My Capsule Makeup Bag

Okay, so it's the end of summer. I am totally aware of this fact. Schools started again and everyone is starting to think about Autumn/Winter, and not which suncream to pack for holiday. However, I have just been camping this summer (blog posts here and here!) and i've just returned from Lanzarote and therefore i've thought a lot this summer about how to pack for going away. I love these products and personally use them all the time, I just think that they are also perfect for holidays. You've probably heard of a capsule wardrobe and this is my capsule makeup bag. To a lot of people they might say it's not exactly small, it's not just the 'essential 5 items' or something... but it's what I took and it's what fits into my travel makeup bag! (And I stand by the fact I needed it all...)

Lets start with the makeup bag, I adore this and i'd wanted it for ages before I decided to actually spend the £10 and buy it, rather than just looking at it every time I went into Boots! It's Ted Baker and I love the shape as it fits everything perfectly. Sometimes makeup bags are just completely the wrong size (I hate it when I have a lovely one but it doesn't fit makeup brushes for example) This bag literally fits everything I needed and it's gorgeous too. (On a boring practical note - it's also really easy to wipe clean if anything spills on it!)

Seeing as there are quite a few items I shall list them all and write a little extra about some...

Lets start with the base...

Neutrogena Multi-Defence Daily Moisturiser (SPF25 UVA + UVB) 

MaXfactor Facefinity All Day Flawless Foundation in Natural 20 (SPF20)

(I only took the foundation camping, I didn't take it to Lanzarote)

Clinique Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturiser (SPF15)

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer 

I was really excited to get the Clinique tinted moisturiser a while ago, I liked it in the shop as for a tinted moisturiser it still had quite good coverage but was still lighter than foundation. However actually I do feel like this may be on the more foundation side of the tinted moisturisers and I don't feel that it lives up to it's moisture surge name... I do tend to use some extra moisturiser with it which isn't exactly what I wanted. I do like the look it gives though and it was used a lot, especially when camping. Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer was something I used everyday regardless of whether I was putting on much other makeup at all. Brightening under your eyes and concealing dark circles helps lift your entire face. 

I said I didn't take foundation to Lanzarote, I didn't intend to anyway - but more about that later.*

Brows

GOSH Brow Kit

Boots (own brand) Tweezers

Not much to say except that I am so glad I bought this, it's a good size and the wax was handy, meaning I didn't feel like I needed to use my pocket mirror too much. I like to have my eyebrows 'done' and this does the job! The tweezers were a purchase whilst camping for under £2 I think and they are actually pretty good! I can't see why i'd pay £20 for tweezers for some of the expensive brand names.

Eyes

Maybelline The Falsies Waterproof mascara in Black

Masterpiece MaXfactor mascara in Black

Urban Decay Primer Potion (travel size)

Colour Tattoo 24 Hour in On and On Bronze and Pink Gold

Seventeen Eyeshadow Trio in Nude Smoke

Rimmel Soft Kohl in Sable Brown

MAC 217 Eyeshadow brush

I took two mascaras, one waterproof and one not. My MaXfactor mascara is also a sample size one so that is why I took two, otherwise I would have just taken waterproof. I think for holidays waterproof is great, especially when going camping and abroad - rain in England and humidity in whatever (hopefully hot?) country you're going to. Also, you never know when you might fancy a dip in the pool, or the sea! I took both colour tattoo's that I have as they are quick, easy and you only need them - no fussing with shading. I used them occasionally in the evening in Lanzarote just to add some shimmer. I took the eyeshadow brush although to be honest, on both holidays I didn't really use the trio. Eyeshadow is great but camping just didn't need it and in Lanzarote I couldn't be bothered with the fuss. 

Cheeks & Face

MaXFactor Flawless Perfection Blush in Natural Glow

MaXfactor Natural Touch Creamy Blush in Soft Pink

Writing this is the first time I noticed that both blushes were MaXfactor - I just really like their blush I guess! I used the powder 'Flawless Perfection' a couple of times in the evenings but mainly I used the cream blush - especially in the daytime to add a little colour when I wasn't wearing much makeup at all. I felt that the cream blush is better when not wearing much on the face, the powder doesn't take to the skin as well when not wearing foundation/tinted moisturiser. 

Rimmel Natural Bronzer in Sun Bronze

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Peach Glow

Powder is essential to me, it's something I wear pretty much everyday to stop my nose becoming a mirror... So that is why I packed that for both holidays. Early in the summer - so for camping and Birmingham I used the bronzer just for contour.

After a few days in the sun in Lanzarote, especially near the end of the holiday I wasn't using the powder, I was using the bronzer all over my face instead. I think it's really important to protect your face from the sun as much as possible so my face is now pretty much the palest part of me and without bronzer over the foundation or tinted moisturiser it looks quite strange... I like this bronzer - it doesn't come out orange and looks natural enough over the foundation for me to not have to worry about getting a darker one (foundation). 

Real Techniques Brushes - Powder and Blusher

I love these brushes, so soft and so good! I uses both brushes for bronzer as well as their own purpose. I used the blush brush when I was only contouring and then I changed to the powder brush when I was using it instead of powder. 

Lips

Benetint by Benefit 

Baby Lips by Maybelline 

These were in my hand luggage - I used the SPF Mint Fresh in the daytime with or without Benetint and then swapped to Cherry for the evenings.

Miscellaneous

Rimmel Lasting Finish Nail Polish in Pear Drop

Big hair grip

I was wearing the nail varnish on the day that I left for Lanzarote, I can't remember what colour I took camping at the moment! I took it to do touch ups and my friend brought varnish remover pads so I did reapply it once. The hair grip is what I use everyday to clip my hair back while I do my makeup. It came with my old straighteners I think. I have a few of them. 

As you can tell, i'm not the lightest of packers... but my criteria was it had to all fit in my makeup bag - and it did. So I think I did quite well! What are your holiday essentials? 3 Products you couldn't live without? Have a think!

*I mentioned earlier that I didn't take foundation but hinted that I did end up wearing it... confused? Well let me explain. Duty Free shopping. Not enough information? Well there'll be a blog post on it soon - and if you've seen my Instagram then you can probably work it out!

Em x