It has been a long time since I got on a plane, LOL, so I barely remember what I was doing… I was a big carry-on only kind of person, so I would typically put heavier items like an eyeshadow palette in my wheeled carry-on and sandwiched it between clothes. For smaller items, in my smaller carry-on, and then obviously anything liquid went in a liquids’ bag.
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I use the MUJI Nylon Nylon Pouch with Handle Cosmetic Organizer, which has nice spots for brushes in the lid. Then I have some spillover toiletries and makeup in my MUJI Polyester Hanging Travel Case. I limit myself to 1-2 blushes, then pack a NARS eyeshadow palette and a Natasha Denona mini palette or two. If I plan on going to an event, I will pack something fun like rhinestones or a Pat McGrath palette.
Delux travel size and samples as much as possible. Small palettes or quads. I try to simply to two makeup bags. One with skincare/haircare. One with makeup. I try to be minimalist as possible so if something breaks, I don’t have to replace much or replacement isn’t too costly
Since it’s been just about 19 years since I’ve flown literally ANYWHERE, all I can say is that back when I did so, I packed my cosmetics and other beauty/skincare items very carefully. Liquids or anything that may leak went in Ziploc bags, color cosmetics went in literal makeup case that held everything in place so that nothing was going to move around and break apart. Both were put in my carry-on bag or later on, after the changes that took place in 2001, a 20″ carry-on rolling suitcase buried within my clothing. At that point, my color cosmetics went into a smaller zippered makeup bag.
I carry products that will multi-task and only carry quad eye shadows (2 max), one eyeliner, one mascara, and 3 lipsticks (mini preferred). If I carry mini items, I can usually cram in more things, but I try to take only a small makeup bag and some foundation or concealer, no tinted moisturizer. I’ll mix the foundation or concealer with any sunscreen or moisturizer if needed. I prefer not to get full sizes as I have too much already, so I find that carrying more minis saves space and allows me to take more if needed. If I’m traveling to a place that has awesome products, I wont carry much with me and just get some fun things where I am.
Liquid lipglosses, etc. go in a plastic baggie. Everything goes in a makeup case, padded with bubble wrap inside, and packed in my carry-on or personal bag. If I have to take a palette that’s too big to fit in the makeup bag, that gets put in bubble wrap and sandwiched between clothes in my carry-on or personal bag. I never pack makeup in a bag I can’t take with me on the plane.
I put it in my checked bag. We have a hard sided center zip suitcase, so I pack my makeup in a special padded travel makeup bag (I bought it on etsy!), wrap it in a shirt, and it goes as close to the exact center as possible nestled in clothes.
I’ve been doing this a couple times per year for 20 years and never has an item break or leak. I also never bring anything that is super fragile or isn’t easily replaceable (like nothing discontinued, LE, or high end), but I also follow that rule with the clothes and jewelry I pack (so no concert tees, vintage, ooak, or family heirloom stuff).
I’ve been traveling a lot here lately, out and about to do my boss’s makeup for photo shoots and videos. I pack all my breakable powder products together and carry those in my backpack. Brushes and liquids I pack in bags between clothes in my checked suitcase, as I am not about to attempt the rules around liquids in carry ons & end up losing anything lol. So far, 4 trips in 9 weeks, so good!
I have a dedicated small wheelie bag devoted to my makeup, skincare and hair products. I use a stack of zip lock bags to put various things in and use my night attire to buffet it.
I have found that this works when travelling, either by car or by air.
I am a check-in bag kind of girl, I hate having to pull around luggage around the airport and in the plane, have to deal with a carry-on and backpack, stress about what size of cosmetics to bring.
I always bring minimal make-up stuff in a small bag in my backpack (which goes in the cabin with me), along with some basic cosmetics and toiletries: concealer (which I can use as foundation), powder, brow gel and mascara. This way even if my luggage gets lost, I have the bare minimum with me.
In the checked luggage I usually bring all my make-up. Since I only own one item of each, for me it’s easier to always have everything. So I have one of those hanging toiletry bags in which along my skin/body/haircare I bring my double sided custom palette (one side is eyeshadow, one is blushes), my primer and foundation, brow pencil and eye pencils. I don’t bring all my brushes, just a powder and a blush brush, along with 2-3 eyeshadow brushes (mostly a multi-tasker blending brush) so I can switch colors if I need.
Traveling with all my makeup is one of the perks I love about having my very small makeup collection.
I decant my liquids so I’ll have enough for a few days. If possible/available, I’ll bring mini/sample versions of what I need. I tend to leave items with bulkier packaging at home if I have slimmer versions available. I try to limit myself to no more than 2 small eye palettes, but if the reason I’m flying demands coordination for several outfits, then I’ll allow myself more palettes and options. If it’s a direct flight, and I need more liquids, I may even check in my carry on bag bc flights with full cabins usually offer that for free.
Pre COVID, we went to India for 2+ weeks (for a wedding and travel) and I took a palette that was a bit notorious for shattering but I packed it among my clothes, really well-padded by all the clothing, and it came through not just the rough airport baggage handler treatment but all the land travel stuff too in perfect condition so that is now something I always do with pressed powder products if I’m checking my luggage. I do prefer to travel with carry on but that’s not always possible (our planned trip to Japan this fall will necessitate checking our luggage). I keep empty trial sized bottles and jars, cleaned out well, and use them to take my skin and hair care products and even concealer and CC cream, etc. (I put Avery labels on the bottom to let me know what’s really inside). This way, I don’t have to schlep full sized bottles and jars of anything except sunscreen. I try to pack in a divided makeup bag or two, grouping products together (all eye stuff in one section, skin care in another section, etc.) to make it less chaotic to find things.
It’s been ages since I got on a plane, and then it was just an over the day trip, so I just had my lipstick and a lip balm, both in my hand bag.
For longer stays I try to take just one palette with me, or I make a holiday palette using singles. At least three lipsticks, mascara, brow products and eye liner along with a small selection of brushes, and my foundation. Blushers go with the eye shadow singles. For liquids I bring primers, skin and eyes, and skincare just the absolute necessary things and of course SPF. I carry all of this in my carry on.
I check my suitcase holding all clothes, shoes and haircare products.
I wonder what I’ve forgotten! I’d probably have to visit a nice store at whatever the location might be, I hope it’s the US so I can do a lot of fun shopping. No, sadly not planning a trip to anywhere except the food stores and the veterinarian and then I only bring lip products. 😉