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What kind of makeup bag/organizer do you use when you travel?


What kind of makeup bag/organizer do you use when you travel? Share!

I use a MAC brush roll for carrying brushes, and then I have two Tom Ford Makeup Bags – one for eye products and tools (like an eyelash curler), one for cheeks/face/lips. Anything liquid in a quart-sized bag if I’m flying!

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Rikki Avatar

I don’t travel… like, at all. The only time I Traveled when I was using makeup was in 2012 and I went to CA but threw it all in my carryon not organized ‘cos I was originally planning to stay there lol. (That didn’t work otu but uh yeah). So… I don’t have anything for travel! I’m not sure what I’d use if I did!

Christine Avatar

This is a little funny (and a lot sad), but I used to take a full sized suitcase just for makeup. I travel to Scotland a lot and it used to be for at least a month at a time so I couldn’t bear to be parted with my makeup. I even went on a road trip for a week and still took it all. At this point I would need several suitcases so I’m keeping it down to essentials in a travel case and a small bag of extra goodies that I love ( like maybe an extra palette, lipstick, gloss, etc.).

Lisemarie Visnic Avatar

I don’t really do a great deal of long travel, mostly weekend and overnights. I carry everything in train cases, I use two large and small. I am always seeking better options, it always seems like there is either complete clutter or I walk in looking like a bag lady. There has to be some kind of happy medium. I hate that I can never find anything, I think my problem stems from my love of loose minerals and all those tiny jars! Does anyone know of a good way to pack and travel with them. I can’t stand being so disorganized. HELP. :-\

xamyx Avatar

Have you tried those tiny, stackable jars? They’re available for pills, usually, but you may find something in a crafts store, which may be designed for paints, and a bit smaller.

xamyx Avatar

I also have a tiny train case-type bag that I use to store my L’Oréal Infallibles. You may not be able to travel with all your shades, but at least the ones you have will be in one place! I can fit about 20 jars in the case I have, so although it’s about the length of my hand, it’s still pretty roomy.

Lisemarie Visnic Avatar

I love the stacking jars for my blushes, they are exactly the same size as my pressed blushes and it keeps them organized at home or traveling. They haven’t worked as well for the shadows. I found them to be really messy and I travel with both loose and pressed. Only a make up junkie will understand, but I am now collecting & building 3 mac palettes just for easy travel. Idiocy I know but I wear the most makeup travelling lol, I am such a homebody regularly I tend to over pack on the cosmetics. Needs to haul the rainbow every trip. +_+ .

Lana Avatar

I use the Muji Makeup Box as my travel case! It’s different from other makeup cases because you can customize it by adding “inserts” that stack and unstack. Essentially, it’s a makeup case that offers organization. I love it so much and it’s made traveling with my makeup so much easier. If you would like to see pictures of the box, I wrote about it more in depth on my blog!

fancie Avatar

I haven’t travelled by plane in quite some time so I’ve just been packaging everything in my traincase from Ulta. Except my brushes of course which I store in my Sedona Lace brush belt. It has a zipper so it doubles as a carrying case too. I would like to find an actual brush roll and a nice makeup bag though for flights

Brenda Avatar

I have one large Hedgren toiletries bag that has 3 large lined (liquid safe) compartments. I separate liquid cosmetics (foundations, travel size moisturizers, cleanser) from powder products and pencils. I have a small Eco tools zip clutch that most of my brushes fit into (really long ones don’t), so they don’t get smushed or bent.

I really try to fit it into one bag or my family makes fun of me for packing so much LOL!

Mariella Avatar

For my brushes, I have a great brush bag that was a freebie with an order from Pur Minerals years ago. It’s just the perfect size and has perfectly sized compartments. I have a divided bag from Ulta and I use one half for skin care stuff and the other for body/shower/hair stuff. And then I have a 3rd bag for my makeup. I like this setup since I can have different things in different areas, depending on how our hotel room is set up and where I’ll be applying my makeup. Which reminds me – has anyone else noticed that so many hotels – even the high end ones – have lousy light for makeup application? Even when there’s a nicely lit bathroom, it’s not likely to have a window. Recently, we stayed in one that had a lighted makeup/shaving mirror (the type on the adjustable arm, similar to what I have at home) but those things never generate enough light for proper makeup application. Invariably, I end up pulling back the curtains and perching by the window in an attempt to get half decent light. One hotel we stayed in in Montreal had GREAT light (and a window) but the swanky bathroom was so “swankily” designed that it didn’t have anything so mundane as an actual counter so I ended up plonking all my face makeup in the sink, after drying it, so I could use the good light for makeup application.

kurohana Avatar

i usually just take tinted moisturizer, cream blush, tinted lip balm and mascara so i don’t have to take brushes with me and so they can fit into my carry on bag. Just clear quart sized bag.

