Hey beauty lovers!

I know how easy it is to overpack your make-up bag for only a few nights away, especially when you're a make-up junkie like I am and have way too many products in your collection. I'm going on a 2-night staycation this weekend and thought I would share my tips for packing make-up for a short trip!

1. Start with the essentials. Start with the make-up and tools that you use on a daily basis. These products are usually the base or canvas of your entire look and are the most important things you'll need to remember to pack. Some of my daily make-up essentials include primer, foundation, concealer, setting powder, brow products, liquid liner, a nude lipstick, and setting spray. If you're a minimal make-up kind of girl, your essentials may just be a little bit of mascara and powder.
2. Consider your itinerary. If you're entire trip revolves around sightseeing, it may not be necessary to bring a ton of extra make-up. But if your trip involves a night out or two, it may be wise to bring a fuller coverage foundation, false lashes, an eyeshadow palette that can create a variety of different looks, or more than one lipstick shade. For example, my staycation involves a dinner date night, so I'll be taking my Tartelette In Bloom palette and an extra lipstick that will go with my dress for that event.
3. Give yourself a few options. I know the aim is to pack light, but if you do have a large make-up collection, it may be easier to pack if you give yourself a few options when choosing products. Let's take lipstick, for example. Try to pack one daytime shade that you love and then give yourself up to two shade options for nights out or events. I'll be taking a nude lipstick option for daytime, and I'll be packing a dusty rose option and a bolder red option for the night out.
4. Choosing a make-up bag. The size of your make-up bag really depends on how much make-up you wear on a day-to-day basis. If you like to be minimal with your make-up routine, you're obviously going to use a much smaller make-up bag than someone like me, who likes to do a lot in creating my look for the day. Do your best to choose the smallest make-up bag you can get away with to take travelling with you after laying out all the make-up that you know you're going to use. A smaller make-up bag means it's easier to fill and it'll be a lot easier for you to avoid over-packing if your make-up bag is already full. Remember that the bag itself already has weight, so be wary of the material. My make-up bag is nylon, which is very lightweight and easy to clean.
5. Protect your fragile products. Make sure to pack any soft powders or glass bottles in bubble wrap or wrap them in cloth in order to protect your products. Make sure to lock all pumps and ensure that all of your make-up is sealed tightly. A weekend away usually involves a road trip, so if you can, keep your make-up bag in a secure place in the vehicle where it won't move or be jostled around too much. If you're travelling by bus or train, I would advise that you carry-on your make-up bag.

I've been guilty of packing way more than I needed one too many times before, so I hope this was helpful in keeping your make-up bag from overflowing with products that you're probably not gonna use on your short trip! Let me know what trips you have planned for this Summer and what you plan on taking with you in the comments below :)

Xo,
Marian