5 Tips for Beauty and Travel

January 15, 2019

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Do you experience anxiety when packing your beauty products for a trip? Wondering how you'll manage to take everything you need and worrying you'll forget something you can't live without? That used to be me - but I conquered it and so can you!

infographic with travel-sized beauty products lying on a cosmetic bag with an overlay that says "5 Tips for Traveling with Beauty Products"

(Some of the products in this post were provided by Too Faced. All opinions are 100% my own. There may be affiliate links in this post which were added to make it easier for you to find the items. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you make a purchase from a link, I thank you for your support!).

Over the years, I've learned a few things - 1) I don't need to pack everything, 2) there's an efficient way to pack the necessities, 3) if all else fails, I can purchase what I need/forgot once I get there.

I also have a "master" packing list. I can make any edits and print it out so I can check items off as I pack them. Since I've been using this, I haven't forgotten anything! (I think I'm going to work on a printable copy for my email subscribers - so keep an eye out!)

various beauty products (some travel-size) sitting on a wooden table

Bottle of Too-Faced Hangover Rx 3-in-1 Primer & Setting spray and Too-Faced Natural Matte Eye Shadow Palette

1) Take advantage of multipurpose products.
If you can pack items that serve more than one purpose, you will save tons of room! Eye shadow can also be used to fill in eyebrows, cream blush can double as a lip color, and products like the Too Faced Hangover 3-in-1 Setting Spray can be your primer, setting spray, and makeup refresher - all in one bottle. It's also available in a 1 oz. size, making it perfect for tossing in my travel bag. Then I can just refill it from my four ounce bottle as needed.

Living Proof dry shampoo and Restore shampoo, conditioner, and perfecting spray in travel sizes sitting on a wooden surface

2) Utilize travel sizes.
This one is pretty obvious, right? I love travel sizes! I stock up on deluxe samples from Sephora or Target's Beauty Boxes. Smaller sizes often cost more per ounce, but I look for containers that can be refilled, like shampoo, conditioner, and makeup setting spray.

various makeup pencils lying on a black & white polka-dot cosmetic bag

3) Pencil please!
Beauty pencils take up almost no space in your makeup bag. Eyeliner, lip liner, blush, highlighter/contour, lip color - even foundation can be found in a stick! And there's the bonus that they aren't liquid, so no worries if you're flying!

Too-Faced Natural Matte Eye Shadow palette on a wooden surface

4) Palettes, palettes, palettes!
You can find palettes for just about every type of makeup product - eye shadow, blush, contour, lip, and more. I love eye shadow palettes for traveling. I take neutral colors like Too Faced Natural Matte Eye Shadow Collection. I can get a variety of looks while taking up very little space in my makeup bag (and it smells like coconut). With palettes you can use the colors as is or mix them to create your own custom shades. You can use them to fill in your brows, as eyeliner by applying with a dampened brush, and a shimmer/satin can double as a highlighter.

Multiple travel-sized beauty products lying on a fuzzy cream surface

5) Don't pack everything!
Yes, you heard me correctly - leave that stuff at home! If you know that you can easily buy a travel size of what you need once you arrive at your destination, don't pack those items. For instance, we always end up at Target, Walgreens, or a grocery store on our trips, so I know I'll be able to find essentials: toothpaste, mouthwash, shaving cream for Gus, etc. If we're staying somewhere that has a washer and dryer, I will buy small packages of Tide Pods or liquid Tide/Gain, too. If anything is almost empty before we leave (and I'm not planning to reuse the container), I pitch it. More room in the suitcase for fun purchases!