With my wedding coming up in 8 days, my mind has been in one place. Although our honeymoon won’t be till February, it gives us more time to plan it, rather than planning a huge trip and wedding all at once! With travel on my mind, I thought it would be a good time to share some tips for packing your make-up for your next trip. I used to bring so much make-up with me, it took up all the space, but no more! Here’s how it’s done:

Tip #1: Get The Right Kind Of Make-Up Bag For Traveling

This is probably the most important step. Your make up bag makes a HUGE difference: get one that’s too bulky,  and your make up will take way too much space in your suitcase/bag and will packing more of a pain then it already is. I have one that is splits which helps me separate skincare and actual make up. My side with “skincare” includes a moisturizer, eye cream, lip balm, brushes and other tools. The other side includes an eyeshadow palette, mascara, eyeliner, and lipstick. I like to keep things separate because it makes it easier to find what you’re looking for. Another attribute to look for in a make-up bag is that the two sides should have netting which allows you to see inside without having to rummage around looking for that one tiny thing (which is usually hidden at the very bottom).Don’t even give it a chance to happen. I got mine years ago at Sally Beauty but there are other great ones available in places like Ulta, Amazon, etc. Or you can try this one from Amazon (and at a price tag you can’t beat). If you’re looking for something that’s cute and not just practical – look no further than this one from Sephora.

Tip #2: Pack One of Everything

I used to always want “options” which is how I would get to an overstuffed make up bag with 4-5 eyeshadow palettes and a million of other items just to make sure I could do different looks. The reality is, if you pack all that, you won’t use more than half of it so just don’t waste your time and luggage space. I recommend packing one of each item and by picking your favorites in every category, you’re guaranteed to be able to create looks you love daily. Pack an eyeshadow palette that can be used for several looks – I always pick one that has a matte black in it which I can use that to underline my eyes so the Naked 2 palette is often my travel companion.

Tip #3: Foundation sticks

If you don’t already have a foundation stick you like, I recommend finding one before traveling because nothing is worse than a broken bottle of expensive foundation which makes a mess all over your entire suitcase. With foundation sticks, you don’t have to worry about the mess and they provide great coverage if you need it. If you don’t have one that you like, I recommend checking out the Hourglass or the Make Up Forever versions. If you’re more into drugstore foundations, the Maybelline FitMe stick is a good option as well.

Tip #4 : Save Those Travel/Sample Size Items

If you’re a subscription box enthusiast like me, you have a million travel size versions of every category of make-up laying around so why not use them for  travel. I used to get upset every time I got a travel size version of something I already have in my subscription boxes until I realized they are perfect to hold on to and save for trips so that you have an item you know and love ready to pack up with you. If you don’t have travel size versions of your items, I recommend checking out Sephora’s Travel section (aka the section where you stand and wait to get checked out).

Tip #5: Ziplock Bags

These bags may save the rest of your luggage and make up. If you have an item that is in a tube, that has any kind of oily consistency or is in a bottle that has been opened before – put it all in a ziplock bag before sticking it into your make up bag. I had a hair oil bust open in my bag once and I had to throw out half the items in the bag after because it was  impossible to get that oil out. You don’t have to be a boy scout to always be prepared.

There you have it for my tips. Some of these may seem obvious, but sometimes the easiest tips are the ones that are the most useful. Let me know what some of your travel tips are for make-up and as always, thank you for reading!

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