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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 $275+ (available with and without a USB charger, seven colors, and optional personalization, for an additional charge).
2. A 50-count of compressed facial sponges that expand to become bouncy and absorbent when soaked in water. This way you don't have to waste room with a bunch of makeup wipes or try to find a travel size makeup remover.
Promising review: "I stumbled across these on TikTok and now they are in my everyday routine. These are amazing for cleansing or removing makeup. I love that they are paper thin but transform into an absorbent sponge. They are perfect for traveling as well." —Skye Rose Koshuta
Get them from Amazon for $9.98 (available in five color variations).
3. 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 pallets 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).
4. 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 $27.98.
5. 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 $8.99.
6. 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 $9.99+ (available in two sizes, four colors, and multi-packs).
7. 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.
8. Or a 4-in-1 toiletries dispenser designed with a seal proof feature so you don't have to worry about it leaking all over your bag in flight. You can get your conditioner, shampoo, lotion, and body wash all in one compact dispenser. Plus the lil window lets you see how much is left so you don't arrive to your destination with no lotion. 🫠
Check out a TikTok of the toiletries dispenser in action.
Promising review: "This is the perfect travel companion for all your soap, shampoo, conditioner and lotion or face moisturizer... it’s easy to remove each compartment and fill. The labels are handy or you can use a marker and write your own. You don’t have little bottles rolling around or in a Ziploc bag... ONE container to carry to the bathroom. PERFECT." —Kathy❤️TEXAS
Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in two colors and a two-pack).
9. 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 up to *eight* products. 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: "I absolutely love how compact this product is. I have been pleasantly surprised at how natural the makeup feels and I love the natural look it provides. I originally purchased for traveling, but have been using it daily and love it!" –Paula Bowie
Get the Starter Stack from Subtl Beauty for $60 (originally $70; available in 19 tones), or customize your own stack starting at $12+ per layer.
10. A multicharging cable designed to save you from bringing like three blocks to charge all your devices. Now they can all come out of one and you won't have a giant tangled mess in your bag.
Promising review: "Great for travel. No need to pack multiple cords to charge devices." —jackieshack
Get it from Amazon for $11.98.
11. A neck pillow that you can actually fill up with your clothes (up to three days' worth!) so you don't have to worry about your luggage getting over-stuffed or being charged for an extra bag. Checkmate, airline luggage rules.
Check out a TikTok of the neck pillow in action.
Promising review: "I hate checking a bag when I fly. One bag, that's my game plan. With this neck pillow, I can pack several days of base layers (long sleeve top and tights), leaving extra room in my carry on bag for my camera or souvenirs. It straps onto my suitcase when I'm going through the airport, so it's close at hand." —CeCe Bee
Get it from Amazon for $49.95.
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 no, 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 $5.87.
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 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).
15. A Wallet Ninja with 18 (!) different functions so you can be prepared for anything that might go wrong. Hungry for an orange but don't wanna end up with the pulp under your nails? All set. Need to prop up your phone for some entertainment during your flight delay? Done. Absolutely parched with no bottle opener in sight? This has you covered.
The card includes multiple screwdrivers (including an eyeglass screwdriver), letter opener, nail puller, ruler, bottle opener, can opener, box opener, cellphone stand, hex-head nut and bolts, and a fruit peeler. Reviewers said it is TSA-approved, but some had to remove it from their bag and put it on the belt by itself just to be safe.
Promising review: "This is definitely helpful to have on hand! The Ninja is small and slim but punches above its weight class in terms of usefulness. The tools are all things you might find yourself searching through a drawer for and are useful in a pinch. It fits comfortably in your wallet and will help you open a beer or tighten a screw. The coolest feature that I couldn't find on most other similar products was the credit card phone stand. It is great for planes and other travel applications (I haven't had trouble bringing this on a plane anywhere I have traveled, FYI)."—Mary
Get it from Amazon for $10.99 (also available in packs of two, three, and five).
16. 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).
17. 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).
18. A pack of mini disposable pre-pasted travel toothbrushes that won't take up much room at all in your bag and will help keep your mouth feeling fresh at all times. BONUS, they're sugar-free *and* don't require any water or rinsing.
They're also great for freshening up after meals and for folks with braces.
Promising review: "PERFECT for travel. When I travel, I always keep a pack of these in my purse/backpack. There is nothing worse than stinky/gritty breath after a long travel day and you can use these super easily and non-conspicuously. I always feel weird brushing my teeth at the airport, so this is a great alternative if you need something quick." —Berea Janzen
Get a 24-count pack of four from Amazon for $17.08.
19. A jewelry organizer with designated spots for all your necklaces, earrings, rings, and more so you don't have to worry about opening up your bag to see that your three necklaces have tangled into one giant (and unwearable) one.
Promising review: "I saw this recommended on TikTok and bought it on a whim. I never knew a jewelry organizer would be so useful! I absolutely love this organizer and think everyone should have one!!" —Savana Bishop
Get it from Amazon for $15.99+ (available in two sizes and nine colors/patterns).
20. A mini lightweight flat iron so you can still get the hair of your dreams no matter where you are or how full your suitcase is.
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 seven colors).
22. 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 water proof 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).
23. 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 (available in three color combos) or Amazon for $25.
24. 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 saving you a ton of space. Great for at home too but a definite traveling need." —Samantha Garvey
Get them from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in four sizes and four quantities).
25. 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).
Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in two sizes and five colors).
26. An all-encompassing travel blanket because for some reason, planes have become arctic tundras, and a sweatshirt alone just doesn't cut it anymore. This one is insulated to actually keep you warm, and has hand and foot pockets so you can finally feel your toes again. And even though it's 6-feet-long, it folds down into a compact pouch — so no room wasted with a bulky blanket!
