Another fabulous contribution by Lexi Tollefsen!

I don’t know about you, but I do a lot of traveling during the holidays. As a college student, I feel that half of my break from school is spent hailing cabs, catching trains, and dozing off in airports. Don’t even get me started on packing. I have yet to master the art of packing light. It’s a true ordeal finding ways to cram everything I just can’t live without into my tiny suitcase. I’m slowly finding out that if you want to fit all of your holiday party dresses into your bags, you’ve got to get crafty with packing your beauty products. This is precisely why you simply must come up with a list of your travel beauty essentials so your suitcase isn’t (too) overweight.

I thought long and hard about my favorites. Being a college girl on a budget, I think it’s important to mix high and low products so you don’t blow all of your cash in one place. Luckily, this is totally doable. Buying a lower price product doesn’t mean you’re robbing yourself of quality. It just takes a bit of research to find what will work best for you. So, to get us all in the holiday spirit, I’ve put together a list of the products that come neatly packed in a holiday travel set. Take this home with you for the holidays and you’re sure to look and feel your absolute best for your holiday party marathon. And if you’re not looking for yourself, these travel sets make perfect gift sets for the loved ones in your life.

Burt’s Bees Hand Repair Kit, $13

Burt’s Bees is hard to beat when it comes to hand care. This set comes packed with Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme, Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme, Shea Butter Hand Repair Creme, and a pair of cotton gloves that are sure to keep your hands soft and smooth during the chilly winter months. I keep the Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme by my bed for daily application, so my nails stay in great shape. It’s like getting a consistent manicure!

La Prairie Limited Edition Age Defense Set, $280

I couldn’t help but include this extremely luxurious and expensive set, because it is nothing short of beauty magic.  La Prairie’s travel set includes Anti-Aging Day Cream SPF 30, Cellular Eye Contour Cream, Foam Cleanser, and Cellular Refining Lotion. The set is designed to keep skin fresh, glowing, and protected against harmful UVA and UVB rays. La Prairie’s signature cellular technology stimulates cell turnover and promotes youthfulness. Any mother would die to find this under the tree, even if it is in 5-10 years when you are out of college and well into your career!

Bobbi Brown Limited Edition Beach House Collection, $75

If you’ve never smelled Bobbi’s Beach fragrance, do yourself a favor and check it out immediately! I’ve never considered myself a warm weather, sand, and sea kind of girl, but this scent definitely makes me reconsider. The scent has light, feminine, and cheery qualities with a bit of sex appeal. Bobbi’s Beach House Collection set comes with Beach Fragrance, Body Lotion, Shower Gel, and Body Scrub. Don’t let the name fool you; Beach can be worn year round and will constantly remind you of the relaxing seaside air. I’m going to spray a bit before my holiday parties to keep from stressing about all of the inevitable Christmas time chaos!

Butter London Double Take Fire Duo, $24

Whether you’re looking for something to keep in your own beauty bag  or buying for a loved one, Butter is the perfect go-to for gorgeous nails. This set comes with 2 lacquers, Red Fox (an opaque oxblood shimmer) and Brass Monkey (a sheer copper to be used as a festive overcoat), that will complement all of your holiday ensembles. The holiday season is the perfect time to go all out with your nail designs. Go crazy with shimmer, sparkle, and glitter, but make sure to keep your boldest mani ideas in your pocket for NYE. Buy Butter. Need I say more?

Korres Glazed & Glossed Lip Butter Glaze Collection, $36

Korres is the epitome of chic. Their products use quality natural ingredients, have a rich backstory steeped in Greek tradition, and come perfectly wrapped in beautiful, modern packaging. Plus, it’s affordable! This set comes with 4 Lip Butter Glazes in Jasmine (sheer neutral pink), Laurel (sheer warm pink), Pomegranate (sheer coral), and Raspberry (sheer berry). Apply the Lip Butter Glazes alone for an everyday, sophisticated shine or on top of your favorite matte lipstick to spice things up a bit. You can’t go wrong.

Best of Hourglass Set, $59

If you’re looking for a set of products for all of your beauty needs, look no further than this Best of Hourglass Set. It comes with a Veil Mineral Primer for moisture and foundation prep and SPF 15, No. 28 Primer Serum for day and night protection, Film Noir Full Spectrum Mascara for bold, beautiful eyelashes, and Extreme Sheen High Shine Lip Gloss in Ignite for a gorgeous pout. This is a must.

Clinique 3-Step Introduction Kit (I recommend Type 2 for dry skin), $26

Clinique never ceases to deliver affordable and effective products for all skin types. I have extremely sensitive skin, so I have to be quite choosy when it comes to what I use on my face. As a college gal, it’s also important that I watch my spending. Breaking the bank is just not an option. Clinique is the perfect solution. If you haven’t become completely obsessed with Clinique, just give this Introduction Kit a try. It comes with Liquid Facial Soap, Clarifying Lotion, and Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+ (my personal favorite!). The set is designed to remedy dry skin, and who doesn’t have dry skin during the holiday season?

Sisley-Paris Face Mask Discovery Kit, $500

This kit packs a punch with products infused with botanicals and essential oils to transform your skin. Masks are so important, and yet quite underappreciated, no? Let’s fix that. This (pricey, I know, but it’s worth it!) set comes with an Eye Contour Mask, a Black Rose Cream Mask, a Radiant Glow Express Mask, and an Express Flower Gel—all products to keep your face hydrated, smooth, polished, and ready for whatever the day (or night) has in store. The French know how it’s done. Oh, and did I mention the set comes in the cutest heather gray pouch?

Kiehl’s Greatest Hits Collection, $45

Ever wanted to try out products from the iconic Kielh’s brand, but didn’t necessarily want to commit to full-size products (most likely out of a fear of becoming addicted and therefore broke)? Me too. Pick up the festively wrapped Kielh’s Greatest Hits Collection set and relish in the beauty. It comes with Amino Acid Shampoo, Amino Acid Conditioner, Crème de Corps Body Moisturizer, Crème de Corps Soy Milk & Honey Body Polish, Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, Ultra Facial Cream, and Midnight Recovery Concentrate. Talk about a bang for your buck, and all made in the USA. This is like a spa in a box!

Laura Mercier Luxe Colour Wardrobe Dual Decker Color for Eyes & Cheeks, $125

I recently got my hands on this baby and haven’t gone a day without it. It’s the holy grail of makeup. It comes with, get ready for this, 8 eye shadow shades, 3 Tightline Cake Eye Liners, 2 Second Skin Cheek Colours, 1 Face Highlighter, and a Crème Eye Pencil. If that wasn’t enough, it also comes with travel brushes. Bam. Salivating yet? All of this comes in the cutest double decker “envelope.” Luckily, the kind souls at Laura undervalued this product to give us a break for the holidays. It’s totally worth the splurge! Trust me.

These sets are miniature slices of heaven. Treat yourself or those on your gift list to beauty bliss this holiday season. You’ll be glad you did. Happy shopping!