Lightweight Travel Toiletries for One-Bag Travel: My Complete Kit

Packing toiletries for carry-on travel sounds simple until you are staring at a quart-sized ziplock and a pile of bottles that clearly won’t fit. As someone who has packed a bag or lived out of one most weeks for the last 30 years, I need a simple, reliable system. My entire kit weighs around 1 lb (450g), lasts a month on the road, and fits inside a single pouch. No decanting, no tiny plastic travel minis, and no panic at airport security. Here is the exact gear I pack and how it fits into one small toiletry case with room to spare.

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Carry-On Travel Toiletries – My Packing List

✅Keep it Simple • ➖Less is More • 🎒Baggage Freedom

Start planning before your leave. Can you find products or processes you can eliminate from your ‘everyday’ at home, while still feeling like ‘you’? Streamlining your toiletries at home will make it easier to pack when you go away.

The One-Bag Rules

• Stop Decanting Everything: Squeezing liquid from large bottles into small ones is messy, prone to leaks, and hard to clean. If you travel frequently, it’s a never-ending job. Decanting is a last resort, not the default and shopping for travel minis is expensive, both for you and the planet.
• Switch to Solids and Concentrates: Solid bars and anhydrous pastes eliminate liquid volume entirely and take the stress out of airport security
• Choose Multi-Use Over Specialised: If an item only does one job, it needs to be extraordinary to earn a spot in your bag.

My travel toiletry bag lives in my bathroom when I’m at home. and gets used every day. Adopting one simple process keeps my bathroom tidy, calms my busy brain and leaves me free to focus on other things.

The One-Bag List

Here’s my toiletry bag and everything in it, including a large towel.

And here’s the complete list:

1. Toiletry Pouch: Matador Flatpak Zipper Toiletry Case. A gusset at the bottom so it stands up on its own, and dry-bag fabric to keep things from leaking and getting soggy. There’s a loop on the back, so it hangs up. Ultralight and spacious, so it’s easy to grab things.
2. Makeup: Easy-to-use. mess-free sticks. Ideal for travel from Merit, a leading International clean beauty brand. The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion stick, bronze balm for cheeks (and lips), and clean lash-lengthening mascara. That’s it.
3. Dry Oil: Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse (US), or buy directly from Nuxe (France) or Nuxe (UK). A Three-in-one dry oil. Face and Body Moisturiser plus hair conditioner and detangler. Add a bit of class to your travel toiletry bag with this iconic French beauty brand, and save space by bringing one beautiful bottle instead of a multitude of little plastic ones!
4. Comb and Nail File: Kent Comb and Nail File set in a leather case. Nice little travel set.
5. Deodorant: Nuud creme Deodorant – highly concentrated, natural but effective deodorant in a biodegradable tube. This family pack has 4 different colour tubes, so everyone can have their own colour
6. Electric Toothbrush: Sonisk sonic travel toothbrush (outside the US) / Voom sonic travel toothbrush (US), neat, lightweight electric toothbrush powered by a AAA battery – dentist-designed
7. Whitening Toothpowder or Toothpaste Tablets: Sonisk whitening toothpowder or Sonisk toothpaste tablets
8. Floss: Small Roll of Floss – a hygienic and compact solution for travel
9. Soap Dry Bag: The Matador Flatpak Soap Bar Case is both breathable and waterproof, so it dries your wet soap bar on the inside without leaching anything onto the outside. This works! Ditch the tin or plastic box for travel. (Shown with two bars inside).
10. Face and Body Bar: KinKind. My RADIANT cleanse! Rosehip & Rice Bran Face Cleansing Bar or try Kitsch Glycolic Acid Face Wash & Body Wash Bar with Shea Butter (US & Amazon)
11. Shampoo Bar: Kinkind NOURISH me! Shampoo Bar. Ideal for Dry/Normal & Grey Hair. – or try Kitsch Rice Water Shampoo Bar for Hair Growth & Strengthening  (US & Amazon)
12. Mini Razor: Gillette Venus Snap mini Razor in a small box (from Muji). Tiny, ultralight, and the blades are widely available internationally
13. Large Travel Towel: Matador Nanodry Packable Shower Towel works surprisingly well, given that it weighs only 84g (excluding the container). A good size for the beach or the shower. While your accommodation is likely to provide a towel, its use extends beyond that.