P.S. It's also got a neck strap to keep it from slipping off of you during naps, and if you fold it inside out, it turns into a travel pillow! Is there anything they haven't thought of?!
Promising review: "Used this on my recent air flight and LOVED IT!!! I could use it as a pillow, and then when I got cold, opened it, stuck my feet in, and snapped the snap...stuck my head though and slept for the first time EVER on a plane!! Then, when landing, easily stuffed it back into a pillow and snapped to onto my under seat bag, and off on my adventure I went!!!" —Stacy S.
Get it from Gravel for $129.
27. A travel backpack designed to open up fully (like a suitcase) so you can easily access everything inside instead of desperately trying to shove your hand all the way to the bottom. AND it actually holds a 40-ounce water bottle. 🙌🏼 This is the personal item of your dreams!
I have been searching for the perfect travel backpack for a long time. I had found some I liked, but the zipper broke and it wouldn't fit my water bottle, so I needed to find a replacement. This bag has it all — it fits a 40-oz water bottle, it has straps to tighten the sides and make it not as bulky, it opens all the way for easy access so you don't have to shove your hand all the way down to the bottom, it has a ton of small pockets for everything you could ever want, and has a padded laptop sleeve. I was able to cram SO MUCH stuff into this thing, and it saved me the hassle of TSA pulling everything out when they pulled it aside for deeper inspection.
Promising review: "This is a great bag. Exactly what I was looking for. It's lightweight enough yet sturdier than expected. I like the fact that it's rip stop material. The zippers are heavy duty. The adjustable water bottle cage is a great feature. Even has a cinch strap in the event it's a taller bottle. The storage pockets are very usable and multifunctional. The laptop sleeve is well padded without being too thick. I bought the version that comes with three packing cubes so if my bag is opened at customs they don't have to touch all my personal items and things won't fall out. I bought this for all kinds of travel; weekends at the coast, a week in Mexico and possibly even a two week trip to Europe next year. That's the plan. There are straps with buckles on either side so the bag can be compressed if need be or you can tether a jacket or travel blanket to the outside. I'm very pleased with this item." —SLR
Get it from Amazon for $49.35+ (available in six colors and with or without packing cubes).
28. Or a lightweight, waterproof Baboon To The Moon carry-on duffel/backpack ~jam packed~ with features: lockable zippers, internal stash compartments, an ultra-wide opening, and more. And when you wear it as a backpack the zipper sits against your back so no one can break in as you walk. All that *AND* it fits under an airplane seat…what more could you want?!
Pssst: It also comes with a lifetime warranty!
Promising reviews: "My go-to bag for travel. As someone who is vehemently against checking in bags at the airport, this Go-Bag is the perfect item. Easy to transport and small enough to be taken as a carry-on, yet still spacious for all your essentials." —David C.
"This bag is amazing. Tons of space. I am an elementary school teacher, and normally have about 3-4 bags I haul around. I originally bought this to be a gym bag, but now it’s my everyday commuter bag. It holds my laptop, snacks, chargers, paperwork, lunchbox, portable speaker, and a bunch of random teacher things. I love the protection of having the zipper against your back so there’s no wondering if someone is opening your bag behind you. Super sturdy, waterproof, oh, and the straps are SO COMFORTABLE! Like, for real, better than any backpacking backpack. 11/10" —Brianna M.
Get the 32L bag from Baboon to the Moon for $159 (available in four colors). A larger 40L size is available here.
29. 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 10 styles).
30. 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 ~accoutrements.~ 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 $14 (available in two colors).
31. A mini contact lens kit that stores everything you need to refresh your eyes without having to bring full-size versions. And since this is all conveniently in one compact kit, you'll always know where everything is *and* you can bring it to your seat to take out your contacts mid-flight so you don't take "red-eye" literally.
It comes with a solution bottle, tweezers, stick connection, lens holder, and mirror.
Promising review: "Great product for the price!! Super cute!! Small and perfect for traveling, in your car, purse, or pocket!! The tongs have a super soft silicone type grip on the ends so they won't hurt your lenses. I am very impressed!! I would recommend to everyone!! Great product, great price!! Will purchase again!!" —Loni H. Rhymes
Get it from Amazon for $4.45+ (available in two colors).
32. A packing checklist because space is ~limited~ and you can't afford to accidentally pack 40 pairs of socks and wonder why you don't even have room for one sweater!
Promising review: "We travel frequently and have two children. As any parent knows, packing for yourself and your children can be overwhelming (especially for trip longer than a few days). I have found this list to be a lifesaver and I also give it as a gift for other traveling families. It is easy to plan, organize, and list out items that are easily forgotten. You can also list the quantity of each item needed. It has a variety of clothing options and space to add more. Overall, wonderful purchase and has likely saved me many forgotten items!" —I-really-bought-this
Get it from Amazon for $7.
33. 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 $9.97.
34. A shoe bag designed to fit at least three pairs of shoes so you can keep them all consolidated and organized without worrying about how to perfectly arrange your suitcase so none of the shoe dirt touches any of your clothes.
Promising review: "You can totally fit three pairs of shoes in this! (Size 6.5 female shoe, fit heels, wedges, and sandals.) I bought two and will absolutely be buying more for my husband. 10/10 would recommend! I travel frequently, and I always overpack; this helped cut down space and stress immensely!" —Taylor
Get it from Amazon for $22.99 (available in nine colors/patterns).
The reviews used in this post have been edited for length and clarity.