Archived Post

What's in your travel makeup bag?

A lot! I don’t travel that light. I am better, but I still take quite a bit with me. I usually put together a custom eyeshadow palette (usually Make Up For Ever these days), ten eyeliners or more, my go-to base products, and then a warm/cool blush plus warm/cool highlighter and 3-5 lip products. The colors of the blushes/lip products varies depending on where I’m going or for how long.

— Christine

36 Comments

Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!

Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).

We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!

Comments on this post are closed.
Nancy T Avatar

I don’t have one ready at this time, as I travel quite rarely recently. But when I do, oh boy!!!
Last time was 2 years ago, for a 3 night, 3 1/2 day trip. I packed:
UD Ammo Palette, Nyx I Dream Of Jamaica eyeshadow quint, 4 lipsticks, 2 lipglosses, 1 blush, 3 eyeliners, mascara, foundation, powder, concealer and 2 lipliners!
You do NOT even want to know what I packed when we visited NJ 11 years back, LoL!

Katherine T. Avatar

When I travel, it’s usually for business, so I have to pack pretty light, as I don’t want to check any luggage in, and there’s no hubby to carry all that stuff for me. And since it’s for business, I have to pack stuff that looks professional and has been pre-tested (it’s not the time to try out that new purple lippie). So I like to pair neutral shadows with a brown red lip, that I can tone done for daytime or amp up for evening. And lots of moisturizer and bottled water – flying can really dehydrate the skin

Divya Avatar

I always hate to carry too many thing when I am on vacation which is mostly my reason for travel! So I always carry an Hourglass powder, a bb creme, Tarte’s exposed blush and a few brushes, Nars concealer, a neutral eyeshadow and a lip balm and a neutral/nude lipstick. Oh and a brown eyeliner, Chanel Espresso!

Sheb Avatar

Ooh, very topical for me as I am going away next week and was just putting together my makeup bag. So far, the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit, 2 Kat Von D Tattoo Liners, 2 Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Pencils, Anastasia Brow Wiz, Too Faced Born This Way, my basics (mascara, primer, eyebrow gel etc) and a whole bunch of NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams. Not sure about the eyeshadow situation yet; maybe some ColourPop.

Anne Avatar

That’s tough as I haven’t been able to travel in a while, and I haven’t been able to put on much makeup, but when I moved in April I kept a makeup bag out to travel with and use if needed while I was unpacking everything (which goes slowly when you’re dealing with a chronic pain condition) so I’ll list those things, but like the update version (skipping skincare because that is a whole different ballgame)

Bases: primer (Benefit’s Porefessional, semi-primer (Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow), one liquid foundation (Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation), two powders- a translucent one (Too Faced Primed and Poreless Pressed Powder) and one with a bit of coverage (Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder), one all-rounder concealer like the Urban Decay Naked one, and depending on if I need to look super polished, my MAC Studio Conceal + Correct palette or my Tarte CC Undereye Corrector.

Cheeks: Hourglass Ambient Lighting blush palette, Tarte Exposed Blush, Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow

Eyes: Urban Decay Primer Potion, MAC Paintpot in Painterly, Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize in Bette, Naked2 Basics Palette, a MAC 4 quad for whatever eye look fit the occasion, and whichever I had open at the time of: 1 liquid black liner, 2 pencil liners in brown and black and 1 waterproof mascara.

Lips: a red lip, probably a long-wearing one like the Sephora Matte Lip Cream in 01 Always Red, an everyday lip like MAC Brave (or Plumful if it’s fall/winter), a coral like MAC Crosswires if it’s spring/summer, and a berry like Charlotte Tilbury’s Glastonberry if it’s autumn/winter. Assorted lip pencils to match and one every day gloss like Tanya Burr’s Picnic in the Park.

I’ll leave out tools but one thing I find when traveling is that bringing a Beauty Blender (and some solid cleaner for it) end up meaning I can leave several brushes at home as it can do a bunch of different tasks.

Char Avatar

Wow, Anne. I’m sorry to hear about your chronic pain condition. I can definitely relate to that as I deal with systemic lupus. Thank you for sharing that. You made me feel normal.

