-friendly and solid (aka no leaking 👏🏼). Don't worry about wasting your money buying the overpriced sunscreen at the beachside store.
BuzzFeed Shopping editor Elizabeth Lilly brought this on an international trip and loved it: "I first bought this for a week-long Croatian vacation last year 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 $9.58.
14. A tiny retractable travel lint roller so your clothes can stay hair- and fuzz-free without having to pack a bulky one (that will also just stick to all the clothes in your suitcase).
It's also refillable.
Promising review: "Great to give, great to have! Giving this to my wife for a stocking stuffer since she really liked the one I had for travel. It's a beautiful travel-hack item to ensure your black clothes stay lint-free (or animal hair-free). Rolls back up into its own casing and back in the bag. Done! SIMPLE!" —Andrew Marquez
Get it from Amazon for $16.59+ (available in three colors).
15. A portable phone and watch charger to eliminate (at least some) of your myriad of cords that inevitably become a tangled disaster. And you can toss this in your day bag to use on the go because you were so exhausted you forgot to charge your phone last night.
Promising review: "I've started using this as my everyday charger now. It's amazing for travel and holds a charge for a really long time – even when I just throw it in my purse and forget about it for a week. Has enough juice to completely charge my phone in no time." —Alisha A.
Get it from Amazon for $45.99 (available in four colors).
16. A portable rain hood you can wear with any jacket so you don't have to pack a whole rain coat in addition to the rest of your clothes (just for it to end up probably not raining anyway 🙃).
It's simply ingenious — all it is is a hood attached to a vest you wear under *any* jacket to protect yourself (and your hair) from whatever the weather has planned.
Promising review: "I love this! The quality is very nice and it fits great. Wore it last week in the rain with a coat I love that doesn't have a hood and it was perfect. It slips right under your jacket so all you see is the hood, so it pretty much blends in with your jacket. Such a great idea! Wish there were more colors and patterns, I'd order more." —Jill Hammel
Get it from Amazon for $29 (available in two sizes).
17. A facial moisturizing stone so you don't have to worry about transferring your lotion into a container and praying it doesn't leak during the flight. Plus this is just pretty freakin' cool — nourishing ingredients like blue tansy and tamau oil are packed into a solid ball that'll help reduce facial redness and scarring.
When you rub it (on clean, dry skin), the solid melts into a silky, lightweight oil.
Promising review: "Love this moisturizer. This leaves my face feeling silky and smooth without feeling greasy. Perfectly balanced. And I love that I can take it traveling without worrying it will leak all over the place." —Lynn A.
Get it from Sephora or Kate McLeod for $68 (also available in a refill size).
18. And a solid hair conditioner bar you can easily throw into your carry-on without worrying about if it will make it through TSA, or more importantly, through the flight without exploding all over your clothes.
BuzzFeed Shopping editor Elizabeth Lilly has this and says, "This is me on a week-long trip to Croatia last year with three city stops that I did a carry-on only for, knowing I had a tight layover in Amsterdam and would be riding two ferries. But, um, my hair had to look good for wonderful sunset photo ops such as this (the bar is Buza Bar in Dubrovnik, go there!). So I packed a shampoo bar by another brand that I felt pretty meh about and this wonderful new go-to bar. Here, I used hotel shampoo (it was pretty fancy, NGL), this shampoo bar, and my roommate's Moroccan Oil curl cream. The bar is basically foolproof. You rub it directly on your wet hair after rinsing out your shampoo. I normally wash my naturally curly hair once or twice a week but on this trip was taking daily dips in the sea, so I washed my hair 5x over a week. Because of this, I let the conditioner sit for a few minutes, though you probably don't need to do that if you're washing your hair your usual amount on your trip. Each bar is supposed to last 200 washes and it might do a little less for me, but I know this'll be good for many future trips!"
Get it from Amazon for $13.99.
19. Annnnd a botanical bar of soap made of plant-based and organic materials so you can feel good knowing you're actually getting clean (instead of it just feeling like you're rubbing dirt around like it does with hotel soap). And since it's a bar, you can easily toss it in your luggage without worrying about it making a mess.
Get it from our Goodful shop for $8 (available in three versions).
20. A glare-free Kindle Paperwhite so you can read allllll of the books you want on your vacation, without having to pack an entire suitcase to bring 'em along. Plus, this bad boy only has to be charged once every few weeks (!!!) and is waterproof so you don't have to fear the pool or ocean.
Check out the new Kindle Paperwhite in action on TikTok!
This version of the Kindle is incredibly versatile: You can see your screen even in the sun, and you can customize your fonts, size, and layouts.
