Let’s take a peak into my travel makeup bag!

When traveling, I want to feel my best, and for me that means having a little makeup to enhance what my mama gave me. I mean, filling in your eyebrows is a must ladies.

 On the other hand, traveling also means spending as much time as possible out learning and exploring. With this in mind, I want my makeup to be quick, easy and fuss free.

Here are my most travel-friendly products that keep me looking my best all day.

Let’s start with the face:

If you read my minimalistic morning routine here, then you know that I do not wear foundation day to day (I pretty much save it for really special occasions, like weddings). This holds true for me while traveling. Although I know I will be taking a lot of pictures and I want my skin to be looking its best, I hate the fussiness that comes with foundation.

If you are carrying on your luggage, your foundation has to be within the TSA regulations. This is not too hard to comply with, as most foundation comes in a 1 oz. container and the TSA regulation is 3 oz., but it is something to consider. In addition to packing your foundation, you probably will need a brush or blending sponge as well (maybe you use your hands, but I prefer the look of a brush’s application). Once again, it is just more stuff to pack and more stuff to tote around. I am all about making my life easier.

The main reason I don’t wear foundation while traveling, despite the desire to have my skin looking its best, is because I find that most foundations just can’t stand up to a full day of traveling. Sightseeing in the rain, the hot sun, or in a tropical climate will really put your foundation to the test. Honestly, the GRE is all of the testing I need in my life right now. While I am traveling, I want to enjoy my time, spending it learning about the local culture and meeting new people, not worrying if my foundation is melting off. If you are looking for some long-last products though, check out this post.

Skipping over foundation, I go straight for concealer if I need it. I like the Fit Me concealer by Maybelline. It has a more watery consistency and, as my skin can feel dry (especially while traveling!), I like that it doesn’t cake up. As an added bonus, you can find it at the drugstore for only $4.50. For reference, I wear the color Fair.

I then set my concealer or remove any shine with my Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder. This product offers little compared to the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder in my opinion, but its slim packaging makes it awesome for travel. I apply it with a small brush from real Techniques. After applying this, I slip it in my bag to keep with me throughout the day.

Keeping things going with my face, I love to add a little bronzer/contour. As my skin is pretty pale, a little color goes a long way for me. Although the packaging is a little bulky, I love the Physician’s Formula Magic Mosaic Multi-Colored Custom Face Powder in Warm Beige/Light Bronzer. This is the second one I have purchased! It has a very light, almost ashy, tone that creates really natural definition on my skin. I also like that it isn’t glittery, as some bronzers can be. Remember, I am going for a natural look here. I apply it using my real Techniques Blush brush.

If your skin is naturally pretty dry and you are instead looking for a cream product, I would recommend the Nars Multiple in Altai. It is a total dupe for the Chanel Bronze Universal, but in much more travel-friendly packaging.

Most days I don’t wear blush. I have pink undertones in my skin, and because I skip foundation, my natural flush is enough for me. If you want to pack a blush, you can check out my makeup collection here to see which brands I love.

I finish off the face with some highlight. I love the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector to give a natural, dewey, and youthful look. I have the liquid form in the color Pearl. As it comes in a pretty large container, I decant a few pumps into a sample pot I got from Sephora.  I only use this products on the high points of my face (cheekbones, brow bone, and Cupid’s bow), but it says it is suitable for all over the face.

If you have oily skin and therefore need a powder product, I would check out the Dior Amber Diamonds or the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Bronze if you want something warmer, or The Balm’s Mary Lou Manizer for cooler tones.

Moving onto the eyes, I keep things pretty simple. I always bring my Becca Ombre Nudes eye pallet on my travels. The packaging is super compact and I love using the darkest brown as a liner. If you are looking for a little more color variety, the Lorac Pro pallets are great for traveling too.

 

I fill in my brows using the Anastasia DipBrow Pomade in Taupe and the MAC eyeshadow in Omega. I appreciate a bold brow and these two products together give me a perfect color and fill. I set my work with the Maybelline Brow Drama gel, which isn’t amazing if you have long brow hairs like I do. Once I finish this one up, I am going to splurge on the Anastasia brow gel, which works wonders.

If I am feeling extra adventurous, I will line the outer half of my last line with a little purple liner. I love the Eyeko Skinny Liner in Purple and you can see it in action here.

I finish off my eyes with a few coats of the CoverGirl Last Blast Fusion mascara and the eyes are good to go!

I’ll splash on a little bit of a lipstick and I’m out the door. I love this Dior Addict Lipsticks for traveling because it comes in a sample size and, despite how bright it looks in the picture, is very sheer. I would recommend picking a lipstick that you can apply without a mirror if you plan on reapplying throughout the day. This Dior lipstick definitely fulfills that for me.

If you only want to put lipstick on once and not worry about reapplying, then I really recommend the Revlon ColorStay Moisture Lip Stains. I love the colors Cannes Crush and Barcelona Nights. These bad boy will stay put for hours, even while eating and drinking.

So there it is, my ride or die products that always come with me during my travels! Start to finish, I can do my makeup in a comfortable 10 minutes or a quick 5. These products are tried and true and I know that I can count on them to keep me looking my best during my travels!

-TM

What is in your travel bag? Let us know below.