What's in your travel makeup bag?
What’s in your travel makeup bag? Share!
I always empty it out after I return from wherever, and then fill it up based on where I’m going (and what I’ll be doing!). My husband and I took a little three-day trip down to Disneyland a couple of months ago, and I put together a 15-pan palette of Make Up For Ever’s Artist Shadows, plus a five eyeliners to coordinate with those colors. I usually take three or four lipsticks and two glosses. For blush, I go with a coral, brown, and plum – and since it was southern CA (and the most humid week EVER!), I tossed in a Chanel cream blush for layering. Then I have my basics like foundation, setting powder, etc. 🙂
Thanks to reader Bonnie for today’s question idea Do you have a question idea? Submit yours here.
Same – depends on where I’m going & for how long! For a longer trip, usually a foundation, and a lighter base like a bb cream for a few options, a neutral eye shadow palette, blush palette, a few essential brushes. For a short trip I may take a small all-in-one palette & one bb cream, mascara. The bare basics! Of course mascara, and maybe a few different options for eye liner no matter what! 😀 I always love bringing the samples I accumulate too, whether it’s skincare, or perfume.
My makeup travel bag for an upcoming three week trip to Southeast Asia:
1. UD setting spray
2. Laura Mercier oil free primer
3. Skin 79 bb cream
4. Lancome Teint idole ultra 24 hr
5. NARS radiant creamy concealer
6. MAC Prolongwear concealer
7. Hourglass blush palette
8. MAC mineralize skin finish natural powder
9. Hourglass ambient light palette
10. Urban Decay primer potion
11. MAC paint pot in soft ochre
12. Urban Decay Naked palette
13. Urban Decay foxy
14. MAC gel eyeliner in Blacktrack
15. Tarte eyeliner in rose gold & taupe
16. Tarte lights camera mascara
17. Hydra glass lip gloss
18. Sonia Kashuk velvety matte lip crayon in Mulberry nude
19. YSL gloss Volupté in fuchsia Oran and grenade pepite
20. Bite lip pencil in rhubarb, pomegranate, and winterberry
Same as you Christine, contents vary depending on where I am going. e.g. I will pack brighter colors (and no foundation) for summer holidays and more neutral shades for trips during the cooler (…and greyer) months.
However some basics don’t change, such as eyelash curler, mascara, eyebrow pencil + gel and several black and brown eyeliners. On top of that here is what’s in my bag at the moment:
– various eye and face brushes
– foundation and primer
– Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage 3 in 1 pot (inc. a setting powder)
– the Balm Time Balm concealer (recent purchase and I love it)
– the Balm Mary Lou Manizer
– By Terry cream blush
– Une eyebrow pencil
– MUFE eyebrow gel
– Chanel Le Volume mascara
– a sample of a Givenchy waterproof mascara
– Kevyn Aucoin eyelash curler
– MUFE Mist & Fix
– pointed Q-tips
– a couple of lipsticks (usually a dusty rose and a peachy one)
…and perfume samples so that I don’t have to carry a full-size one!
Too Faced Hangover face primer(my skin is drier when traveling),Makeup For Ever Mat Velvet foundation,UD Naked Flushed in Streak,Nars blush Amour,Stila Stay All Day eyeliner,Too Faced Shadow Insurance,Z small palette with a pan single eyeshadows in it(whatever colors I like,MAC/MUG/MakeUpForEver etc.),two to five lipsticks(usually take YSL Rouge Pur Couture#4,MAC Vegas Volt and something new),SigmaF80,E25,MUG Angled stippling brush,MAC 217,Louise Young brush LY07,LY12,LY20 For another thing like face powder,mascara,concealer I usually take a current one that I used
I usually bring a bunch of Sephora samples, which will collectively cover me wrt base makeup and mascara. And then I’ll add 3-4 lipsticks and a smallish eyeshadow palette (like the Sleek i-Divine ones).
