Pack Your Travel Makeup Bag Like a Pro

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Hey Beauts!

So – you are going on vacation, a weekend getaway, or simply just want to have your makeup essentials handy in your car – well – we got you covered.

A few years ago, after weeks of me running around like a mad-woman, I decided that it was time to eliminate that constant 20 minute drive back to my house for a quick touch-up in between clients and life deal. Now you might say… but Kara, can’t I just carry a few items in my purse? – and the answer is Yes, of course you can, but I wanted to make sure I had everything I could ever need handy at all times. Plus, carrying those few items in my purse just wasn’t cutting it AND now I have a little more free time for myself.

Okay, Lets get started.

First, I have four rules:

Travel size items are your BFF: This includes hotel samples to save money or travel products available at Target, Sephora, or your local drugstores.
Don’t throw it away: You know all those little random makeup samples you get? Guess what – they are your other BFF. Also, mini brushes that come with some makeup products are great too.
Free ‘giftbags’ are gold: Hello freebies! Well kinda – You know those “free giftbags” you get when you spend over X amount buying products at your favorite Macy’s counter? Yeah – Those are the golden mini products you keep for your new travel makeup bag and the free bag it comes in is your new travel bag. That is what I like to call a two-fer.
You need two medium size bags or one big bag: I like to separate my brushes, sponges, eyeliner, brow pencils + powders, sprays, mascaras and lipstick + glosses into one bag and all other products into another. I find it easier to grab one bag that has my eyeliner and gloss (if I just need that) rather than digging through a big bag or case – but – your choice.

So what actually goes in the bags?

Great question 😉

Bag One: Makeup Brushes

Travel size brushes are preferred. I happen to have a ton of extra makeup brushes that I don’t use so the extras get put in their own little bag. The brushes in the picture are full size but you can find great little travel kits for $8-15 bucks here. The travel brush kits should fit in your main travel bag.
Must-have brushes: At first I was just using the brushes that came with the eye shadow and it was not a good look. I think every bag should have: 1 Kabuki face brush for setting powders or blush and 1 Kabuki flat brush for buffing and blending. 1 All-over powder brush and 1 Classic foundation brush for applying foundation. 1 Fan brush for removing excess product. 3-4 Eyeshadow brushes: 1 smudge brush, 1 shader brush, 1 crease brush, 1 essential eyeshadow brush and 1 concealer brush.

Bag One Continued or Bag Two: Eyes, Brows, Lips, Sprays

Multiple options are not bad. I like to have the basics but in different forms. For example, I have the following for my brows: brow powder, pencil, and pomade or gel. I use about five products on my brows daily (crazy I know) but my absolute favorite brow product is the Wet N Wild Ultimate Brow Kit for $5.
Makeup Essentials for eyes, brows, lips and spray: 1 mini hairspray, 1 mini dry shampoo spray, assorted glosses, lipsticks and chapsticks, at least 2 brow products (powder and pencil preferred). 2-3 mascaras (just in-case one of your mini sticks run out), 3-4 eyeliners (one liquid, two black, one brown).
Adding Favorites: I like to take some of my favorite products like Wet N Wild Brow Kit, Sephora Mascara, Mac Lipgloss in Underage, Estee Lauder Eyeliner, etc that are running low and add them to my travel bag.
Oh PS – That Urban Decay bag came with my limited edition Vice palette. Remember, the ‘don’t throw it out’ rule. 😉

Bag Two Continued: Face, Shadows, Creams, Etc.

Remember: All three bags can be combined into one big bag or you could have two medium size bags (one with brushes, eyes, brows, lips and sprays and the other with face, shadows, creams, etc).
Samples: YAY. Remember when I said samples were your BFF? Here is why: I use a lot of mini perfume samples, foundation samples, primer samples, and cream samples. Samples save money and are normally great quality. The foundation samples usually come with a few different shades which are great in the summer if you need a darker color. If you are using one big bag, it is helpful to sort them in a smaller bag or clear baggie inside of the big bag.
Makeup Essentials for your face, shadows, creams and more: 1-2 Face primers, mini perfumes, mini concealer, contour sticks in dark and light shades, 1-2 blushes (powder and cream), 1-3 foundations (light, medium, darker), 1-3 BB + CC creams (light, medium, dark), powders (translucent powder, foundation powder, bronzer), shadows (neutral shadow palette, cream shadows, darker shadow palette, highlighter), mini body and face creams, hair ties + elastics, bobby pins, q-tips and makeup pads.
PS Again: That makeup bag is from an Estee Lauder “giftbag” promotion.

Got all that?

Okay,
Lastly, here is our quick reference checklist for you just to make it even easier 🙂

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