Siri Avatar

I try to just take one eyeshadow palette with me, or two… (My mac palette and my Zoeva Cocoa blend). Foundation is a bit difficult, since my skin changes color very fast. When I’m not going to a sunny destination, I can just pick one, otherwise I have to take 2 with me. Same with concealer.
Usually 2 blushes, highlighter, bronzer, 2 eyebrow products (pencil and dipbrow) And a minimum of 5 lip products, because I usually change that one up the most.

I just love choosing my makeup before I travel. I really sit down in front of my makeup drawer for half an hour deciding what to take with me haha!

WARPAINTandUnicorns Avatar

Yeah I bring a lot of stuff if I’m gone for more then 1 day:

Custom z palettes (1 or 2) with all my powder products based on the looks I have planned including face powders.
full face routine product,.
Extra eye brushes.
Basic face brushes, a puff, and foundation sponge.
Primers (eye, face and undereye corrector)
1 foundation, 1 concealor, and 1 loose powder.
eyeliners (black, white and nude)
mascara, curler and lash comb
False lashes, glue and tweezers.

Em Avatar

For a trip home — concealer, under-eye concealer, foundation, mascara, black eyeliner, blush, a berry lip stain, appropriate brushes.

For an anime convention where I’ll be cosplaying… I fill up a medium-sized sewing box.

Olivia Avatar

I always take as much as will fit in my bag but this last time I traveled I did so much better. Just packed my BB cream, my bronze cream eyeshadow, my black eyeliner, two mascaras, two cream blushes, one liquid highlighter, my trusty bronzer, and at least ten lipsticks. For four days.

Laura_Lou Avatar

I think I’m quite good at packing makeup for travel. I used to pack everything! But I’ve cut down quite a lot. I went away last week and I took –
Revlon colour stay foundation, Clinique stay matte powder, MAC blush baby blusher, Maybelline the falsies mascara, Urban Decay zero eye liner pencil, Urban Decay naked basics 1, Bobbi Brown serum concealer, Bobbi Brown stone shimmer eyeshadow, Benefit gimme brow, Nars dolce vita lipstick and MAC speak louder lipstick. I have a separate bag which has my makeup sponge and a few brushes in it. I don’t think that’s too bad. I usually make a little custom eyeshadow palette with the smallest Z Palette but I couldn’t be bothered so Naked Basics it was!

ElKay Avatar

I just went to a wedding and I took: Dior BB crème, Mac Skinfinish Natural, Hourglass ambient lighting powder, Anastasia brow wiz, benefits give me brow, 6 Laura Mercier caviar stick eyeshadows, MUFE 15 Artist palette, Nars Steven Klein Sephora palette, Kat VonD eyeliner, better than sex mascara, Clinique bottom lash mascara, Mac blush in Warm Soul, Tom Ford illuminator and a assortment of bite lippies. I used it all.

Ginny Avatar

I try to travel really light, otherwise I get made fun of and have to hear everyone whining that I’m going to take too long (even if/when I’m quick). My bare minimum would be my foundation, concealer, two blushes, and two to five lipsticks, depending on length of trip. Colourpop blushes are good to travel with, and I would probably throw two of their highlighters in as well. I may or may not bring powder and mascara. I usually skip eyeshadow and liner altogether, opting for a lip-centered look since it’s quicker to apply and remove.

Esme Avatar

First I bought the best travel makeup bag which is made by a brand called Artisan and Artist in Japan. When I travel in Asia I take items that withstand humid weather: Shiseido Maquillage foundation powder, MUFE Aqua eyes pencils, Surratt eye shadows, Lunasol blush, Shiseido gloss. If I’m going to Europe I take Lunasol skin modeling foundation and pressed powder instead of Maquillage. I always take my Bobbi Brown waterproof mascara and BareMinerals eye brow pencil.

Eileen Avatar

I travel a lot and, although the reason for travel can vary, these are the basics: A multi-purpose eye palette with colors and textures that can be used to shade, sculpt and line the eyes for day or evening; a black mascara; my foundation du jour; a soft rose blush that will go with everything; a Météorites compact; a swipe-and-go, balmy rose lipstick for day and a creamier, more intense version for night. If a special event is scheduled, I’ll add additional items to suit the occasion. When I travel, I pretty much stick with neutral shades and leave the colorful stuff at home unless it falls into that special event category.