Not shown, as I carry them with me in my 5L sling bag (EDC) rather than keeping them in my Flatpak Toiletry Case.

14. Credit-card-shaped multi-tool: Victorinox Swisscard (nail care): This includes mini scissors and tweezers, plus other mini tools such as a screwdriver, a pen, and a magnifying glass. Part of my other mini essentials in my travel bag.
15. SPF Sunscreen: Sol de Ibiza – Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF30 – Face & Body (available in Europe). Raw Elements Face and Body Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 (available in the US) is very similar.

1. Hair Care

Solid shampoo has improved dramatically, but using the wrong type will leave your hair waxy or straw-like. If you’ve tried it before without success, pick a different bar and give it another go,

Shampoo Bars (Syndet vs Soap)

Always choose a syndet (synthetic detergent) bar rather than a traditional soap bar. Syndet bars match your scalp’s natural pH and rinse clean. Look for ingredients like Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate rather than saponified oils. Avoid bars with Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) if you have a sensitive scalp or want a gentler bar which won’t strip your hair.

These are the brands I recommend: Kitsch (US), KinKind (UK), Ethique (NZ/AUS). They all offer a range of solid hair shampoos for every hair type, made with gentle ingredients that respect your scalp and hair. While all ship internationally, which one you choose may depend on where you live.

• US/Amazon Pick: Kitsch Rice Water Shampoo Bar for Hair Growth & Strengthening
• UK/Europe Pick: KinKind Give me STRENGTH! Shampoo bar. Volume & Strength for fine, flat and thin hair
• AUS/NZ Pick: Ethique Volumising Solid Shampoo Bar with Biotin

Dry Oil to condition and detangle

Kitsch, Kinkind and Ethique all do matching conditioners to go with their shampoos.

If you want to skip solid conditioner bars, you can use a few drops of dry oil on damp ends instead. It detangles, tames flyaways, and doubles as your face and body moisturiser. Nuxe Dry Oil also works as a pre-shampoo treatment, so if your hair needs an extra boost, apply a few drops at night (use sparingly), comb through, then shampoo in the morning for an intensive hair-repair treatment.

Buy Nuxe directly from the US, French, or UK brand store, or pick it up duty-free at the airport. Buy the half-size 1.6 Fl. oz (50ml) for travel to save on decanting. My current bottle is 30ml, but this size isn’t always available online.

Nuxe Dry Oil for Face, Body and Hair | KinKind NOURISH me! Shampoo Bar. Coconut & Argan Oil | Kent Comb (mine comes in a leather case with a nail file) | Kent Folding Hairbrush | Wahl Travel Hairdryer (International Voltage) (the folding brush and hairdryer stay at home)

2. Skincare and Body

Face & Body Cleansing

A single gentle face bar for both face and body that won’t strip the skin is the easiest switch you can make. While body wash is usually available at your accommodation, you can choose to use it or not, without bringing an extra product.

When washing your face, it’s wise to choose a bar formulated specifically for your face, not just any old bar of soap.

These are the brands I recommend: Kitsch (US), KinKind (UK), Ethique (NZ/AUS). They all offer a range of solid hair shampoos for every hair type, made with gentle ingredients that respect your scalp and hair. While all ship internationally, which one you choose may depend on where you live.

• US/Amazon Pick: Kitsch Glycolic Acid Face Wash & Body Wash Bar with Shea Butter
• UK/Europe Pick: KinKind My Radiant CLEANSE! Facial Cleanser Bar
• AUS/NZ Pick: Ethique Hydrating Face Cleanser

And if you’re wondering how to store your bar on the road and keep it from getting soggy and leaching onto everything else, there’s a right way and a wrong way to do it. Getting it right makes a big difference.

Moisturising

Use a facial oil or multi-use dry oil for daily hydration. Nuxe Dry Oil is the iconic product from the global French beauty brand of the same name. It’s a face and body oil (as well as a hair oil), so one beautiful bottle replaces several products you might otherwise need to decant into travel-size bottles or buy as travel minis. Add a touch of luxury to your travel toiletries, save space, and reduce plastic waste, too. It’s a winner!

Buy Nuxe directly from the US. French or UK brand store for the best choice and offers, or pick it up at the airport duty-free. Buy the half-size 1.6 Fl. oz (50ml) for travel to save on decanting. My current bottle is 30ml, but this size isn’t always available online.

