Packing Your Travel Makeup & Skincare + Tips

Packing for a trip can be stressful enough without having to think about all of your skincare and makeup products especially when your packing for others and children as well.

Down below is a list of how I like to pack everything that I need while away for a long duration. Keep in mind that I would simply carry a smaller quantity for shorter trips.

If you’re traveling with just a carry-on or light in general, you always need to keep the TSA rules and regulations in mind. You are allowed to carry on one clear quart sized bag for all of your liquids, gels, pastes, creams and aerosols in containers of three ounces or less. This is also known as the “3-1-1 rule”. If you wish to take more or larger sizes then you’ll need to pack them into a suitcase that you will be checking in.


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So let’s get right into it.

Organization is key

The first thing you’ll need to do is create a packing list. I like to write everything down in the order to which I use them. For example: Makeup remover, Face wash, Serum, Vitamin /oils, Cream etc.

Compartmentalize

I like to organize items separately such as makeup, toiletries, shampoo/conditioner etc.

Invest

We highly recommend investing in some clear & durable reusable travel bags that you can purchase from a variety of stores. Many of have them come with reusable plastic bottles, containers and labels. Personally, we love the large selection at HomeGoods, Winners and Marshalls. If you choose to use alternative bags, we would suggest ziplock bags as opposed to regular bags. If a spill or leak does happen, then at least it will be contained within the ziplock. We especially pay attention to this for our shampoo, conditioner and anything else that may heavily soil your clothing or accessories.

Pro Tip: we save the sample makeup/skincare containers, clean and reuse them. You can add labels as needed.

Decant your full sized products

We always decant our full sized items into small pods, containers or bottles. You can use the labels that come with your bag or print/write your own. Remember, a little goes a long way; you don’t need to take an entire full size bottle of foundation with you.

Double seal your containers

We almost always use saran/cling wrap to double seal our containers. Simply cut out small squares and place them on top of the container before placing on the lid and tighten.

Travel size products, concealers & color correctors

There are certain products that I prefer to purchase in the travel size such as the All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray by Urban Decay, hairspray & dry shampoo by either Moroccanoil or Batiste, BlenderCleanser Solid by Beauty Blender, Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer by Too Faced and blushes by NARS, Tarte or anything else that’s my travel go to at the time.

I prefer to take my color corrector and concealer in its full size as they don’t take up much room and have built in applicators for an easy application.

Contour Palettes & Multi-use

Instead of taking a large/heavy contour palette, I purchase the refill pans from Kat Von D as they are light, small and perfect for any trip. Normally, I’ll take one refill pan (highlight powder) with a contour stick and small bronzer.

Pro Tip: multi-use the highlighter & bronzer as eye shadows.

Perfumes & Colognes

Decant your full size spray bottles into the sample size vials. We always keep the perfume/cologne samples to either take with us on our travels or to reuse when finished with our preferred fragrance(s). You can add labels as necessary.

Pro Tip: If you think you’re going to run out, go to a local Sephora or Ulta Beaty store and ask them for a sample of your preferred brand. You can always do the same with your foundation.

I once forgot my foundation for a trip (this was long before I started using packing lists 😜). I went to a Sephora and simply asked for a sample of my foundation and they were kind enough to give me ample product for my trip.

Beauty Blender Storage

I store either size of my beauty blender in a small organza bag/drawstring sash as it’s lightweight and breathable making it perfect for drying.

Brushes

I pack my travel size makeup brushes in a Brush Holder Wrap by MAC. It’s perfect; I simply roll it out on any surface and everything is organized and ready for use. I don’t need to worry about messy counter space or brushes rolling off and falling onto the floor.

Location

When traveling, I always prefer to pack my makeup and skincare in my carry-on. This ensures that nothing will break in the travel process and if the worst case scenario happens where your luggage gets lost, at least you have these items in your carry-on. It’s easier and more cost efficient to purchase clothing then to replace all of your makeup or skincare. Not to mention the excessive weight this would add to your overall baggage.

If you absolutely had to place these items in a suitcase that required check-in, then I would highly recommend placing them in the middle of the suitcase cushioned by socks, skirts, shirts, dresses, sweaters etc.


We hope that these tips and tricks help you streamline your packing regiment for your makeup and skincare products.

Until next time, keep dreaming, Traveling, exploring and spreading your footprints.

♥️ The Traveling Footprints

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