Face Wash
A gentle face wash that fights breakouts, this is a light product that doesn't leave you feeling like you applied some sort of strange acid to your face. In truth, Burt's Bees is a safe bet for any travel alternative but the Gel Cleanser was a definite standout in a drugstore field that seems crowded by mainstream brands that fall short. Burt's Bees offers a sense of normalcy in the home-away-from-home face washing department.
Natural Acne Solutions gel cleanser,
$7.99 by Burt's Bees
Luxe Alternative
If you don't want to buy a bottle of cleanser, look for these popular cleansing towelettes from La Roche-Posay. They wipe away oil and daily grime, plus they're formulated with exfoliating Lipo-Hydroxy Acid and oil-targeting Zinc Pidolate to keep skin smooth and clear. Not to mention, they're incredibly packable as well.
Effaclar Clarifying cleansing towelettes,
$9.99 by La Roche-Posay
Shaving Cream
Finding a suitable shaving cream that you can travel with while on the road is the one challenge that we felt most disappointed with. Drugstore shaving creams come from very specific brands that lean toward the overwhelmingly masculine and mainstream—the sorts of products that your dad and grandfather favored or that you found yourself trending toward because you were a teen who picked whatever neon gel was available. And in travel sizes? Good luck. The best of the lot was Barbasol, which offers a classic, simple shave that felt (and smelled) much better than the offerings you might grab, given the shaving muscle memory of your high school years.
Thick and Rich sensitive skin shave cream,
$1.79 by Barbasol
Gentler Alternative
A heightened alternative that is just as readily available is Gillette's Pure Men's Soothing Shave Cream. It's nice and light without any cloying scents or unnecessary dyes—the addition of aloe makes it ideal for sensitive skin The only problem here is that the container is a bit large and will have to be left behind.
Soothing shave cream,
$5.99 by Pure by Gillette
Lip Balm
For the lip moisturizing obsessives, Carmex is a baseline for balm. It's strong, long lasting, and classic, preventing lips from drying out for hours. The product is lightly mentholated and as an added bonus, has an embedded sun blocker as well. Thankfully, it's available almost anywhere and comes in sticks, tubes and jars, in varieties from the classic, medicated version to fruit-accent balms and something inspired by cupcakes. Take your pick and remove the label for a shot of minimalist style.
Classic lip balm,
$2.79 (for three) by Carmex
Natural Alternative
Let's be real: you've used Burt's Bees lip balm before and are probably using it now. Thankfully, this is readily available at most drugstores and is all natural but, we did find that the Carmex lasts a bit longer.
All-natural moisturizing lip balm,
$5.69 (for two) by Burt's Bees
The Silver Bullet Product
When traveling, the name of the game is efficiency, a less-is-more philosophy that can be difficult given our super specific grooming routines that we try to maintain while away. But Dr. Bronner's is a proven classic that works great for as a body wash, a shampoo, a face wash and even a shaving alternative. Using this product as soap leaves the body with a tingly, clean sensation thanks to very simple, very natural ingredients. While some may cringe at the thought of using soap to shave with, it's surprisingly light on the skin and the results are delightfully pleasant. The only catch with Dr. Bronner's is that it can be difficult to track down travel sizes. However, the large sizes are quite accessible at most drugstores and will last you months. If you're checking a bag, consider this—or go the extra mile to track down the travel size. It's worth it.
Peppermint pure-Castile soap,
$4.59 by Dr. Bronner's
