Beauty
10 Travel Size Fragrances Our Editors Love
Elevate vacations with these carry-on-friendly scents.
Now that vacation season is very nearly here, it’s time to brainstorm which beauty products you plan to pack — then figure out which of those come in travel sizes so you can tweak your suitcase accordingly. But while almost every beauty buff has a go-to mini face wash, moisturizer, and a set of serums — or can, at the very least, select a handful of travel-size staples without hesitation — picking just one or two travel size fragrances to take on a trip isn’t so simple. It’s not like you can head to the pharmacy travel section and pick one up as you would shampoo. Plus, when it comes to the perfume aficionado, settling on just one per event is hard enough on its own. How can one be expected to predict an entire vacations’ vibes, and corresponding scents, ahead of time — then fit everything into a carry-on? It’s a tough feat.
Fortunately, beauty editors understand the struggle. To help make packing for your next trip a little easier, Bustle’s beauty team has rounded up our go-to travel-sized fragrances — read on for 10 of our editors’ favorite suitcase-friendly scents.
We at Bustle only include products that have been independently selected by our editors. We may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.
1For A Travel-Friendly Assortment
“I recently discovered the luxury Korean perfume house Elorea via its Discover Set, and now I travel with all four scents so I can switch things up depending on my mood. Heaven is an airy floral that's subtle for daytime, whereas Fire and Earth have woodsy notes without veering into the too heavy territory — perfect for vacation.” — Faith Xue, beauty director, BDG
2For A Magical Moment
“Even though I love having a fragrance wardrobe and spritzing on a different scent depending on my mood, my number one perfume will always be DedCool's Taunt. The mystifying formula has notes of amber, bergamot, and vanilla — which are all great, but I can't put into words how magical it really smells. I'm obsessed with myself when I know I'm giving off Taunt to whoever catches a whiff. I'll always have the full-size bottle on hand, but I'm grateful it comes in a roll-on so I can still smell like it when I'm traveling.” — Rachel Lapidos, senior lifestyle & beauty editor
3For Vacation Vibes
“When you're looking to adorn that extra sensual something on your European adventures and beyond, give Kayali’s Utopia a try. Perfect for those romantic summer nights, its aromas of creamy coconut, intoxicating vanilla bourbon, and dreamy sandalwood swirl around you with yummy decadence, while still feeling light and airy. I'll surely be bringing this one on my honeymoon come early June.” — Olivia Rose Ferreiro, beauty writer
4For A Splash Of Citrus
“This fun fragrance features bright yet light hints of an herbaceous citrus-forward scent, blended with the grounding aroma of earthy woods. Ideal for evoking vacation vibes in your everyday life, this sparkling and sunny perfume is perfect for packing in your everyday bag or in your carry-on (or both). The bottle is chic, too.” — Danielle Sinay, beauty + wellness writer
5For The Floral Lover
“Gucci Bloom is one of my all-time favorite fragrances ever, so I like to have it with me wherever I go. It's a classic floral scent with notes of tuberose and jasmine, but you get a powdery undertone thanks to Rangoon creeper so that it's not overwhelmingly sweet. It's my go-to for all my travel adventures.” — Audrey Noble, beauty writer
6For A Luxurious Essence
“Yes, I'm an unabashed stan of this Tiktok-dubbed ‘rich girl’ scent, and I always have a travel-sized version in my carry-on. One spritz of the cozy saffron, jasmine, and cedar notes, and I'm guaranteed instant compliments from anyone around me (and I've even stopped minding when someone tells me they own it, too).” — Faith Xue, beauty director, BDG
7For An Herbaceous Aroma
“Formulated with organic essential oils, this perfume’s notes of tagetes, galangal root, jasmin sambac, carrot seed, and cardamom exude a spicy and smoky scent with a hint of floral wood. I feel happy and calm any time I put it on!” — Danielle Sinay, beauty & wellness writer
8For A Tropical Tenor
“For those dreamy, tropical destinations, PHLUR's Phloria is my new go-to. Dripping with a dewy sensuality, this white floral fragrance is all things ethereal, exotic, and elegant. Luxurious notes of bright bergamot, juicy lemon, and sunny jasmine are met with the warmth of heated ylang-ylang, smooth vanilla, and a skin musk. It’s simply divine.” — Olivia Rose Ferreiro, beauty writer
9For Something Sweet
“With notes of red candied apple, sparkling violet, marshmallow accord, and hints of creamy sandalwood, Artsy is delightfully sweet, sensual, and romantic. It’s perfect for date night, yet casual enough to wear daily.” — Danielle Sinay, beauty + wellness writer
10For Feeling Fresh
“I've been traveling with this solid version of Glossier's cult-favorite You fragrance, mostly because it's so damn cute. I love the pink pebble shape, and how you can apply on-the-go without drowning those near you in fumes. I'm a full You convert now and consider it one of the best ‘skin scents’ for smelling fresh without being overpowering.” — Faith Xue, beauty director, BDG
