WHAT'S IN MY BAG | Travel Make Up 2011

I admit that I am probably one of the nosiest people ever and therefore love all of those Youtube videos and blog posts about what people keep in their bags. I am that person who will rifle through your cupboards and stare into houses' windows from the upper deck of the bus.  It's in my nature to be inquisitive. So while I was packing my make up bag to go away to the south of France for a week, I decided to join in and share what I wittled it down to in the end.

I do pride myself on being a bit of a packing mastermind, it has to be said so I figured I would share some tips as well as mentioning just how useful everything I brought turned out to be in the end.

First, I took into account the criteria for the make up I needed to bring. The south of France is hot, nearing 40 degrees Celsius on some days while I was there, meaning it couldn't be anything that would melt off. Also, I was sharing a single suitcase with two friends to save costs (since we're all poor students now) and couldn't take up too much room. No overpacking was to be allowed. It all had to fit in a modest sized make up bag without being so full I could no longer zip it closed.

All this considered, I turned to my make up collection and after a good amount of sorting things out and making 'necessary' and 'unnecessary' piles, I was packed. 

Face Products:

-Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer: I have a few concealers on the go at the moment but this one is pretty heavy duty. While the claims of '16 hour wear' might be slightly hyperbolic, it does the trick.

-GOSH Touch Up Concealer in '#2': This concealer is less for actual concealing than it is for colour correction. I use this solely for my under eyes as the salmon colour hides the dark bags I cannot seem to get rid of, even with 8 hours sleep a night.

-Natural Collection Tinted Moisturiser: I have fairly good skin and don't wear foundation. However this product is more moisturiser than anything else; I can barely see any colour when it's applied. I just brought this to keep my incredibly dry skin hydrated without worrying about losing more expensive moisturisers.

-No7 Perfect Light Pressed Powder in 'Translucent': Hot weather means melting make up and shininess, neither of which I am particularly fond of. A bit of powder to stop my carefully applied face sliding off halfway through the day is a must.

Cheek Products:

-Natural Collection Blush in 'Pink Cloud': I always like to have a little colour in my cheeks but I worry my blushes will break in transit. Natural Collection have some of the cheapest stuff going but their blushes really deliver so I always take one or two of these with me when I go away.

-Maybelline Mousse Blush in 'Peach Satin': This ended up not coming with me. Cream products and hot weather, I realised, do not mix. Plus, while it is one of my favourites for a nice healthy 'glow', when in sweltering heat this would have simply left me looking unattractive and sweaty.
-No7 Blush Brush: I tried to take as few brushes as possible as they take up so much room and I'd hate to lose them. This one was unavoidable though; applying blush with my fingers wasn't about to happen, so I bit the bullet and took it along anyway.

Eye Products:

-L'Oréal Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara: One of my biggest tips for packing your travel make up bag is to throw in those items you don't often reach for. Both of these mascaras tend to fall to the wayside next to my other preferred kinds so I took them along to use them up, plus if I lost them along the way I wasn't going to be upset.

-Rimmel Max Volume Flash Mascara: Also, if you're going to be swimming, as I was, I'd suggest a waterproof mascara. Sadly, I had none so ended up having to take my make up off every time I wanted to swim which was time consuming and I wouldn't recommend it.

-Lancome Eyeshadow Compact: I'll admit I could have done without this in the end. I don't think I ever reached for it as it would have creased and smudged in the heat.

Lip Products:

-17 Mirror Shine Lipstick in 'Peace': This was my daytime shade to add a touch of gloss and colour while still looking fairly natural.

-Natural Collection Lip Gloss in 'Fondant': A basic nude for going out or to tone down a lipstick.

-MAC Lipstick in 'Costa Chic': Being one of my favourite summer lipsticks, I had to bring this along. It really is the perfect shade for this time of year.

-Neutrogena MirrorShine Gloss in '#110 Fruity Pink': I just love this lipgloss. I wear it all the time and I am never without it so, naturally, I couldn't leave it behind.

Along with an SPF 15 chapstick and some perfume (YSL 'Elle' on this occasion, which is a new love of mine), I had all my bases covered and used pretty much everything I brought except the eyeshadow, which I will forgo another time. 

For a week long trip where I would change two or three times a day, depending on whether we were going to museums, at the beach or getting dinner, this was the perfect amount of make up for me and I managed not to take up too much room in the, already very cramped, suitcase.