For palettes and anything similar that is breakable, I like to wrap in clothes, like pajamas (in case everything shatters, I wouldn’t be devastated if my pajamas were stained). I usually carry-on, but if I checked my luggage, I’d also put in a slim foam layer underneath the lids of plastic and metal compacts, especially freestyle palettes. Everything else is rather sturdy!
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For me, anything liquid/gel (like foundation and liquid lipstick) goes in a ziploc bag inside my makeup bag. I have two thickly lined makeup bags and I generally pack them pretty tightly so stuff doesn’t jostle around (if it’s not filled I roll the end and clip it with a binder clip), and then wrap them in clothes. If something has a loose lid I tape it. I do this for flying and driving.
*I use a ziploc bags to separate liquids,so in case anything leaks, it doesn’t ruin your powder or cream products.
*If it’s a short trip, I bring a travel palette that contains shadows/blush/highlighter, then I bring different lipsticks and lipliners to create different looks for day and evening.
*I never pack beloved LE items, not even as carry on, as planes are so packed nowadays that your carry on bag could get checked in, then lost or stolen. I don’t even carry in my purse, in case it falls out and I lose it.
I put as many layers of paper towel as will fit between product and lid in freestyle palettes, then wrap in spongey packing foam to cushion against breakage. Anything even vaguely liquid-y (including lipsticks) are triple-bagged.
My method isn’t 100% foolproof, as my depotted UD Chaos shattered via transit once, but considering that I was moving internationally I feel pretty good about only losing one shadow among 50+ pounds of makeup. 🙂
Very carefully! Preferably in my carry-on. In fact, I don’t believe that I have ever had anything in any checked-in baggage. Ever. Plus, I too wrap up any fragile items in a nightshirt or other pj’s or any clothing item that I wouldn’t cry over if it got messed up. Mini bubble wrap can also work to cushion!
Yeah, I wrap palettes and fragile stuff in clothes or towels. And the smaller stuff I keep in old ice cream boxes that I put lots of elastics around so they don’t move/open.
When I travel by air, I use a slim Tupperware-type container to create a hard plastic shell, then lined it with bubble wrap. I put my blushes and powder foundation in the box in little bubble wrap baggies for extra insurance. The rest gets wrapped in PJs and the like. Works out fine.
I’m traveling now, as usual. I’m not big on carrying a bunch of stuff. Going to my destination I might put everything in my carry on. On the way home, liquids often find their way to my checked luggage. I either carry a pre made palette, or a Unipalette. I don’t do anything fancy to them for extra protection. In the past decade I’ve had one palette get damaged enroute. So it’s generally not necessary. If I don’t have a Unipalette I bring a Becca blush and Guerlain meteorites in addition to my eye palette. I might also bring a Marc Jacobs liner or two. On top of that I like the usual, brushes, eyelash curler, and eyelash comb. I carry everything in my Vera Bradley Blush & Brush cosmetic case.
1. If I would take anything expensive or not easily available I probably would keep it with me in my bag during the flight. But these always stay at home. I choose sturdy pieces, and never take depoted things because they seem more fragile. I’ve heard about putting cotton pads in palettes and pressed powder products to keep them safe, but it’s easier to take something that works well than add extra fuss into the morning routine while travelling. I travel or do makeup on the run quite often and nothing happened yet. Only one powder compact (touch up use only) shattered after like 1,5 year of everyday bumping in my bag.
2. Avoid glass – I choose foundation/BB’s in plastic tubes or take only a few pumps in a mini jar. Mini jars are also handy if I am between colors and have to mix two foundations. I guess no weird reactions will have time to process during a 2-3 day trip.
3. Organize in the way I use products in the morning. Since my last week’s trip I use a new bag that is so easy in the morning that I refuse to unpack and just change the eye palettes. The outer is double material with foam and it opens in half to two see through compartments – one for the face, second for eyes.
4. Take less. I always get lazy away from home and not use half of what I bring. It’s not that I omit half of my routine, but I choose easier colors. Too much doesn’t look good on business trips nor on beach holidays.
