Follow LINDA ROBERTSON's top tips to avoid delays or make-up disasters as you race off for some fun in the sun

FORGET carting jumbo bottles of beauty products on holiday - lighten your load and travel light this year if you want to avoid excess baggage charges.

The new rules on hand luggage mean that you cannot take bottles of liquids, gels and creams containing more than 100ml, and products have to fit into a transparent bag no larger than 20cm x 20cm (8in x 8in).

Add to that the fact that so many bargain carriers limit your luggage allowance to just 15 or 25kg and you have a weighty problem.

So why not use the new regulations to change your packing mentality?

In the past I've lugged full-size bottles of shampoo and conditioner on holiday, not to mention all kinds of suncreams, body lotions and other pointless products that never get used.

It's liberating to take only the bare essentials, because unless you're going to some deep dark corner of the world, you can always stock up on essentials when you get there.

"Take inexpensive, small items that you won't mind leaving behind," says Dr Leslie Baumann, author of The Skin Type Solution: The Revolutionary Guide to Finding and Caring for Your Skin Type (Hodder Mobius, £8.99).

"If you're flying internationally, think of it as freeing up room to shop the duty free stores on your way home.

"I always buy colour cosmetics and perfumes duty free - it's cheaper, and your purchases aren't subject to the liquid and gel rules when you buy them after you've cleared security."

Going away doesn't mean sacrificing your normal routine, as all your favourite products can be found in one easy-to-carry set.

Origins Just Perfect, £29.50, contains mini sizes of the best-selling products from A Perfect World, including the White Tea Skin Guardian.

Lancome Travel Essentials set, £17, contains travel-ready sizes of cleanser, toner and moisturiser in a security approved bag while Bobbi Brown's Empties, £8, provide a variety of five containers to decant your products into, along with a plastic funnel, spatula and self-adhesive labels.

Clinique has a range of mini lotions and potions including the pack of three Little Liquid Facial Soaps, £15, which are tailored to match the skin type, and Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion/Gel, £15, a trio of moisture drinks' to maintain skin's optimal balance.

Whether you're embarking on a week-long journey or a weekend getaway, Liz Earle Mini Essentials kit, £17, The Sanctuary Facial Starter kit, £12 at Boots, Champneys Skin Care Essentials, £12 at Sainsbury's, and Eve Lom Starter Collection, £25 at Space NK, contain everything to keep faces cleansed and protected.

Don't neglect the body - Crabtree & Evelyn Naturals Revitalising Travel Essentials, £20, Ole Henriksen Essential Pamper Kit, £13.50 at Harvey Nichols and www.strawberryandcream.com, and Aveda Invigorating Travel bag, £32, are packed with delicious products.

Give yourself an excuse to splash out on an elegant travel bag. Jo Malone In-Flight Bag, £72, Elemis Dream Journey Traveller, £85, and Molton Brown New Age Traveller, £75, are chic and stylish.

"One thing you should never skimp on when flying is hydration. Look for small spray bottles of water you can mist on your face during the flight," Leslie says.

Used together, the powerful combination of Prescriptives Super Flight Cream and Flight Mist, £25, creates a barrier on the skin to prevent moisture from escaping.

Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner, £19.40, and RMK Herb Mist with extracts of green tea, £14.99, are luxury hydrators.

"Let your products do double duty," says Leslie.

"Your eye cream can double as a night-time facial cream - that's what I do when I'm travelling. Similarly, a separate eye cream isn't absolutely necessary."