Hildegerd Avatar

The matte primer from Rimmel London, youthful glow foundation from yves rocher, a black liquid liner, mascara and the smokey palette from Zoeva, and some random nude lipsticks.

Kimberly Avatar

Tarte bon voyage palette (it’s flat and travel-friendly), stila waterproof black eyeliner, revlon blush, UD naked concealer, ABH brow wiz and clear gel, waterproof mascara, eyelash curler, l’oreal le teint true match foundation (i tend to break out the first couple of days in a new environment), revlon photoready and colorstay pressed powders, bb cream, lip balm and several choices of lipstick colours and finishes (usually a red and something more nude like UD Fiend or Bobbi Brown Nude Rose).

Kuávsui Avatar

I never know how to pack makeup! I am getting better too though, learning that a two-night stay doesn’t really call for that much especially if I’m just going to chill; if it’s a meeting (which it is more often than pleasure these days………..) I grab my go-to neutrals and products that can pull double duty when needed.

Rachel R. Avatar

I don’t keep a bag packed and ready to go for travel, because what I take depends on the length of the trip and where I’m going (will there be an event like a wedding, or will I be going to a fancy restaurant). I rarely fly ( the last time was 2008, I think.) I tend to overpack, though I’m improving in that area.

Most of my trips are only 2-5 days, and casual. For that kind of trip, I typically pack:
*Skin care, face wash, haircare, face primer, and eyeshadow primer samples.
*Beauty blender type sponge and basic face and eye brushes in a roll. An eyelash curler.
*A ziplock bag with spray brush cleaner.
*A ziplock bag with makeup remover, e.l.f. Mist & Set, Murad Acne Spot Fast Fix, gel hand sanitizer, cotton swabs, and cotton pads.
*Face cleaning wipes and blotting papers.
*E.l.f. Moisturizing Foundation Stick in Ivory. It doesn’t spill, doesn’t break easily, is compact, and is cheap to replace.
*E.l.f. Maximum Coverage Concealer Oil Free in Porcelain. E.l.f. HD Lifting Concealer in Brightening for my undereyes.
* E.l.f. Perfect Finish HD Powder. That’s the pressed version; I don’t like to travel with loose powders.
*Tarte Pinup blush palette.
*UD Naked Basics Palette ALWAYS comes with me: I can do contour, highlight, and brows with it. I can do my eyes with it, of course. It’s great for augmenting a brights palette if I bring one.
* A versatile palette that I can get a lot of looks out of: Usually either the Too Faced Chocolate Bar or Too Faced Semisweet, because I like the sturdy tins packaging for travel and they have a huge variety of shades.
*A black mascara, usually waterproof.
*Eyeliners: Usually a black, a teal or bright blue, and a purple.
*Lips: I usually take a pinky-brown nude, and a couple brights and/or vampy colors. I really like the e.l.f. Studio Matte Lip Colors or Colour Pop Lippies for traveling. They’re slim and easy to fit in my makeup bag, and don’t need liners. Lip balm.

For an overnight or weekend trip, I’m more likely to skip all the individual palettes and colored cosmetics, and just pack my UD Naked Basics, and UD Naked On the Run or the LORAC Pro to Go Palette instead. Camping, I take samples as much as possible, including sample cards with makeup on them. I have a ton of bronzer and blush ones from Too Faced, for example. Camper space is at a premium, so I go small and simple.

