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What do you pack in your travel makeup bag?


What do you pack in your travel makeup bag? Share yours!

These are usually products that accompany me on trips, though not always and often with additional one-timers: Urban Decay Naked 1 Palette, Benefit Sugarbomb, Le Metier de Beaute Echo, MAC Espresso, Guerlain Les Voilettes, Cle de Peau #2 Lipgloss.

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48 Comments

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Miss J Avatar

It can vary based upon where season, where I’m going, what I’ll be doing, and how long. Certain items I always take with me, though. A nail file and tweezers are a must. I always toss in a mini-moisturizer. Some sort of makeup to even out my complexion whether it be concealer, foundation, and/or powder. I usually bring Fix+. I tend to skip bring eyeshadows. I may or may not include an eyeliner, but mascara is always included. Then I toss in a couple blushes and a couple lip products and I’m done.

I don’t tend to bring too much with me because I find that I don’t use a lot of stuff when I’m on vacation.

Rachel Avatar

I have a bag of basics that is the foundation of all y makeup days: Nars eyeshadow base, eyebrow pencil (current Chanel), anastasia brow gel and brow duality pencil and Chanel perfectn concealer in 10 and mascara either waterproof Lancôme deficils or guerlains newest mascara. After that I try to multitask my products a bit during travel. These days I’ll grab my Trish mackevoy planner, it mint not have my absolute favorite colors, but I made sure to make it a complete kit. It has one page of shadows and one page of face colors. Then I pick two lipsticks and a finishing powder than can double as a highlighter.

Alyssa Avatar

Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream, Laura Mercier Mineral Powder, Clinique Redness Solutions Powder, EL Bronze Goddess Duo, Eye Primer, MAC Painterly Paint Pot, a MAC custom quad (Usually-Amber Lights, Sable, Twinks, Satellite Dreams), Mascara, NYC waterproof pencils…I take advantage of anything I can move to a smaller, especially with short trips

Veronica Avatar

I fully admit to being a complete procrastinator, so I’m lucky if I pack enough of the essentials, much less even consider makeup. Usually it winds up being whatever’s in my purse at the time, and if I actually need anything, I’ll buy something while I’m there. (Vacations tend to be makeup free for me, anyhow.)

Sally Avatar

My Bare Minerals foundation with Too Faced Primed and Poreless Primer, YSL Multi-Action Concealer, UDPP, Too Faced palettes (Romantic and Smoky), UD 24/7 pencil in Perversion, Tarina Tarantino blush palette, Benifit’s Hoola, tokidoki Kabuki illuminator and Benefit’s They’re Real mascara. That’s on the short list, at least. 😀

Michelle Avatar

I’ve been living with a travel bag of makeup since September, since I moved to college and left my real stash at home, so I’d make a travel bag out of the small stash currently with me. These things would be non-negotiable: Almay foundation, Palladio concealer, Bare Minerals, peach blush, black Maybelline mascara, lash curler, blonde Maybelline brow pencil, black pencil liner, Avon pink lipstick, and my brushes. I would probably take other products, but I’d like to pretend I’m a practical packer ;P

Dinitchka Avatar

I pack my regular make-up case (minus the similar products) because I feel that I need most of the cosmetics and tools that I use on a regular and daily basis. I know it’s prob a bunch of over-kill but I don’t want to run to the store to buy more of what I already have anyway.

Then I add to plastic zip bags my tools (nail brush, brushes/combs, hair dryer, mirrors, tampons, pads etc), nail products, make-up removers, face products, hair products, bath products and oral hygiene products.

I always pack WAY more than what I need. I’m a bit OCD about being stranded 🙁

livnzoe Avatar

that’s what i usually take with me:

bobbi brown oil free tinted moistruizer
maybelline dark circle eraser
max factor stick concealer
mac msf natural
catrice brow kit
too faced shadow insurance
too faced naked/natural eye palette
essence pencil liner
essence eye liner pen
essence xxl mascara
mac hipness blush
mac lustre drops in pink rebel
mac msf natural in a darker color as a bronzer
one or two lipsticks/glosses
about 3 to 5 brushes

Natalie Avatar

I usually bring something along these lines:

Benefit eyeshadow in Leggy
Josie Maran all over color? (I don’t remember what it’s called) in Rosey
Sephora liquid eyeliner in black
Maybelline Full n Soft mascara (and an eye lash curler!)
L’Oreal Infallible lip gloss in In Bloom
Clinique lipstick in Parisian Red

AniBEE Avatar

A costume freestyle palette with the eyeshadows I’ll be wearing during the trip and my new Naked 2 palette. Eve Pearl Primer, Lime Crime Eyeshadow Primer, a foundation that matches, MUFE Sculpt duo #4, TheBALM Mary-lou Manizer, Purely Cosmetics Diamond Perfect Finish, some lips products, Brushes and a powder puff!

