I’ve been seeing a lot of cool What’s in My Travel Makeup Bag YouTube videos and blog posts this summer. Thought I’d join in and show you what products I take. Plus this is very timely since I’m actually going on a short romantic ‘trip’ soon. I’m staying within the city, but he and I always have a great time.
But before I go into the details about what I’m taking with me, I’d like to blab a little bit about myself first. If this bores you, you can scroll down this post to get right to the makeup. 🙂
When I was growing up, my family and I hardly ever went on vacations outside Canada because money was extremely tight. Even when I moved out, traveling wasn’t a regular thing because I always had to keep a close eye on my budget to make ends meet.
Even so, I did manage to see some places including Montreal and Los Angeles. Although the destinations weren’t nearly as impressive or as exotic as Egypt or Spain, I always managed to have loads of fun.
As a kid, I would often get jealous of my friends whose families seemed to always go on lavish vacations every summer and Christmas. I’d wonder why their families got to see exciting places and do exciting things while my family’s vacations were almost always situated within the same province we lived.
As an adult now, yes, I still sometimes feel jealous when I hear about people going to exotic destinations for a luxurious vacation full of pampering, but I’ve finally realized something important: Whether I went on a road trip or just a simple day trip, I always had a fun time because it’s not always about where you go – it’s about who you’re with.
And now…onto the main topic of this post: What’s in My Travel Makeup Bag! 🙂
Have Makeup. Will Travel.
When I travel, I try to bring just the basics. And if you think this is bad, you should see how much other stuff I pack (i.e. clothes, skincare, etc.)!
I’m pretty bad at packing light because I tend to bring stuff that I’ll need “just in case” or things I may need based on my mood. Of course 99.9% of the time, I don’t need these “emergency” items and I have to lug it all back with me feeling rather silly.
*~* What’s in My Travel Makeup Bag *~*
Click on any of the below links to see my reviews, pictures, and swatches (if applicable).
Eye Shadow – I usually bring a shimmery gray because it matches everything & then maybe a bright colour in case I want to punch it up a bit.
- Marcelle Wet or Dry Eye Shadow in Cabaret (Gray) – I really need to review this since I wear it almost daily.
- NYX Eyeshadow Trio in Sweet Lagoon, Aqua & Ocean (Blues)
Eye-Shadow Primer – An absolute must when I’m wearing eye shadow. No creasing!
Eyelash Curler – This is another must. I wear glasses and have long lashes, so if I don’t curl ’em, they’ll sweep the lenses, which is very annoying.
Black Pencil Eyeliner – A staple in my everyday look. I take a pencil instead of a gel liner because it’s easier for traveling with.
Pencil Sharpener – To keep my eyeliner sharp.
Mineral Foundation – Yes, it’s messy because the powder’s loose, but it works the best for me, it contains very few ingredients, and I’ve never liked the feeling of liquid foundation on my face.
Kabuki Brush – I need this to apply & buff out the mineral foundation.
Face Primer – Helps make my mineral foundation look better.
Lip Balm with SPF – I can’t stand lizard lips & I also like to protect my lips from the sun when I’m out.
Fluffy Blending Brush – Since when I’m traveling I use the sponge-tip applicators to apply the colour, I only really need this blending brush to soften the edges so there aren’t any harsh lines.
- Sigma E25 Blending Brush
Pocket-Sized Mirror – I wear glasses & am near-sighted, so when I do my eye makeup, I usually need to use a mirror up close.
- Free gift-with-purchase mirror I got with a Folica order
Cosmetic Case – Keeps all my makeup in the same place.
- Free VIB gift-with-purchase case I got when I bought something at Sephora
Okay…phew! Why do I pack too much? 😛 I’m hopeless! This is already my whittled-down list, sadly.
And I cheated a bit because everything except the retractable brush fits into my travel makeup bag, but I still wanted to include that brush even though I pack it separately.
Do you think I packed too much or too little? What are some must-haves you take when you travel? Have you traveled anywhere this summer?
