How to travel without compromising on beauty

 

The widely held belief is that travelling light means ditching your skincare goodies and makeup must-haves. After all, carry-on suitcases and backpacks are only so big.

However, if you enjoy makeup and your skincare is an essential part of your daily routine, don’t fret. While many people prefer to ditch the excesses of makeup and moisturisers, it is not the rule to do so. In fact, you can travel widely and lightly, and still manage to be kind to your skin, too.

Before we get into the specifics, it is essential to consider buying quality items. It is easy to get lulled into buying inferior products out of a sense of convenience or because you fear you may lose expensive items in travel. However, the wrong products can lead to some problematic skin issues, such as breakouts or rashes, and force you to make an awkward trip to the chemist for some soothing balm for your efforts. So, be a friend to your skin and go for the products that genuinely work, even if you have to invest a little more.

Job 1: Choose the bag

It sounds like an obvious idea, but the suitable pouch can make all the difference to the ease with which it can be used on your journeys. For example, certain bags can be awkward to slip into within your larger backpack or suitcase, and others are not well organised enough to allow for quick applications.

What you will want, therefore, is a bag which opens in a way which allows you to see all of your products at once, contains multiple compartments or divides to keep things tidy, and perhaps even holders for brushes and pencils.

You can always wrap this basic pouch in your clothes if you want the products inside to have some extra protection while travelling.

Job 2: Cut the excess

At home, your typical makeup routine may include two different shades of foundation, shades from multiple makeup palettes and a lip balm, lipstick, lip gloss sequence. On the road, it is wise to reduce these items to singulars – one foundation, one small palette, etc.

If you are having trouble deciding on colours, you may consider a product such as a magnetic make-up palette which allows you to pop your eye shadows, blushes and other powder products from their original package and pop onto your magnetic pallet, thus saving space and avoiding bringing your least favourite colours along.

Job 3: Make your makeup work

Don’t allow your makeup to do just one job while away – give it a second, or third. For example, a glittery eyeshadow can double up as a makeshift highlighter, and a lip rouge can be patted on the cheeks for a little blush, alleviating the need for many different products.

This applies to brushes, too. Which of your brushes is good for both brows and eyeshadow? Can you powder brush do bronzer as well as mattifying powder? Even better are the double-ended brushes which are the perfect two-in-one travel friendly options.

By cutting out the products you need the least, you can be certain of packing the ones which matter.

Job 4: Dealing with the bulky bottles

The cheapest way to avoid bulky items taking up space in your makeup bag is to titrate your liquid foundation into a smaller, more manageable container. Depending on how long you are going for, you may not need very much product at all.

An easier, although more expensive, option is to trade in your liquid foundation for a powder or a solid. Most brands offer alternatives to the liquid version, and this is especially handy for airport security, where it can stay stashed away with your other non-liquids. Other brands however, like the Mario Badescu products, are available in travel-sized bottles for cheaper prices.

A different option is to buy a series of samples to take with you instead. There are all sorts of creams, primers, and mascaras that come in miniature at the make-up counter. The counter should have tiny pots they provide to give you the opportunity to trial a product.

Job 5: Buy on the go

Unless you are travelling to a particularly remote area of the world, you may consider simply buying products as and when you need them.

You will doubtlessly pass a chemist, drugstore or even makeup counter on your travels if you are coming through a busy airport, and if you are stopping off in a city, such luxuries cannot be far away.

Buying your items while at your destination reduces issues of airport security and the dreaded “one carry on” policies, and allows you to relax a little, knowing that while you may not be able to fit your particular favourite shade of foundation or bottle of toner in your luggage while jetting off, you will be reunited upon arrival.

In conclusion

Obviously, travelling isn’t about looking good – it’s about experiencing new cultures and meeting new people, seeing the sights and gaining a greater appreciation of the world around us. Looking good and wearing makeup, in all honesty, falls quite low on the list.

However, wanting to look good and feel good, to play with your makeup even while away from home, and experiment with your style doesn’t need to be a luxury you cannot travel with. You can do both, if you are willing to make a wise and careful decisions.