Elle Avatar

Brow pencil, concealers, 1 or 2 palettes, a red and nude lipstick, pink gloss, lip liner, a coral or plum blush, foundation stick, and pressed powder.

Sunny Avatar

The Naked Palette, Tarte Peaceful, Chanel Rouge Coco Mademoiselle, Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation, NARS stick concealer, Bobbi Brown Sable (my go-to brow filler), a gel liner, a mascara.

sarah Avatar

i pack the naked palette, the UD deluxe palette, a couple of liners(black/brown and 1-2 colored ones), benefit coralista, and usually one bright pink lipstick and a couple glosses.

Chris25 Avatar

It depends on where I’m going. For my cousin’s wedding, I made sure to pack the purple makeup I wanted to wear with my silvery-lavender dress. Otherwise, it’s just concealer, powder, eyeliner and lipstick. And my eyelash curler. 🙂

Krista Avatar

I don’t wear foundation anymore so I’m going to start of with my favorite matte sunscreen then MAC Studio finish in NC 30 and NW 25 for my face and under my eyes, also the CoverGirl Corrector in #230 for any discoloration and my YoungBlood HD Powder to set my concealer. Since I want to save space, I’ll be bringing my Urban Deccay Naked 2 Palette because I use the matte black for my brows and the colors pretty much give me a good range of looks to choose from, I’m bringing my Makeu Up For Ever Aqua Cream in #13 and my Stila Kitten Shadow as an eyeshadow base, and my K-Palette Tattoo Eyeliner and MAC Blacktrack and Maybelline falsies to complete the eye look. For the face, I can’t live without my Benefit Hoola Bronzer which I also use to contour and my NARS Luster and Orgasm blushes which give me a natural flush that’ll go with any kind of look. And lastly for the lips, I’. bringing my MAC lipstick in Hug Me and Revlon Colorburst in Blush.

Alexis Avatar

The Naked Palette, Two custom MAC quads which are usually colors, Lorac Take A Brow, Anatassia brow set, A couple pencil eyeliners (brown, black, a few colors), Paint pots in Painterly and Bare Study, Nars Danmari cheek palette, MAC peal cream color base, MAC lipsticks in Mystery and Ruby Woo and whatever Pink and Coral color I’m feeling along with a couple glosses which usually don’t get used but I like to have the option. Then in a ziplock baggy I have my makeup wipes, my Proactive, moisturizer, tweezers, eye cream and whatever nail polish I’m wearing.

This is way overkill but I don’t wanna go out and buy things.

Victoria Avatar

It varies with eyeshadows and lipsticks but some items that i always bring;
Mac 217, studio gear blush brush, mac 134
Too faced eyeshadow insurance, lancome mascara, lancome artliner, tarte smoldereyes in fig
Mabelline age rewind eraser dark circles, clarins ever matte foundation
Chanel blush horizon de chanel, mac blot powder,
Revlon lip butter in pink truffle

Daria Avatar

Facial moisturizer
MAC Night Maneuver eyeshadow for my brows
MAC 15 pan palette with a variety of neutrals and a few pops of colour
Eyelash curler
Q-Tips
Cetaphil Facial Cleanser
Two blushes and Benefit Sugarbomb
MAC Blacktrack Fluidline
MAC Buried Treasure Powerpoint Eyeliner
MAC Prep & Prime Translucent Setting Powder
MAC Face & Body Foundation & MAC’s tinted moisturizer
6 brushes for face and eyes
A variety of lipglosses
2 lipsticks

Ursula Avatar

Half the house usually; when I go to work I “only” take a make up bag, if I ever left it at home I would probably have a panic attack; lipstick always, eyelash curler, mascara, 2 concealers, blush, bronzer, highlighter, brow shaper, eyeliner, brushes, if I travel then along comes usually 2 skincare bags as well:)))

More specifically Guerlain (Rouge G)or EL lipstick, BB curler, Guerlain bronzer, EL illuminating highlighter and blushes and bronzer compact, Lancome, Clinique, Chanel or EL eyeshadows, EL longwear liners, Lancome or EL mascara… the brands I currently own. Brushes are EL, Lancome and Guerlain.

Dinitchka Avatar

@ Stephanietp: I’m so serious about this method …

A piece of copy paper inside the palette to secure the products, a rubberband around it and wrap in BUBBLE WRAP. You can rubberband it again, if you wish.