Kathy Avatar

I just returned from a trip and my bag is still packed, it contains Clinique superbalanced makeup, Cover fx powder foundation, Nrs Illuminating setting powder, hourglass veil mineral primer, Besame brightening violet powder, Smashbox photo filter creamy powder foundation, It Cosmetics Bronzer and blush, Laura Mercier matte radiance baked powder highlight 01
Nars Himilia, Lise Watier EYEvolution fall 2015 shadow palette, It Cosmetics no tug waterproof gel eyeliner in black and brown, Kat Von D trooper liner, Smasahbox photo finish hydrating under eye primer, lise watier antiwrinkle eyelid primer, Nars Radiant creamy concealer, Clinique lash building primer, Covergirl Supersizer mascara, Stila HUGE Extreme lash mascara (was Crap), Bourjois volume glamour max holiday mascara, Benefit Gimme brow, Lise Watier metamorphix drops.
Benefit Benetint and Benebalm, Benefit posietint and posiebalm, Tarte Amazonian clay butter lipsticks set of 5 minis for the holidays. several Lise Watier lip liners.
Sephora mini professional tools set and beauty blenders 2.

Rachel Avatar

Why so many eyeliners? I typically just bring one of every category since makeup is one of the last things on my mind when I travel. I just want to explore!!

Genevieve Avatar

In the makeup department, I don’t travel light either.
Foundation, blush palette, setting powder, 2 mascaras (navy blue and black), eyebrow pencil – the basic there.
Eye shadows -UD Vice 2 – as it has all my neutrals and colours. And yes, it is bulky
Lipsticks: one of each colour – a red, reddish/brown, berry and a coral.

Kat Avatar

I almost never travel! The last time I did, it was for about five days and would need products appropriate for both the beach and going out to dinner, so I took: tinted moisturizer, liquid foundation, concealer, NARS Madly blush (since it goes with everything), Too Faced bronzer, mascara, tinted brow gel, 1 bright lipstick, lip balm, and translucent powder. Oh, and brushes of course. I just used the bronzer as eye shadow whenever I needed it.

Mimi Avatar

Alot more than I know I need, lol. I always wanna pack light when I think of future traveling but when it comes to actually doing it I always think what if i might need it, lol. I don’t do the whole foundation & powder thing on most days anyway so that makes it my bag lighter. Just a couple palettes or eye shadows, cpl eyeliners and lipsticks and a whole bunch of brushes & blushes and bronzers cuz those are my weakness. So with the big ass bag of skincare & another with just hairstuff I usually need a seperate carry on just for those.

Vanessa V Avatar

Well I have 2 toiletry bags ready to go at all times, one for long trips that have shampoo conditioner, minis of my skin care, body wash, lotion, splash and all the other little extras in it and one for over nights or quick weekend trips that have tooth brush, tooth paste, deodorant, face and body wash. As far as makeup I ALWAYS over pack thinking I’m going to maybe want to do something different than what I do on a regular day… I try to break out of it but its so hard….

Cat Avatar

I haven’t traveled out of town in the past two years but, if I were going to pack a travel bag…

Besides the basics, I’d take the ABH World Couture palette, KVD Shade & Light eyeshadow palette, Tarte’s Be Matt-nificent palette, Givenchy’s Purple Show quad, and the Too Faced A Few of My Favorite Things palette. (I never know who I’m going to be from one day to the next! LOL)

I’d throw in five lipsticks, five glosses, and three lip liners. For blush… NARS Sex Fantasy, Marc Jacobs Outspoken, D&G Delight, MAC Breezy, and Givenchy It Girl Purple. I’d take both my powder and cream ABH contour palettes, and my NYX Wonder contour stick. Two mascaras, five eyeliners, three brow products. Of course, I’d also take my Guerlain Meteorites! And setting spray… gotta have the setting spray so I don’t end up looking like a dust-covered mantle. 😉

Kayle Avatar

Bag space is precious for me so unless I’m going away for like a month I try to pack light! If I’m going away for that long like I did this summer to Panama, I’ll pack 2 shadow palettes, all the face/brow stuff, eyeliner/mascara, and all my favorite lip colors, just in case, which is like 10 lipsticks haha. Plus all the brushes. I’m loooaded.

But on light, like weeklong trips I’ll pack one palette (usually Clinique Wear Everywhere Nudes), BB Cream, Colourpop Wisp highlighter (it adds enough color that I generally don’t need to bother with blush), eyeliner/mascara, all the brow stuff (ALWAYS) and a neutral lipstick and a dramatic lipstick. On overnight trips I sometimes barely pack anything because the next day is usually mostly car anyways, so in that case I take foundation, brows, and possibly lipstick. I’m lazy.