Promising reviews: "I am in love this with this Kindle. I debating which one to get for awhile and then decided on this one because it is waterproof and can be read in the sun. I love being at the beach and outside during the summer so it was a must have for me. So far I have read more and had access to so many more titles than having a hard copy book. The lighting is just bright enough so that it doesn't hurt my eyes and is great for reading at night. The battery life has been great. For anyone contemplating getting this, it is worth it." —jennifer
"I LOVE Kindles, and this one is no exception. The warm light is in the pictures as yellow, but it also goes the other way to an ice blue! And the touch response is miles better than the older Kindle; a tap is almost instantly registered. If you are on the fence, just try it! You have my permission and recommendation!" —ErikJuun
Get it from Amazon for $139.99+ (available in two storage sizes and three colors).
21. A plush microfiber makeup-removing cloth to remove A L L your makeup by just adding water…yes, even waterproof makeup. Buhbyeee wasteful (and bulky) makeup removing wipes! How does it make sense? IDK maybe it's magic, but whatever it is, it *works.*
Promising review: "This is incredible! I can't believe how well this works! I travel a lot for work and usually take makeup remover wipes because of the liquid restrictions for travel, but they are expensive and heavy. I have been using this cloth all week and LOVE IT! A bit of warm water and everything comes off in a few easy swipes. I am super excited to travel with this. It weighs nothing and rolls up to take very little space. I am ordering another for my mom who also travels. Highly recommend!" —KT
Get it from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in eight colors).
22. Alleyoop 4-in-1 pen that will allow you to fix your eyeliner, lip liner, brows, and highlighter wherever you are and without having to bring along alllll those full-size containers. Remember those fun pens you had growing up with four colors in one? Yeah, this is that, but with makeup. 🤯
Alleyoop is a woman-owned small business that creates compact beauty products that typically have multiple functions.
Promising review: "This pen is amazing. I travel a lot for work, and it's so nice to just have to grab this rather than four different pieces of makeup. The less things I have to remember, the better!" —Rachel B.
Get it from Alleyoop or Amazon for $25 (available in three color combos).
23. A mini 2-in-1 hair tool to help you achieve that salon-like style without bringing a bunch of tools that'll take up a whole chunk of your (already limited) suitcase space.
That's right, it's both a hair straightener *and* a curling iron! And it has a carry-on bag.
Promising review: "I bought this in advance of a big trip to Asia, because I was worried about blowing out my other curling iron and straightener, and this was perfect. You obviously need to purchase an adapter in order to plug it into international outlets, but it doesn't require a converter which is awesome, since the converters are the ones that get super expensive. I also have super thick, straight hair, and have been through, almost literally, 20 separate curling irons in my life in an attempt to find one that actually works on my hair, so I was a little skeptical of this guy, but it works great! This guy will be a new staple. And it's reasonably priced, so it's a win-win!" —Katy B
Get it from Amazon for $59.95 (available in two colors).
24. A next-level iPhone-charging passport holder that'll not only keep your passport, phone, and other important documents all in one ~compact~ place, but can also charge your phone so it doesn't die mid-flight even though you were busy scrolling TikTok the whole time you waited to board.
LovieStyle is a small biz based in San Diego making travel-friendly, 2-in-1 charging accessories.
Promising review: "Love love love this passport holder! Loved it when I got my hands on it. But I absolutely FELL IN LOVE with it when I took it on my first trip and completely forgot my phone charger. I was shocked and happy to discover the battery these come with has an adapter connected to it! Love love love. If I could give more than five stars I would." —Megan Rineheart
Get it from LovieStyle on Etsy for $41.99 (available in 12 styles).
25. A pair of tall compression socks perfect for anyone whose feet tend to swell on long flights. Just throw these on before you fly and you're ready to hit the ground running as soon as you land.
Read more about compression socks and swelling on long flights at Cleveland Clinic.
Promising review: "I've purchased these for my trip to Russia, which is total 24 hours of travel. It's a 12-hour flight to Turkey and then a nine hours layover and then connecting flight to Russia. Let me tell you that when I did it last time, my feet were size of an elephant's. These socks worked great. I took them off when I arrived at my parents' house in Russia and my feet looked semi-normal! No painful swelling or cramps! I used to spend the first night after the trip crying from aches and cramps, but this time it was NOTHING! No pain at all. I wore them again on my return flights to US and same great result." —Natalie
Get them from Amazon for $18.57+ (available in three sizes and 13 colors).
To learn more, check out "Nurses, Athletes, Pregnant People, And Travelers Swear By These $20 Socks."
26. A folding toothbrush with its own protective case so you don't have to get the heebie-jeebies when you open your toiletries bag and realize the cap on your real toothbrush fell off so it's just been marinating with all your other products for the past five hours. Plus it folds to like half the size of a regular toothbrush, and any space saved is a bonus when you're living out of one small bag.
Promising review: "Finally, it appears that I have found a toothbrush for travel that I'm happy with. I have been using my home toothbrush (once I found an effective cover for the head), but its length can be a problem; plus if it gets dropped or contaminated it becomes unusable so for any long trip an extra should be taken. It is difficult to find a folding brush with really soft bristles, but finally I have. Looks good so far. I am using the brush every day for a week or two to see how it holds up." —KG
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $5.99+ (available in two versions).
