This One Product Is My Most Useful Beauty-Editor Hack for Holiday Packing

Merit has perfected the art of the beauty kit with its expertly curated sets. There are multiples to choose from, but this Five Minute Morning set is perfect for travel. It includes Merit's heroes, such as The Minimalist complexion stick (which doubles as a foundation and concealer), the Flush Balm (the easiest cream blush to apply), as well as a brow gel, mascara, lip oil and a brush. It's everything you need to feel put together without wearing a full face of makeup. Plus, if you spend £125, you can get a free Merit tote bag, which makes the perfect beach bag.

Nothing says summer quite like Sol De Janiero's perfume mists and iconic Bum Bum Cream, and this travel set includes the much-loved Cheriosa '62 perfume mist in miniature form alongside a travel-sized pot of the cult body cream, which smells exactly like a far-flung summer escape. You also get a 90ml showering cream, so you can be scented from top to toe. And how cute is the yellow case? It's perfect for storing your toiletries in hand luggage.

Space NK knows exactly how to do a brilliant beauty travel kit. While this one is designed for brides-to-be, it contains so many beauty icons that are ideal for holidays, too. The Augustinus Bader eye masks are great for wearing after (or during) a long flight, while Chantecaille's Eau de Rose de Mai Pure Rosewater face mist is great for refreshing the skin mid-flight. The mini Caudalie Resveratrol Lift Lightweight Firming Cashmere Cream leaves dehydrated skin feeling plumped and hydrated once you've landed, but is lightweight enough to wear underneath makeup in the evenings too. Colorwow's Xtra Large Bombshell Volumizer is one of the best hair mousses around, helping to enhance beachy texture and add volume to your style. You'll also find a miniature Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blusher and a Lisa Eldridge Baume Embrace Melting Lip Colour, both of which come in suits-all pink—perfect for no-fuss, 'no-makeup' makeup on holiday.

This trio adds instant beachy volume without the blow-dry. Hair by Sam McKnight's Cool Girl texturising spray is a staple in many beauty editors' hair kits for creating effortlessly cool, undone texture. Not only do you get a miniature version of the cult hair spray, but you also get both the shampoo and conditioner in travel size to help cleanse and nourish holiday hair, whether it’s priming for Ibiza nights or city-break strolls, this set ensures your hair looks great.

Cos perfumes have become one of our favourite new perfumes this summer. So when I saw that a discovery set was also available, I quickly added it to my basket. These travel-friendly vials are perfect so popping in your case or hand luggage without being as heavy as a full-sized bottle of fragrance (plus, you avoid the risk of your perfume bottle breaking in transit). Holidays are the perfect time to experiment with a new holiday perfume, and it will remind you of your travels every time you spritz it.

Think of this Nuxe kit as your passport to that effortless French-girl holiday glow. This French Riviera-coded travel kit includes Nuxe's iconic Huile Prodigieuse body oil, which is a dry oil that leaves skin gleaming and nourished without ever feeling heavy—plus, the gentle scent is to die for. For days spent in the sun, you also have two SPF 50s to choose from, including a body oil and a cream. The chic yellow-striped pouch is just perfect for the beach or pool, too.

Summer Fridays is renowned for its travel-focused skincare (the Jet Lag face mask is a modern icon for reviving the skin after long-haul flights and late nights alike), and this set includes everything skin needs after hours sitting in recycled cabin air. Included is the aforementioned Jet Lag Mask in miniature form, alongside the Jet Lag Eye Patches (which are by far the best eye patches I've tried, BTW) and the Jet Lag Deep Hydration Serum and Skin Soothing Hydration Face Mist to ensure you land with plumped, glowing skin.

Sunday Riley is amongst some of our favourite skincare brands. This travel set is brilliant if you're already a Sunday Riley lover who can't be without their C.E.O. or Good Genes serum, but it's also a brilliant way to try the brand's hero products if you haven't already. Inside are miniature versions of a cleanser, face mist, two types of serums, a face oil, moistuirser and an eye cream, so you're entire skincare routine is set. All housed a chic orange toiletry bag, which is perfect for holidays and weekends away.

Aesop's Departure Travel Kit is sure to make you feel like you're on a private jet, even if you're flying economy. It has everything you could need to help you stay feeling fresh in transit and is quite possibly the most elevated travel kit I've seen. This set of Aesop's little luxuries includes a hand sanitiser and hand balm in the iconic Resurrection scent, alongside a toothpaste and mouthwash to help you feel refreshed. There's also a lip balm, facial mist and a face mask to soothe and hydrate on your flight.

