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In this special post, professional makeup artist Penny Sadler shares her personal travel tips and shows you the must haves you need in your travel makeup kit.

Makeup to Fit Your Personal Travel Style

by Penny Sadler

Do you want advice from a professional makeup artist? Are you stumped for what beauty items to bring on your travels? Here’s the best of both.

image by Penny Sadler

As a professional makeup artist who lives to experience newness and adventure, I’ve culled my travel makeup kit to the bare minimum. I love makeup (of course), but I’m not a slave to it.

I usually travel solo, which means I’m responsible for getting my bag into the overhead compartment, or onto the train, or the bus. Anything which isn’t essential doesn’t make it into my bag. To be honest, I do make a few exceptions, as long as they weigh less than three ounces.

You’ll want to look your best when you travel! Read my travel tips to Pack Light Stylishly!

My rule of thumb: I tailor my makeup routine toward my activities for the day.

I’ve put together a list of products that would go into two separate make up bags. One is very very basic for the Minimalista. The other is for those of us who like the option of looking and feeling just a bit more glam.

Personally, when I travel and I know I’m going to be meeting new people daily, I like to put my best face forward. This is strictly a personal preference, and all very subjective.

Take what you like, and leave the rest. On travel days, museum days, shopping days, or out to dinner, I usually get a little more dolled up than for a day of touring ruins, monuments, or hiking.

You can wrap your makeup bag in clothing and add to your packing cube in your suitcase to better protect it.

Travel Makeup Kit #1

For tour days I recommend what I call the ultra minimalist kit. It should contain:

• A sunscreen or tinted moisturizer with sunscreen
• Concealer
• Lip gloss with SPF
• Eyebrow kit (personal note: I don’t leave without coloring in my eyebrows). You might not need this.

If you want to take it a step further add:

• Mascara
• Powder or blotting papers if your skin is oily
• Blush (Creme blush sticks can double as lip color and save you a little space in your bag)

Travel Makeup Kit #2

The second makeup kit is basic. These are the products I would use when I want to polish my look more.

I’d add these beauty products to my routine when I am going out to dinner, a shopping day, or a museum day. This kit should contain all of the above products plus:

• Eye liner pencil – black, charcoal, or brown
• Cheek color – a two in one product (like a NARS Multiples) does double time as cheek and lip color
• BB cream
• Lip pencil
• Burt’s Bees lip balm tinted
• Eye shadow – 2 colors

You can choose to use all (or some) of these or not, but it’s nice to have them just in case. I love taking the time to put on makeup when I’m not under pressure to be at work or anywhere else.

I feel more creative and playful when I’m traveling – and sometimes that transfers to how I apply my travel makeup. It can be a creative process if you’re not putting it on in your car in the 6:00 am traffic. It’s also fun to experiment with new looks, and new products and techniques, when you have time and space to play – and when you want to look your best!

Next trip, try adding one or two new things to your routine. It just might make your day.

Thank you Penny for the awesome tips! I love the idea of making a special travel makeup kit for my trips. Even the full list doesn’t feel like too much for a minimalist traveler. What’s on your travel makeup kit? Comment below!

For more must have travel beauty products, please read:

• Travel Makeup: Facing the Day
• Beauty Junkie’s Guide to a Minimalist Makeup Bag
• Cute and Functional Cosmetic Bags for Travel
• The Best Travel Containers

Hope you liked this post on how to pack your travel makeup kit like a pro! Please share the love on facebook, twitter abd pinterest. Thanks for reading!

Author Bio: Penny Sadler is a professional makeup artist and hairstylist with a long list of credits in television and event production. Perhaps because of her career, she has a special fondness for Italy, where beauty is a natural part of daily life. She writes for both travel and beauty publications, and is a frequent guest and beauty expert on a local lifestyle program.  She loves to travel and pursue her passion for photography and prosecco.  You can find her online at pennysadler.com and Adventures of a Carry-on. *All images provided by @pennysadler