Kelsey Avatar

I usually just bring a single palette with a variety of shadows and blushes (Sigma Paris palette typically) and throw it in my purse or luggage, unless I have a particular event I’m going to, in which case I pack my small freelancing kit which was two clear zipper pouches and room between them for brushes.

xamyx Avatar

The last time I traveled by plane, there weren’t any restrictions for liquids, so I haven’t had to deal with that issue. However, I’d most likely opt for a stick foundation the next time I do, or empty a bit of liquid into a jar…

I have a Lancôme GWP bag that I use as a “grab & go” sort of thing. I keep my daile “essentials” in there, like mascara, liner, foundation, brow pencil, lip balm, & brow highlight. Most items do get rotated occasionally, depending on what I’m into at the time. It’s also large enough to toss in all 4 Naked palettes along with the rest, so if it’s just a “family” trip, I just toss in the palettes & an eye primer, and I’m good. For trips where I may need to do a more “stylized” look, and need specific products, I have 2 bags I choose from. The first is a BE bag that came in a Holiday set; it’s basically a soft vinyl train case, and has slots for brushes on top. It’s also expandable, in case I buy more on my trip… The second is an old Elizabeth Arden 2-sided folding case, with a small removable pouch in the center. I stick a small brush pouch in there, along with small lip & eye products, and larger palettes & face products in the side pockets. Regardless of which one I use, I also always grab the aforementioned Lancôme bag, as I have gone on a trip without my foundation…

For everyday touch-ups, I have a really old EL GWP set, which is a standard size vinyl pouch for powders and compacts, and a matching pencil bag for brushes, pencils, and lip products.

Danielle Avatar

I have a brush roll from etsy that I use for all of my makeup brushes. As for a makeup bag, I love the large cosmetics bag from Vera Bradley. I find the medium size way too small for travel, but the large is perfect!

patsyann Avatar

When I travel by plane,I use a small zippered bag, about 7 inches long, to hold my non liquid make up and a small zippered pouch (Coastal Scents) to hold small handled travel make up brushes. I keep it very streamlined. (: . When I travel by car I use my Sigma roll or my Sigma cup brush holder and I use a big zipper bag with sections.

Nicole Avatar

When I travel by plain or train, I try to only use a kind of pencil case by MakeUp ForEver for pencils and powders, pencils and a clear plasic bag for my liquids in my carry-on bag. I keep my showergel, shampoo and face products in my luggage. I try to travel with sample sizes and multi use products / pencils.

When I travel by car, I mostely use a shopper bag for my stuff. This one is filled with smaller bags to keep my makeup, skin and face care organized.

stephanee Avatar

I travel often and had to adjust to all of the requirements, not fun anymore. I have to have my skincare and travel makeup. I tend to take the same makeup with me on a trip, I know it will work in any climate. This past Christmas, I found Sonia Kashuk Completely Organized bags at Target. OMGEE what a purchase, tons of room for all of my sample size and cosmetics. I put skincare in the middle and cosmetics in the pockets surrounding it. They come in great colors so I got all of them. Front pocket in front holds all tools like curler, tweezer, brushes.

calimom Avatar

I’ve traveled a lot and I use Hefty or Ziploc quart bags-the ones with the zipper closures. I don’t want my products leaking on my clothes. I do use a small bag that I got as a GWP for my Clarisonic and its charger. I divide my products into categories-shower, make-up and skincare. It cuts down on the digging around in all the bags for the right item.

Lisa Avatar

I have a few Clinique bags that came with the “gift with purchase”. I was just out of town last weekend and used two of the larger sized Clinique bags and a small Sephora pouch. Last year, I was in Florida for a month and that was difficult because I wanted to take everything.

Samantha Avatar

I am a terrible traveler. I take a large train case that folds out to three levels, a roll of full size brushes, and my favorite table-top mirror.

koolchicken Avatar

I travel a lot. And by a lot I mean, I just got back from FL two days ago and I’m headed to CA in a few days! So although I didn’t really get into makeup until a couple of years ago I’ve very quickly learned how to cull things I don’t need because I’m not checking a bag every trip or willing to overstuff my carry-on.

Makeup is expensive and often fragile, so everything I take goes into my carry-on. I use a Very Bradley small cosmetic bag (lined with plastic and can go in the washing machine). I pack one Unii Palette with mostly pinks, beiges, and browns so I can create a appropriate look for day or night. I’ve tested everything and any shade in there can be paired with every other so I don’t worry about discovering two shades don’t work great together when I’m rushing to get on a plane or something. There’s also one Tarte blush in there as well because I know it’ll last all day and they’re not too big. I also carry one blush brush, and two eyeshadow brushes and that’s enough to do my whole face. I bring an eyelash curler and folding eyelash comb. For my liquids I bring Bobbi Brown tinted moisturizer (which covers surprisingly well), mascara, and brow gel. I might also have a lip gloss but mostly I use Fresh sugar lip balm because you don’t need a mirror to apply, they have great colors, and SPF.

All of that can, and does fit into that one tiny bag. I’ve never found myself wishing I brought something else and I can mix and match without fear so every day I look a little different. And most importantly I’m not going to get a hernia carting it all around.

JG Avatar

I don’t travel a lot, and when I do, it’s usually only for a few nights. I have a medium sized makeup bag that was some GWP that holds one of each essential, and I’ll usually put my brushes in a smaller bag to keep them separate. If I think I’ll want some eyeshadow I’ll grab a Naked palette and carry that separate; otherwise, I’ll just pop the essentials into my bag and be good to go.

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