Blog

Oct 14, 2024

The 9 Best Toiletry Bags of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Keep all your beauty and grooming essentials in one place when you're on the road.

We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.

Keep all your beauty and grooming essentials in one place when you're on the road.

In This Article

Travel + Leisure / Tamara Staples

There are a few things every traveler needs, no matter where in the world they're going — and a toiletry bag is one of them. The humble case might be an afterthought to some, but these helpful bags are crucial to keeping your travel essentials organized.

We tested 58 toiletry bags and cosmetic cases (and will continue to test them for a period of at least six months) in order to bring to you the best of the best, evaluating their capacity, design, portability, and value. We also considered the overall quality of the bags, as well as their ease of use on real trips.

Taking our test results into consideration, we've put together a list of the best toiletry bags across various categories; you’re sure to find one that suits your needs.

This bag holds more than you'd expect from just looking at it.

The limited edition colors often sell out fast.

You might be most familiar with Away for its selection of hardside luggage and weekender bags, but the brand carries travel accessories, too, including this large toiletry bag that earned high marks across the board during our tests.

Though we found the bag to be even roomier than expected, there are so many individual compartments including a clear cosmetic bag, a zippered pouch, two mesh linings, and an exterior pocket, to name a few. You won't be reaching into a bottomless pit, rummaging around for individual products here. We also love that the bag zips open wide enough for you to reach inside with ease. We packed it with both large and small items, from travel-size liquid bottles to makeup brushes, and there was still room for more.

We also noted the durability of the water-resistant nylon, which is lightweight without feeling cheap. The interior of the bag is coated with an easy-to-wipe material, allowing you to clean up any spills quickly. The bag comes in five color options (with limited edition colorways offered on occasion), as well as a smaller size option and a hanging version of the bag.

The Details: 10.2 x 3.7 x 5.9 inches | 8.8 ounces | 3.6-liter capacity | Nylon | Water-resistant

Not only is it packable, but you can hang it up to save counter space at your destination.

Its more petite size means that it's not ideal for full-size toiletries.

Hello, carry-on-only travelers! This toiletry bag by Aer offers the best of both worlds: it's compact enough to stash in your carry-on or personal item, but it's spacious enough to hold all your toiletries. During our tests, we were able to fit hairspray, dry shampoo, conditioner, lotions, deodorant, a small electric toothbrush, toothpaste, perfume, toner, and medications in this bag. Of course, being that this bag is so compact, they were all travel-size products, not full-size ones.

We also loved that this toiletry kit has a hook that you can twist at different angles, making it easy to hang on doorknobs, towel racks, or bathroom bars to save counter space. And we appreciated the fact that it has several interior and exterior pockets for further organization.

The Details: 9 x 6.5 x 3 inches | 8 ounces | 2.5-liter capacity | Cordura ballistic nylon | Water-resistant

This large bag fits just about everything, including large eyeshadow palettes.

It's a bit bulky — and fairly heavy when full.

You might be wondering why you need a waterproof toiletry bag, since it's usually tucked into a larger bag when you're traveling. The answer is simple: bathroom sinks. Toiletry bags often sit on wet surfaces, so it's not a bad idea to invest in a waterproof model like this one by Line+Arc. Though the bag has a loop for hanging, we felt comfortable leaving it on the sink due to its waterproofing, which we found to be particularly effective.

Beyond its waterproof material, we were impressed by this toiletry bag's spaciousness — we could even fit an eyeshadow palette the size of a small book inside — and more specifically, for its wide-open mouth, which allowed us to access everything with ease. Of course, because it's so large, it did get a little bulky and heavy when we packed it full, so it might be best for checked or carry-on suitcases instead of smaller personal items or weekender bags.

The Details: 11 x 6.5 x 3.5 | 1.2 pounds | 3.5-liter capacity | Silicone | Waterproof

The bag is lined with high-density foam for extra protection.

It would be nice if there were more colors to choose from.

When you have a large number of toiletries to bring with you on vacation, the best thing you can do is choose a toiletry bag that helps you keep everything organized. This is that bag! Though it appears small from the outside, the bag is so thoughtfully designed with organizational tools — we found that there's a pocket for just about everything. The main compartment is large enough to fit small bottles, while mesh pockets of various sizes line the walls, so you can tuck in your favorite tinted moisturizer, for example. There's also a separate pocket for your travel toothbrush, which keeps it nice and clean.

