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How To Pack A Travel Makeup Bag: Top 10 Travel Makeup Bag Essentials

UPDATED March 28, 2022
Elise Mahoney

Home - Travel Essentials

How To Pack A Travel Makeup Bag Top 10 Travel Makeup Bag Essentials

If you love makeup just as much as traveling, then you would probably be familiar with the struggles of narrowing down your makeup items to pack when you travel.  This is especially true if you are traveling for a long time and want to sport a different look every day.  Packing your travel makeup bag essentials might be a challenge as you will most likely have limited space in your baggage. This does not mean that you should sacrifice your beauty routine!  Check out this article and learn how to pack a travel makeup bag so you can still look good on your travels.

What is a Travel Makeup Bag?

A travel makeup bag or a cosmetic bag comes in handy in keeping your makeup or cosmetics organized when traveling. It also protects your makeup, accessories, and products from getting smeared or from breaking when traveling.

Makeup bags come in different styles, designs, and materials – some are even fancier than others. You can invest in two or more makeup bags for your travels. When traveling, you can bring one for your carry-on luggage and another one for your check-in baggage.

Invest in a small, handy, and water-resistant makeup bag for your carry-on, with a good closure or seal to prevent your makeup from getting on your belongings.

Check-in makeup bags are usually bigger in size and have a hard exterior as they are often included or placed inside your check-in luggage. So your makeup products must be organized and protected from all the luggage’s movement in the airport.

What to Put in a Travel Makeup Bag

What to pack in your travel makeup bag greatly depends on your own personal makeup style and preference. A small makeup or cosmetic bag is enough if you prefer a “no-makeup – makeup look.” But if you plan on sporting various looks for your travels, you may need to bring more than the barely-there makeup products.

The rule of thumb is, tailor your makeup routine towards your activities each day. Here’s a list of makeup products that would go in your travel bags. One is very basic, and the other is if you are going for a glammed-up look. When you travel, remember that you may be meeting a lot of new people every day, so fixing yourself and putting on a bit of makeup enables you to put your best face forward. But this is a personal preference, and it greatly depends on your choice. Take what you need and leave the rest.

You can doll up a bit more if you’re going for museum visits, shopping sprees, or going to a fine dining restaurant.

Minimalist Makeup Bag

For your tour days, we recommend an ultra-minimalist kit that contains the following:

  • Your favorite sunscreen or a tinted moisturizer with SPF
  • A small concealer
  • Your favorite lip gloss with SPF
  • An eyebrow kit (you might not need it) for a retouch.

You can also add in your mascara, blotting papers (if you have oily skin) or powder, and your favorite blush. You can use a creme blush stick as it can serve as a lip color as well, so you can save space in your bag.

Basic Makeup Bag

This basic makeup bag is for products that you would typically use to polish your look more. If you know how to pack a travel makeup bag You can add these beauty products to your kit when you have days for shopping, museum visits, and dinners. This makeup bag also contains all the items listed in the minimalist kit.

  • Eyeliner pencil – colors to choose from: black, charcoal, or brown
  • Cheek tint/blush – a two in one product can work as a cheek and lip tint
  • Lip pencil
  • Tinted lip balm
  • Eyeshadow

From the minimalist kit (listed above):

  • Your favorite sunscreen or a tinted moisturizer with SPF
  • A small concealer
  • Your favorite lip gloss with SPF
  • An eyebrow kit (you might not need it) for a retouch.
  • Mascara
  • Powder
  • Blotting paper
  • Blush

You can opt to bring and use all or some of these. But it’s always nice to have them all just in case. You can be more playful and creative with your look when traveling and look good whenever, wherever.

>> Find the best deals on makeup bags here.

10 Travel Makeup Bag Essentials

When packing your makeup bag for travel, you’ll most likely have limited space in your luggage. But, this shouldn’t mean sacrificing your beauty and makeup routine. Here are the ten travel makeup essentials that should be in your makeup bag.

Sunscreen

While sunscreen isn’t technically a makeup product, it is very much essential when traveling. As there are various types of sunscreen out there, it matters where you are headed to. If you spend most of your time on white-sandy beaches, you’d probably need water resistance and high SPF. But, if you’re not going to spend a lot of time under the sun, then a moisturizer with 30 SPF will do the trick.

Tinted Moisturizer

Another essential product to bring while traveling is a tinted moisturizer. A thin layer will keep your face moisturized without feeling heavy and with a bit of coverage. It’s lightweight, easy to blend, and can be applied using your hands, so you don’t have to bring an extra brush in your bag.

Concealer

You would want to have a concealer with long-lasting formula so you won’t have to retouch during the day. Pick a product that’s easy to blend even without a brush applicator.

Powder

If you are heading to a hot destination with a humid climate, say the Caribbean, a good face powder is an essential product to bring. Just a light dusting layer of this powder will keep your look fresh and intact the whole day.