I’m actually going on a 2 day (work, semi school reunion and voting in the Brazlian elections) trip tomorrow to LA. I am an extremely anxious traveler and tend to take the survivalist/hoarder approach. 🙂
Here is what’s in my bag:
Eyes:
Mac electric cool eyeshadow in Superwatt
Smashbox cream eyeshadow in Gemstone
Mac paintpot in Painterly
By Terry Ombre BlackStar in Bronze Moon and Misty Rock
Nars Smudgeproof
Marc Jacobs black eyeliner
UD eyeliners in Black Velvet and Empire
Kat Von D eyeliner in Trooper
Mini Too Faced Better Than Sex
Chanel Mascara in Plum
Nars Gabon
Charlotte Tilbury palettes in Vintage Vamp and Rock Chick
Chanel Tisse Gabrielle
Chanel quint in Charming
Naked Basics 1
2 pencil sharpeners
Brows:
Anastasia dip brow pomade
Anastasia tinted brow gel
Face:
By Terry Cover Expert foundation
Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation
Laura Mercier primer
Nars crystal pressed powder
Cle de Peau concealer
Armani corrector
Chanel blush in Plum Attraction
Charlotte Tilbury blush in Sex on Fire
Tarte blush in Exposed
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar
Lips:
Nars lipstick in Anna
Mac Flat Out Fabulous, Sin and All Fired Up
Sephora lipstain in 4
MUFE Aqua Rouge in 13 and 14
Chanel stain in Bright Rose
Kat Von D in Outlaw
Chanel Organdi Rose
Mac lipliners in Nightmoth and Whirl.
Assorted brushes.
It depends on how long I’m going away for, but I usually make a list of looks to wear during my trip and then take whatever I need for them.
Most of my collection is indies, and little pots of loose powder don’t travel well! What does travel excellently is samples baggies. They’re a dollar at most companies so I have dozens in every imaginable hue for eyeshadow, and quite a few for things like finishing powder, blush, and highlighter. I pack all my samples, what ever lip colors I’m feeling at the moment, foundation, eyeshadow primer, concealer and my concealer setting powder. Brush wise I pack enough for a decent eyelook, my powder brush and my foundation brush.
I travel a few timeS a year, up to NY to be with friends for the holidays and i love to do their makeup. I usually fill my bag with at least 2 e/s palettes – UD Naked and a Bobbi Brown palette for a mix of matte/shimmer shades. Anastasia brow wiz, 2 blushes (matte and shimmer) Revlon CS foundation and a Chanel foundation, a Becca SSP for brightening I have mini’s of Hourglass Veil mineral primer and e/s primer, setting powder, undereye brightener/concealer, a cream blush, 2 mascaras and a few glosses. I usually have several brushes as well. I like to have options!
Yay! Thanks for using my question 🙂 here’s what’s usually in my travel bag:
-Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette
-a couple blushes, usually Tarte Exposed and one with a pop of color
-Naked 1
-a red and a mauve lipstick and gloss
-eyeliner
-It Cosmetics CC cream
-Sunscreen
-elf lip exfoliator
-lash curler and Maybelline the Rocket
Christine: What blush can you not leave home without? Still looking for that perfect one, and I’m about your coloring. Thanks!
Tom Ford Love Lust is usually my go-to, otherwise Korres Natural, which is discontinued (brown-hued).
I finally grabbed and eyelash curler so I’m able to wear makeup again! Lol… that was a long 5 months!
Face Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet Foundation (mixed with Garnier Moisturizing Gel), Shiseido Translucent Powder
CheeksTarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed, Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Nectar
Eyes: L’Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Amber Rush, Urban Decay Naked 1 Palette, Wet n Wild Night Elf Palette
Lips: whatever is in my handbag at the moment and just make do! Typically Revlon Super Lustrous lipgloss in Life’s a Peach, MAC Lipglass in Evolution Revolution and Cult of Cherry, Shiseido lipstick in Baby, Revlon Color Burst Lacquer Balm in Vivacious
Wow I didn’t think this was much, but it’s a lot more than I was expecting! 😛
How was Disneyland?!
The first day was really good, but it was SO hot and humid that the weather made it hard for us to be out for long (seriously, I was surprised at how little shade there is at the park!). We attended a concert in the area (which is why we went, and we figured we’d throw Disneyland in), but I would choose a different time to go next time, lol!
