What to pack and try this month …

In the 1990s, magazine articles always cited the same two travel essentials: a pashmina and a Ghost dress. How do we pack in 2026? Years of liquid restrictions have trained us into minimalism when travelling. Many airports, including Dublin, have now scrapped the plastic bag rule; you can take up to two litres of liquids in your carry-on (though check your return airport’s rules, too). Will we really go back to lugging full bottles of foundation and perfume? There’s no need to. Trinny London’s make-up pots are essential – I re-use them for everything from cleanser and moisturiser to conditioner (just label them clearly).

Conditioner is a useful thing to take – hotel ones tend to be rubbish. If squeezed for space, leave out items you can re-buy cheaply elsewhere. But prioritise your SPF, wherever you’re travelling – CeraVe’s Invisible Hydrating Fluid Sunscreen (€18.50), Bioderma Sensibio AR (anti-redness) CC Cream (€25) and Clinique Mineral Sunscreen Fluid for Face (€35.50), all SPF50, come in neat, pocketsized tubes.

Travel sizes are a pricey way of buying perfume, but the Escentric Molecules atomiser set (€105, at Space NK) is attractive and smells great. And try the E11even perfume oil (€92, 20ml, at Space NK), which doubles as a body oil.

What to carry it all in? A transparent beauty bag is handy, if you’re not too messy; M&S has a set of three (€27) and Boots has a mini cherry one for under €10. Personally, I’ve never found a better toiletry bag than the sturdy neoprene Dagne Dover small Hunter (currently €52, plus €7 delivery): it’s unfussy and built to last. The Ouai travel kit (€36) features three fragrant bodycare items in a ready to go bag. Keep things small and sleek. I’m still trying to shake the habit of taking eight lipsticks/balms with me, even for an overnight.

Make-up wise, avoid loose powders in favour of stick formulas, as they’re less prone to spilling, and quicker to use. The most glamorous beauty items to carry with you this summer? Tom Ford’s white and gold palettes – the T-branded highlighter (€48) is a thing of beauty. Gucci Westman is queen of on-the-go elegance: consider her new Sun Tone Bronzing Crème (€80) as your motivation for avoiding too much sun on your face.