I have a couple UNII palettes that are pretty sturdy (but you know how the airlines treat luggage)and I wrap them in a few pieces of bubble wrap. My solid powder prodcuts not in a palette (I only keep shadows and blushes in the UNII) also get wrapped in bubble wrap. Liquids go in baggies and I pray they don’t break. Everything else gets sorted by baggies. All this goes in either my make-up case or a luggage make-up case. So far with my method of madness has worked and no broken products.

Tracy Avatar

I just carry my makeup bag in my carry on. No way will I leave it in my checkin luggage and risk to lose it, especially if there’s LE items in it !

Courtney Avatar

When I pack my travel makeup bag, it’s usually because I’m performing as a character, so I have very specific products, depending on the look. When I’m traveling, I keep it pretty simple.

Victoria Avatar

I have a post about this very topic on my blog! I like to pack a neutral eyeshadow palette, a blush that goes with everything (Tarte Exposed), and the usual basics (foundation, eyeliner, etc). I always bring wayyy too many lipsticks though!

TZS Avatar

bb cream, concealer, brow pencil, too faced shadow insurance & mac painterly paint pot, current favourite eyeshadows, mascara, and current favourite lipstick, or a couple of wearable and good-for-everyday lipsticks 🙂

Joan Avatar

What I pack in my travel makeup bag is directly related to my mode of transportation. If I travel by car I take more liberties than I would by plane, in which case I scale back as much as possible. I wish I were decisive enough to take the bare minimum, even during a car trip. My conundrum is, what if my mood changes and I’ve left a particular color, or product behind? Therefore, I pack lippies from each color family and a 15 pan custom eyeshadow palette with the major color families equally represented. The basics like foundation/ tinted moisturizer,eyelash curler, tweezer, makeup brushes, etc are a given.

Leenie Avatar

I just came back from a weekend trip to Atlantic City what I took with me was my face primer by Lancome, NARS Sheer Glow, MAC Get Away Bronze blush two lipsticks, UDP for my lids and Lancome eyeliner a liquid liner my coastal scent natural palette and a black mascara, a brow pencil, Eve Pearl concealer and my face moisturizers and cleanser.

Sarah Avatar

Ugh! I am leaving on Friday to visit my boyfriend for a month and I am having the hardest time picking & choosing what I should bring. Part of me wants to keep it simple but the other part really wants to bring EVERYTHING. Or then there is option 3: bring the necessities and then treat myself to new things when I’m there 🙂

Lacey J. Avatar

Nars Punjab
Lorac Spotlight
Mac blot powder
Smashbox brow tech trio in brunette
Urban Decay primer potion original
Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara
Buxom lipgloss in Amber
Eos lipbalm (the mint kind)
thebalm time balm concealer
Physicians Formula Classic Nudes quad
Too faced smoky eyes kit (the new one)
Nyx skinny eyeliner pencil in black
Hip Chrome liner in black

Em Avatar

It really depends on where I’m going and how long I’m going for. Some staples that I have to have are Smashbox Primer in Light, MAC Moisture Cover concealer in NW 15 (for under the eyes), UD Naked Palette, and a Revlon Lip Butter.

Stephanietp Avatar

I have two, one for my skincare, and one for makeup!

Skincare: cliniderm cleanser, biotherm biosentive cream, biotherm biosource toner, and two different hydrocortisones (i have eczema on my face )

makeup: mac quad: handwritten (brows), shroom, crystal avalanche, and satin taupe, mac angel lipstick, clarins everlasting foundation, mac msfn, benefit hervana blush, nars deep throat blush, benefit theyre real mascara, mac black track fluidline, smashbox cream eyeliner in midnight brown (brows) anabelle eyebrow pencil in auburn, ub naked2, mac concealer, and 5 mac brushes, 182, 187, 263, 109 and i forget but the small angled one.

this gets me through anything 😀

Mimi Avatar

Mac mocha blush, Mac Face and Body, Mac MSF soft gentle, Mac creme liner, Mac brushes, Mac lovelorn lipstick, Mac impeccable brown pencil, Mac studio concealer, Naruko lipbalm, thebalm bronzer,naked 2 palette, UD 24/7 Liner, shadow insurance. =)

Tara Avatar

mac painpot in painterly or elf eyelid primer. naked1 palette or a few single eyeshadow if I feel like wearing a color. ive taken jealousy wakes a few times! MUFE smoky lash mascara. 2 blushes. brow pencil. Smashbox photo finish primer, Tinted moisturizer and my chanel vitalumiere foundation or my mac studio fix depending on the weather and my mood and skin condition. qtips. makeup remover. rimmel nude lip pencil and different lipsticks.