Other highlights include a wide opening to access each pocket easily and the ability to stand on its own thanks to the bag's layer of high-density foam that also helps protect the items inside. It also has a handy hanging hook if you'd prefer to keep some counter space clear.

The Details: 10.2 x 6 x 4.4 inches | 8.7 ounces | 2.5-liter capacity | 200D nylon canvas | Weatherproof

It's extraordinarily spacious and capable of holding what three standard-size toiletry bags can carry.

You can only open one compartment at a time.

What’s a dopp kit, anyway? Though the term is used interchangeably with toiletry bag today, the dopp kit was originally devised by German leather maker Charles Doppelt and was popular with military personnel in the 20th century. It typically takes the silhouette seen here in this Béis bag: a large main compartment, sometimes with side pockets.

Béis' dopp kit, however, has an extra compartment beneath the main one (like the well-known Béis weekender bag). On the plus side, we absolutely love having all this extra space. In our tests, we were able to fit the capacity of three standard toiletry bags into this one. So if you're an overpacker, this is the bag for you. Note that you can only open one compartment at a time, though — the top one needs to be closed if you open the bottom one, otherwise all your items will fall out. But a big pro to this setup is that it's a very sturdy dopp kit, and it stands alone with ease, thanks to its wide base.

The Details: 6.5 x 11 x 6 inches | 14 ounces | Cotton-jute canvas or poly canvas | Water-resistant lining

It opens wide with a double zipper.

It's made of canvas, which may be hard to clean but is water-resistant.

Fun fact: dopp kits were originally designed for men so it makes perfect sense why this one is designed to fit shaving and grooming products in particular. It's made of canvas for a rough-and-tumble look, and it's offered in six colors (mostly neutrals, but also light pink) and two sizes. Though we consider it sturdy enough to stand on its own, we also found it flexible enough to stuff into a packed weekender.

As for storage capabilities, there's a main compartment that's accessible via a double zipper, which means the kit opens nice and wide for you to be able to access your items. That main compartment can fit bulkier items, while smaller items can fill the pockets along the sides. There are also two separate side pockets, one of which is designed to hold wet items.

The Details: 10.2 x 5.9 x 6.3 inches | 6.4 ounces | Canvas | Water-resistant

Small and lightweight, it's perfectly portable.

It has to hang as it won't stand up on its own.

When it comes to hanging bags, this one is perfectly balanced. It's made from an ultrathin, water-resistant nylon and takes the shape of a saddlebag, which is ideal for hanging. We found that no matter how many items we stuffed in there, the bag never really felt weighed down; all the products were perfectly situated and easy to access, thanks to a plethora of pockets.

This bag also comes with a detachable mirror, which makes it great for outdoor adventures when you don't have access to a vanity, as well as handles for easy transport. Ultimately, it is perfect for people limited on space and weight, whether they're on a multiday trek that requires them to carry all their gear or traveling for an extended period of time with limited storage space. The toiletry bag comes in two sizes (we tested the smaller one) and three color options.

The Details: 9 x 6 x 3 inches (small); 10 x 9 x 4 inches (large) | 2.8 ounces (small); 4 ounces (large) | 3-liter capacity (small); 6-liter capacity (large) | Nylon | Water-resistant

It's the most affordable option on this list and comes in more than 20 colors.

The main compartment only has one zipper, which makes it a little tough to retrieve items.

As you're probably well aware by this point, toiletry bags can get quite expensive — but they don't have to be. This is a particularly budget-friendly model, yet it accomplishes just about everything you'd need a toiletry bag to do. For one, it has multiple compartments. And for another, it's a water-resistant case, which means it can handle being splashed on a bathroom counter.

The compartments are both the success and the downfall of this toiletry bag. We were beyond impressed with the amount of space inside the main compartment, as well as with the two side compartments with mesh pockets. But we found that the main compartment was almost too spacious and could benefit from another divider of some kind. Given its size, it could also benefit from a double zipper opening, which would allow you to access more items throughout the bag than the existing single zipper.

The Details: 10.24 x 4.72 x 5.91 inches | 3.53 ounces | Nylon | Water-resistant

It opens like a clamshell for easy access.

The outer material is not water-resistant.

Luxury brand Tumi doesn't only make high-end suitcases and travel bags — it also makes high-end toiletry bags. Made from ballistic nylon, this is one of the most durable toiletry bags out there, and it wouldn't be surprising if this bag lasted years, even with regular use.

