Whether you're heading to a full-day resort spa or a stylish urban sanctuary, your spa bag should do more than hold towels and flip-flops. It should be your secret weapon for extending the calm and gliding into dinner looking refreshed, not rushed. Here’s our curated checklist—complete with suggested Amazon / shop links—to keep you covered from steam room to soirée. This post contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Vinrella is a brand owned by our family company.
The Foundation: Your Spa Bag
Waterproof Tote Bag – Vinrella Tote N’Go Large Bag
A sleek, water-resistant tote keeps steam and spills at bay. Look for interior pockets or compartments to separate dry items from wet ones (like your swimsuit or flip-flops).
Haircare Essentials
Sauna Hat – Halsa Wool Sauna Hat
Keeps your scalp comfortable during high-heat sauna or steam sessions and helps you stay longer without overheating.
Pureology Hydrate Moisturizing Shampoo & Conditioner Set
Perfectly packable, with an invigorating peppermint fragrance, this set provides a luxurious, moisturizing experience that leaves your hair looking and feeling healthy and vibrant. Ideal for men or women with medium to thick hair, this is the only haircare set we bring for our travels.
A lightweight leave-in serum that tames frizz, adds shine, and keeps your post-steam hair from turning into a bird’s nest. We apply this every day after showering, at spas and at home, to keep our hair looking soft and swingy.
Shash Wooden Paddle Hair Brush
Gentle yet effective, ideal for wet or damp hair with minimal snags or static.
It seems like a small thing, but when we forget these, it really is a problem! We like to keep our hair up and out of the way while using the thermal baths and saunas, and these soft scrunchies let us do so without damage. Soft, sleek, and kind to strands—no dents or breakage.
Skin, Body & Grooming
Luxury Safety Razor – Kitsch Perfect Glide Safety Razor
For silky, smooth legs before slipping into a dress or jumpsuit.
Sunshine has been using body oil for decades to keep skin smooth and supple. It’s hard to find one that doesn’t stay greasy for hours after applying, but Saltair found the perfect formula. Pink Beach is an amazing fragrance and the nourishing body oil is well packaged for travel. Try it and fall in love!
Swim & Recovery Gear
Gabriel has tried them all, and these are simply the best. We first discovered these shorts at The Phoenician in Scottsdale, and Gabriel’s been hooked on SAXX ever since. Built-in support & moisture-wicking make these perfect for spa pools or steam breaks.
Styled for statement moments, yet practical for dips and showers. Sunshine is very particular about the cut of a bikini, and the fit of this one is ultra flattering. The Lace Side Tie Bikini Bottoms have a lifting ruched back rather than a straight seam across the back, which gives them a much better shape and fit.
Recovery Flip Flops – HOKA Ora Recovery Flip
Sometimes spa slippers are great and fit well, and sometimes they are too tight and uncomfortable. We like to bring our own to guarantee a cushy and supportive experience as we stroll the spa grounds and go in and out of thermal pools.
Beauty Extras
Alastin HydraTint Pro Mineral Sunscreen SPF 36
This is the secret to Sunshine’s glow. A 2-in-1 tinted mineral SPF that gives you sun protection while smoothing out imperfections. Truly waterproof, filled with antioxidants and zero white cast. The shade adjusts so it works for most skin tones. Sunshine wears this every single day to prevent sun damage and maintain a put-together look.
Tinted Butter Balm – YSL Loveshine Candy Glow Tinted Butter Balm
Hydrating color perfect for a soft, “I just got pampered” look.
Mascara – Lancôme Monsieur Big Waterproof Mascara
This is THE ONE - Sunshine has tried dozens of mascara formulas, and nothing else comes close. A single swipe elevates your lashes into bold, dramatic mode—ideal when you want a little definition without layers of makeup. Stays put, doesn’t smudge, and keeps lashed nicely separated without clumping.
The Real Secret: Pack Once, Relax Fully
The best spa bag is one you never have to think about. Once you’ve found your favorites, keep them stocked and ready, with travel sizes refilled, scrunchies tucked in the side pocket and your flip-flops waiting by the door. When a spa day comes up, you grab the bag and go.
That’s the point, after all. A spa day should feel effortless from the moment you leave the house. When you’re not rummaging for a hair tie or wishing you’d brought your own sunscreen, you can stay fully present for the steam, the soak and the quiet in between.
With this setup, you arrive at the spa in casual luxury, float through your treatments deeply relaxed, and leave refreshed and elegantly put together, ready for dinner, drinks or simply a long, blissful nap.
What’s in your spa bag? We’d love to know the one item you never travel without. Share it with us on Instagram @luxuryspareport, and stay tuned for our upcoming gift guide for spa lovers.