Mel Avatar

Since starting college, I’ve had to trim down my stash and leave my train case at home. I keep a bag with MAC Select SPF 15 foundation(NC45), MAC Select Sheer Powder, MAC Select Coverup Concealer, TFSI, UD Naked, MAC Custom Quad(Concreate, Brun, Handwritten, Embark), UD 24/7 liner Zero, MAC Lovejoy Mineralize blush, Lancome Hypnose Drama mascara, MAC Nymphette Lipglass, and my brush roll.

It’s not the most exciting of choices, but it’ll do in a pinch:)

Jennifer Avatar

Foundation sample packets (if it’s the wrong shade, I can mix it with moisturizer to make a tinted moisturizer), eye primer, cream shadow, eyeliner pencil, eyelash curler, mascara, pressed powder, cream blush, lipstick, and lipbalm.

YellowLantern Avatar

I’ve found that I usually am having so much fun and am so busy on a trip that putting on much makeup falls by the wayside for me. I usually bring more, but I only usually use sunscreen moisturizer and either foundation or concealer.

I usually avoid mascara and eyeliner because depending on the trip, I just don’t want to have to even have the thought that perhaps my liner or mascara is smudged giving me raccoon eyes.

Emily Avatar

MAC Face and Body Foundation, Dior Matte Bronzer, NARS Sex Appeal blush, MAC customized quad (Omega, Charcoal Brown, Brun, Copperplate), UD Primer Potion, Mascara + Curler, MAC Sheer Pressed Powder, Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer, black eyeliner, daytime lipstick (either NARS Barbarella, MAC Plink! or MAC Viva Glam V), nude lipstick (either NARS Belle du Jour or MAC Honeylove). Phew.

Tracy Avatar

On my last trip, I went all out coz I had events to attend, if it’s only relax vacation, I would bring way less. But the last time, I brought:
-Mac blot powder
-Mac MSF natural
-Too Faced face palette(you gotta have this, it can replace many products!)
-UD naked palette
-Mac select coverup concealer
-Mac twilight falls e/s
-Clinique creme eyeliner
-Benefit Nice melons e/s
-Clinique brow powder
-Fresh rose lip balm
-Benefit Hervana blush
-A few brushes

SANDRA Avatar

I put in all the makeup that will fit after the most important items are packed which are: foundation, primer, setting powder, eyeliner, brow liner, lip gloss, bronzer, eyeshadow primer, mascara all in natural looking colors nothing harsh. After that is packed i pick some of my other favorite colors and shades.

Michaella Mitra Avatar

I change the contents of my “travel” bag (what i carry in my purse for work and trips) about every other week… what I’ve got in it right now is:
MUFE HD Invisible cover foundation (decanted into a small airless pump) Benefit erase paste 02, MUFE HD Concealer, MAC Prep and Prime translucent powder, MAC blush in Pink Swoon and Bronzer in Bronze, K Palette Lasting eyebrow marker in 01, Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner in Black, Maybelline Hypersharp liner in Black, UD Primer Potion, MAC eyeshadow in Carbon, Almay intense i-color 003, MAC Lip Conditioner in Petting Pink, lipstick in Hug Me, Revlon Colorburst in Fuschia and Coral, Maybelline “The Falsies” mascara.
Whoa. I didn’t realize I had that much in my bag (plus travel brushes, Shu eyelash curler and mini tweezers)

Seph Avatar

I always have the same very basics, whatever else is going on: face primer, cream foundation, cream concealer, powder foundation and eye primer. The rest depends on what outfits I’ve packed, but there will definitely be a mascara, a blusher (several, sometimes), and a black pencil eyeliner (I draw in my eyebrows). Then usually an eyeshadow palate to give me a few options, and a couple of lipsticks to co-ordinate with whatever clothes I’ve packed.

jules Avatar

Usually I’m travelling within 1-3 weeks span so pretty much I bring too many products :
1. UD ammo pallete or custom made pallete consisting of at least 10 colors
2. 3 lipstick
3. 1 lipgloss
4. jackblack lipbalm
5. wet n wild single eyeshadow in brulee
6. UD mini primer
7. Mad gel liner in chocolatte mousse
8. Mac blush, plum foolery (shimmer)
9. shu blush, orange 55 (matte)
10. highlighter (liquid), the old maybelline one
11. Tarte Tinted Moisturizer
12. Shu Uemura Hard Brow no9
13. Mad cream eyeshadow in sweet dreams
14. at least 2 perfumes in sample sizes
15. mascara
16. Maybelline concealer
17. Shu uemura foundation in small jar
18. Nars powder in small powder jar
19. Sorts of too many brushes (face, eye, cheek, you name it, I got it :))
20. UD eyepencil (bourboun, zero)

and dont get me started with skincare products 🙂

amy Avatar

I don’t travel much, but what I make sure to keep separate from huge makeup stash is:

