How to Pack the Perfect Makeup Bag for Your Summer Travel
The last thing I take before the trip is a cosmetic bag. I always fall behind, so in a panic I inevitably throw things in my bag, forget what I need, and take at least three things that I don’t need. Summer is finally here and I have a few trips planned, but there are always car trips and weekends that come at the last minute, so it’s good to have a bag ready to pick up at any time, or at least have a trip-friendly the groceries are gone, so I know what to take with me in a hurry.
Don’t buy travel items
The best advice I can give you about travel products is … don’t buy them. They rob, you pay your ass for all this pack and hardly
y product. If you look, you will likely find that most of the products you already use are under 3.4 ounces, so they can be thrown in your carry-on luggage if you don’t check the bag. The only products I can’t take with me are my face wash, shampoo, and conditioner. If you’re looking for a new cosmetic bag, Sony Kashuk always has a bunch of different sizes of bags available at Target, both cute and durable. I can’t even look at them because I want to buy them all.
Save your banks
I have enough empty skin care cans to build a small town. Every time I use Kiehl’s moisturizer or Origins face pack, I try to keep the jar because they are strong enough to be washed, reused and traveled over and over again. My skin gets crazy when I travel, especially if I fly, so finding a way to take my regular products with me instead of changing them to travel rando always prevents dry skin and breakouts and helps me keep my skin balanced and looking fabulous.
If you don’t currently have cans at your disposal, Amazon, as always, has billion dollar packs available for about three cents. I also used small jars for mixing paint, now there IS a life hack for you (they were fresh, don’t worry).
Opt for test tubes instead of bottles
In terms of the products I travel with, I try to stay away from liquids in fragile bottles, opting for stick product options where possible and product versions that come in soft tubes instead of hard bottles. For example, instead of risking a bottle of foundation breaking in my bag, I’ll use foundation to provide the same coverage without risking damaging my products.
I try to avoid powder as much as possible, opting for creamy eyeshadow and sticking on bronzers. The only power I always make sure to take is the Setting Powder, which sets makeup and keeps the skin matte all day long. I use setting powders with or without makeup because I love the blurry, perfect, matte finish they give my skin.
Bonding primers
Getting primers is pretty easy, you just need to know where to look. I love theMatte Blur Stick Milk Makeup Matte Blur Stick , it primes the skin, controlling oil and shrinking pores.
This is a nice large stick that can be applied directly to your face and won’t break in your bag. Some other favorites are Benefit Stay Flawless 15 Hour Primer and Estée Edit Pore Vanishing Stick .
Stick Foundations
In fact, I prefer pencil bases over traditional liquids or powders, and there is no better travel foundation than foundation. The Hourglass Seamless Finish Foundation Stick is great because you can use it as a base and extend it to use in place of concealer, so you can skip another tube in your bag. Other great options are the Make Up For Ever HD and, if you prefer a matte shade, the Anastasia Foundation Stick.
If you’re looking for a lighter finish, try the new Confidence In A Compact by IT Cosmetics!
It’s a solid base in a rugged, compact design that’s great for travel. Basically, this is a durable version of their iconic CC cream that glides on smoothly, looks beautiful and travels like a champion.
Blush
The best creamy blusher at the moment is Glossier ‘s Cloud Paint . It comes in an ultra-compact small tube so it doesn’t take up much space in your bag and can be broken without being cracked. On the road, I use a few more Queen’s Frog Prince Lipsticks that look good on everyone (and I mean they literally work with your body’s pH to soften your skin) and any Benefit cheek tone .
Eyeshadow
Try using creams instead of compressed powders to avoid breaking the compressed powder molds. I’m obsessed with ColourPop’s Super Shock Shadow, a weird putty cream.
Or try a creamy eyeshadow pencil to make even better use of the space. Laura Mercier is my favorite.
Powder
If you can’t part with a pressed powder palette, get at least a few travel-optimized brushes. Caiyln’s 4-in-1 Eye Brush gives you four brushes housed in a single stick with a cap on each end so you don’t get clogged up in your bag. I hate traveling with brushes because they are always shaken and never come back in the right light.
Another brush that I always carry with me is the Too Faced Retractable Kabuki Brush . I use it to set powder, the only powder I take with me to set everything up. I would recommend one of these for every cosmetic bag. elf is a great option , as is Makeup Academy.
Speaking of fixing products, I take pressed fixing powder to finish my look and hold it in place, and I also use fixing spray. My regular bottle is too big for carry-on luggage, so this is one of those rare times I actually buy a travel product. Urban Decay Setting Sprays are available in travel-friendly sizes and are well worth the investment if you want your face to stay in place.
Scent
I hate to travel without fragrances, but obviously taking a glass bottle of perfume with you is a ban. A portable perfume diffuser is a great way to take your favorite scent with you. You can buy them online, but the one sold at Sephora for just ten seeds is a great option. Just fill it with your own perfume and put it in your carry-on luggage, purse or even your pocket. This is a great tool, even if you are not traveling!
Here’s how and why you need to pack items that travel well and work for you throughout your trip in a secure cosmetic bag. What do you take with you on your trip?