Based on how I pack with the same idea of “just in case”, yours is a fairly pared down list! I can’t even fit everything for an overnight trip in an overnight bag. 🙁
I notice that you didn’t pack concealer, lucky you! I can’t go out without it and risk looking like a zombified raccoon. 😛 So that’s definitely a must have along with waterproof pencil eyeliner, 1 eyeshadow duo (pale shimmery pink/dark shimmery brown), a 5 pc brush set I got from elf, powder compact to set everything and SH Natural Beauty cream blush in Blooming and Your Skin Foundation. I really recommend the 2 latter; I used to be a mineral powder user but since I found this, it’s become my HG. No mask-y feeling from your usual liquid foundations and blendable enough that I can even use just my fingers with both. You can get them at Shoppers. 😉
Just been to Montreal and Quebec City on the last long weekend. Fun that we caught the Jazz Fest and that we were never quite in the same city as the Royals. 😛
Hey Carmela!
Oh, I had to work so hard to get it down to these items! Haha! I’m the same way as you – not being able to fit everything for an overnight trip into an overnight bag. This time, I’m going to try to…just to see if I can actually do it.
Years ago I used to only wear concealer and eyeliner. But then when I found the mineral foundation that works for me, I stopped wearing concealer because the foundation seemed to work well as is. I tried using my old concealer with the foundation, but the coverage was way too heavy and made me really self-conscious.
Haha, a zombified raccoon? That actually sounds pretty awesome to me. 😛 But, c’mon…I’m sure you look better than you give yourself credit for. 🙂
Oh yeah…I’ve seen the Sally Hansen Natural Beauty line at Shoppers. It’s the one by Carmindy, right? From What Not to Wear? I used to love that show. Stopped watching it only because I cut TLC (as well as some others from the package) from the channel list to save some money. 🙁 I miss that channel, though.
Montreal is incredible. Something about that place – the vibe is totally different, right? Maybe it was just my stay, but the people everywhere were really friendly to me, and I don’t even speak much French! My boyfriend at the time and I walked everywhere, ate crepes, saw Old Montreal, ducked into some of the cool little shops…Sigh, that was a great trip! 😀
Good luck! 🙂 I can’t seem to do it. I’ve tried and I ended up shopping to compensate. 😛
No, really. I have pretty bad under eye circles that make me look harassed even if I just woke up in the morning from a good night’s sleep. 😛 Still shopping for an HG concealer, actually, if you have any recommendations.
Yeah, that’s the one by Carmindy. 🙂 I didn’t know what the hype was all about till I swatched it and was pretty darn amazed at how it just blended so well that I had to get it. Using these, I can see how you can definitely get a 5 minute face. Best thing was, since I’ve been using Blooming, my mom’s been saying how healthy I look and was quite shocked when she found out it was blush. 😀 If you’re thinking of getting it this weekend, they have a bonus points redemption for beauty items ($100 for 50,000pts, etc). 😀
I don’t think you’re really missing much on TLC but that’s coming from someone who barely watches any tv. 😛
If you love crepes, the ones from Cafe Breton at Quebec City are to die for! Montreal does have such a different vibe I sometimes forget I’m still in the same country. More laid back, I guess, and I like how it’s pretty accessible. Esp if you don’t mind driving for 6 hours. 😀
Actually, that’s not a bad idea. Good excuse for shopping. 😛 Too bad I’m on a budget or that might actually be plausible.
To be honest, all the concealers I’ve used in the past I never really loved. I just used them because I bought them and didn’t want to throw money away, so I don’t have any great recommendations. What I will say is that the MAC Studio Finish Concealer SPF 35 (in the little pot) is similar to the Physicians Formula Perfecting Concealer Duo Green/Light (the light side).
I’m pretty interested in this amazing foundation you told me about, but I probably shouldn’t buy it no matter how much I now want to. In my last Everyday Minerals order, I bought 8 (yes, EIGHT!) containers of my mineral foundation, so I have a lot to get through before trying something new and feeling guilty. (The COD and shipping was waaaay more expensive than the past. Boo!)
I think I’m only at 40,000 points so far. Saving up. I love how they have the Optimum program! The last time I redeemed my points, the shopping spree was ridiculous because I got most of the things on sale, and they were all things I needed replacements of. Haha, felt like I was shoplifting with all the free loot I walked out with! 😛
Are you going to redeem your points?