Agree. I wore my Bobbi Brown BB cream exclusively during our 25 days in Italy partly because it was in a plastic tube which traveled well.
I try to bring minimal(ish), sturdy items. I have plenty of pre-made palettes, so I skip any freestyles because I’m worried those will come apart during travel. I always carry on. I have a Vera Bradley cosmetic bag which I love because the quilted fabric adds some padding, and it’s lined with vinyl for any escaped powder or liquid. I have a matching pencil pouch (also lined) for my brushes.
If it is something I really worry about being damaged, it goes with me in my carry-on/in my purse! And zip lock bags for what’s going into my checked luggage is a must, just as “insurance”. I’d heard that the newer Stila Eyes are the Window palettes were very prone to shattering (I’ve read this about many of their earlier shadows too) but I took one of mine to India for 2 weeks, in my checked luggage and tossed into and out of taxis and our car and I’m pleased to be able to say it was absolutely fine and undamaged. I just made sure that it and my flat iron were really well padded by my clothing.
I tend to travel with less expensive items or things that are easy to replace (e.g., no Tom Ford, no limited edition). Also, I choose the compacts with solid packaging and good snapping closures (no Marc Jacobs, too thin and fragile). I also don’t want any cardboard packaging that might get wet if there is spillage from something else leaking (no Benefit). I also use this as an opportunity to take minis and deluxe samples.
When it comes to the makeup case, I pack it pretty full so there is no room for things to slide around and shatter. I tend to overpack makeup just like I overpack clothes (I almost always end up with a pair of shoes I never wore the whole trip). But I try to pare it down to what I’ll actually use. So for an outdoorsy tropical trip to Hawaii or Mexico, I don’t take much and settle for multi-use products, but for a business trip to Seattle, I take almost everything.
Also, if I’m going fo a city with good shopping options, I might bring very little and buy stuff there. When I went to Paris, I bought perfume at the Annick Goutal store and Bourjous makeup at the drugstore.
Just traveled with my makeup and toiletries:
– I took all makeup on board. I didn’t check any of it.
– I picked a small, but sturdy makeup case, which I positioned in my carry on so it would remain face up during the flight.
– I was very selective what makeup I took. I didn’t overdo it.
– I used a lot of 3 oz containers that I sealed with saran wrap over the lip and under the screw-on lid.
– I packed oil and the like in the clear baggie, which I kept in the bottom of my purse so they’d remain face up during the flight.
– I took all makeup brushes on board in my carry on and in a separate brush holder.
– In my checked suitcase I packed a small makeup case that unrolls and hangs on a towel bar with solids like deodorant, hair spray, hair products, etc.
– I flew Southwest, and had no problem with TSA when I included liquid foundation, etc,, in my cosmetics bag rather than in my clear baggie.
– In my checked bag, I packed clothes separately from anything that could remotely liquefy or melt.
– Whew! It took a lot of thought, but it was worth it, because I felt very organized when I got there and didn’t come home with a single fail.
Just to clarify – Southwest has zero control of TSA. The liquids you brought had to have been allowed under FAA regulations if they got through fine. Just so folks don’t misconstrue what’s allowed and what isn’t.
Actually, I have gotten different stories from different airlines, and different TSA reactions. Sorry, if this is confusing, but I told my experience on Southwest. I was trying to be specific.
Not sure why you would get different responses, TSA is a federal agency and their screeners are fed employees. They may be assigned to particular gates that only service one airline. I’m not trying to give you a hard time – just let others know that the standards for the US are the same at all airports and not by airline.
Because I hadn’t flown in quite some time, I spoke to many, many people to make sure I was in compliance (airlines, TSA, frequent flyers). I couldn’t find two TSA people who agreed about whether liquid makeup items had to be included in the clear baggie or could simply be packed in an on-board carry-on. The standards may be the same (regarding liquids), but the interpretation of those standards are not. There’s a ton of discretion involved. I’m done talking about this.
