What's in my makeup bag- work travel edition

Here's a look into the makeup bag I packed for a recent overnight travel work trip.  I occasionally travel for work, maybe once a month.  When I do travel for work, I work 36 hours straight.   I do sleep (more like a brief rest) but for the 6 hours I am not "sleeping," there is no time for touch ups.  I need to pack reliable and fool-proof products.

I got this makeup bag late last year from the Hautelook Beauty Bag that they offered on Black Friday.  For $20, the samples that were included were meh, but this is a good size makeup bag, with a liner and I use it all the time.  It's big enough to store everything you need. 

 

I will start off my everyday deodorant, Donna Karan Cashmere Mist.  This is the best deodorant I have every encountered.  I do not sweat really unless I am at the gym so I do not need an anti-perspirant on the regular but this deodorant works really well with my chemistry and I don't have to worry about a thing (smelling) using this product.  It's a bit pricey at $15 for 1.7 oz but I bought this back in July I believe and it's just about running out.  I don't live anywhere close to Nordstrom, but they offer free shipping on-line so that's a bonus.

Lips:

I just grabbed a Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain just so I could throw something on that looked natural and would last.  It doesn't last all day but my lips tend to start off pale in the morning and brighten up during the day or it's just my makeup wearing off.  Probably the latter!  :)  This is in Honey.

 

 



Hair:

I packed EverCreme Intense Nourishing Shampoo that I actually didn't even use.  But I love the EverCreme line by L'OREAL and this is a nice sized sample.  The line is very gentle and moisturizing. 

The hotel I was staying at provided Crabtree and Evelyn Avocado, Olive Oil and Basil line and I must say that I had a very good hair day.  I will be picking up a set in the future for sure.  $18 a bottle is a bit steep, but the results were really good.  I also like the LaSource line of shampoo and conditioner which I also discovered at another hotel at which I stayed.  Good stuff!

I also brought a dry shampoo just in case I didn't have time to wash my hair.  It is quite oily so in order to look presentable, I need to wash my hair almost every day.  I had a sample of Oscar Blandi volumizing dry shampoo from a Birchbox a while ago.  It works really well and that sticky, filminess of dry shampoo sprays is very minimal with this one.  And it smells nice!

Skincare:

Frequently, I will squeeze out a foil sample packet into a plastic jar with a lid.  A small sample packet can last you 1-2 weeks.  Seriously try it!  I forgot what is in this jar, it might be something from Kiehl's.  :)

Garnier Ultra-Lift Anti-Wrinkle Eye Roller just has really convenient packaging for travel.  I roll this on all the time and it's pretty effective at hydrating your undereye area in a light weight form.  As far as wrinkles is concerned, I'm not really sure.  I am starting to get a few fine lines here and there as part of the natural aging process of collagen breakdown.  Does this eliminate them?  No, but it's very soothing and the extra light moisture doesn't seem to hurt.

I also packed RAWskincare Ambiant Eye Treatment for my night time routine.  Again, I feel like I need some extra moisture under my eyes but I haven't seen a huge improvement after using this product.

epielle cucumber cleansing tissues can be found at Big Lots and yes they are only $1 for 30 wipes.  They aren't the thickest wipes nor the most wet that I have ever tried but for $1, you cannot go wrong with these.  They remove makeup for the most part. I still need a separate eye makeup remover and I do not use these exclusively for cleansing so they work well for my purposes.  Also did I mention that they are only a dollar?

Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit foaming scrub has a nice scent and is pretty effective at thoroughly cleaning the skin without over-stripping and drying.  I have combo/oily skin, more oily t-zone, mostly normal cheeks.  I enjoyed using this and the packaging is conveniently tiny.

I had the empty box of mdskincare Dr. Dennis Gross 4-in-1 Facial Treatment wipes in my last empties post but I found 3 more in my makeup bag.  Yes!  But this is the absolute last one.  No! I might have to breakdown and buy these. Cleansing, balancing, treating and toning in one step.  Do I just do the one step, no, but I use these as a balancer, treatement and tonor.  So it's a 3-n-1 for me!

Primers:

This Too Faced Primed and Poreless is in the perfect travel size.  This sample has lasted me a really long time as well.  I just use this in my t-zone.  Believe it or not, less is more for me in terms of skincare.  It may seem like I fly through products but I do use them sparingly so for this like a pea size amount is plenty for my t-zone.