I’m hoping to try a peach colored concealer. Currently using Benefit’s Boi~ing and while it does the job, it does leave my circles with a grayish cast and I’ve started to notice it sinks into fine lines (oh, the joys of aging). I’m not even halfway thru it but if I see any good alternatives on sale, I might cave.
Wowza, 8? Must have been a really good sale! (I’m assuming it was on sale bec I only stockpile when stuff are on sale :D) Well, if you’re thinking of redeeming points in the future or when you finally run out (whichever comes first!), it’ll be worth your while to pick up. 🙂 Just a note, it’s buildable coverage so it does go on a tad sheer (it makes my skin still look like skin but airbrushed).
Thinking about it (that 15% the SH Natural Beauty line is quite tempting!) but it might not be worth it this time for me to redeem. I might wait for another bonus redemption weekend. 🙂 Do you have their Mastercard? It makes saving points so much faster, esp if you shop at Shoppers during 20x points weekends. 🙂 I find their points rewards to have the best bang for your buck compared to others.
Yeah, 8 is pretty shameful, isn’t it? *Hangs head* But, yes, it was back when they had 45% off your entire order if you ordered a certain number of full-sized products. It actually saved me money buying in bulk this way. At least this is what I keep reminding myself when I see the stack of containers and feel guilty.
No, I don’t have their MasterCard. Haha, Carmela, do you work for Shoppers? If not, they should pay you! You do a better job than a lot of the people I’ve talked with in the actual store! 😀
No shame is saving money by buying bulk, esp if it’s essential everyday items. Same idea as Costco. 😉
Hahaha, I don’t! Altho maybe I should ask for some sort of compensation for the publicity. 😛 My sis in law and I actually did the math and we only really shop there if they have those bonus points events or only during weekends because they usually have higher priced items across the board and those are the only times it’s really worth it to shop there. I mostly use the points for beauty stuff so it works out well for the wallet. 🙂
Very true. 🙂 Thanks for making me feel better about it.
I feel that any monetary compensation you get would go right back into buying makeup from Shoppers. 😛
You pack lighter than I do. I have a lot to learn from this haha! That Jack Black lip balm is aweeesome. I have an xl makeup bag for travel, as I bring “all of the things I might need” as you mentioned, haha, and anyone who travels with me never lets me live it down. One time I brought fake eyelashes, strass, a nude palette and a bright palette, purple mascara, UD tasty body-glimmer powder and about 8 bottles of polish in addition to my standard travel fare. I hardly had room for clothes…lol.
^^ RE all of these posts up here I used Boi-ing for a little and it gave me that gray tint as well and I realized it just wasn’t doing it for me. I like Lemon-aid better for my skin-tone, but it is so hard to find the perfect concealer. Bluff-dust by Benefit is a lightweight lemon powder than helps me to blend my concealer, though, and helps improve the tone of the concealed area. Sephora stopped stocking it but I can’t live without the stuff.
I had a similar experience growing up, for vacation me and my family would travel to another state not too far away, often in the dead of winter, and sometimes I’d get so envious of my peers traveling to the Bahamas, France, Mexico, etc, but I look back on those vacations so fondly now- it seems that instead of all being distracted by a glitzy vaca atmosphere we got to really experience the love with our families, which is priceless 🙂 Lord I’m corny!
CiCi recently posted: NOTD and package from home 🙂
Hey CiCi!
Haha, well, I really struggled limiting it to this list. And I am only actually going for a day! Haha, it shouldn’t be this hard!
You’re too cute – I giggled when I read about you bringing purple mascara, the glimmer powder, and several polishes. If we went on a trip together, it would definitely turn into a makeover party! 😛
P.S. It’s good to be corny. Embrace the corn! They need love, too! 😛
Australia. That’s practically like Canada for USA.
Hey Dustyn!
Lucky that you were able to go to Australia – it looks so beautiful! This guy I know lived there for maybe 1 or 2 years and the photos he showed me were all breathtaking!
Haha, as a Canadian, I’m laughing at that “practically like Canada for USA” joke. 😛