Ash Avatar

I haven’t traveled lately since the summer, but I have a makeup bag that I “travel” with to work…
Kat von D foundation and MA waterproof foundation, some. Urban decay 8 hour Blushes, Colourpop liquid lipsticks in different shades, the stila holiday mini liquid lipsticks (the 3 pack one from Ulta) two highlighters one day I use one the next day I use the other, eyeliner and a few mac lipsticks…

Angie Avatar

i always have separate bags ready for travel. usually mac big sack or something like an old barney purchase bag that i got as a gift.

primer: mufe skin equalizer #2 smoothing, #5 neutralize, hourglass mineral veil primer
coverage: nars tinted moisturizer alaska, mufe ultra hd Y225, koh gen do aqua 123
concealer: burberry sheer concealer, cashmere concealer
contour: mufe lift concealer #4, burberry contour pen, laguna bronzer
powder: laura mercier translucent setting powder, custom blush palette (nars gina, taos, madly, gaiety)
setting spray: mufe mist and fix

brows: tom ford brow sculptor in espresso, mufe aqua brow kit
eyeshadows: nars smudgeproof eyeshadow base, one mac two-sided palette full of mufe artist eyeshadows with some mac and ud thrown in
eyeliners: giorgio armani eyeliner #1, #charlotte tilbury bedroom black and barbarella brown, makeup store matte black matte black, charlotte tilbury feline flick shodo panther, tom ford eye define, zoeva opulence
eyelashes: house of lashes bambie, house of Lashes adhesive, giorgio armani eyes to kill mascara

lipbalm: dior crème de rose, agave lip mask
lipliner: mac stripdown, currant; mufe aqua lip 3c; estee lauder double wear lip rose
everyday lipstick: burberry nude beige, mac taupe, mac creme cup, nars audacious jane
bolder lipstick: giorgio armani maestro #503 red fuchsia, nars audacious marlene, angela, lana

outrageous isn’t it? but despite the sheer number of things i have, the bag itself is surprisingly not that big (which is always a good thing). maybe it’s the fact that most of the things i have tends to be in pencil/tube form.
this is of course, not including my skin care and toiletries.

Mariella Avatar

Mine doesn’t contain much makeup (trial size/GWP mascaras, liquid illuminators, maybe a lipstick or 2) but it’s always ready with travel sizes of deodorant, body wash, shampoo, skin care products (face cleanser, day and night moisturizers, eye cream – sample sizes are great for this – makeup remover, etc.) and things like cotton discs and swabs, etc. Then I add whatever makeup products I plan to take with me a day or two before we leave (always keeping my fingers crossed that I don’t forget something vital). Travelling by car is such a luxury, since I don’t have to pack light or leave anything behind but our most recent trips have been by air and there is so much you can’t take in carry on, so many constantly changing limitations on amounts, etc.

Erin Avatar

I usually take something flexible like a Chanel Quad that can be worn in the day and pumped up for night in neutral shades. Then I take my favorite bases, two blushes, one mascara, one or two eyeliners, and 87 million lip options. I also take my Tarte palette that I got in march since it has a blush in it too these days. Skincare is where I overpack. Everytime!

Carolyn Avatar

I always over pack…especially when you toss in skincare. I’m traveling soon and will be bringing:
MAC Orb, MAC warm brown, and one darker brown …TBD.
Lipstick: 5 Or 6 ( some travel in my purse with me)
Mascara: tarte
Blush: TBD
Foundation: double wear light by Estee
Powder: Laura mercier translucent
Concealer: bare minerals
Eye liner: pencil one by Spehora ( they’re small )
Shiseido GWP skincare stuff
Cotton
SPF: Jose Maran, Shiseido, and Aveeno
Hand lotion: hand goop, hand food
Make up remover: MAC wipes, DR Jart micellar water
Brushes: 4 eyes, one travel size blush,
Beauty blender
Contact lenses

That should be it. Woo! Too much! Even if most of the above are mini versions….

The good…or bad…is that there is a Sephora right outside my hotel!

We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!