27. A Hackwith Design House shirt designed to eliminate the "need" to pack 12 shirts for your week-long trip. This shirt is made to be worn six different ways, so no one will ever know you've been wearing the same shirt for the past three nights.
Hackwith Design House is a woman-owned small business. Their sustainable designs are made to order and sewn in their Minnesota studio. Their sizes run from XS–4X. On Mondays, they also release limited-edition designs so you can be one of only 25 people to own a piece!
My colleague Chelsea Stuart owns this and loves it. Here's what she has to say:
"All credit for its discovery goes to TikToker @jennifer.bianca who I happened to stumble across on my FYP. It checks all my boxes: black, comfortable, versatile, and durable. My initial worry was that I wouldn't feel secure in it (I have a 38DDD chest and most wrap tops/dresses I've tried haven't stayed where they're supposed to), but I haven't had an issue with this! I've worn it tied in the front giving me a square neck (like the middle picture) and tied in the back giving me a V-neck up front (just like the photo on the right) — both were super comfortable and I didn't have to adjust myself at all. As someone whose weight fluctuates, I also appreciate that this piece can handle pounds gained and lost. The fabric is medium weight so I'll be wearing it season to season and there's just enough elasticity in the arms that if you roll up your sleeves, they won't fall back down. All that is to say trust that I will be buying additional colors!"
Get it from Hackwith Design House for $145 (available in women's sizes XS–4X and five colors).
28. A cosmetic travel bag to help you keep all your makeup brushes, makeup, and all the other random stuff you brought organized and not randomly laying throughout your suitcase.
Promising review: "This purchase was so worth it! I had my makeup in three different bags and was able to consolidate everything into this one makeup case. Easy to travel with and great to organize everything. The inserts to separate items were a little strange but I made it work by overlapping them." —Tammy Otarodi
Get it from Amazon for $18.99+ (available in two sizes and three colors).
29. An AirFly wireless transmitter because finally someone understands that pretty much nobody has wired headphones anymore and the ones they hand out on the airplane just aren't cutting it. Now you can connect whatever headphones you have via Bluetooth and start your movie marathon — no, we won't judge that you're on your third movie of the flight, what else are you supposed to do?!
I always get annoyed about the concept of wearing wired headphones that are stuck in my ears for a long flight. I knew the only way I was going to be even reasonably comfortable on my recent 8-hour trip was if I was wearing my over-the-ear headphones, but of course the problem with that is that they use Bluetooth. Thankfully, I've been writing about this product for awhile so I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to give it a try. It is honestly the perfect answer to being able to use your own Bluetooth headphones. I would absolutely recommend these to anyone going on a long flight!!
Promising review: "You don't know it yet but you need this. A friend recommended this and I decided to try it. It works well in flight. Huge improvement in comfort and sound quality over the airline's headphones. Also used for various tours when traveling. Again far more comfortable than the typical tour listening equipment." —PJ14
Get it from Amazon for $34.99+ (available in three variations and two colors).
30. An inflatable neck travel pillow to make sure you're extra comfy while you take your mid-nap flight. And once you wake up feeling refreshed you don't have to worry about lugging a hefty pillow all over the place because you can just deflate it and shove it in your bag.
Promising review: "I have always preferred inflatable travel pillows for my air travel, because of ease of packing and stowing them when not in use. I have never been attracted to the stuffed pillows because there is no reducing them — people need to either wear them around their neck or hang them from their carry-ons pre-boarding. I prefer to have my pillow in my carry-on bag/purse. I found it easy to put back in its bag and either stow it in a carry-on, or externally attached by its carabiner to carry-on or belt-loop. I definitely recommend!" —Phoenix K
Get it from Amazon for $23.99+ (available in three colors).
31. A 3-in-1 travel razor for those trips where you know you'll wanna shave but don't have the space for all the necessary ~ accouterments.~ This little doohickey has a refillable spray bottle to wet skin, a shea butter moisturizing bar, and two triple-blade razor cartridges so you can eliminate those pesky hairs quickly and discreetly, no matter where you are.
Alleyoop is a woman-owned small business that creates compact beauty products that typically have multiple functions.
Promising review: "Love this all-in-one razor for travel and shaving on the go! I can’t count the number of times I’ve left the house and noticed in the sunlight all the spots I missed in the shower. This razor is perfect for taking care of those and the moisturizing bar smells amazing! I wouldn’t use them to shave my entire leg (the spritzing bottle is pretty small), but it’s perfect for anyone who is busy and always on the go! Thanks, Alleyoop, for making multitasking products that save time, effort, and bag space ;)" —Nihaarika Sharma
Get it from Amazon for $15 (available in two colors).
The reviews used in this post have been edited for length and clarity.