I buy on-line due to my circumstance and location and often get bubble wrap bags with the adhesive in my packages. Half the time, the shipper just sticks the product in the bag without actually sealing. Perfect. I save these and use for palette travel. I prefer to carry on for my beauty and toiletry items. You only have to get stuck once…
ziplock your makeup and then wrap it in clothes. I also always travel with my pillow so I sandwich it between clothes and my tempurpedic pillow.
Carry-on always! I try to bring solid toiletries (shampoo, soap, etc) if possible, to make room in the quart sized 3-1-1 TSA bag for makeup & skin care. I separate the solid makeup from the liquids in separate plastic bags. The liquid goes in an easy access location in my purse or suitcase to pull out quickly at security. Solid makeup goes safely in the middle of my suitcase. I’ve had no problem with breaking palettes or compacts *knock on wood*. I bring the smallest size mascara i can find, since those tubes can be huge considering how little product is there.
To those of you who fly and carefully pack your cosmetics in your checked suitcase, TSA can inspect anything and disrupt your careful packing job. I really stress that it’s best to take all your cosmetics and electronics on board with you.
I travel light and have become very minimalist with makeup and skincare. When heading somewhere hot in winter I make sure I have small bottles of sunscreen for my face and get larger bottle for body when I arrive. I use makeup remover wipes as these pack easily. I break out the travel size items. And who wears makeup to the beach? Not me….I pack lash curler, waterproof mascara, a couple eyeliners and a couple shadows that I can use to create several looks; a warm and a cool blush, BB cream rather than foundation and small pot of loose powder to use on days when I feel like wearing makeup. I keep a powder compact with spf in my purse as well as lip balm and mlbb lipstick. I have long straight hair that I don’t color so my needs for shampoo and conditioner are simple…..I use travel sizes from prior trips.
When I travel, I use as few powder products as possible, and if it comes in stick form, that’s ideal – I often travel with an eyeshadow stick and a cheek/lip stain in a stick, plus one bolder lipstick, if I don’t need to do any fancier eye looks for an event (in which case I will pack a trusty palette like a Naked). I will try to take as few brushes as possible – often I’m able to make do entirely with a beauty blender.
I separate out anything liquid in ziplocs within a makeup bag, and I carry it all on – never ever check my makeup.
Under carriage checked baggage. Items in baggies wrapped in washcloths, tucked in my clothes. Only carry on minimum allowed in baggies like foundation, blush and mascara. Lipstick in my purse.
Very very lightly. Minimal amount, and light weight. In handbag or carry-on, in case you get separated from the rest of your luggage.
I travel quite a bit and tend to put most things in my checked luggage, with the exception of touch up items or if I’m going straight into a meeting after an early morning flight. I haven’t run into any issues with glass bottles or palettes/LE items breaking. I see that in comments all the time, but personally think it’s not that big of a deal. Yes, if your luggage gets lost, that definitely sucks – I’ve only had that happen once and they did locate it and I got everything back. I somehow doubt that I’m going to feel relieved at having my Tom Ford bronzer and blusher in hand is going to make me feel better about losing designer clothes and shoes, you know?
I forgot to include what I do for travel! I use three bags – one for larger items like my Clarisonic, face soap, razor, etc. for any items that get wet. One small one for skincare – mostly deluxe sample sizes and then one for cosmetics. I tend to travel for anywhere from 5-10 days at a time for work, so I prefer to have multiple options. I know three bags seems excessive (and probably is) but they stay packed and ready to go minus eye and lip options, so I don’t tend to fuss with them in between apart from restocking any items needed and 3 different sized bags lets me keep things separate in case of issue and fits better into my luggage instead of one larger bag or travel case. I can fit it in around shoes, etc in whatever configuration works best and still have room for any destination shopping.
If traveling by air, I just put stuff in a makeup bag tucked between my clothes where it can’t move around. I’ve never had anything happen that way.
However, most of my travels are by car & I always pack all my makeup in my train case. Always! I tend to be an over-packer & I’m ok with that ?