In 2008, we went to Disneyland in mid-October, and it was so hot. I totally agree with you about the lack of shade. I think they just want to sell drinks. 🙂 At least that year it wasn’t humid.
I couldn’t believe it! I was like, but… but… what about all the grandparents??! At the very least? Love Disneyland, but going as an adult made me notice the lack of shade, lol!
I don’t have a travel bag which is already packed. I travel with the porducts I love and will use. When I went on an over-night trip to see Lady Gaga live in concert I packed foundation, powder, cream shadows, gel eye liner, a blush and two lipsticks completed by mascara and some brushes.
I’m the same and pack based on what I need. Much of my travel is for work and requires a full makeup case (acting). However, when I travel for any other reason I still pack too much makeup 😛 My next trip will involve a palette with MUFE shadows for blush, highlight, contour, and shadow colors all in one spot for sure. Previously I really like UD Smoked for travel as it’s a tough palette with mattes, neutrals, shimmers, metallics, and jewel tones in one and has room for a brush or liner. I always bring a brush roll but slim it down to basics. MUFE Flash is great for going to conventions for cosplay and fun makeup. I like to pack multitaskers like NARS multiples/matte multiples, things I can just carry with me. Always way too much lipstick.
For trips of a week or longer:
Foundation and finishing powder suitable to the climate in which I’ll be traveling.
Edward Bess Back to Basics for warm looks and Berry Chic for cool looks.
A black and a brown pencil eyeliner.
Black mascara
A few good multi-tasking brushes.
If I’ll be attending a special event, I might toss in a couple of extra items for that particular occasion.
For long weekends, I usually take whatever I’m in the mood to wear and don’t worry about how much or how little I feel like packing.
I usually pack things that I know will work for me no matter what, even if they’re not the most exciting. I’m going to New York with my mom in a few weeks, and I already know pretty much what I’ll be taking.
-Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation Serum
-Smashbox Photofinish Pore Minimizing Primer
-Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette
-Bobbi Brown Sandstone Shimmer Brick
-Chanel Envol Illusion D’Ombre (OBSESSED with this)
-UD Naked2 Basics
-Bite Beauty Sable pencil
-MAC No Faux Pas lipstick
-MAC Lingering Kiss lipstick
-Anastasia Dipbrow
-Marc Jacobs Eyebrow gel
-L’Oreal Mascara
-NARS Pro prime eye base
-Benefit They’re Real! Push up liner
It depends on how long I’ll be gone but I usually pack a crap ton lol. My lippies and blushes tend to change but I always pack my NYX/MAC/Maybelline primer, NARS tinted moisturizer, Revlon foundation, NARS concealer and Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette
Hmm, I try to travel light but don’t always succeed! Not including skincare I take:
Face:
Primer
Light to medium coverage liquid foundation
Finishing powder or powder foundation
High coverage concealer
Under eye concealer
Peach blush
Pink blush
Dusky rose blush
Powder highlighter(if blushes don’t have shimmer)
Eyes and brows:
Eye primer
Neutral eyeshadow quad – Shimmery peach, matte brown, satin cream and a matte, very dark grey
Black eyeliner
Brown eyeliner
Purple and/or teal eyeliner
Purple and/or teal eyeshadow
Mascara
Mascara and brow sealing gel
Black eyebrow pencil
Lips:
Bright pink lipstick
Bright coral lipstick
Red lipstick
Natural lipstick
Lipliner that’s the same colour as my lips
Red lipliner
Brushes:
Dense foundation brush
Blush brush
Flat shader eyeshadow brush
Fluffy crease eyeshadow brush x2
Under eye concealer brush
Lip brush
That’s roughly it I think. There’s probably more but my mind has gone blank!
I can’t help but want to know what show you went to! LOL Also this might be better posted as one of these questions on the blog but this post got me wondering what mascara you use most often. Are you always testing new mascaras or is there one in particular you use and/or travel with and why?