We all know that most hotel bathrooms can let us down when it comes to their hair and body amenities, which is why I adore Space NK's take on the 'everything shower' for this kit. From Living Proof shampoo and conditioner to Naturium's luxe washes, this travel kit ensures all your favourite bodycare and hair brands don't get left behind and fit neatly into the blue Space NK pouch for safekeeping. Ideal for post-beach showers or pre-dinner refreshes (ideally paired with a bag of Lays crisps on the balcony).

If you're yet to experience the magic that is Tatcha, then take this travel kit as your sign. Inside are two of Tatcha's celebrity-adored moisturisers (The Dewy Cream and The Water Cream), which intensely hydrate and prime the skin for makeup. You also have two cleansers to pick from, as well as a lip mask to hydrate and plump. Inspired by Japanese rituals, these products are perfect for resetting your skin after long flights or hot days exploring.

There's a reason why Augustinus Bader is adored by celebrities and editors alike—The Rich Cream has become both a modern skincare icon and a beauty status symbol. It leaves skin feeling nourished, plumped and hydrated, making it a great moisturiser for travel. If you're not yet ready to invest in a full-sized bottle of The Rich Cream, this set allows you to trial it while discovering minatures of The Face Cream Mask, The Serum and The Eye Cream. Jet lag? We don't know her.

I may have to buy this beauty travel kit for the raffia pouch alone, but inside are some of Dr Babara Sturm's skincare favourites to enjoy too. The Hyaluronic Face Mist is a lifesaver for refreshing skin, while the SPF 50 Drops are perfect for topping up your facial SPF. There are also minis of the Face Mask and Face Cream Light to keep your skin looking and feeling its best while you're away.

For me personally, Dior's travel beauty kit is less of a want and more of a need. I can already envisage doubling up the pouch as a clutch bag and a travel pouch. Inside, you have three of Dior's makeup and skincare heroes, including the plumping Dior Addict Lip Maximiser, the balmy Dior Lip Glow (which leaves lips with a pH-reactive tint) and a mini Capture Totale Le Sérum to plump and firm the skin.

If you're a fragrance-lover, then you have to pack Maison Margiela Replica's perfume discovery set in your case. Including 10 vials of travel-friendly scents, it allows you to try some of the best Maison Margiela Replica, which are all inspired by destinations and memories. Beach Walk and Sailing Day are two firm summer perfume favourites.

Ouai is known for its editor-loved haircare, but it also creates some amazingly scented bodycare. The Wanna Get A-Ouai Travel Kit includes a body cleanser, body mist and body cream, all in Ouai's iconic St. Barts scent. It smells like a tropical beach getaway and will get you endless compliments—trust me.

If, like me, your hair struggles with humidity on holiday, allow me to point you in the direction of this Color Wow set. It includes the cult Color Wow Dream Coat (the only hair product that defies my frizz on holiday—it's like a waterproof shield for your hair that lasts in between washes) and the Color Security Shampoo to prevent hair colour from distorting. And for post-beach, you really can't beat the Money Mask, which intensely nourishes hair to leave it feeling bouncy and glossy.

Quench thirsty, sun-drenched skin with some of Caudalie's skincare favourites in travel-sized form. Inside the pouch, you get a foaming cleanser, a sorbet-textured moisturiser, a shower gel and a body lotion. These lightweight and glow-enhancing formulas are ideal for warm-weather holidays and keeping your skincare routine streamlined.

Incredibly, Cult Beauty's travel kit is worth over £185, but it is yours for just £45. This is your ultimate beauty carry-on kit, which includes cult favourites from Augustinus Bader, Summer Fridays, Glow Recipe, Sunday Riley and many more. It all comes neatly packed into a vanity case, so you can grab and go when you're travelling.

Whether you’re landing in Cannes or Cornwall this summer, this kit of Charlotte Tilbury's most-loved makeup in miniature form means you don't have to miss out on your full-sized favourites. It includes the cult Hollywood Flawless Filter, Pillow Talk Lipstick and lip liner, a powder and the editor-loved makeup setting spray (which holds makeup down, even as temperatures rise). It has everything your makeup bag needs, from daytime sightseeing to golden hour cocktails.