I took a scrapbook case from my mom. Plastic. Everything fits perfectly. I mean from face wash, foundations, palletes to perfumes. I didnt think it will be so practical, but it was the first time nothing ever broke on me when I travelled with it. I also add a bubble foam on top (that i get from the boxes of Sephora deliveries 🙂
I travel very frequently and ALWAYS have my makeup bag with me ALL THE TIME. For my foundation, I pour some in a small container enough for the duration of the trip, I also carry with me a lot of samples that I get for free every time I shop online, this way they don’t take too much space in my bag and I have a chance to try something new very often.
A train case! Lol, it’s my carry on so it has all my skin care, cosmetics, brushes, it fits my iPad, airline regulation size for perfume, loads of goodies both cosmetic and non cosmetic. I’ve never had any problems with security for domestic and international flights, providing I have the ziplock baggie and keep the fluid levels at the 100ml (not sure if that has been changed) level. None of them have “ransacked” my bag either, so I don’t have any concerns about great items getting destroyed.
I put cotton pads in all my powder compacts to prevent breakage – I put as many in that can fit as possible whilst still being able to close the compact. I’ve found this really helps with powder products smashing!
As for everything else, I put brushes in a separate narrow make-up bag, and the rest in another make-up bag. The only time I’ve ever really babied my make-up for travelling is when I flew with my make-up. I’m not too bothered about coach or train travel but I know air pressure can do funny things so I put all liquid in ziplock bags. I also wrapped clingfilm around all the openings and it stopped stuff from leaking.
All makeup goes in my carry-on and I plan a standard “look” and take as little as possible for weight and convenience’ sake, plus an additional all-around highlighter for evening. 2 or 3 lipcolors in a teeny Japonesque palette, the rest in a Z or Inglot palette. I don’t do “full face” when traveling, too much stuff to bring and I want to spend more time doing tourist/visiting stuff or shopping than applying makeup. That’s for both a weekend trip (unless it’s a special occasion as a wedding) or long Europe tours. I’m also older and piles of makeup makes you look older. Toiletries are all travel sized or samples and I recently cut my hair short so that’s simple to style and takes a lot less product/tools as well. My thing is to get out the door ASAP and not to have to haul around heavy bags.
I travel once a month for my job, I take a bus, and then the toronto subway system to get to my bosses offices. I haven’t flown in 10 years :P. And back then, I wasn’t wearing makeup. So my meathead works for non-flying!! because i’m taking the subway and a bus I have to pack super light!!
I limit myself to one zip up bag for toiletries (Dry shampoo, face wash, sunblock, acne medication, etc) and one bag for makeup for the four days im in the city. So that always helps me keep the sheer volume of products down.
I also keep a list on my cell of things I need for my work trips.
I try and keep it to:
One primer for face/eyes (I have very oily hooded eyes, and oily skin. Home girl needs primer!!)
One foundation (Sometimes I don’t even bring the foundation!!)
One concealer that can double up on my cheek scarring and under my eyes.
One matte powder compact
A backup I have of my all time favourite bronzer (Because I find it goes with every lipstick I own!! So I can get away with only bringing it.)
I only ever have ONLY one mascara open at once. So I’ll throw in my current mascara.
A custom made quad of eye shadows (I have 13 coastal scents eye shadows and 4 mac eye shadows I keep on my vanity that I use daily. But for travel, I take 5 eye shadows TOPS. A matte warm brown, a super deep dark brown for the outter corner, a shimmery lid shade, and a shimmery high light shade that I can use as highlighter on my cheeks and on my inner corners, and even on the lid, and a matte my skin tone shade to set my eye primer)
Every time I go to presentations at work, I’v worn red lipstick. So I always throw in a red liquid lipstick, A moisturizing gloss, and a MLBB lipstick.
I also throw in my current brow products.
Brush wise, I’ll throw in a buffing brush (i can use it under the eyes and on my cheeks!) a powder brush, a blush brush, and then a big fluffy eye brush to pat on my matte peachy my skintone shade, a fluffy blending brush, a eye lid brush, and an angled eye liner brush for my brows!