Its best feature is the fact that it opens like a clamshell, with two distinct compartments in each half. That makes it easy to access everything in the bag, whether you're laying it flat on a countertop or you're hanging it via the attached hook. There are four pockets, including one water-resistant one, and two elastic loops to hold products like toothbrushes or razors. We think it’s a reasonably spacious bag, but only for travel-size products — that's why we'd recommend it for short trips rather than long ones.

The Details: 6.3 x 9.5 x 3.5 inches | 14.4 ounces | Ballistic nylon

The following three toiletry bags didn’t quite make our main list but still offer some handy features that some travelers might find useful.

Briggs & Riley Baseline Executive Essentials Kit: This fairly large toiletry bag can hold plenty — we had more than enough room for travel-size hair and skin care products for a weeklong trip. But the lack of interior organization makes it difficult to keep things in place. It might be better suited for carrying fewer larger products instead of numerous smaller ones.

Travel + Leisure / Ella Crosby

Thule Subterra 2 Toiletry Bag: This toiletry bag's standout feature is a removable plastic interior pouch, which you can use to keep liquids separate (a plus for going through airport security and to prevent leaks!). It also has various pockets to keep your things organized.

Travel + Leisure / Elizabeth Rhodes

Bagsmart Large Hanging Toiletry Bag: This hanging toiletry bag has four separate compartments to keep your belongings organized — and it has the capacity to hold many belongings, too. But it's not a particularly protective or durable bag with its softside material, which could be a problem for transporting certain products.

Travel + Leisure / Joy Kim

We tested 58 toiletry bags and cosmetics cases in our lab and during real-world tests to determine the best products to travel with. Testing started with an analysis of each bag when it was empty; we examined the materials, the construction, and the overall design.

We packed each bag full with toiletries, makeup, and essentials, taking notes of the case’s capacity and organizational design features, such as compartments, pockets, hanging straps, and hooks. If the toiletry bag was advertised as waterproof, we held the bag under running water to see if anything inside got wet and how quickly the bag dried. We packed the toiletry bags into different types of travel bags to see how portable they felt, including weekenders, carry-ons, and checked luggage.

After our initial lab tests, we sent the toiletry bags home with editors to test for an additional six months on their real-world travels to gather further insights, including how durable they are.

Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thompson

Some toiletry bags are voids — they have one cavernous space to fit all your items. But others are separated into compartments with pockets and pouches to keep your items in place. Depending on what you're storing in your toiletry bag, you might prefer more organizational tools than a single open space. Some toiletry bags have additional features like built-in mirrors or removable pouches. Also consider the material: more durable, water-resistant materials are ideal for toiletry bags, since they'll be getting quite a bit of use on the road.

What do you plan on putting in a toiletry bag? If you're a minimalist who carries very few toiletries — say, just face wash and toothpaste — you might only need a small case. But if you have an extensive skincare routine — including sunscreen and after-sun lotion — and you travel with all your makeup, you'll need a bag with enough space for everything.

If you plan on taking your toiletry bag in your carry-on, you'll want it to be as compact and lightweight as possible to save room for everything else in your bag. And if you're packing liquids, gels, or aerosols, make sure your items’ sizes comply with the TSA's 3-1-1 rule. If you're checking your toiletry bag, though, you might have more flexibility with size and weight.

Since toiletry bags frequently come into contact with liquids — either from leaking products or from the bathroom counter — water-resistant or waterproof materials are best. Another factor to consider is durability. Toiletry bags are typically fairly heavily used when you travel, so it's best to look for tear-proof fabric that will hold up over time.

A TSA-approved toiletry bag is one that meets the TSA's requirements for the 3-1-1 rule regarding liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes packed in carry-ons. These products must be 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters or less, and they all must fit in "1 quart size, clear, plastic, zip top bag."

You can pack just about anything in a toiletry bag, from heatless hair curlers to body washes to makeup. Depending on what you plan on putting in your toiletry bag, you may want to look for ones with special pockets — many toiletry bags have designated spots for items like makeup brushes or palettes to keep them secure.

Stefanie Waldek is a freelance writer with a decade of experience covering travel — she flies more than 200,000 miles per year and spends dozens of nights in hotels and on cruises. For this article, she incorporated tester feedback and used her own experience with toiletry bags. While she often gravitates toward repurposing airline amenity kits as toiletry bags, she also rotates between Bagsmart, Container Store, and Monos toiletry bags (she particularly likes the latter, as the Mono Metro Kit attaches easily to the outside of the Monos Metro line of bags, saving space inside).

Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week.