What’s In My Travel Makeup Bag?

The beauty of packing for any trip is realizing what things you truly love or can’t live without (so to speak), and that all those things might not fit into your traincase—much less your carry on—and that some of those things may or may not be deemed lethal by TSA. Will my setting spray be mistaken for some deadly toxin? (Probably, if you look at the ingredients…) Are they going to think my MUFE HD powder is some high-grade, finely milled crack? (Is that what crack looks like? I wouldn’t know.) What if they confiscate my entire beauty arenal and I’m left…naked? The horror! Whether or not we make that flight is made is secondary.

Take me and my beauty kit, or leave me.

Luckily for me (and my TSA inspector), I’m fairly minimalist even when it comes to doing a full face of makeup. I’m headed off to Michigan for the first-ever Michigan Latin Dance Festival, and while my usual five-step beauty routine may have been enough for daily wear during a four-day trip, it certainly isn’t comprehensive—nor impressive—enough as a performer and teaching assistant. Jobs like this call for the whole works and then some.

Still, the contents of my face have managed to fit neatly inside the compact “Grace” brush case by Stephanie Johnson, and because I’m quite proud of my efficient packing abilities, I figured I’d share the contents of my travel makeup bag. It’s just as gratuitous as it is selfish: I’m a list-maker by nature, so typing this out in public forum doubles as a checklist too. (We’re killing two birds with one stone here.)

What’s Inside:

• Brushes: MAC 128, LE brush (from the Semi-Precious collection, I believe), Sonia Kashuk 17,  bronzer & contour brush, Bare Minerals Full Flawless Face brush, Target blending brush, Target smudge brush, E.L.F contour eye brush, Urban Decay eyeshadow brush, Maybelline gel liner brush
• Shu Uemura eyelash curler
• Maybelline gel liner, black
• L’Oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions Waterproof mascara
• Avon Glimmerstick, black
• Rimmel Eye Kohl, Nude
• Anastasia Brow Wiz, Dark Brown
• Urban Decay Naked Palette, original
• L’Oreal Infallible eyeshadow, Endless Pearl
• Bobbi Brown Metallic Eyeshadows, Navajo 15 (discontinued) & Velvet Plum
• OCC Creme Color Concentrates, Grandma & Trick
• NARS blush, Madly
• MAC Sculpting Powder, Shadowy
• Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Matte Bronzer
• Urban Decay eyeshadow, X
• E.L.F. false lashes
• Duo lash glue, dark
• Kevyn Aucoin “The Flesh Tone” lip liner
• L’Oreal Colour Riche lipstick, Fairest Nude
• Whitening Lightening lipgloss, Nude
• Sephora pencil sharpener
• set of tweezers

Essentials not shown but found in the TSA 3-1-1 ziplock: 

• Urban Decay All-Nighter makeup setting spray, 1 oz.
• MUFE HD Invisible Cover Foundation, no. 123, decanted

.   .   .

xx