Deodorant

Concentrated deodorant sticks or water-free balms last twice as long as roll-ons or aerosols while weighing a fraction as much.

• My Favourites: Nuud deodorant or Wild Pack of 3 Mini Deodorant Sticks

Sun Protection

Opt for concentrated SPF sticks, solid sunscreen bars, or my favourite non-nano, reef-safe zinc oxide pastes in a tin. These apply smoothly without adding to your liquid allowance.

• My Favourite: Sol de Ibiza – Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF30 – Face & Body (available in Europe). Raw Elements Face and Body Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 (available in the US) is very similar.

I’m keen to use zero- or low-waste products and avoid single-use plastic where I can, so in terms of the packaging these items came in, we have a cleansing bar transported in a cardboard box, a moisturising oil in a glass bottle, deodorant in a sugarcane tube, and sun protection in a compact tin. That’s a result!

3. Dental Care

Electric toothbrushes, often with proprietary chargers, are heavy and take up a lot of space, but there are some smart picks out there which will clean your teeth well and are designed for travel. There’s also the trusty folding travel toothbrush, which takes up half the space of a regular toothbrush and keeps the brush head covered.

Toothpaste tubes are mostly water and bulk. Compact dental alternatives save a lot of space, but many don’t contain fluoride. So check with your dentist before using more unusual products long-term.

Travel Toothbrush

A folding travel toothbrush or a compact electric one keeps things ultralight, maintaining a proper clean.

• My Favourite tiny Electric (sonic) travel toothbrush: Sonisk Toothbrush (UK/Europe) or Voom Sonic Electric Travel Toothbrush (US)
• My Favourite manual toothbrush: Gum Folding Travel Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Pre-portioned, dry, and mess-free. Crunch, brush with a wet toothbrush and rinse, or use a powder, which is a little messier but can be better for whitening teeth.

• My Favourite Toothpaste Tablets: Sonisk Toothpaste Tablets with Fluoride, packaged in a tin. Some brands go soggy even when you think you’ve kept them airtight and moisture-free. These don’t.
• My Favourite Whitening Toothpaste Powder: Sonisk Toothpaste Whitening Powder. packaged in a tin.

If you want to use a regular toothpaste, Marvis Toothpaste looks the part in your toiletry bag, with its traditional apothecary vibe. It rolls up as you use it, like a traditional metal tube, but it’s actually plastic. So bring a full-size, half-empty to save space, or there’s Marvis travel-size too.

Floss

The low-tech solution of a small, compact spool of floss keeps things contained, clean and lightweight.

Options for keeping your Teeth clean when away: Suri Electric toothbrush with USB-C charging and Charge Travel Case to kill 99,9% of bacteria (I use this at home as it’s a bit bulky to bring away with me)| Sonisk Tooth Whitening Powder | Marvis Tooth Whitening Toothpaste | Sonisk Battery-Operated Toothbrush with lid | Mini Floss | Folding Travel Toothbrush

4. Minimalist Makeup

First, decide if you need makeup at all. Be realistic; don’t pack for that imaginary version of yourself; pack for the person you will be when away. Whatever you pick, work out a signature look before you go to avoid bringing duplicate colours. Where possible, pick products that do more than one job. Keep cosmetics to cream-based or stick formulas that apply with fingers – no bulky brushes or sponges required.

My favourite clean beauty brand is Merit. Go to Merit (US) or Merit (Europe/UK) for the full range and special rewards

Nuxe Dry Oil for Face, Body and Hair | Merit: The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick | Merit Bronze Balm Sheer Bronzer | Merit Clean Lash Lengthening Mascara | KinKind My Radiant CLEANSE! Facial Cleanser Bar | KinKind NOURISH me! Shampoo Bar. Coconut & Argan Oil for hydration

5. Other Personal Care Items

Comb. Brush & Nailcare

This Kent Comb and nail file in a leather case (handmade in the UK) is a beautiful travel set and a bonus. I also have a Kent folding hairbrush, which usually stays at home, but it’s the best folding brush. I haven’t managed to break either of them, which is a small miracle for me. I’d recommend either or both for travel.