*Whatever foundation/powder/concealer I am using at the time (it changes constantly; weather, skin tone, complexion needs,etc)
*Both UD Naked pallettes, L’Oreal quad The Neutrals, NARS duos Madrague & All About Eve
*MAC Soft Ochre & Bare Study Paint Pots
*Black liquid and pencil eyeliners, UD
*Wet N Wild eyebrow pencils, brown or black (changes w hair color)
*Lancome Definicils mascara, black
*Urban Decay Primer Potion, Original
*White concealer stick, Maybelline-best shadow base ever!
*KORRES Lip Butter
*Lancome brush sets from a GWP’s-the 2 sets really combine well to make a complete travel set

Other colors get added depending on where I’m going. Last year I went to Disneyland and managed to pack everything *except* foundation & powder, and I had an evening function to attend; I had to wear my Physician’s Formula Tinted Moisturizer & powder SPF 50, which I packed for my 2 days at the park. The worst part-I went to Sephora @ Downtown Disney *before* I unpacked, or I could have at least picked up a sample of something… Now, I always make sure to keep a bottle of anything in my bag!

Brush & facial cleansers, hygiene products, setting/mixing mediums, etc are kept in a separate bag that I leave in my overnighter, ready to go.

Jay Avatar

Urban Decay Naked 1 Palette (awesome for layering, can create a whole range of looks with minimal effort), ELF raspberry truffle studio single eyeshadow (I find it’s a gorgeous shade that wears well by itself if I don’t have time to put together anything more complex), Urban Decay’s Lounge single eyeshadow (ditto, it’s sparklier than the ELF shade so it works well in the evening), Philosophy’s Hope in a Jar moisturizer (over the holiday I bought a set with a larger tub for everyday use, and it came with a smaller one specifically for travelling; I find I can get away with using hotel soap to clean my face as long as I use this stuff afterwards, it’s a bit of a HG product for me), Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliners (x2) in Bourbon and Flipside (can’t wear black on my eyes, it comes off as too dark, but these are a lovely liner with a great formula that lasts a long time!), Bare Escentuals eyelid primer (like it better than the Urban Decay, and I have a sample-sized bottle I just refill each trip), Revlon PhotoReady foundation (again, it lasts a long time, and it matches my pale skin very well), Elf Studio Mascara with an eyelash curler (can NOT say enough good things about ELF’s mascara and curlers, they stand up to products that cost 10x as much), a Covergirl pressed setting powder, Benetint lip/cheek stain, Jack Black lip balm (I love the Blackberry/Black Tea flavor), one of those cheap travel rolls of Sephora brushes, and a lipstick or two. Lately I’ve fallen in love with Revlon lip butters so I’ll grab two or three of those for everyday wear and then one lipstick in a classic Hollywood red. Oh, and I’ll pack a container of Lush’s 9 to 5 cleanser, it’s a lotion formula that I find does a fantastic job removing eye makeup.

Erin S Avatar

I tend to overpack when I travel, so I take a ton of stuff with me in my makeup bag.

– UD Pore Perfecting face primer
– Chanel Perfection Lumiere foundation
– MUFE Full Cover concealer
– MAC Mineralized skin finish powder (plus a darker shade that I use as a bronzer)
– A couple blushes – usually NARS Orgasm, MAC Blushbaby and MAC Fleur Power
– Travel sized UD eyeshadow primer potions in Original and Eden
– Travel sized Benefit High Beam (I rarely use it, but always throw it in since it’s so small)
– MAC custom quad with the shades I use almost every day – Retrospeck, Honey Lust, Woodwinked and Mulch
– MAC palette with a variety of other shades
– NARS eyeshadow in Mekong (My favorite eyeshadow shade ever!)
– MUFE Aqua Line in Matte Black
– UD 24/7 pencil eyeliners in Zero and Bourbon
– Anastasia Brow Powder duo
– Benefit They’re Real mascara
– Maybelline Great Lash clear mascara for my brows
– UD All Nighter setting spray
– A few Chanel Coco Rouge Shines (I don’t wear much lipstick, so these are my go-to lip products)
– Dior Lip Polish
– Sigma’s brush cup holder with pretty much one of every type of brush I own (a mix of Chanel, MAC and Sigma brushes)
– Plus a few tools – eyelash curler, sharpener, etc.

And the makeup bag itself is an inexpensive one from Glitzy Glam that I love – it’s huge!

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