How to Pack a Travel Grooming Kit

grooming products to pack for travel trumper

If you’re one to jet off frequently, or routinely inhabit different places and spaces, having a separate travel kit with dedicated essentials is a no-brainer. Always at the ready (whenever wanderlust beckons), this saves time and last minute packing stresses, while travel-sized products make the most of precious luggage space. Forgetfulness is never fun, nor is wandering the streets of Buenos Aires searching for a toothbrush and deodorant.

Below we’ve included a list of grooming essentials for your travel bag, allowing you to transport your routine wherever you might find yourself.

1. Deodorant - Geo. F. Trumper Eucris Deodorant Stick

Rollerball ‘roll-on’ deodorants often leak in the reduced cabin pressure, so choose a solid stick or liquid spray. Deodorant sticks are particularly compact, and can last months at a time - particularly suited for trips short or long. 

The Eucris Deodorant Stick from Trumper is a classic - unobtrusive masculine elegance - it smells great. Its main ingredient is Glycol, which ensures a pleasant and easy to use experience. It has a smooth texture and feel and it keeps skin hydrated throughout wear, and thus is non-irritating and supremely comfortable. When it comes to travel - comfort is everything.

2. Travel Tube - GoToob Travel Tube

This is a fantastic little travel tube made from soft yet rugged silicone. They don’t leak and they’re easy to fill and clean again and again. They will hold almost any product (for example, shampoo) and are a great way to save space and weight when travelling. Every travel kit should contain a few of these.

3. Lip Balm - Standard Procedure Lip Balm SPF 50+

A hydrating and moisturising lip balm is Ideal to combat the drying effects of continuous aeroplane air-conditioning. This product from Standard Procedure is made of emollient mango butter, as well as healing and protecting vitamin E.

And for when you’re off the plane - holidaying for many of us means adventuring, exposing us to the elements. A lip balm with an added SPF is one less thing to worry about.

4. Manicure Kit - Czech & Speake Air Safe Manicure Kit

Avoid tools with sharp, pointy edges. We recommend nail clippers over nail scissors for travel, but if you elect to go with scissors, make sure the blades are shorter than 4 inches or they won’t be allowed on board. This kit is especially made for air travel, and is luxurious in every sense, with each detail thoughtfully considered.

All the tools in this kit have rounded edges, conforming to international restrictions on hand luggage for air travel. The English long grain leather case is discreet and beautiful, and the tools have been handmade by expert craftspeople in Solingen, Germany. The sleek matte black finish has a teflon coating to dramatically boost life span by reducing oxidation and acting as a dirt repellent, making them supremely hygienic. A must have? We think so.

5. Comb - Baxter of California Pocket Comb

You’re not you when you don’t look like yourself. Ensure the world gets to see the best side of yourself with carefully grooming and styled hair. When it comes to travel, choose something compact and sturdy - so that it can last the length of travel, and all the commotion in a travel bag.

Baxter’s Pocket Comb reminds us that you need not travel at the expense of a quality experience. From cutting to polishing, each comb goes through a detailed 12-step process of manufacturing - all done by hand. With smoothly tapered teeth and rounded tips, this comb delivers the highest quality for scalp and hair comfort.

6. Moisturiser - Baxter of California Oil Free Moisturiser SPF 15

A moisturiser containing SPF is handy as it can serve multiple uses as a moisturiser, after shave balm and light sun protection, saving you packing space. There’s a lot to like about Baxter’s Oil Free Moisturiser SPF 15. It’s lightweight and won’t result in a residual shine - but that’s not to say that it isn’t effective - it balances, hydrates, smoothes, soothes, moisturises, and protects the skin with an impressive blend of white tea, aloe vera, chamomile, ginseng, a safflower oil extracts.

7. Shave Cream Tube - Geo. F. Trumper Sandalwood Shaving Cream Tube

No need to lug a great big jar of shave cream or can of aerosol around with you when you travel. Most of the best shave creams are also available in compact tubes under 100ml, which will be ample for a trip lasting a few weeks, and then even more. The trick is to seek something that lathers generously and well. 

Geo F. Trumper is unparalleled here. Amongst the many options available, we love the consistent and homely aroma of sandalwood. For light growth, an almond-sized dab of product lathered up in the beard is enough to ensure all the comforting and cushioning benefits of a quality shaving cream - with or without a brush.

8. Travel Shave Brush - One Thousand & Ninety Two Synthetic Travel Brush

Packing and unpacking this travel brush is half the fun, with a head that stores compactly in the body of the product, also protecting the bristles from all the motion of travel. Its supersoft bristles also boast the benefit of quick drying due to its synthetic composition. Whilst a brush is no necessity when it comes to using a shaving cream, we wouldn’t want to miss out on a quality shave, regardless of where we are.

9. Travel Razor - Merkur Solingen Travel Razor with Leather Case

This four-piece razor weights in at a mere 60g and packs down into a tiny (5.6cm x 6cm) black leather case when it's time to hit the road. With a handle length of just under 7cm, this travel razor is still very usable as a daily shaving implement, and has the peerless quality you can expect from Merkur Solingen. Just remember to leave your favourite blades in your checked luggage.

10. Face Wash - men-u Healthy Facial Wash Buddy Tube

The face, body, and hair products from men-u make use of concentrates - where a little goes a (considerably) long way. Case in point, a single travel tube of face wash foams readily to deliver up to 30 washes. There’s a lot to like about this face wash, which cleans deep and keeps one’s skin pH in the balance, without stripping excessively. With tea tree high up on the ingredients list (followed by witch hazel), its cleansing action doubles as a natural antiseptic and antibacterial - a solution for shaving spots and rashes, too.

11. Sunscreen - Standard Procedure SPF 50+ Sunscreen

Australian-made sunscreen is made for the world at large. Good habits are habits for a reason, and are for everywhere. Keep a handy tube of high SPF sunscreen available for sunny locales especially - this one from Standard Procedure comes with a clip on black carabiner, easy to secure to a backpack so it’s never too far. With added Australian superfruits with antioxidants and Vitamins A, B + C help to protect against free radical damage, this is a must.

12. All-in-One Wash - American Crew 3-in-1 Shampoo, Conditioner and Body Wash

You may consider an all-in-one hair and body wash if space is tight or your trip short. We love the no nonsense approach of American Crew’s 3-in-1, a shampoo, conditioner, and body wash all in one. Designed to invigorate and care for, it’s perfect for after the long haul.

Save further space and weight by transferring your favourite product into a GoToob as most shampoos, conditioners and body washes come in bottles over 100ml.

13. Toothpaste - Marvis Travel-Sized Toothpaste

Pick your flavour, from whitening mint to cinnamon, Marvis has produced their beloved flavours in super convenient, 25ml put-in-and-forget about it sized tubes. The perfect size for travel, a single tube will last even the longest of trips. In fact, you might even be able to pack two away for the joy of variety and choice.

An All-Important Reminder About Carry-On Restrictions:

International Flights:

  • Liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes must be 100ml or less per container if you want to bring them in your carry-on luggage.
  • Scissors must have blades shorter than 4 inches (10cm) and have blunt, rounded edges.
  • Always have a clear, plastic, zip-top bag on hand to display your kit contents at screening checkpoints (guidelines state that everything should fit inside a single bag roughly 20cm×20cm).
  • If in doubt, put the item in your checked baggage. 

Domestic Flights:

  • No liquid and gel volume restrictions, but keep any sharp or pointed items in checked luggage.