Samantha Brown: Travel TV Host Samantha Brown Never Hits the Road Without These 5 Beauty Essentials

A hectic travel schedule can’t stop Samantha Brown from looking camera-ready when she arrives at her destination.

COURTESY OF SAMANTHA BROWN’S “PLACES TO LOVE”

As someone whose skin tends to act out when I travel — how can a pimple sprout between the time I step on a plane and the time I step off? Where did this rough dry patch just come from? — I greatly value the beauty tips of those who have walked, or flown, before me.

Samantha Brown, who has 20 years of experience hosting travel shows first at the Travel Channel and now on PBS, is the exact woman you’d want to get advice from on carry-on essentials. As a professional traveler gearing up for the release of the third season of her PBS show, “Places to Love” (airing this upcoming January), she’s spent a lot of her life living out of suitcases. And because she needs to be camera-ready wherever she is, making sure she has what she needs to look and feel good is key to preparing for a day at work.

When asked what, exactly, makes a beauty product ideal for taking on the road, Brown tells Travel + Leisure, “I know this isn’t the most enlightened answer for today’s times, but any product that comes in a plastic tube, like Dermalogica’s products, is preferred. I’ve broken one too many glass jars!”

She continues, “I also look for beauty products where the tube is one ounce, so I don’t have to create a tiny sample of it when I travel. These can go straight from my bathroom counter to my TSA liquids bag.”

If you need a quick refresher on the TSA rules, you’re allowed to bring one resealable quart-sized bag of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams, and pastes in your carry-on of 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less.

With those measurements in mind, here are the five beauty essentials the always-on-the-move TV host packs for every trip so she’s ready to hit the ground running as soon as she gets to her destination.

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream

COURTESY OF AMAZON

Brown says this multitasking cult classic replenishes rough skin, and a small amount can soothe dry hands, smooth cuticles and nails, and even act as a hydrating lip balm. Having a moisturizer on-hand to combat harsh AC and heat units on planes, trains, and buses will help you nip a skin concern in the bud before it even happens.

To buy: amazon.com, $22

Orgaid Organic Sheet Mask Set

COURTESY OF AMAZON

This sheet mask set comes with three distinct formulas so you can pick the one best catered toward your skin concern of the moment. There are two sheets of each option included in the multi-pack: moisturizing anti-aging, nourishing Greek yogurt, and revitalizing vitamin C. Packing one of these in your carry-on means you can even slap a mask on mid-flight if you start to notice your skin’s texture changing.

To buy: amazon.com, $33

Mario Badescu Facial Spray With Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater

COURTESY OF AMAZON

Brown describes this $7 mist as a mighty triple threat that takes care of travel-worn skin in several ways. Formulated with aloe, herbs, and rosewater, the facial spray can serve as a skin hydrator, makeup setter, and dry hair spray — all in one travel-friendly bottle.

To buy: amazon.com, $7

Supergoop! City Sunscreen Serum

COURTESY OF AMAZON

Protecting your skin from the sun is an important skincare and anti-aging step all yea- round (even on airplanes), and Brown is a big fan of Supergoop! sunscreens — especially the City Sunscreen Serum with broad spectrum SPF 30. “It hydrates and protects the skin and is loaded with antioxidant vitamins,” she says. “It’s a great primer under makeup and makes my skin look and feel radiant without makeup when I’m on the go.”

To buy: amazon.com, $42

Perricone MD No Makeup Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 20

COURTESY OF NORDSTROM

For a lightweight foundation that also packs in skin benefits, Brown opts for Perricone MD’s No Makeup Foundation with broad spectrum SPF 20. She says the dewy product “eliminates the need for a brush as it can be applied with your fingers” (which will save you room in your toiletries case), and it works to improve dark spots and uneven skin tone while you wear it.

To buy: nordstrom.com, $60

Whether she’s away for a weekend trip or a two-week job, the travel expert packs her beauty essentials in her own brand’s cosmetics cases, available on HSN. The latest Double Decker design features a variety of pouches and compartments to keep both small and large items organized, which is a big part of the thought behind the case styles.

“I love that some of the pouches are clear (so I can see if I’ve forgotten anything!), while others are fabric for privacy,” she explains. “The compartments of the bag are designed in a way that keeps my products organized, yet accessible. You never know how much counter space you’re going to have and sometimes it’s just easier to work directly out of your toiletry kit.”

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