I also have tiny scissors and tweezers in a Victorinox Swisscard tool set, which includes other mini tools like a pen, a magnifying glass, and a mini screwdriver set in a credit card-shaped case.

Shaving

A Gillette Venus Snap Razor is tiny, ultralight and has blades available worldwide, and they often include extra lubrication, reducing the need for foams or shave oil

Travel Towel

While your accommodation will usually supply towels, the Matador Nanodry Packable Shower Towel (Large) comes in useful for the beach and as a general cloth for picnics and mopping up. It really is large enough to use as a proper shower towel or beach towel, weighs only 84g (excluding the container it comes with) and takes up almost no space in the bag. I’ve also loved and lost a similar Sea to Summit one, which I’d also recommend. Other brands are available, but they might not be quite as light for the size.

I store it in my Matador Flatpak Zipper Toiletry Case with the matching Flatpak Travel Soap Bar Case. Both have dry-through fabric, meaning the fabric is both waterproof and breathable. So the inside doesn’t stay soggy and damp if you put wet things inside, but nothing leaches through to the outside.

Kent Comb and Nailfile set in leather case | Kent Folding Hairbrush | Victorinox Swisscard (nailcare) multitool) | Gillette Venus Snap Mini Razor | Matador Nanodry Packable Shower Towel (Large)

6. Storage & Wet Bar Management

The biggest complaint about solid toiletries is soggy soap. Steer clear of tins and plastic boxes for storing solid toiletries. The right soap pouch solves it instantly. It’s also nice to have a toiletry bag with the same technology, so things don’t stay damp and breed bacteria inside.

Matador Flatpak Zipper Toiletry Case and soap Dry Bag

• Soap Bar Dry Bag: Matador Flatpak Travel Soap Bar Case allows moisture to evaporate through the material so your soap dries out while packed, without leaking onto clothes. Sounds impossible, but it really does work.
• The Main Toiletry Pouch: Matador FlatPak Zipper Toiletry Case. A simple, lightweight but strong pouch with a flat bottom that stands up on bathroom counters is far easier to pack and more adaptable than a heavy, multi-pocket hanging organiser, especially if you don’t bring too many things. Mine is also from Matador and uses the same dry-through technology as the soap bag to prevent things from getting slimy and breeding bacteria. If you travel frequently, this dry-through technology is absolutely worth having.

Matador Flatpak Toiletry Soap Bag | KinKind My Radiant CLEANSE! Facial Cleanser Bar | KinKind NOURISH me! Shampoo Bar. Coconut & Argan Oil for hydration | Travel Buddy Soap Bar Case | Matador Flatpak Zipper Toiletry Case

Cabin Zero Ultralight Toiletries pouch and Travel Buddy Soap Bag (budget option)

If you’re not living out of your toiletries bag like me, you might prefer a more wallet-friendly option than the Matador set. The Cabin Zero Ultralight Toiletry Case is almost identical in size, weight, and style to the Matador Flatpak Zipper Toiletry Case; it just misses the dry-through technology. It comes in a range of colours to match the Cabin Zero Ultralight Compression Packing cubes and other accessories. There’s 15% off across the Cabin Zero site with the ONESMALLBAG discount code.

The Travel Buddy Soap bar bag case is a dupe of the Matador Flatpak Toiletry Soap Bag. I’ve owned and used both. The Travel Buddy Soap Bar Bag Case looks and works the same, with the added bonus of a sucker to hang it up, which is just a little too convenient, as I’ve had to replace it multiple times after leaving it in hotel bathrooms. It’s more easily obtained outside North America.

Packing Everything Else

Travelling with less gives you more freedom to enjoy the trip. Take each category and start making incremental changes. They soon start to add up.

• How to Master One-Bag Travel: 8 Items to Pack and 8 to Leave Behind
• Lightweight Travel Tech for One-Bag Travel: My Complete Kit
• 18 Best Tiny Travel Essentials: Minimalist Packing for One-Bag Travel
• How to Pack a Travel Capsule Wardrobe in One Underseat Bag
• Is the Cabin Zero Military 28L the Best Personal Item Backpack for European Budget Airlines?

How do you minimise your toiletries? Do share your ideas in the comments. If you’re interested in more tips on packing light or on trips in Europe, especially off the beaten track, I have a monthly newsletter, and I’d love it if you joined.

Thanks for Reading!