I manage everytime to bring all of this makeup/toiletries, four days worth of clothes, my work/presentation, in a backpack!!! So I think my meathead works well for me!!
I pack as many sticks & pencils as possible to do my makeup. Any powders need to be high quality, sturdy packaging. I try to choose things that can do double duty. I have a Vera Bradley cosmetics case that packs flat & things don’t jostle around too much.
I only take one or two eye shadow palettes, with a few quads and have them in my makeup bag to travel with me in the cabin. I would be devastated if they were lost. In my make up bag I would also have a foundation, blush, eye brow pencil, a couple of lipsticks and a mascara. All pretty secure.
I haven’t flown in 10 years. I took my makeup in my carry-on. Usually I travel by car. I put liquids in ziplock baggies in case they leak. If I’ll be going into high altitudes, I do the same with creams, as sometimes squeeze tubes will get pressurized and push out product. I don’t take anything too expensive, fragile, or is LE. I try to pick palettes with sturdy packaging, and I pad them with clothing inside my bag.
Last October, we spent nearly a month (25 days) in Italy, which included stays in a Tuscan farmhouse, hotels in major cities, etc. My beauty stuff was fine. I did the following:
1. I took GWP, Sephora, and CVS travel sizes for things like facial cleanser, moisturizers, shampoo, etc. and had some essentials in my carryon in case our checked bags were lost or delayed for a day or two. Ditto with makeup remover wipes. COSTCO had a set which included packets of 7 and 15 wipes, which were great. As I used up, I disposed of. This left more room for purchases I’d made in Italy for the trip home.
2. Other things I put in zippered plastic bags cushioned by clothing in my checked bag.
3. I use Mary Kay eyeshadows, and used their smaller palette cases to carry with me. I popped in the most used colors, and off I went. For blush I had a NARS travel size palette from Sephora with Orgasm blush and Laguna bronzer in it. Also carried several lipsticks in my purse’s cosmetic bag.
4. Perused the Sephora in Florence, which was a wonderland, BTW. Santa Maria Novella is also headquartered in Florence in part of an old monastery. Their almond cream makes great gifts. Italian pharmacies also have great products, some are produced in Italy, and others can be found in the US, like L’ Oreal. Coin and Rinascente department stores have great cosmetic counters too.
I do the same thing Christine! I wrap my Naked palette in pyjama( it is my travelling palette). I try to limite fragile containers for example: foundation in tube or BB cream.
In every country i travel i do beauty shopping so there is allways a beauty plastic bag with a zip so it is safe and secure for my clothes and ziploc bags for any fragile or liquid item.
Thank you Christine for your amazing blog and thank you girls for your questions and your comments that make me feel happy to be a beauty junky.
My pleasure, Sam! 🙂
I have a really nice travel makeup bag. It’s like a traveling foldable caboodle. rounded rectangular edges with a top handle and it zips all the way around. It’s a harder but durable plastic. Inside are 8 stretchable compartments along the entire rectangular shape. When I travel I put the big stuff in the middle; palette, powder, brushes, sponges, liquid lipsticks since they are longer usually etc. in the compartments I put the lipsticks, deluxe facial washes/moisturizers, foundations, sharpener, primers, etc.
It holds pretty darn well. it also comes with a matching smaller travel pouch that I can take with me in my bag as I leave the hotel, etc. I got the set from TJ MAXX and I love it. Because it stands upright I usually carry it in my backpack as I always take a backpack when I’m traveling (well most of the time) so it sits upright at the bottom or if it’s in my suit case I pack it with clothes tightly around it so even when it’s on it’s side, nothing is really moving around too much in it.
If I’m doing more of a one bag trip, I put everything into my clutch size zip flat makeup pouch or I have bookbags with so many compartments in them that I put makeup in those spots. When I travel I always take deluxe items or the smallest items I have so I don’t need a ton of space but in case I do, my main one fits everything.
Hello Temptalia,
I have found out the hard way the famous quote, “Less is more”. I know… what?! Lol.