Bronzer

Bronzers are perfect for warming up your face and giving life to your skin. They come in various shades and colors to suit various skin tones. Sweep a bronzer using a fluffy brush across your cheekbones and jawline to highlight that area but do not go overboard. You can apply a bronzer for special occasions like having a romantic dinner date with your partner.

Blush

Blushes are one of the favorite staples to bring when traveling. Cream blushes are especially useful as they also serve as a lip color. It’s easy to apply to your lips and cheeks, with just your fingertips. Plus, they come in cheap!

Brow Pencil

Have you ever heard of the phrase, “eyebrows on fleek?” A good eyebrow pencil is a must when traveling so you can quickly fill in your brows even without applying too much makeup. Get a brow pencil that has a spoolie (a makeup tool) at the end so you can brush your brows and blend any lines. We also recommend a long-lasting or water-proof formula, so you don’t have to worry about it during the day.

Eyeshadow

If you’re the type to wear eyeshadow, you might be tempted to pack multiple eyeshadow palettes in your bag. But, this can actually take up a lot of space. We recommend investing in a smaller palette with the basic colors or shades so you won’t have to sacrifice variety. Go for one with neutral hues that come in a sleek compact.

Mascara

A staple among makeup essentials, mascara can very much transform any look. Part of knowing how to pack a travel makeup bag is to choose the right products. Make sure to pack the long-lasting and water-resistant mascara so you won’t worry about smudging or flaking, especially if you plan on spending a lot of time outside.

Lip Balm with Tint/Color

A tinted lip balm is perfect for traveling and for women who are always on the go. You can just throw it in your bag and use it whenever, wherever. It keeps your lips moisturized while giving color to enhance your lips.

The Ultimate Travel Makeup Packing List

Here’s our packing list that should satisfy and keep you covered whether it’s an overnight stay or a one-week trip. You can mix and match these products to create a number of looks. From a simple no makeup, makeup looks to a smoky, glam, or even a bronzed-and-beachy look. Check out the ultimate travel makeup packing list.

  • Primer
  • Tinted Moisturizer or BB Cream or Foundation
  • Concealer
  • Translucent Powder
  • Bronzer
  • Blush Creme or Powder
  • Nude Lipstick
  • Bold Lipstick
  • Neutral Eyeshadow Palette
  • Smoky Eyeshadow Palette
  • Waterproof Mascara
  • Brow Gel
  • Water-resistant eyeliner
  • Beauty blender
  • Brush for powders
  • Eyeshadow brushes
  • Makeup remover
  • Face wash

Are Full-size Makeup Bags Allowed in Check-in Baggage?

If you’re planning to bring all your makeup collection with you, you’d be glad to know that full-sized makeup products can go in checked-in bags. You need not worry about regulations on liquids, creams, or gels. But you may have to pay a staggering amount for the luggage fee. You can bring as many as you want as long as it fits in your suitcase.

Are Full-size Makeup Bags Allowed in Carry-on Bags into the Plane?

Unfortunately, you are not allowed to do so. If you don’t have plans of checking in your luggage, this is where packing your makeup for travel needs a little more thought. Your gels, liquid, and cream-based makeup should follow the TSA’s 3-1-1 rule. 

 It should be 3.4 ounces or less, one quart-sized transparent plastic or Ziplock bag per passenger. So, you will have to double-check your items and make sure they are TSA-compliant. If not, you may have to leave them or buy a travel-sized version.

Are You Packing Too Much? How To Cut It Down?

Most women overpack more products in the lip and eyeshadow department. One tip, when learning how to pack a travel makeup bag, is not pack too much; just bring some versatile and neutral colors with few bold options. You can challenge yourself to bring only two lipsticks and eyeshadows and create various looks by blending.

Pack Neutral Makeup Products

Ask yourself if you are comfortable and confident in wearing a neutral look every day for the whole duration of the trip. Choose a lip color that will give your face a bit of a boost but not too overpowering. Pair it with a shimmery eyeshadow for some highlight.

Pack Bold Makeup Products

If you want to paint the town red, bring something punchy like coral or hot pink. If you want something bold, sport a smoky eyeshadow and a bold pink or red lip color. Remember, you don’t have to sport bolds together. Use it individually to give more ‘oomph’ to your look and make it a bit fancier if you plan to go clubbing, dining, or museum-hopping.

Conclusion

When it comes to packing your favorite makeup and beauty essentials when traveling, every woman has their personal preference.  Some may pack a lot of skincare products like lotions and serums than actual makeup, while others may pack just about everything – from concealers to liners and lip tints.  Regardless of your basics and must-haves, knowing how to pack a travel makeup bag is vital to keep them organized and safe during long travels.  It might be a challenge to put all your favorites in one bag, but this doesn’t mean you should compromise your makeup routine!

Excited to start packing? Learn more travel tips here! 

Filed Under: Travel Essentials

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