We all love travel size beauty products. They’re cute and (obviously) make traveling and packing easier.
They can also be a nice way to try out a product before making an investment.
But…is the travel size really saving us any money in the long run?
Travel Size Beauty Products
If you’re anything like me, those travel size products and deluxe sample sizes always reel you in. “It’s a steal! I get to try it out for a fraction of the price!”
But are we actually saving money or are travel sizes just a waste? I chose four popular products you can buy online at the Sephora website, and broke down the cost per ounce (or gram) of the travel and full sizes.
Let’s find out if minis are worth it or a waste.
Smashbox Primerizer
| Mini Size/Cost | Mini Cost per Ounce | Full Size/Cost | Full Size Cost per Ounce |
| 0.5oz/$15 | $30/oz | 1.0oz/$42 | $42/oz |
Okay, this is a steal. Like seriously, even if you want to buy the full size it’s cheaper to buy two travel sizes.
I’ve been eyeing the Primerizer so it’s nice to know I can actually save some money when I need a new primer.
Urban Decay Primer Potion
| Mini Size/Cost | Mini Cost per Ounce | Full Size/Cost | Full Size Cost per Ounce |
| 0.16oz/$12 | $75/oz | 0.33oz/$22 | ~$66/oz |
I was pretty surprised that the travel size Primer Potion wasn’t cheaper per ounce. While this isn’t a good deal when you break it down, it’s not the worst.
And if you’re like me and have a hard time making it through any eyeshadow primer, I think this could be a good deal.
I know for me personally, if I were to buy the full size it would end up going bad because I just don’t use eyeshadow primers that much.
This is definitely one of those “worth it for some people, a waste for others” products.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder
| Mini Size/Cost | Mini Cost per Gram | Full Size/Cost | Full Size Cost per Gram |
| 1.4g/$22 | ~$15/gram | 10g/$46 | $4.60/gram |
Comparing the price to the amount of product you get, the travel size is not worth it. It’s practically robbery.
If you know you like the Ambient Lighting Powders, bite the bullet and splurge on the full size. The travel size is embarrassingly overpriced, in my opinion.
Ole Henriksen Truth Serum
| Mini Size/Cost | Mini Cost per Ounce | Full Size/Cost | Full Size Cost per Ounce |
| 0.5oz/$15 | $30/oz | 1.0oz/$48 1.7oz/$72 | 1.0oz: $48/oz 1.7oz: ~$41/0z |
This is another Primerizer situation. The travel size is a far better deal than the full size.
That being said, if you already love the Truth Serum or are gifting it to someone who uses it, the largest size (1.7 oz) is the best deal for around $41 an ounce.
Worth It or a Waste?
Of course, whether something is a waste of money or not is a matter of opinion. But when we’re talking in terms of price per amount of product, unfortunately, travel sizes just don’t usually save us money.
You’re paying a premium for the convenience of them.
I love travel size products and I’ll definitely still buy some. Breaking down all the information was really eye-opening though, and I’m going to try and be more conscious of whether the convenience is worth the price tag.
Do you like travel sizes or do you typically pass on them?
