Over the summer, I was traveling around from place to place, lugging around hoards of makeup products in a huge bag. It was disorganized. It was chaotic. And tragically, it ended with exploded products and, often, tears.
Throughout my travels, I found it very difficult to fit my full-sized makeup, skincare, and brushes into a tiny travel bag. When I attended Coachella, TSA threw out half of my makeup and an expensive Olaplex set because they were too large. I’m still traumatized.
As a solution, I had the grand idea to curate a travel size makeup bag filled with all of the essentials that would pass through airport security with flying colors. Groundbreaking.
The skincare is even worse. The Magic Cream and Magic Serum minis retail for around $30 each, all for 0.5 ounces of product. You can get around five
full-sized The Ordinary serums for the price of one mini Charlotte Tilbury. Make it make sense.
While Charlotte’s full-sized products are well worth your dollar, their minis are an instant skip. An abomination to the mini makeup community. A laughable joke, if you will.
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I opened my Sephora bag, so to save you this heartbreak, I compiled a list of the best minis for your travel bag. May your makeup bag be locked and loaded at all times.
Mini Makeup Forever Foundation
This classic foundation is full-coverage and gives your skin a flawless finish. It’s perfect for your travel bag to get you through your vacation without having to lug your full-size bottle with you.
Milk The Starter Pack Set
There’s no better way to build your makeup bag than with a set of minis. This set contains the mini Hydrogrip Primer and Setting Spray, RISE mascara, and full-sized Matte Bronzer. All for $28.
Tarte SEA Power Flex Concealer
This mini concealer is currently on sale at Sephora and is super hydrating. With a near five-star rating, it’s full coverage and glowy.
Rare Beauty Mini Kind Words Matte Lip Duo
You need a lip kit in your travel bag, and Rare Beauty is one of the best. This $20 lip kit is the perfect natural rose tone and is ready to go at all times. It contains both a mini lipstick and lip liner, all you need.
NARS Mini Orgasm X Blush
The NARS Orgasm blush shade is famous for a reason. This highly pigmented powder in the mini size will last you forever and give you a sun-kissed look year-round.
The INKEY List Winter Skin 101
INKEY List is similar to The Ordinary because they are both affordably priced, effective skincare brands. This set has everything you need while traveling to keep up with your skincare routine: Cleansing Balm, Hyaluronic Acid Serum, Retinol Serum, and Caffeine De-Puffing Eye Cream all for $25.
Sephora Collection Essential Mini Brush Set
This $20 set of mini brushes has only the essentials: a foundation brush, concealer brush, shadow brush, and crease brush. It’s only the basics, but you’ll thank yourself when your bag isn’t packed with all of your huge brushes.
Don’t waste your money on Charlotte Tilbury minis when you can get 4x the products for the same price…and happy traveling!
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