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beauty on the move:  putting together your traveling makeup bag  

Summer is just about here and that means, long week-ends away from home, month long vacations and traveling abroad.  So, I started to wonder how you could travel lightly and still keep your beauty options open without packing your entire makeup tray?

I realized that the first step was to choose the right traveling makeup bag.  Several years ago I found a great one. It carries all my "necessities" but folds up compactly.  The "Essential Clutch Organizer" available at Sephora.com ($28.00) is very similar to the one I use.  

Next, I started to come up with a list of my essentials --  products that I couldn't be without whether at home or away.  They include:

• Eyelash curler

• Eye shadow

• Eyeliner

• Mascara

• Brow Color

• Foundation

• Blush

• Lip Color

Hmm...seems like a lot so I tried to figure out how to put a makeup ensemble together, that would give me the option for different looks (appropriate for summer days and evenings) but wouldn't take up half the weight allowance for my luggage.

• Lately I've started using cream shadows and I just love them.  They don't require eye primer, so that's a step and product that I can forgo.  Many of them come in small tubes which are great for travel.  For a summer look, I'm using light shimmery colors such as Linda Cantello's Glide Modern Eyecolor Cream in Goodie - a sort of golden taupe and Angel - a shimmery off white. ($18 at Beansbeauty.com)  

• You can certainly apply most cream shadows just using your finger, but I love the way they just glide on when I use a synthetic eye shadow brush such as MAC's #242 Shader Brush ($22 at macys.com).  

• I've also been experimenting with gel eye liner.  I've found that it stays in place better than a pencil although it takes a little practice to use.  Bobbi Brown makes little pots of gel eyeliner that come in a number of shades including black (naturally), blue, green, brown, gray, and purple. ($18 at CosmeticMall.com)  

• As to an eyeliner brush, the one to use is dependant upon the eyeliner you choose.  I've found that Paula Dorf's Eye Liner Brush (a skinny synthetic one) works well for me with a gel liner. ($20 at Sephora.com)

• Too Faced Faux Fur Mascara is a lash primer and mascara in a single two sided tube.  I've been using the mink which is a black.  Although I've found that I need to apply more mascara than I'm used to, in order to make the primer disappear, once I've done that my lashes turn out nice and thick with practically no clumping.  ($18.50 at  Beauty.com).  

• I find that brow color makes a big difference for me so I always take some along.  Lately I've been using MAC's Eye Brows, a very thin self-sharpening pencil. ($13 at macys.com) Along with it I use an inexpensive eyebrow comb/brush to blend the color into my brows.  Sephora makes a Duo Eyelash/Brow Comb avilalble for $5 at Sephora.com.

• As far as foundation is concerned, if you need a little coverage I would suggest a tinted moisturizer with a sunscreen of SPF 15 or more.  It's great for a "no makeup" summer look and is one of those products that does a lot with a little.  Several brands make them and two of my favorites are Paula Dorf's Face Tint SPF 15 ($36 at Sephora.com) and Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer which has an SPF of 20.  ($40 at Sephora.com)

• For summer I like a cream or gel blush.  In some cases, all you need to apply the product is your fingers.  This, however, depends upon the product.  Particularly with certain cream blushes, you may find that your blush goes on easier and looks far better if you've used a brush.  For instance, I'm using MAC's blush cream ($16.50 at macys.com) and it really needs to be applied with a brush.  The one I use is Paula Dorf's Cheek Cream Brush ($35 at Sephora.com)

• For lip color many women can simply use lip gloss.  However, I like the look of a neutral lip pencil (close to the natural color of the lips) covered with a gloss.   In my case, the color I've chosen is MAC's Whirl.  ($11.50 at macys.com).  On top of that, I use a gloss.  Depending upon my mood and the occasion, I may use a colorless lip gloss or a relatively light colored gloss such as MAC's Lipglass in Viva Glam V ($13.50 at macys.com) or Two Faced Couture Lip Gloss Luxe in Fashionista. ($18 at Beauty.com)

Now, let's take a look at what all this comes to:

• An eyelash curler

• One or two tubes of cream eye shadow

• One or two eyeliners

• Mascara

• Eyebrow color (which some may not need)

• Tinted Foundation (which some may not need)

• Cream or Gel Blush

• Lip Pencil (which some may not need)

• One or two Lip Glosses

• Maximum of 4-5 brushes (eye shadow, eyeliner, eyebrow, blush brush, and maybe a lip brush -- depending upon the lip gloss you choose) 

Can I fit it all into my traveling makeup case?  You bet.

So, pack your makeup case smartly and you'll be ready for a day at the beach or a glamorous summer party.  Have a great summer and whether you're at home or away...don't forget your sunscreen.

Have a beautiful month!

Carol

June 2005

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