How to be a makeup minimalist for travel and still look great…

Travel! The perfect moment to let go of your daily routine! Let the sea breeze be your perfume! Let the adrenaline rush of new adventures be the blush on your rosy cheeks! But if you’re a sucker for something sparkly like I am, you may still want a little glamour with you on the road. Here’s how to accessorize without weighing yourself down:

The Jewels:

Go lightweight or go home. Choose items made of wood, stone and fabric, feathers and leather. These items are nearly unbreakable and easy to toss into your bag without a fuss. If you like the look of oversized jewelry, items such as laser cut earrings and woven wristbands offer the look without the bulk. Avoid things with delicate chains and clasps and never bring anything abroad that you’d be heartbroken to find lost or stolen.

When choosing your jewelry, go for 1, max 2 items in each category and choose a color that either compliments your travel wardrobe palate or completely contrasts with it.

Need more travel fashion inspo? Check out my post on packing for the ultimate European City Break!

The Makeup: 

1. 1. Go Back To Basics: A travel beauty kit only needs 6 items tops, and should fit into a pouch about the size of your hand. My basics are: A stick foundation (it’ll never leak!) Bobbi Brown does a nice, velvety one.  Nars Blush/Bronzer Mini- Duo (Bonus, the bronzer makes a nice eyeshadow in a pinch! Sephora Eyeshadow Stick, Burt’s Bees Lip Gloss, Benefit Roller Lash Mascara in travel size. I also always stash an Eco Tools travel sized makeup brush and Tweezerman mini-tweezers in my pouch.
   2. Be A Minimalist: Choose items that multitask, such as a tinted moisturizer with SPF. I’ve been known to swipe my eyelids with a bit of blush when I was hard up for some shimmer.  Leave the full-sized products at home. Stores like Sephora offer travel sizes of their regular items and you can even find tear out sample packages of makeup in most beauty magazines.
   3. Embrace Finger Painting: Ditch the applicators, your new makeup brush is the back of your pointer finger. Use products that come in gel and crayon form. They’re easy to blend and won’t make a mess if they break in your bag. Go for simplicity. A shimmery eyelid is easier on the go than a liquid cat-eye. A juicy lip glossed pucker is way lower maintenance than a matte crimson lip and way  more kisssable if flirting with the locals is on your agenda.

The Paraphernalia:

Leave the plug-in beauty accoutrements at home. They’ll only weigh you down. Many hotels and some hostels offer use of a hairdryer, so I’d only pack one if I was going to a very cold climate and knew for sure my hotel wouldn’t offer me one. And for heaven’s sake, forget the straightener. Do you really think that having your hair bone straight is going to seriously improve your enjoyment of a foreign country? Maybe now is the time to experiment with the natural look. And when all else fails in the hair department, throw on a cute hat or scarf, and sport your most dazzling smile.

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