A Natural Travel Beauty Routine: What to Pack and How

Many traditional Moroccan products are solids or powders: beldi and argan soaps, ithmid kohl, aker fassi on its clay base. They contain little or no water, so they are compact and simple to carry, and many of them do more than one job.

The idea is to take your usual routine with you in a smaller form. If you do not have one yet, start with our natural morning and night skincare routine, then browse the Skin & Body collection for travel-friendly pieces.

Think about where you are going, too. In hot, humid places you will want less oil and more rose water; in cold, dry places or on long flights, the oil and a lip balm over your aker fassi become your best friends.

Five products cover face, body and a simple makeup look for a week or more away.

• Argan oil soap bar — a solid cleanser for the body that does not count as a liquid.
• Kessa exfoliating glove — light, flat and quick to dry.
• Aker fassi lip & cheek stain — one small pot, two uses.
• Ithmid kohl powder — in a glass bottle with its applicator.
• Prickly pear seed oil, 15 ml — a few drops at night, in a bottle that slips easily into a liquids bag.

A soap bar replaces shower gel and spares you a bottle that can leak. Let it dry completely before you pack it, then wrap it in a small cotton bag or a travel soap tin.

The kessa glove weighs almost nothing and dries quickly when you hang it up. Once a week, after a hot shower, it gives you a mini hammam wherever you are; our kessa glove guide explains how. Pack it only when fully dry, in a breathable pouch.

For makeup, two pots are enough. A traditional aker fassi stain gives you a lip tint and a cheek blush from the same pot: dampen a fingertip, pick up the colour and build. See how to use aker fassi for the full method.

Add ithmid kohl powder for soft, smoky eyes that need no sharpener and no pencil. Our guide on how to apply ithmid kohl covers the gesture and the hygiene rules: never share the applicator, keep it clean and stop if you notice any irritation.

Shop the aker fassi lip & cheek stain

Your liquids bag only needs two things. The prickly pear seed oil comes in a 15 ml bottle and you only use two or three drops at a time, so it lasts the whole trip. Read more in our prickly pear seed oil guide.

Rose water is lovely on a long flight or after a day in the sun, but a full bottle may be larger than your airline allows in the cabin. Check your airline's liquid rules and decant a little into a small travel spray. Our article on rose water uses for face and hair has more ideas.

Shop the prickly pear seed oil, 15 ml

Ten minutes of care before you leave saves you from spilled powder and soggy soap.

1. Dry everything: make sure your soap, glove and kohl applicator are completely dry the night before.
2. Seal the kohl: close the bottle tightly, keep it upright and slip it into its own small zip bag.
3. Protect the clay pot: aker fassi comes in terracotta, so wrap it in a soft cloth or sock and keep the lid closed.
4. Bag the liquids: put the oil and your decanted rose water in a clear liquids bag, caps tightly closed.
5. Wrap the soap: use a cotton bag or soap tin so it does not stick to your clothes.
6. Keep it cool: pack the pouch in your cabin bag or away from heat, never in a hot car.

Try every product at home a few times before you leave rather than on the first morning of your trip, and do a patch test on your inner forearm for anything new to you. Travel is not the moment to discover that a shade is stronger than you expected.

Building a travel kit, or a gift for a friend who is always on the move? You can add each piece to one order, or choose a ready-made set on our gift sets page. Every order is dispatched within 1 working day and shipped worldwide with FedEx International Priority, with a tracking number (shipping details).