I say that because it’s true. The last thing you want to happen, is you are traveling and you realize that you didn’t take your super favorite eyeshadow or lipstick… so you basically just take it all with you and put some clothes back in your drawers, to make room for a little bit more makeup! Yes, when I was younger I DID exactly that! Lol! Hopefully I wasn’t the only wierdo who did this! Lolol. But today make-up is packaged differently than back in my hay day. The cosmetic industry FINALLY recognizes working Women…. Women on the go, some are even the main bread winners in the Family, Women can have a job and family and multitask ect. So the industry as a whole changed with the times sort to speak. They recognized “A Modern Woman”. IT’S absolutely awesome. No longer do we have to choose one or the other! Please keep that in mind also. Ok, back to a simpler answer…. lol. I put whatever I am taking in a hard shelled cosmetic case and that’s what I take with me. If I’m flying, I carry it on, if I am driving, I don’t put it in the trunk of the car where the clothes suitcases are. I keep it in the seat next to me or behind me. I usually take:
1 Foundation & Sponge- Long Wearing & Waterproof.
1 Pressed Powder – Long Wearing & Waterproof.. Great For Touch Up’s During The Day & Night.
1 Loose Powder & Brush – I Always Use The Loose Powder To Set My Foundation, Concealer etc.
1 Concealer – Liquid, Waterproof, Long Wearing.
1 Primer.
1 Bronzer & Brush.
1 Eyeshadow Palette & 2 Applicator Brushes & 1 Blending Brush – The Palette Has Both Warm & Cool Colors.
2 Liquid Eyeliners – Waterproof, Long Wear. A Black & A Brown.
1 Eyebrow Pencil With A Brush On The Other End In Blonde.
2 Lip Liner’s – 1 In Nude, 1 In Pink.
1 Lipgloss – In A Sheer Color Just To Add A Little Sparkle & Shine.
3 Lipsticks & A Retractable Lipstick Brush. Lip Colors In One In A Nude, One In A Pink, One In A Plum.
1 Set & Mist Makeup Spray.
1 Waterproof Mascara In Blackest Black.
~~~~ I don’t go crazy using separate primers for lips, eyes ect. I use 1 face primer and apply it all over. It works for me & less to pack or forget. I might throw in a face highlighter, for a little bit more extra glow at night. Awesome for a little romantic dinner with my husband. It’s beautiful in a candle light dinner. (I don’t travel for work). ~~
I make sure that I don’t forget to pack my eye makeup remover for waterproof eye makeup. This probably will be the only thing that I keep forgetting to pack in my life! Lol, so I pack it first! Along with my skincare products. I don’t need to extra wrap anything, because everything has it’s own place in my cosmetic case. I do make sure that all the lids are secure & if it will get jostled around, I secure the lid with a piece of tape. I don’t have to worry about anything falling over because it stands up straight & does have fancy elastics to hold it into place and it’s not going anywhere. ~~~
*I do put in a tiny plastic bag cotton balls, Q tip’s, ect. I wash my brushes really quick after each use and they are dry by the next day, when I get up to apply my makeup again. That cosmetic case is gold to me. Well worth the price of a little peace of mind while traveling. The last thing I need or want to worry about is cleaning up spills or broken foundation bottle that goes all over & into my other cosmetics. I want to spend as much time on vacation, seeing and doing everything I can! *
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I always take too many options in color cosmetics on trips. I figure if I take only one color scheme for the eyes, a warm and cool blush, a warm and cool lip product, I should be able to cover anything. I have some choices, but not much. I am all about cutting down on stuff to take, so that I don’t have to keep up with it on the trip. Waterproof mascara is a must on airline flights, as my eyes really dry out and I need to use artificial tears frequently. My foundation is a mineral powder and requires a very small amount for one application, so it fits easily in a cosmetic bag (in a ziplock bag, of course!) I also want to cut down on the number of brushes I take and am experimenting with using only ColourPop products and my fingers, rather than power products and brushes. Thanks everybody for your travel tips! Very helpful!