The best vacations are free of stress and worry, and that includes the spilled-perfume, exploding-conditioner kind. Savvy, efficient products and packing tips will bump beauty calamities from your travels. Read on before you take off.

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Sephora travel bag

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Trish McEvoy petite makeup planner

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The five-star travel kit

If your typical toiletry tote is a repurposed Kroger bag, it's time to upgrade: Sephora's plastic-coated case ($48, www.sephora.com) has first-class looks and as many amenities as a luxury hotel:

Hook: Hang the bag on the bathroom door for easy access to what you need and to keep the sink top clutter-free.

Mesh pockets: The perfect places to stash small necessities, like makeup brushes, tissues or adhesive bandages.

Mirror: Pull it off — it's attached to the bag with Velcro. Now slip it into your bag, pocket or even wallet (yes, it's that flat) for mid-sightseeing touch-ups.

Zippered pouch: Padded compartments (three inside, one outside) zip shut to protect makeup compacts and single-serving skin-care packets.

Detachable case: A Velcro-backed mini bag has just enough room for any cosmetic companions you would want on a day away from your hotel.

Oversize pocket: Large enough to accommodate bigger essentials (key if you'll be on the road for more than a few days), plus tools such as brushes and combs.

Beauty to go

When space is at a premium, streamline the whole kit and caboodle with these trim cases and their sized-down staples.

Boscia travel kit for normal to oily complexions, $42: Soothing facial basics keep skin clear and shine-free. Also available for dry skin. To buy: www.boscia.net.

Trish McEvoy petite makeup planner, $48: Create a custom palette by filling Lucite "pages" with shadow and blush, then popping them into the planner. Empty page: $15; cosmetics: $16 to $35 each; all sold separately. To buy: www.nordstrom.com.

Olivina travel bag, $32: Olive oil-infused shower goods put harsh hotel soaps and overly perfumed lotions to shame. To buy: www.olivinanapavalley.com.

Malin+Goetz essential travel kit, $30: Everything you need for face, hair and body in gentle-enough-for-everyone formulas. To buy: www.malinandgoetz.com.

Frédéric Fekkai travel faves glossing kit, $40: Keep hair sleek in the most humid climates with smoothing shampoo, conditioner, cream and hair spray. (The kit has a mini comb, too.) To buy: www.sephora.com.

Packing do's, don'ts

There's nothing like arriving at your vacation destination to see the sea ... of lotion covering your belongings. Avoid spills and other suitcase disasters with these tips from seasoned vets.

DO: Burp your bottles. Air trapped inside can cause plastic containers to leak when the air pressure changes, says Lucy McCauley, editor of the Travelers' Tales' Annual Best Women's Travel Writing book collection. "Open the cap, give a little squeeze to let the excess air out, then quickly recap," she says.

DON'T: Overlook the protective powers of footwear, says Samantha Brown, who goes on the road as host of several Travel Channel shows, including "Passport to China" and "Passport to Great Weekends": "I wrap perfume bottles in my socks and pack them inside my sneakers." McCauley uses a variation on the theme, first slipping breakables into plastic bags, then sliding them into slippers.

DO: Be clingy. To minimize leaks, "I put a layer of kitchen wrap between the cap and the opening of my shampoo and conditioner," says Ingrid Hoffmann, who frequently travels for work as host of the Food Network show "Simply Delicioso."

DON'T: Neglect nooks and crannies. "I stow liquids packed in resealable bags along the bottom of my checked bag," says Lisa Trotter, an expedition leader for the New York City-based adventure-travel company Lindblad Expeditions. "They stay protected from breakage, given that the bottom of the suitcase is usually padded, and the clothes provide even more padding on top." Trotter places waterproof gear (raincoat, wind pants) on top of the liquids. "But you could just as easily use a $3 plastic poncho," she says.

DO: Double-bag your self-tanner. "It stains, so this product calls for extra protection," says Brown. "Even leakage inside a cosmetics case can be bad."

DON'T: Forget the 3-1-1 rule. Yes, it's a pain, but it's not changing anytime soon, says Lara Uselding, a spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration. Refresher: You can carry on one one-quart clear resealable plastic bag filled with liquids and gels in containers of three ounces or less.

Globe-trotters' go-tos

Three frequent-fliers reveal what they won't leave home without.

"A tiny bottle of Dewberry, my favorite perfume oil from the Body Shop. It's so concentrated, a drop lasts all day." — Joy Pinto, co-owner and executive director of Micato Safaris, which organizes luxury tours in Africa

"Vaseline petroleum jelly. A tiny bit goes a long way — whether as lip balm, cuticle cream or moisturizer — so I can get away with packing the smallest size. Plus, there's zero chance of spilling. Perfect." — Natalie Umbert, North American sales and marketing director for Mountain Lodges of Peru, an adventure-travel company

"Drugstore miniatures of Pantene shampoo and conditioner, which cost next to nothing and leave my hair much softer than most of the hotel freebies do."

— Jen Leo, Daily Travel & Deal blogger for the Los Angeles Times