Before I was a beauty editor who had access to hundreds of products, I practically lived in the shimmering aisles of famous retailers like Sephora, Ulta, and Nordstrom. Or wait, perhaps

I should amend that. Before I was a beauty editor who had access to hundreds of products, I practically lived in the shimmering checkout aisles of famous retailers like Sephora, Ulta, and Nordstrom. I have always been obsessed with beauty products (growing up I would catalog countless lists of things I wanted to try), but I definitely wasn’t in the financial position to buy any and every single thing that piqued my interest. I notoriously hate making returns, so the adorable minis and travel-size options that glinted invitingly as I waited allowed me to test-drive sought-after beauty items before sacrificing the brunt of my paycheck. 

That was more than five years ago, and now, the selection of travel-size beauty products has increased dramatically. In fact, I recently searched every single item I’m currently obsessed with and found a smaller, travel-friendly size alternative for every single one. Whether your wanderlust is finally returning to normal or whether you simply want to sample a product before investing in a regular size, minis are an exceptional way to curate an ultra-luxurious beauty routine at a fraction of the price. As proof, I’m sharing 20 of my absolute favorites (which have stellar reputations and plenty of other diehard fans aside from just me) below. Keep scrolling!