What’s in my bag? TRAVEL MAKEUP EDITION
Please tell me I’m not the only one who used to love watching “What’s In My Bag?” videos on YouTube?! It’s oddly pleasing to see what people keep in their purses or what they can’t travel without. I’ve been on several trips lately, so I thought it’d be the perfect time to share my very own “What’s In My Bag?” (with a twist, of course!). Today I’m sharing everything I pack in my travel makeup bag. This is a roundup of ALL my holy grail / “can’t-live-without” makeup products. Of course, if I’m flying and trying to keep my luggage on the lighter side, I’ll pack a condensed version of these products. But on road trips when weight isn’t a factor, I like to be as prepared as possible. Before we jump into all the products, I’ll share my TOP 5 MAKEUP TRAVEL TIPS:
- PURCHASE A MAKEUP TRAVEL CASE – These cases are my favorite gifts to give my friends, because it’s one of those “I didn’t realize how much I needed this until I had it” type of things. Organization is a must when traveling, and these cases help keep all your expensive makeup items compact and safe!
- INVEST IN TRAVEL SIZE ITEMS – I’ve realized that so many of my holy-grail products also come in a travel-sized option. Purchasing those (as long as the price is worth it) will help with space and weight, especially for plane rides!
- DON’T CARRY-ON OVERSIZED LIQUID PRODUCTS – I’ve been a culprit of this before y’all. None of us want our expensive makeup taken by TSA, so make sure you check all the sizes before traveling by plane!
- STICK TO THE ESSENTIALS – You’ll see that my list of “essentials” is probably much longer than the average gal, so I’m preaching to myself here. But let me just say that you won’t need a green eyeshadow, a bright purple lipstick, or blue mascara for a trip to the beach. Stick to the basics and the items you NEED to have with you!
- DON’T TRAVEL WITH MAKEUP YOU’VE NEVER USED BEFORE – If your luck is anything like mine, it’ll either break you out or look flat-out awful. Leave the new stuff at home, and just bring your A-list items!
If you haven’t seen my ultimate packing lists, check them out HERE! You can download them for free, print them out, and even laminate them to reuse for every trip!
- Moisturizer / Eye Cream – Gotta stay moisturized and hydrated on trips, ladies! THIS moisturizer and THIS eye cream are my tried-and-true products.
- Primers – I’m an “I’d rather have too many than not enough” type of gal. I always travel with a pore primer, a primer for my smile lines, a hydrating primer, and my primer water spray.
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- Foundation Options – I always travel with two foundations – one for everyday wear and one for a more full-coverage look! The options change depending on my skin tone at the time and what events I’ll be attending on each trip. For my recent trip to Charleston, I chose THIS foundation as my everyday option and the THIS one for full-coverage.
- Brighten / Bronze – Your girl has dry skin, so using cream products makes my skin look more hydrated – and it also creates a more full-coverage look! I like to brighten my under eye with THIS brightener and cream bronze my cheeks/forehead/nose with THIS cream bronzer.
- Conceal – Concealer is my jam because it’s a dual-purpose product. I use it to brighten my face + prime my eyelids for eyeshadow. THIS is my #1 favorite concealer. It isn’t too drying, and the color (Almond) is perfect for my skintone yearround!
- Setting Spray – Setting spray is a travel-must for me. I always try to talk myself into packing a different option since THIS ONE is in a glass container, but I’d rather risk it than use anything else!
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- Setting Powders – I know, 3 powders is excessive. But they all fulfill different needs. I use THIS powder to set my undereyes because it’s lightweight and doesn’t dry me out. I use THIS powder to set my smile lines because it’s THE ONLY THING that’s kept them at bay. And I use THIS pressed powder to set the rest of my face.
- Contour / Bronzer – I contour when I’m going for a full-coverage look, so I only pack THIS when I’m traveling to an event. But bronzer is a MUST for me, so I always pack THIS to warm up my skin (Shade: Luminous Bronze Light).
- Blush Palette – I’m indecisive, okay? Having options is mandatory, so I put together my very own Pro Palette from MAC with 6 of my favorite blush shades. I linked all the pieces below so you can make your own! (My Favorite MAC Shades: Melba, Margin, Peaches, Gingerly, Make You Mine, and Rosy Outlook)
- Highlighter – I love to glow, but I’m not very picky when it comes to highlighter formulas so I usually just grab one and go! For my most recent trip, I packed THIS one!
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- Brow Products – It’s easy to forget to pack brow products if you’re not a die-hard brow girl! These are the only two brow products I own, so naturally I’m packing THIS pencil and THIS gel.
- Eyeshadow – When I’m traveling, I like to keep products as small and simple as possible. THIS palette is my all-time favorite. The size is travel-friendly, but it also has every shade you need for day-to-day looks AND for a smokey eye!
- Mascaras / Primers – This is excessive now that typing it out, but I pack FOUR lash related tubes of mascara. I start with THIS primer to help with thickness and length, then I apply 2 layers of THIS mascara followed by 2 more layers of THIS mascara. Finally, I use THIS one on my bottom lashes – it has a mini applicator brush that’s made for your lower lashes!
- False Lashes / Glue / Liner – I only pack false lashes when I’m traveling for an event (wedding, celebration, etc.) THESE are my forever-favorite false lashes for a wispy and more natural look, and THIS is the best lash glue I’ve ever tried! When I wear lashes, I also pack THIS eyeliner to help blend the band of the lash to my lash line!
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- Lip Scrub – Traveling makes my lips DRY, y’all. I always pack a lip scrub so I can exfoliate prior to applying a lip combo! I tried THIS lip scrub last weekend in Charleston and LOVED IT. It’s a little bit more pricey, but I promise it’s worth it!
- Lip Liner – I typically only travel with nude lips, so I try to keep it to just one lip liner that matches all my lipsticks and glosses. THIS has been my go-to for several months now!
- Lipstick/Gloss Options – All my nude lip options look so similar, but I always pack several to choose from! I’ve linked my favorites below, but I also have a highlight on my Instagram page with all my favorite Nude Lip Combos!
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- Handheld Fan – I can promise you will NEVER catch me traveling without THIS fan. I use it for both my makeup and skincare application, and we used it in Charleston to combat the heat. BEST $15 DOLLARS EVER SPENT.
- Tweezers – Such an easy item to forget, but I use them so often on trips (lash application + eyebrow tweezing). THESE are the best tweezers on the market, IMO!
- Eyelash Curler – The one I have is awful, so I suggest investing in THIS one – it has great reviews!
- Beauty Sponge(s) – Do not forget your sponge. Just don’t do it. THESE will never disappoint!
- Eyedrops – My eyes get irritated so easily, so I always keep a bottle of these packed in my travel case. They’re the best to use when you know you’ll be taking photos!
- Body Highlight – This is one of those unnecessary products that I travel with “just because”. Loose highlighters can make your legs, shoulders, and chest area look so hydrated and glowy! THIS option is my favorite! (Shade: Illuminati)
- Makeup Travel Case – Organization is KEY when traveling, y’all. THIS case is the larger option of my two recommendations. It’s what I use for car trips, while THIS is the case I use for plane rides. It’s smaller and forces me to pack less products!
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