Urban Decay Primer Potion works really well for my eye lids to prevent creasing.  I use either Urban Decay or Too Faced Shadow Insurance.  Both work really well on my oily lids.  I think that this my last sample in the "vintage" packaging thankfully.  Blending-wise, I think Too Faced provides a better surface though. 

I also packed this sample of Atzen Balance Protective Day Cream just in case my skin was a little dry.  I did use it that morning and I can say it did not make my skin overly oily during the day I was working.  The directions say 1/4 to 1/8 teaspoon for the entire face and neck and is a perfect base for makeup. I definitely used less than that to cover my entire face and neck.  I focus more on my cheeks and neck and avoid my t-zone.  I might look into a full size of this.  I don't see any SPF information on the sample bottle.

I will include L'Occitane Moisturizing Lip Balm in the primer category because I used this to moisturize my lips before any lip products that I apply and at night.  Good stuff.  I like that it is Natural and Organic certified and is made with shea butter.

Makeup:

After priming I go in with Rachel K CC Cream and press it into my skin concentrating in my t-zone and working out towards my cheeks.  I really didn't need to use a separate primer but since I wasn't going to have time for touchups in 12 hours, I just wanted some extra priming on board.   I love Rachel K CC Cream.  It's moisturizing enough just to use alone in warm weather but since it has been very cold and dry down here in NC, I have been using a separate moisturizer most days.   It conceals the redness in my cheeks very well and gives me a smooth and even surface for my foundation.  When days I am running out the door, this is usually all I need and a little blush or bronzer.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in 52 Vanilla.  This is just a touch too dark right now.  But this foundation works well with Rachel K, has a semi-matte finish and is a medium to full coverage for me.  I just need a tiny bit.  I can also mix it with a moisturizer to make a tinted moisturizer with it which I have done in the past.

Mineralogie U2 Ultimate Cream Concealer is just that.  Great coverage, minimal under eye creasing.  I concentrate it just in the bluish smudge just under my eye (not the entire under eye area) and press it gently in, altogether avoiding any under eye creases that I have.  I also grabbed my L'OREAL true match crayon concealer in fair/light, n1-2-3 to layer over it just in case I needed something extra.  I also use this to conceal around my nose.  The Mineralogie is just a little too moisturizing in that area as I tend to get oily around my nose.

theBalm Sexy Mama finishing powder and Hot Mama! blush are perfect travel packaging.  They are small and compact and come in paper sleeves to prevent them from flying open in your makeup bag.  Sexy Mama is just a touch too dark but I made it work.  Hot Mama! is one of those peachy Nars Orgasm dupes.  I didn't feel the need to pack a bronzer with this one.

Love L'Oreal Infallibles...  I just need these two for a full, no fuss eye.  Bronzed Taupe all over the lid and blended up into the crease, Iced Latte in the inner corner.  I used 2 liners as well.  AVON Glimmersticks in Brown Glow blended out on the upper and lower lash line gives a bronzey glow and Physicians Formula brown liner from the trio for brown eyes is a cool, toned dark chocolate brown for tight lining the upper and lower lash line.  The combination of the two liners really make my blue eyes pop.  Love the way that they look together.  I probably should get backups.  They also do no budge, smudge or run.  I tend to get watery eyes throughout the day, these do not move.

I packed two mascaras.  Smachbox Full Exposure and blinc.  I use Smashbox first to lengthen and build volume and blinc just locks everything in place and holds my curl all day.  blinc is kind of annoying to remove as it forms these little tubes over your eyelashes but I can deal with it if it means my curl will last.

 Oil Control:

Rachel K CC Cream works like a charm but shine is inevitable so blotting papers are a must for me.  I really like this sample pack of Shiseido that I have been using.  They work amazingly well.  I only have to blot once or twice a day with these.  Other sheets 3-4 times.  It may seem that all blotting papers do the same thing which they do, soak up that oil but there is something about this particular brand and their lasting power that works with my skin.    Shiseido was the first brand of blotting powders that I tried back in college.  They may have been the first actually.

So that's what I brought on my most recent overnight work trip.  Thanks for peeking into my makeup bag!!!  :)