Oh and to answer this question: I’m pretty brave 😉 If I’m on vacation I don’t want to worry about makeup so I skip it all – but I DO like to pack skincare! Masks and stuff like that. If I’m on vacation I like to take the time to treat myself to some fun skin goodness 🙂
I’m usually testing mascaras, but I find reviewing them more difficult than say, a blush or eyeshadow, and ultimately, I end up just testing them and considering them for end-of-the-year spots more than actual reviews. I’ve been using MAC’s Mineralize mascara a lot lately, and before that Urban Decay’s Curling mascara. I try not to have TOO many open or else I can’t keep track of when to toss!
Sweet 🙂 Thanks! I’m always kind of looking for new ones to try in the back of my brain – but I don’t really test many for any kind of review I just like to try them out for fun so I’m always curious what people’s favorites are.
I pretty much use a similar combination every time, based on my “rules” of picking them. I simply fill in each position with my current favorite or the smallest size of that type of product I currently have. Also the lasting power and multi-function flexibility are also taken into consideration.
1. Hourglass Primer (7.5ml travel size)
2. Clinique CC cream/Giorgio Armani BB cream (or other tinted cream with good sun protection)
3. Marc by Marc Jacobs pressed foundation
4. Beauty blender (for most liquid products and sometimes pressed powder)
5. NARS Narssist palette (tho it’s heavy and pretty big, it contains shadow, highlight and blushes in multiple shades)
6. Marc Jacobs Twinkle Pop in Au Revoir and Stardust (they hold up there so well that i don’t even need eyeshadow primer)
7. Stila black eyeliner (the one with very fine felt tip. The package is very worn-out I can’t see the full product name on it ). Marc Jacobs Eyeliner in Brown(out)
8. Bite BB for Lip/ Fresh sugar lip balm in Tulip (for spf) and Bite Agave Lip Mask (for overnight care)
9. Anna Sui Lash Curler
10. Kevyn Aucoin Volume Mascara
11. Kate brow powder (it has 3 shades of medium ash brown with awesome staying power! )
12. Anastasia clear eyebrow gel
13. Perfume samples/vials
14. Q-tips and Cotton wipes
For a beach trip or cold weather, I’ll add a separate sunscreen or replace powder products with cream ones. If there happens to be a special occasion that my collection is not enough to put up a big makeup? I enjoy buying them during the trip, as souvenir also. 🙂
I don’t travel frequently and I don’t have any specific bag for travelling with makeup, but I always like to bring at least my MAC Studio Fix powder and a decent brush since I don’t like using the sponge it comes with, a few lipsticks and at least a gloss or two (lipsticks I don’t need a brush to apply), a good lip pencil that will work with the lipsticks I bring, an eyeliner, a mascara, and one eyeshadow palette that will work for the trip (like Naked 2 or KVD Monarch).
And I’d probably bring my Ralph perfume since it’s a 1oz bottle and easy to travel with.
I always pack way too much makeup – but always the basics of foundation, eye shadow, liner, lipstick, lipgloss, blush and mascara.
I mostly empty mine each time. I keep a small pack of cotton swabs in it at all times, though, since I tend to forget them while I’m packing everything else. What I pack depends on where and when I’m going. I always pack a lip balm, mineral veil, and mineral foundation or BB cream. Bronzer and highlighter. Sample sizes of facial wash, eye cream, face creams, face primer, eye primer and scent/perfume. E.l.f. Mist & Set. Makeup brushes and travel-sized brush cleaner. Eyelash curler and black mascara. A versatile eye palette like Too Faced Cat Eyes or Chocolate Bar. A basic blush, like Tarte Exposed. Black, brown and purple eyeliner pencils and a sharpener. I have a credit card-sized lip palette that hold small amounts of 10 products. So I always have it filled with a rotation of lipsticks and glosses in various colors that go with everything and can be mixed. Brow powder. Sometimes I forego the individual color cosmetics and just take a travel palette, but it depends.
I also have a small makeup bag in my purse at all times. It contains sample-sized essentials in neutral colors and mini-brushes, just in case.
I try to keep with samples or travel sizes, and not bring a ton of stuff like I want to. I’ve been working on paring down.
