Keep It Simple: Travel Makeup

[RiverKentValley]

Travel. Something we've all done at some point in our lives or something we wish to do in the future; whether that's a trip across the country or across the world. However, being stuck in the airport, calling a cab (or Uber, I should say), trying to communicate with the locals—you wanna look good!—or at least like you're not a jet-lagged-sleep-deprived zombie. But with the challenge of keeping your luggage simple, and keeping your shoulders from having red dents in them and your back from aching because of overpacked luggage, how do you keep it simple?

—What are your makeup essentials?

—How do you keep it minimalist?

—What tips and tricks help you?

[thelindeza]

Makeup essentials

My essentials are foundation, brow powder, highlighter, mascara, and lipstick. I usually keep my makeup pretty simple so there's not a lot to touch up.

Keeping it simple

I keep it simple because I'm just naturally pretty simple when it comes to my makeup

Tips and Tricks

When traveling, I plan out my looks so I won't bring excess product. Only product I'll bring extra of is lipstick (I love lipstick!)

[TiffRH]

I always keep my makeup minimal, no matter the occasion so that makes travel easy.  My essentials are mascara, either a BB cream or a concealer, brow gel, and lip balm (tinted or clear).  My face get's red/flushes easily, so I skip the blush; it looks okay under the concealer/BB cream.  I will bring a beauty blender with me to apply.  I keep it in a TSA approved clear cosmetic bag with my travel shampoo and conditioner.  

[mrsbaine]

I found getting the right travel bags is necessary. I like Truffle makeup and toiletry bags. They have clear ones which also makes seeing everything in a hotel bathroom important. Also, TSA friendly if you are not Pre-screen. 

For actual products, I like mini skincare products. I try to collect those and save the ones I like for travel. With makeup, it depends on what the travel occasion is; if it's pleasure, I try to do all creams so I can apply with a beauty blender. I like Milk Makeup's Primer which is a solid and looks like deodorant. Perfect for travel.  If I am traveling for an event or work and I need specific makeup, I think about the looks I'll be doing and try to figure out how to bring the smallest things in my collection- or palettes. I like blush palettes, or the TF face palettes because they can double as many things. I'll also bring shadow sticks because they are perfect and small. I love the Tom Ford Lips and Boys/Girls because they are small. 

[Anonymous]

Oh yes, @mrsbaine, Truffle makeup and toiletry bags are amazing, and so lovely!  And, of course, Tom Ford lippies - gorgeous all around - color selection, formula, size. If Tom Ford made mini's of everything in their collection, I would be in heaven - I'd be broke, but I'd be in heaven. LOL!

[pocketvenus]

I always travel with a carry-on only - this includes trips up to two weeks and in different continents. The only time I check in luggage is if I am going somewhere to live temporarily and require daily household items.

General Tips

• I keep a makeup and toiletries travel kit so I can just grab and go without thinking
• I keep a basic inventory of everything I pack and modify it to the place I travel to (this is helpful so that you know you aren't forgetting something important).
• Pack like you're playing Tetris

Makeup

• I "decant" all products into smaller travel-sized containers. This is way cheaper than buying travel-sized products and of course, not all of your favourite products will come in mini-size
• I love to bring Sephora samples with me and use them up on a trip
• I pick one simple makeup look and stick to it. These days, I take with me: a mini container of BB cream or foundation, BITE multistick, lipgloss, eyeliner pen, eyebrow pen, mascara
• For tools, I take a nail clipper and file, eyebrow tweezer, eyelash curler

Clothing

• I roll my clothing. You can check out the rolling method on YouTube, it is a major space saver
• I never pack bras with molded cups. They get crushed/damaged and are space inefficient.
• Heels are the worst!!! They kill so much space. I keep it to one pair only
• Wear, if possible, your heaviest, most space inefficient items. e.g., I often wear boots
• Pack as many multitasking items as possible. Different pieces should work with each other.
• A jacket with lots of sturdy pockets is very helpful. Save space in your luggage and load up your clothes. There are no regulations on how big you are or how much you weigh!

[dyslexia]

Dang, yr a travel pro!

