The Jet Set Edit: Summer’s Best Travel Finds for You and the Kids
Smart, Stylish and Slightly Overpacked: A Guide to Summer’s Best Beauty, Travel and Family Essentials
Let’s be honest: the phrase family holiday doesn’t always conjure visions of serene sunsets and spritzes by the pool. In reality, it’s a thrilling cocktail of chaos: last-minute passport printing, melting snacks at the bottom of bags, someone crying in Duty Free (you, probably), and a mysterious sticky patch on your only linen trousers.
Whether you're heading to a wind-swept Cornish cove, a Balearic villa, or a family wedding via ferry and three rental cars, travel — be it by plane, car or boat — demands a very specific kind of strategy. You need multitasking skincare that doesn’t melt off at the first sign of stress. You need the good SPF. You need a packing system that doesn’t unravel in the boot of the car. And, if you’re travelling with small humans, you need toys, snacks, blackout blinds, and possibly divine intervention.
This isn’t about matching linen sets or achieving some kind of Pinterest-perfect flatlay. It’s about feeling calm, looking alive, and knowing exactly where the wet wipes are. So we’ve curated the ultimate summer packing list: a glow-boosting beauty edit, clever travel essentials that won’t end up in lost property, and a kid-friendly kit that will (hopefully) buy you 20 minutes of peace.
From face sticks and baby SPF to cooler boxes and blackout buggy covers, this is your stylish and slightly overpacked guide to surviving — and maybe even enjoying — your summer getaway.
BEAUTY IN TRANSIT: GLOW ON THE GO
CHARLOTTE TILBURY Unreal Blush Healthy Glow Stick – £25
Part blush, part highlighter, part instant holiday face. Just swipe, blend, and marvel at how alive you look (even after a 4am check-in).
IT Cosmetics CC+ Nude Glow SPF 40 – £39
This do-it-all complexion enhancer is part makeup, part skincare, part SPF… and 100% reliable after a long flight or during a heatwave.
BY TERRY Tea To Tan Face & Body - Spray Bronzant – £44
An all-over glow that’s water-light, transfer-proof and very French-girl-on-the-Riviera. Customisable intensity and zero shimmer overload.
Ultra Violette Fave Fluid SPF 50 – £37
An Aussie SPF that glides like serum and leaves no cast, no stick, and no regrets. Hands down one of the best in the business.
Dr. Barbara Sturm Flight Essentials Kit – £160
Turbulence-proof your face. This curated travel kit is full of hydration and protection, and worth every smug glance at 35,000 feet.
Sol de Janeiro Rio Radiance SPF 50 Body Spray – £38
A beach holiday in a bottle — part body mist, part SPF, all Copacabana. Hydrates, protects and smells like summer sex appeal.
Dr. Althea Aqua Glowing Sunscreen SPF50+ PA++++ – £19.99
A K-beauty favourite that hydrates and protects with a featherlight texture. Perfect for dry, sensitive or heat-stricken skin.
You’re Looking Well Day Cream – £42.50
Cool, calm, collected — this lightweight day cream is your post-sun skin saviour and a dream under makeup.
AllSkin Med Barrier Recovery Cream – £34
When skin’s overcooked, windblown or generally offended by your lifestyle, this barrier-repairing balm steps in.
OFFICINE UNIVERSELLE BULY Eau Triple Tubéreuse du Mexique – £145
A non-alcohol, water-based perfume that blooms beautifully in the heat. Creamy, floral and slightly addictive.
Goldwell Air-Dry BB Cream – £18.50
Perfect for hair that refuses to behave in the heat. Smooth this through damp lengths and let air-drying do the rest.
Maria Nila Head & Hair Heal Booster Masque – £9
This deeply nourishing hair mask tackles dry, flaky scalps while strengthening strands with aloe vera, vitamin E, and peptide-rich botanicals — a lifesaver after sun, salt and chlorine.
FOR THE CARRY-ON: GEAR THAT GOES THE DISTANCE
A Ferrari-level spinner crafted with Reinforced butterfly locks and TSA catch, elevates this beyond your average suitcase.
Yeti Hopper Flip 12 Cooler – £250
Cooler-than-you snacks, literally. Keeps everything chilled for hours, even in a hot parked car.
Osprey Transporter Wheeled Duffel – from £220
The wheelie case with cult status. Rugged, sleek, and shockingly easy to manoeuvre — even with three kids and a baguette under your arm.
Doona X Car Seat & Stroller – £549
It’s a car seat! It’s a pram! It’s your new travel MVP. Foldable, airport-friendly and approved by every smug parent at baggage reclaim.
BabyBjörn Travel Cot Light – £199
Opens in seconds, light enough to carry one-handed, and won’t make you cry at bedtime. Gold star.
Joolz Aer2 Compact Stroller – £439
Weighing just 6.5kg, this must-have buggy folds in one second, steers one-handed and fits in overhead lockers. Includes travel pouch, UPF 50+ hood and full-flat recline—perfect from birth through toddlerhood.
Stokke JetKids BedBox – £179
Plane seat → mini bed. Also a ride-on toy for departure lounges and bored toddlers. You’re welcome.
Avery Row Baby Changing Tote Bag – £85
Puffy, water-resistant and pram-strap ready. Fits nappies, wipes, bottles and a change of clothes — and actually looks good doing it.
SnoozeShade Plus Extra UV Protection for Strollers UPF50+ – £44.99
Instant blackout. Great for naps, tantrum prevention, and keeping baby sun-safe on the move.
Infantino Squeeze Station – £25
Pre-load with homemade purées, freeze them, and avoid overpriced baby food full of sugar. Easy, clean, smug.
THE KID EDIT: ENTERTAINED, PROTECTED AND CUTE
Maped Creativ Magical Tablet – £15
Mess-free magic drawing. Quiet, imaginative, and doesn’t require charging.
Childs Farm Roll-On Sun Cream SPF 50+ – £10
A suncream even kids don’t hate. Easy roll-on application, top-tier protection, no white streaks.
Asmodee Qwirkle Travel – £15.99
Compact, colourful and clever — this bestselling matching game is perfect for picnic rugs, ferry tables and airport floors.
Ginger Fox Kids vs. Adults Card Game – £9.99
Fast-paced trivia fun that levels the playing field — finally, something everyone can agree on.
My First Years Personalised Hello Petal Spiral Activity Toy – £25
Luxe, personalised and actually cute. Wraps around car seats or prams and keeps little hands busy.
Smart Games Fish Tricks – £15.50
A surprisingly addictive travel puzzle that will challenge older kids (and distracted parents).
Bling2o Megamouth Shark Goggles – £19
Fun, colourful and shark-themed — the ultimate splash-ready goggles for little swimmers.
MAGNA-TILES Micromags 26 PIECE TRAVEL SET – £22
Mini but mighty — this 26-piece travel set keeps little hands building, focused, and blissfully quiet en route.
Would You Rather? Road Trip Edition – £5.99
Turn “Are we there yet?” into giggles with this screen-free, 8–12s-friendly boredom buster.