If you've ever wondered what's in my makeup bag, I'm going to tell you! I hate packing and the most stressful part of packing is always packing my makeup/skincare bag. Because I hate checking in luggage, I never do it. So that means anything liquid I carry must be 100ml or less. And of course, most of my regular skin care is 118ml. Of course. 

When I pack, my goal is always to pack as little as possible. I would like to think that I am a light packer but there are some things I just need, you feel me?


After much deliberation, these are the products I have deemed essential. Since I'm going somewhere tropical (AKA hot as all hell), I don't plan on wearing much makeup. But I still have to be prepared in case I need to look attractive.

The Makeup Lineup:

• Maybelline The Nudes Eyeshadow Palette
• Makeup Forever Mat Velvet Foundation 
• Essence I <3 Stage Eyeshadow Primer 
• Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Mascara
• Estee Lauder Pure Color Gloss Mini
• Marcelle Translucent Loose Powder (in the Shiseido jar) 
• Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade 
• Kat Von D Tattoo Liner Mini
• Smashbox Lipstick Mini
• Makeup Forever Lipstick Mini
• Essence Silky Touch Blush 

I've traveled with most of these items before and they are my most trusted so they made the cut. The Maybelline palette is nice because it's neutral and has both mattes and shimmers. The foundation is very long-wearing and works well for my skin and dipbrow is my lifeblood.


The Skincare Lineup:

• Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion 
• Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser  
• Coppertone Clearly Sheer Face Sunscreen SPF 50 
• Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Water 

I was initially going to put my regular skincare in little travel containers but then I went to Walmart and they had these Cetaphil minis so I decided to try them out. I've tested them and they are very similar to the Cerave cleanser and moisturizer that I normally use so this saves me the trouble.

Sunscreen is absolutely essential, especially when traveling somewhere hot and sunny. Some face makeup does have SPF but it's not enough because you don't apply nearly enough makeup for the SPF to be effective. So make sure to pack a dedicated face sunscreen. I've been using this one for a few weeks and I like it. It's matte, smells nice, and doesn't make my face too oily throughout the day.

Micellar water is one of the best things to have ever happened to my skincare routine. I use it to cleanse, tone, remove makeup, do my taxes, etc. It's such a good multi-tasker. Some products that claim to do more than 1 thing actually suck at doing all the things but this is a true do-it-all product. I highly recommend. I don't think the Bioderma one is better than the cheaper options but Shopper's Drug Mart sells these mini Biodermas so it's great for travel.

Tips for packing your travel makeup bag:

• Pack only what you will actually use every day/night; skip the weekly treatments or extra unnecessary stuff.
• Pack products that you trust. This is not the time to test out new products that may not work for you.
• Go to Sephora or the drug store and see if you can find mini versions of products you use. Sephora, Shopper's Drug Mart, and Walmart have a ton of makeup and skincare minis that will make your life so much easier. 
• Only pack products with secure packaging. The last thing you need is your lotion or loose powder exploding all over your bag. 
• For makeup applicators, try to bring small compact travel brushes or one-time use sponges. This way you don't have to worry about washing brushes. 

Happy traveling!