I agree, btw, heels are the *worst*. I try to keep my shoe selection about as minimal as my makeup looks selection. Like, one pair I wear on the plane and at most one other pair (and if I can get it away with it, something like fancy ballet flats) packed.

For makeup I also like to keep it to one every day look, but I also bring one mini palette, like the Tarteist Pro to Go or one of the UD 500-point perk ones, and an eyeliner (something I skip for quick/everyday) just in case the occasion arises where I need to vamp it up. Maybe one bolder lip mini, too, if there's room, though usually whatever more subtly-toned lipstick I'm using for everyday (right now UD Vice Rapture) works with more intense eyes.

[Anonymous]

Great post, @RiverKentValley!

Makeup essentials for me are concealer, foundation, lipstick/gloss, eyelash curler, mascara, brow gel. Ideally, I'd like to throw in eye shadow, blush and another lippie product, but if we're talking absolute essentials that I'd feel naked without, it would be the first six items.

To keep it minimalist, like @Eliza1214, I'll pack lightweight, wrinkle-free clothing pieces. If I'm on a work trip, it'll be a black dress, skirt and pants, a couple of tops, 2-3 scarves, and a couple of belts.  I use the scarves and belts to change up a look.  For makeup, I try to find multi-tasking products, though with the basic 6 above, it's just those items.

Tips & Tricks - using accessories (like scarves and belts) to give an outfit a totally different look.  Using multi-tasking products to get the most out of a product.  Bringing mini palettes - there are a lot of mult-functioning palettes out there and in mini size too!  Lipstick that can be used as a blusher.  If it has a highlight shade, use it as a highlighter, and dab a bit onto center of eyelids to make eyes pop. Other tricks I've utilized over the years is to keep sample products or mini's in a bin or drawer - depending on the length of my travel, I will sometimes pack a handful of sample products (for skincare, ones that I know work well on my skin) - it takes up little space and will usually be enough for my entire trip so that I can just discard when I'm done.  It's light to begin with but my bag is even lighter on the way back.

On my most recent trip, I opted to pack different makeup items and I found that it worked for me and allowed me to have my must-have 6 things plus the additional products I'd like to have with me.  I took my eyelash curler, mascara, brow gel, concealer, cushion compact, Tarte Tarteist Pro Glow To Go (highlight and bronzer palette that I used as highlight, bronzer, eyeshadow and eyeliner); and Stila Convertible Color (used as blush and lip product).

[MissyJ777]

IT Illuminating foundation and that’s all you need!

[Eliza1214]

Oh I love this post!  🙂  I'm a minimalist, travel few times a year, and pack only a carry on for trips under 10 days (unless I'm traveling to a really cold climate).  🙂 

- Makeup essentials: 1) eyeshadow palette, 2) bronzer & highligher palette, 3) eyebrow pencil, 4) eyeliner, 5) mascara, 6) blusher, 7) foundation, 😎 lip liner, 9) lip stick, 10) lip gloss.

- Minimalist: I pick out different items and plan out different outfits before my trip so that I can pack the least number of items with the most number of outfits.  I also pack lightweight items that are wrinkle free.

- Tips & Tricks: I pack a small eyeshadow palette that is good for everyday looks and will use bronzer, blusher, highlighter on the eyes to play with different looks.  

🙂

[dyslexia]

Great tips! Do be sure, though to check that the blushes/bronzers are safe to use in the eye area. Not all products are. Some pink/red pigments in some blushes, especially, are not eye safe. Most should be no problem, but it's better to do a quick advance check and make sure than end up with pink eye when traveling. 😉

[risa0225]

Oh! This is a fun post!

Essentials would be: concealer, brow pencil, mascara, eyeliner, and lip stain.

You can mix concealer with your moisturizer for a tinted moisturizer and concealer with the lip stain for a blush color! 

Also, if it is a short trip, I pour the liquids/creams into extra contact lens cases. It saves so much space and it never leaks. 

[Anonymous]

Great tip, @risa0225 about mixing moisturizer and concealer.  I'll definitely try that the next time I travel that with the holidays will be very soon.