I’m traveling soon so I’d appreciate some suggestions but what I plan on bringing is
Kevyn Aucoin: The skin tinted balm
L.A ProConcealer (2)
Make up Forever: HD setting powdered (travel size)
Anastasia dip Brow. (Cause its waterproof)
M.A.C lipsticks: Spitfire, RiRi woo,& Kinda Sexy.
Lip liner: vino, plum & Hodgepodge
EOS Balm
Clear lipgloss
Great lash waterproof mascara
Wet&Wild eyeliner
A Random Blush Palette( contains a red,orange,pink and apricot)
2pairs of eyelashes
E.L.F Spray brush cleaner
Makeup face eraser
Beauty blenders (small&large)
Sephora all in one brush set. E.L.F Eye brushes
NYX matte finish setting spray.
Naked Palette & 1 Z palette
I try to bring things I love and that I know will hold up but are replaceable if that get lost or stolen.
I don’t travel a lot, but I usually take far too much stuff with me. However when we went to South Africa some years ago I only took one small neutral eyeshadow palette, and was I tired of that one after two weeks, with one week to go. Lesson learnt, bring at least two small palettes or a bigger one with a good colour selection.
I keep it simple.
1. MAC CC powder – refresh
2. Smashbox BB cream – dark
3. MAC pro longwear brow set – bold brunette
4. UD Naked 1 palette
5. Too Faced Shadow Insurance
6. Benefit They’re Real Mascara
7. MAC lip pencil – Vino
8. MAC Rebel
9. KVD Lock and Load Setting Spray
I don’t have one together right now, but if I look at my makeup and pretend I’m off to travel right this min, this is what I’d throw in my bag:
Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara
Urban Decay eyeshadow primer potion
Nyx Wonder Pencil in light
Lorac Pro or maybe Naked 2
Urban Decay eye pencil in Demolition and Rockstar, maybe Yeyo
Mac Fluidline in Blacktrack
Neutrogena lip balm
Nyx Butter Gloss in Angel Food Cake
Mac Ruby Woo, maybe All Fired Up
Mac Studio Fix Powder Plus foundation in NW10
Urban Decay Brightening and Tightening Complexion primer
My pencil case of brushes
Lash curler
Makeup remover wipes
Damn! Thank you for helping me realize how much I pack, lol.
I’m pretty basic. I have most of my lippies in my purse which is about 20 of them. I take my favorite of everything I’m using at the moment and 2-3 eyeshadow choices usually in a duo or quad form. It’s about enough to fill a gallon size bag 2/3 of the way and zip it up! Plus my Amani brush roll.
Generally, just a powder, a bunch of lipsticks and some eyeliners, my Chanel curlers and the mascara of the moment. If I know there will be evening events or prersentations, I might take my BB cream from YSL and the UD Naked 2 palette to do an actual eyeshadow look. A new addition to my travel and daily staples has to be the Mayra Mercier Amethyst caviar stick!
I just got back from a vacation to Disneyworld. It was eighty-something degrees and no rain–so definitely not bad for Florida. I think I did pretty good–I tried to fit everything in one carry-on which means all liquids in a quart-sized bag. I did forget brow powder, setting spray and setting powder–so everything melted off. Oh well.
IT cosmetics bye bye undereye concealer
MUFE Full Cover Concealer
Skinceuticals physical spf 50 (emptied in a contacts case)
Ulta Hydrating Primer (emptied in a contacts case)
NYX Autobrow Pencil
UD Naked 1
Revlon Whipped Creme Foundation (emptied in a contacts case)
IMAN Lip Palette
L’Oreal Butterfly Lash Out Waterproof Mascara
Buxom Eye Pencil
Eyeko Skinner Liner
Smashbox Eye Primer
NARS Blush in Sex Fantasy and Amour
Too Faced Primed & Poreless Bronzer
bunch of lipliners
Dr. Bronner’s Lip balm
Clinique Cleansing Oil
Samples of Paula’s Choice BHA GEl, Cleansers, etc.
For many years, I’ve travelled so much that I keep a bag packed at all times. So variety comes from having different sets of travel palettes.
