You guys, I’m going home to Queens for TEN DAYS for Thanksgiving. That stresses me out for two reasons.

1. I’m a Hermit
2. How do you pack ten days worth of makeup?

I can’t solve problem one, I’ll just have to suck it up and put my socializing hat on. But problem two I think I have pretty well sorted. I did a post last year about packing makeup in a carry-on and that was definitely much harder than this, so I think I have this one in the bag, baby!…Get it? In the bag? I’ll see myself out…

Side note: If you want to follow me around during my time in Queens, then let’s be snapchat frands! I’m gonna do some fun stuff like go to the spa and go shopping and the Union Square Holiday Market and those types of things so if you wanna come with, you know what to do:

MsQuinnFace

Now back to the matter at hand (?she says she’s 21 and quit school to go work for the man….If you know that song then we can be best friends, just FYI)

Packing your makeup for a trip when you don’t have to bring the bag through TSA is definitely much easier but I still had to be a little strategic. So here is what I packed.

I’m not going to list every single product and give you a whole diatribe about why I love it enough to being it with me, because if you read my FridayFaces Posts, follow me on Instagram or have been paying attention to anything I do literally in anyway way, you already know what I use on the daily. What I will explain is my strategy for narrowing it all down…and I’ll also make a little shop-able carousel of the products that are available at the bottom of the post in case you want to find this stuff and put it on your face.

So my advice on packing your makeup even if you need to be fly, fierce, fleeked and snatched at all times?

• Choose Versatility - If you want choices, try to make those choices consolidated. So for example I chose a blush palette so I had some blush choices, a highlight palette so I can glow in many ways but still not take up too much room, you smell me? As far as eyeshadow palettes I chose ones I know are good day to day staples that still give me some choices. As far as brushes go, double ended is your BFF for travel. It’s literally like two brushes that only takes up the room of one.
• Go Travel Friendly When Possible (but don’t go crazy) - I like to keep travel size products on deck when I can, but I don’t drive myself nuts trying to only take travel size makeup products. I mean really makeup usually isn’t that big (hair products I always do travel size but that’s a different bag for a different day) I do like to take a travel size of my primer, because the tube is a little big and I like to choose one reliable foundation that travels well. In this case I’m bringing the Make Up Forever Ultra HD stick because it’s bulletproof and its also super travel friendly. The key is to make it smaller and more portable when possible but not sacrifice your makeup quality.
• Choose The Best Of your Basics - I brought five lipsticks, but I tried to only bring my favorite of each type of color. Classic red, dark nude, pink nude, vampy dark, berry pink. Of course my heart is telling me to bring seven varieties of each shade, but the key is that I stop myself and remember that nobody is gonna care if I’m wearing Veronica or Lolita.
• Get A Dope Ass Travel Makeup Bag - I bought a new travel makeup bag and it’s a game changer. It’s got plenty of space, it’s nice and organized and its still pretty compact. My only complaint is I wish it had a little more room for brushes but such is life. It’s Sephora brand and it’s called “The Vacationer”

Hopefully that helps if you are packing for a Holiday trip and you can’t decide how to narrow down your travel makeup. Lucky for you guys I am very methodical (some might say to a fault) so maybe my overthinking can help make your life easier! Lemons into lemonade, people!