The summer holiday season is in full swing, and with that comes the dreaded hand luggage limits and changing climates needing adapted beauty routines. With this, travel beauty minis are undoubtedly the easiest way to keep luggage light without leaving your routine behind, and new consumer data shows their rising popularity.
The research from LOOKFANTASTIC used internal consumer data to reveal the most popular travel beauty minis this summer*, with Beauty of Joseon’s Relief Sun Rice + Probiotics SPF50 ranking as the most wanted mini product of the season.
The data shows that we’re all becoming smarter packers, purchasing travel-sized minis of our favourite products whilst also looking at products that have multiple benefits in one bottle.
A large majority of the products that ranked as most popular had multiple uses, i.e. tinted SPFs, aligning with the new ‘skin streaming’ trend as searches rise by 413% in the past month**. Instead of squeezing a full regimen into miniature bottles, we’re choosing fewer, harder-working products that actually earn their space in the suitcase.
Top 10 most popular travel beauty minis right now
According to the data, foundation takes four of the top ten spots and sunscreen takes two, reinforcing just how far the shift towards multitasking base products has come. The top 10 most popular travel minis are:
| Rank | Product | Category | Contains SPF | Sessions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Rice + Probiotics SPF50 50ml | Sunscreen | Yes | 80K+ |
| 2 | Estée Lauder Double Wear Longwear Matte Foundation SPF10 30ml | Foundation | Yes | 70K+ |
| 3 | La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Invisible Fluid SPF50 50ml | Sunscreen | Yes | 70K+ |
| 4 | Armani Luminous Silk Foundation 30ml | Foundation | No | 60K+ |
| 5 | NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation | Foundation | No | 50K+ |
| 6 | Kylie Cosmetics Skin Tint Blurring Elixir Foundation 30ml | Skin Tint / Drops | No | 50K+ |
| 7 | La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Repairing Baume B5 SPF50 40ml | Moisturiser | Yes | 40K+ |
| 8 | Kérastase Genesis Serum Anti-Chute Fortifiant 90ml | Hair Serum | No | 40K+ |
| 9 | Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum Ginseng Retinal 30ml | Eye Care | No | 40K+ |
| 10 | Estée Lauder Double Wear Longwear Matte Foundation SPF10 15ml Travel Size | Foundation | Yes | 30K+ |
The most popular foundation base minis:
Top of the travel mini most popular list is the new wave of foundation minis that are built to blur, hydrate and protect all at once, meaning your base can double up as your SPF step without feeling heavy in the heat.
- Estée Lauder Double Wear Longwear Matte Foundation SPF10 – the cult classic reformulated with a more breathable, fluid feel and genuine sweat and weather resistance, perfect for city breaks and beach days alike.
- Armani Luminous Silk Foundation – prized for its skin-like finish and buildable coverage without ever looking cakey.
- NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation – for a lit-from-within glow that survives long-haul flights and even longer dinners.
- Kylie Cosmetics Skin Tint Blurring Elixir Foundation – a weightless option for anyone who wants coverage without feeling like they’re wearing anything at all
The most popular SPF minis:
Sunscreen might have been pipped by foundation for the top search spot, but it’s still non-negotiable, and the products topping the list prove SPF no longer means thick, white-cast formulas.
- Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun – the K-beauty favourite that’s basically gone viral for its rice and probiotic formula, lightweight enough to wear under makeup or completely alone.
- La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Invisible Fluid SPF50 – a dermatologist go-to for sensitive skin that leaves zero white cast, even on darker skin tones.
- La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Repairing Baume B5 SPF50 – a soothing multitasker for anyone dealing with sun-sensitised or irritated skin on holiday.
The most popular skincare minis
Beyond the top 10, skincare minis are following the same multitasking logic, favouring formulas that can hydrate, refresh and repair in a single step rather than requiring a five-step routine crammed into tiny bottles.
- Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Capsule Mist – ideal for reviving dry, flight-tired skin or refreshing makeup mid-afternoon on a hot day.
- Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum – a gentle, beginner-friendly retinal serum for anyone easing into active skincare without wanting to overload their toiletry bag.
- Medik8 Crystal Retinal minis – for those who want to keep their skin cycling routine going even while away from home.
Most popular fragrance minis:
Curated ‘jet set’ bundles are leading the way for body care, with sets like the Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Jet Set and Beija Flor Jet Set proving popular for combining cult-favourite scents into a single travel-ready package, meaning one bag can cover body wash, cream and mist in one go.
Most popular haircare minis:
Hair isn’t being left behind either. Kérastase Genesis Serum Anti-Chute Fortifiant made the top 10, showing that even holidaymakers are unwilling to compromise on hair health for the sake of packing light, especially with sun, sea and chlorine all working against them.
How to pack your travel beauty bag like a pro
Jess Clarke beauty expert at LOOKFANTASTIC shares her top tips for building a holiday-proof beauty kit without exceeding your hand luggage allowance:
- Prioritise multitaskers first: A tinted SPF or CC cream can replace three separate products, freeing up space for the things that can’t double up
- Decant, don’t downsize: If a favourite product doesn’t come in a mini, a reusable travel bottle under 100ml means you never have to compromise on your routine
- Pack for the climate, not just the trip: Lightweight, non-greasy formulas perform better in heat and humidity than richer, heavier textures
- Don’t skip the basics: SPF and a hydrating mist are the two products worth never leaving behind, whatever else gets left at home
Jess also comments, “We’re seeing beauty lovers become much savvier about what they pack for their holidays. It’s no longer about grabbing the smallest bottle on the shelf; it’s about choosing products that genuinely multitask, so a tinted SPF or a CC cream can replace three separate steps in your routine. That’s a real shift in how people think about their holiday kit.”
To shop LookFantastic’s full range of travel minis, visit: https://www.lookfantastic.com/c/offers/summer-shop/minis/
Photo by Tara Winstead: https://www.pexels.com/photo/top-view-of-a-variety-of-cosmetic-products-6690212/