Current travel bag contains:
Trial size kit of Dr.Perricone (favorite cleanser) face and neck products
Sheer cover kit that contains primer, moisturizer, 2 different shades of mineral foundation, and duo concealer. I took out there brushes and substituted in others.
Tarte Amazonian Escape eye shadow and blush palette
Milani eye tech eyeliner in black
Black mascara (which I rarely use)
2 lipsticks and two lip glosses
Neutrogena face wipes
Brow pencil
and for each individual trip, I’ll throw in a small palette for variety. That’s the only thing that changes.
I collect small travel palettes. Not many come out for someone with my skin color, so the collection is not huge, but the convenience can’t be beat, especially if a good lip color or lip gloss is included.
Brands range from Chanel and Lancome on the high end, to MAC, Tarte and em cosmetics for mid-range, to BH cosmetics on the low price end. As long as they are small and flat, they tend not to crack.
They vary in quality and color, and range from eye chadow only, to shadow and blush, to shadow, powder and lip/cheek color.
Neutrogena face wipes
It depends on how long i’ll be gone for, what the weather will be like, and the occasion i’m going for, but generally something along the lines of this;
Face products—-
-A face primer.
-A foundation. Generally a lightweight, dewy one but I change it as I see fit.
-A concealer for my under eye circles.
-A face powder.
-A matte bronzer.
-A blush that goes well with the rest of my products, so generally a nude or peachy shade.
-If I feel I need it, a highlighter.
Eye products—–
-Eye primer – Urban Decay primer potion is the one I always use.
-Eye shadow base – Mac paint pot in painterly is usually the one.
-An eye shadow palette – It changes a lot when I travel, but it’s usually either the Lorac Pro palette or one of my Urban Decay Naked palettes (Naked, Naked 1, Naked 2, or Naked Basics.)
-A liquid eyeliner and a pencil eyeliner, both black most of the time.
-A mascara. If it’s summer, I may opt for a waterproof one as well.
Brow products—-
-It changes depending on what I want more at the time, but either a brow pencil, brow powder, or a cream brow product.
-A brow gel. Anastasia makes a really great one.
-A spoolie. I was going to count this as an assorted brush, but figured i’d add it here.
Lip products—-
-Lip balm. Fresh sugar makes a really nice luxurious lip balm, but you could of course use any lip balm of choice.
-1-3 lipsticks depending on how long I will be gone and how much variety I need. Usually just a nude and maybe a peachy tone, but sometimes I add a pink or red if needed.
-1-2 lip glosses. A nude is a must, and sometimes i’ll add either peach, red, or pink.
And then, a bunch of assorted makeup brushes.
This is a pretty hefty amount of makeup obviously, but like I said it depends on the length of time i’ll be gone, and after all I am a makeup lover haha.
Sorry this post was so tremendously long – I’ll try and keep them shorter next time lol!
I also fill my travel bag based on where I’m going and what I’ll be doing. I went on a trip this past weekend and took the following:
Monistat Anti-chafing Gel (primer)
MUFE HD Foundation
NYX Single Eyeshadow in Black
UDPP
LORAC Pro Palette
Black Opal Invisible Oil Blocking Pressed Powder
Rock & Republic Shameless Blush
MAC Spice & RiRi Woo lipglasses
MUFE Mist & Fix
Brushes:
Sonia Kashuk Synthetic Buffing Brush
Sonia Kashuk Highlighting Brush
Sonia Kashuk Large Crease Brush
Sonia Kashuk Large Shader Brush
Essence of Beauty Crease Duo Brushes
– Bobbi Brown Stick Foundation in Warm Ivory
– Lorac Evening Out Complexion Kit in Light
– Estee Lauder DoubleWear Concealer in Light (travel sz)
– BareMinerals Ready Touch-Up Veil in Translucent (travel sz)
– NARS Adult Content Cheek Palette
– It Cosmetics Universal Brow Pencil (travel sz)
– Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Medium Ash
– Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Pencil in Nude
– Physician’s Formula Eye Booster Liquid Liner in Ultra Black
– NARS Pro Prime Smudge-Proof Shadow Base (travel sz)
– NARS Single Eyeshadow in Ondine
– Smashbox Full Exposure Travel Palette
– CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara