20 Must-Have Minimalist Travel Makeup Picks

I love to travel, but I really don't love packing for my adventures. There are some vacations where, quite literally, I will go balls to the walls and just throw my whole closet in my suitcase. Then there are other trips where I really try to pack light and only include travel-friendly beauty products. I like packing all my makeup into one travel beauty bag, then throwing other travel-sized products for skincare and haircare into another.

Packing makeup to travel is tough for me sometimes, as I wouldn't totally consider myself a minimalist. In any case, I have tried a billion and one beauty products to know which are the ones that you absolutely need to leave space in your bag for. You know, so there's no extra cost when you go over the allotted weight limit.

Below, I have rounded up all the best travel-sized makeup products you will need to cover you for any and every adventure that awaits. From eyebrow pencils to liquid lipsticks and tinted moisturizers, there's definitely something for everyone.

20 Minimalist Travel Makeup

Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look In a Palette

This is one of those palettes that usually has everything you could want on it, minus mascara, lipstick, and makeup brushes. It's really a minimalist travel makeup must-have and usually among my personal beauty must-haves. The palette includes three eye shadows, bronzer, highlighter, face powder, and blush. On the plus side, these colors look good with most skin tones. The one downside is that this palette is pretty hard to find, and the different shade palettes get discontinued every so often.

Available at Net-a-Porter ($75)

Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize Cream Eyeshadow

I am literally obsessed with these pots of cream eyeshadow. Every color is just so complementing on any skin tone; it's gorgeous. I love how you really just need one swipe of the shadow, and you're good to go. They're perfect for that minimalist looking to lighten their makeup load.

Available at Amazon ($35)

Wander Beauty On-The-Glow Blush and Illuminator

This formula on this blush/highlighter combo is to die for. It's so creamy and really flattering with great color payoff. I also love the size of the stick - it's pretty big and you get a lot of product. Mine has really lasted a while and I use it fairly often.

Available at Sephora ($38)

Kosas Color & Light Palette Cream

This is another fab blush and highlighter duo. This formula feels a bit more lightweight than other cream products on the market. The palette does a great job of lightly offering some color and glow without going overboard.

Available at Nordstrom ($34)

NARS Blush/Bronzer Duo

You don't get much more classic than a NARS bronzer and blush. This duo comes complete with the iconic Orgasm blush and Laguna bronzer, and can easily be tossed into your minimalist makeup bag as you jet set.

Available at Amazon ($34)

NUDESTIX Sunset Nudes Mini Kit

I love NUDESTIX and all of their makeup. I always have a bunch of them in my bag when I am going on the road. Well, here's a great kit for a minimalist: It includes the Mini Nudies Matte All-Over Blush Color in Sunset Strip, Mini Magnetic Luminous Eye Color in Sunrise Star, and the Mini Gel Color Lip + Cheek Balm in Babe. It even includes a sharpener and a little tin to store it in.

Also available at Amazon

NUDESTIX Bright Nude Eyes Mini Kit

Another great kit if you seriously like playing up your peepers: the good stuff includes the Mini Magnetic Luminous Eye Pencils in Bright Eyes, Nudity, and Taupe. You can go real soft and simple with one shade on the eyes or turn it up with a full smokey eye. The versatility is seriously what I love most about this kit, and the shades are super flattering.

Also available at Amazon

Benefit Cosmetics Mini Gimme Brow+ Tinted Volumizing Eyebrow Gel

If you don't wanna mess around with a brow pencil too much, consider trying an eyebrow gel. This pick from Benefit is best-selling and will help fluff up your brows in literally one swipe. Plus, since it's tiny, it's perfect for traveling. It comes in ten shades and stays put all day. The one thing I would recommend with brow gels is to make sure your brows are groomed beforehand, or else the formula will catch on a bunch of stray hairs and begin to look messy.

Also available at Amazon

MERIT The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Foundation and Concealer Stick

MERIT beauty products seem to be the "it" brand for minimalists. And it's pretty easy to see why. It's so versatile-this stick can work as both a foundation and concealer, and has the creamiest, dreamiest formula imaginable. Just a few things to note: This pick feels pretty thick-it's thicker than your average BB creams, but thinner than a heavy, cream-based foundation. It doesn't cake and does blend in nicely into the skin, though. The range of shades is also quite impressive. It's a great option for those who do not really like wearing a full face of makeup and just use concealer to spot conceal.

