Traveling with Makeup 101 - What's on Your Carry-on?

As you all may have known, I recently made a trip to the Philippines to see my family and friends for the holidays. I was really excited to come back home and spend Christmas with them. But one thing for sure, I was not looking forward was the packing... especially my precious makeup.

I kid you not, but it took me a whole week to finish getting everything inside my two luggages. I know I was only going to be gone for a week, but I just dread packing my clothes and everything I need for my trip. What if that's not what I really wanted or needed? Or worse, what if I forgot something I needed.

One thing I had to keep in mind was to be organized and make things simple. Making a list and pairing outfits together already. As for my makeup, the greatest tip I probably got is "sticking with the essentials." Remember, you're going to go on a trip. Chances are you might not be able to do your whole routine where you'll be at. You would probably be in a super time crunch because of where you have to go, but you still would want to look presentable to where ever you're heading.

I've gone on trips where I brought my whole makeup stash (and I'm sure most of us have), and trust me, you won't get through all of them. You wouldn't need all of them. You wouldn't even touch all of them. So save yourself all the trouble and leave most of them at home. Besides, you wouldn't want any of them breaking or getting lost in between transportation.

Like I mentioned earlier, pack the essentials. The more convenient an item is (i.e. multi-purpose) the better and easier for you since that's one less item you have to carry with you. The less you bring, the better especially if you're flying especially with airport security being so much stricter with what how much liquid item can go on board with you or how heavy your luggage and carry-on you can bring.

So what did I end up bringing with me on my carry-on?




So this is the makeup bag I brought with me for the whole trip along with a quart size ziplock bags for my liquid items that I thought I may need for my 16 hour flight.

Ok, 16 hours is a long flight. Sometimes, some airlines would provide you with the basic things you might need to freshen up before landing. I remember getting a mini bag two years ago with a pair of socks (to keep my tootsies warm), toothbrush and a toothpaste, and a lipbalm. But with budget cuts happening left and right with some airline companies lately, most likely those things probably had to go to keep their rates low. And, I made sure I was prepared then.

Because we are only allowed a certain amount of liquids in our carry-on bag, we have to pack smarter. Instead of hand sanitizers, I opted for wet wipes to "wash" my hands. It's a bit more convenient than standing up and going to to lavatory to do that and disturbing your neighbor. And most especially, it doesn't count or need to fit in your ziplock baggie because it's liquid. And to freshen up my face, why not get face wipes especially packed for traveling? Just toss it after you're done! No need for that face cleanser or trying to hold and push the lever in the lavatory so you can get some water out to rinse your face. And there's also my toothbrush right next to it. You can easily purchase these wipes at your local drugstore or Target for about a buck each.

And you're probably wondering what's the bag inside the bag. Because I had a smaller makeup bag, I decided to put my essential makeup items in there. The ones that I wouldn't even think about packing in my check in luggage. I didn't want to risk breaking or losing them while they handled my luggage. I just put it inside a bigger makeup bag for sorting and organizing purposes when it's time to throw it in my big purse.

So that's pretty much what I brought with me to make my face. Although I had my brushes packed in my luggage. I had to narrow down my choices to a more reasonable amount. It took me awhile, but I did it. You really don't need a lot to get by for the few days you're gone.

Inside the bag:

1. MAC 4-well Pro Palette (Woodwinked, Shroom, Goldmine, and Clue) - this was my neutral palette I suppose. I chose this colors because they're pretty much fool-proof colors for me and it's flexible that I can use it as my day or nighttime look depending on the application.
2. Kat Von D palette (in Beethoven) - was my "creative" palette. This one has the purples, blue, and green. It was my only palette that has a good variety of color packed in one just in case I want to play up my eyes with some colors.
3. Bihada Ichizoku blush in Peach - my go-to blush everytime to give me a natural blush. Pretty much works with any color I throw on my eyes too.
4. MAC So Ceylon MSF - for some sun-kissed or bronze look. It can also double as your contouring powder.
5. Paul & Joe Compact Powder - much more convenient than carrying a liquid foundation and less messier than a mineral foundation.

And that's pretty much my makeup stash for the whole trip. A few tidbits to keep in mind:

Have two small palettes. One neutral and another one if you want some color. There's really no need to bring your 88 Coastal Scents palette with you. Chances are it might even break while your traveling because of it's ginormous size. Keep it simple. Or you can simply bring ONE MAC 15-well palette and customize the eyeshadows that you need. Fifteen eyeshadows are probably more than what you'll need. But it'll be better if you have two smaller palettes that will fit your needs.

For your cheeks, one blush and one bronzer. Pick your favorite out of your whole collection; the one that really compliments your skin. No need to bring four, five, or all of them.

Powder over liquid. If you need foundation, bring a compact with you. It's so much more convenient in the end. If you really and have to use liqiud foundation, just transfer a it to a 3 oz bottle which will go in your ziplock bag.

And now, my ziplock bag. TSA regulations prohibits carrying liquid or gel items on board that's more that 3 oz. Anything more than 3 oz must be checked-in your luggage, and if it's found on your carry-on it's most likely going to get tossed out. For all carry-ons, the 3-1-1 rule apply: 3 ounce bottle or less (by volume) ; 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin.

A quart-sized ziplock back is as big as a sandwhich bag (not the freezer bag). You can put as much as you can as long as they're less than 3 oz (anything over that has to go) and the ziplock bag can close.

I know some people have gotten away with using a freezer bag, but you are risking it. I've read stories online about it. You'll never know, so just stick to the rules so there's no argument.

And these are my liquid or gel items that I carried on-board with me:
1. lotion
2. deodorant
3. mascara
4. cheekstain
5. lipstick
6. lipbalm
7. eyeliner
8. lipgloss
9. toothpaste
10. moisturizer

Ok, some of you might argue that half of the items are not considered liquid or gel, so why are they in the ziplock bag? Just to play it safe. I really love my Dior lipstick and I really wanted to bring it, but I'm not about to risk it getting thrown away in the bin just because I didn't put it inside the bag. I know you can easily put this in your purse, but you can easily just include it in your ziplock bag. I've heard horror stories where some airport officials consider lipsticks as gel items. I'm sure you can argue that but obviously they would most likely win. Interpretation of the rules varies from different airports. Sorry, but the world is not perfect and there's one person that probably will want to ruin your day and pick on you. So if you're unsure, just toss it in the bag or check it in. Arguing or throwing a fit is probably not a good idea over a lipstick or mascara. Some are sticklers about this, but they're just doing their job.

Keep in mind...

Only use 3 oz bottles. No, you can't use a 4 oz bottle half filled. It's just not going to fly (pun intended). Make sure that the bottle you're using is airport approved.

Make sure the weight of the product can be clearly read. Even though you think that it's small enough not to be over 3 oz just in case they do argue and say it is otherwise. At least that way, you can prove that it's not over 3 oz because it's imprinted.

Don't use a your freezer ziplock bag.

If you're unsure, just put it in your ziplock bag or check it in your luggage.

For more information, check out the TSA website.

I know some of you may argue some parts of this, but that's just how I packed my makeup for my trip.

You're probably wondering where's my sunscreen? Well I mistakenly packed it in my luggage. Make sure to bring it with you in a small container while you're on board. You'll need the sunscreen even though your inside an aircraft since it's when the UV rays are much stronger because you're much higher into the atmosphere. So don't make the same mistake as I did and forget on including sunscreen of all things. This is also when all those sample sizes will come in handy!

Happy flying!