Also available at Amazon

Paula's Choice Lip & Body Treatment Balm

I swear, I genuinely can't make it through a winter without this lip balm. It's literally a godsend for dry lips and seriously keeps my lips hydrated for way longer than any other picks on the market. That's why it's one of my favorite skin care products pretty much ever. It's great to use as a dry spot treatment as well. I love using it for travel; it has so many uses.

Available on Amazon ($15)

EcoTools Interchangeables Daily Essentials Total Face Makeup Brush Kit

I don't think EcoTools gets enough love. Their brushes feel so luxe, and I'm literally serious when I say I have no idea how long I've had one of my EcoTools brushes. Maybe 10 years? This kit is perfect for the minimalist traveler - super easy to stash in any toiletry bags - and I love how affordable it is, too.

Available at Amazon ($15)

Urban Decay Naked3 Mini Eyeshadow Palette

Raise your hand if you miss the OG Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow palette! Sadly, I don't think we will ever get that one back, but you can include this mini palette in your minimalist makeup travel kit. It features six shades in both shimmer and matte and should suffice for all your eyeshadow needs while on the go.

Also available at Amazon

Too Faced Mini Better Than Sex Volumizing & Lengthening Mascara

Hands down, this is the best mascara in the marketplace. This mini size is ideal for travel and will last a couple of months. The best advice I could give is to just keep on using it when you return from your travels. Mascaras only last for about three months, so you're really getting more bang for your buck if you get it for travel and use it until it's empty when you return, then get another one for your trips. If that's too pricey, try the L'Oreal Lash Paradise Mascara.

Available at Amazon ($10)

Tower 28 BeachPlease Lip + Cheek Cream Blush

I don't know if these blushes from Tower 28 are actually bomb-but trust that they are. They are highly pigmented, blend seamlessly, and give the skin a glass-like shiny finish. You can wear them on both your cheeks and lips, and they come in seven shades.

Available at Amazon ($20)

How To Pack Makeup For Travel

Below, you'll find some of the best containers and essentials in which to pack your beauty products. From little capstules in which to store your creams to cases in which to stash away your minimal travel makeup, here are a few picks to add to your cart!

Cadence The Capsule

I just think these little things are so nifty. You can use them to replace those plastic travel bottles you often find at the drugstore. I love that they come in a bunch of colors and you can personalize the tile to have it say whatever you want. I love using them to supplement my minimalist travel makeup kit.

Available at Amazon

Stoney Clover Lane Classic Mini Pouch

I love how durable this Stoney Clover Lane travel makeup bag is. This pick should be able to hold all of your essentials and can easily be packed as a "cube" in your carry-on. It comes in a bunch of colors, too!

Available at Amazon

Vlando Travel Makeup Cosmetic Case

This is a nice little travel makeup kit cube to pack all your travel essentials. It has a ton of high ratings on Amazon and is fairly affordable, $26.00, and has several colors. I like that it has dividers within the case to easily organize.

Available on Amazon ($24)

Erewa Colorful Contact Lens Case Kit

In case you are a contact lens wearer, here it is. It comes in four colorful options and features such as the case, mirror, and tweezers, solution bottle, and lens holder. This is extremely ideal to take on any kind of trip or holiday because you can easily pack your entire contact lens needs in this kit.

Available on Amazon ($6)

Alleyoop Tip Off Liquid-Filled Makeup Removing Swabs

Okay, I will admit these Q-tip makeup removers can get a bit wasteful. That being said, I only like to use these in my minimalist travel makeup kit when I'm on-the-go. Thankfully, they are super helpful when on-the-go and make it really easy to remove any excess eye makeup you might have smudged in the process of getting ready. All it needs is to snap the tip for usage to release the makeup remover liquid on its other end. I love using these so much after long days.

Available on Amazon ($16)

*This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you purchase through the links on my site. Thank you so much for supporting my small business by shopping through my affiliate link-I am so appreciated!

Beauty Inspirations : Exploring the World of Personal Care

Main menu

Pages

20 Must-Have Minimalist Travel Makeup Picks