The best travel makeup bags excel at portability, storage capacity and organization. There are many excellent options out there, but our best overall selection is the Béis On The Go Essential Case, which has zipped compartments with transparent windows on each side, holds a large number of products and is easy to clean. For a hanging option that hooks onto the back of a bathroom door, we recommend the Bagsmart Hanging Travel Makeup Bag. If you prefer a leather set that you can monogram, the Cuyana Travel Case Set is both elegant and durable.
The best travel makeup bags have the capacity to store everything you need, yet are still portable … [+] enough to slide into your luggage or carry-on bag.
Illustration: Forbes / Images: Retailer
Below, more of the best travel makeup bags for every type of trip, from pouches to sets, and we also rounded up the best travel jewelry cases as well.
You have a small carry-on or personal item—this makeup bag can take up space
Béis may be best known for its popular luggage, but the brand has also rolled out some excellent travel accessories. Its On The Go Essential Case is a favorite of Forbes Vetted senior travel editor Astrid Taran, who brings it with her on every trip. “I pack my small toiletry bottles in the top pocket and my dental essentials in the bottom compartment,” she says. “The makeup bag feels sturdy, the exterior is very easy to clean and I appreciate that it has a transparent windows on each side so that I can always find the product I’m looking for.”
Unlike some makeup cases with multiple organization pouches, this case only offers two compartments. But it’s so spacious that you can easily fit up to five small bottles of face creams or sprays as well as multiple tubes and compacts in the top pocket. The bottom pocket comes in handy if you like to separate certain products from others (like keeping your hairspray away from your lipsticks). The top handle also makes it easy to tote to and from the bathroom. While this bag is small, it can be a bit bulky, so it’s not the best for smaller carry-on bags or backpacks.
Dimensions: 11 x 3.7 x 7.9 inches | Weight: 1.8 pounds | Material: Recycled polyester | Closure: Zip
Best for:
Those who want vertical storage
Transparent compartments
Easy to clean
Skip if:
You need a more lightweight option
Whether you’re short on counter space in the hotel bathroom or you like to see your beauty products laid out vertically, this Bagsmart hanging travel makeup bag is a good solution. It has a 360-degree swivel hook and five zipped interior pockets that can hold a range of compacts, tubes or small bottles. The main interior pockets are conveniently built with elastic straps that hold your bottles upright and prevent spillage. For even more storage, the exterior pocket can fit make-up wipes or other accessories. Just keep in mind that this bag is on the heavier side, so it could be clunky if you pack in a lot.
Dimensions: 10.3 x 9 x 3.6 inches | Weight: 1.5 pounds | Material: Nylon, TPU | Closure: Zipper
Best for:
Travelers who love organization
Plenty of storage
Carrying around smaller or less traditionally shaped products
Skip if:
You travel with a slim bag, as this case is on the larger side
If you travel with many different brushes, sponges and other cosmetic tools, this Relavel makeup case is well organized. It comes with five dividers that you can move around to best accommodate your products, and it’s spacious enough to fit multiple foundation bottles or serums, as well as several makeup brushes. You can even use the dividers to create smaller spaces for less traditionally shaped products, like egg-shaped beauty sponges or hair clips.
The exterior and interior fabrics on the case are both durable and waterproof, so you won’t have to worry about spills and the dividers are sturdy enough to keep everything in place. Take note that because it has so much storage, this bag is on the bulkier side, meaning it’s better suited for a checked bag rather than a carry-on.
Dimensions: 8 x 2.5 x 6 inches | Weight: Not listed | Material: Vegan leather, plastic| Closure: Zipper
Best for:
Travelers on a budget
Transparency
Easy to clean material
Skip if:
You need more than one pocket
Drunk Elephant has cultivated a loyal following for its skincare products, and it’s also expanded into chic storage accessories, like this tidy dopp kit. It can easily slide into a weekender bag or backpack, and it’s deep enough to hold multiple bottles, compacts, tubes and brushes. It also clocks in at an appealing $20, making it the best value option on our list, and its exterior is waterproof, meaning you can pop it into your satchel for a beach trip. However, it does only come with one pocket, so it may not fit organizational needs if you’re bringing a variety of different makeup tools.
Dimensions: 5.5 x 5.5 x 5.5 inches | Weight: 6 ounces | Material: Repreve recycled polyester exterior and interior | Closure: Zip
Best for:
Small bottles and tubes
Vibrant color options
Fitting into a weekender or tote
Skip if:
You tend to overpack products
Some trips call for a natural look, and that’s where this stylish but compact toiletry organizer from Dagne Dover comes in. Shaped cylindrically, it can easily be popped into a tote or weekender, and it comes with a sturdy zip top and a top handle. While this bag is on the smaller side, it offers a surprising amount of organization, including six adjustable compartments, four elastic loops, an interior mesh pocket and a carabiner hook for hanging. It also comes in a variety of fun and poppy colors, like Tangerine, Deep Sea and Heatwave. Like most Dagne Dover products, it can only be spot cleaned, so make sure to follow the care instructions.
Dimensions: 7 x 12 x 3.5 inches (large), 5 x 8 x 2.5 inches (small) | Weight: 1 pound | Material: Argentinian leather | Closure: Zip
Best for:
Separating smaller items from larger ones
A wide opening for packing with ease
A stylish and elegant look
Skip if:
You’re on a budget—this set is on the pricier side
Different trips call for different looks, so having a set of travel makeup bags in different sizes comes in handy. This set has a larger bag that can hold up to four makeup bottles, four tubes, two or three compacts and multiple brushes, while the smaller case is great for compact items, like under-eye gels and serums. You can divide up your products into the two different bags and tote both along, or you can use each separately on different types of trips. The two cases stack inside each other for easy storage, and each is crafted from sophisticated pebbled leather (which can be monogrammed as well).
Dimensions: 8.7 x 3.3 x 6.3 inches | Weight: Not listed | Material: Recycled polyester | Closure: Zip
Best for:
Easy to fit into a tote or weekender
Waterproof
Easy to clean
Skip if:
You need more organization
Like its sporty apparel, Lululemon’s travel makeup pouch is well-designed for active days. It’s made of waterproof recycled polyester that easily wipes clean, and is small enough to fit into almost any personal item. Aside from its main pocket, in which you can fit several small makeup bottles, compacts and tubes, it also features a small front compartment where you can fit several small- to medium-sized brushes. At $38, it comes at an affordable price, too. Beside its main pocket and front compartment, though, it doesn’t feature any other dividers or organization, meaning you may need to rummage a bit if you overpack it.
Dimensions: 8.25 x 6 x 4 inches | Weight: 0.85 pounds | Material: Polyurethane and PVC| Closure: Zip
Best for:
Transparency
Lightweight
Waterproof
Skip if:
This clear cosmetics case from popular travel brand Calpak is fully transparent, so you can easily find what you’re looking for. It has two spacious interior pockets, an easy-to-grab handle and stylish piping colors around the edges. It’s also relatively lightweight for its size. The one downside: The product compartments fold together and face each other, so if you overpack, it can be difficult to close.
This story was written by Forbes Vetted’s senior travel editor, Astrid Taran, a 7-year industry veteran who’s visited over 35 countries and traveled with all types of travel makeup bags.
When writing this story, she tapped into her own knowledge of what qualities differentiate the everyday makeup bag from a makeup bag built for travel.
How We Chose The Best Travel Makeup Bags
We relied on expert advice, independent reviews, research and personal experience to make our recommendations. Taran personally used many options on this list during her travels worldwide.
We analyzed several important features, including capacity, materials and overall design, to help readers pinpoint the best travel makeup bag for their needs.
The final products on this list reflect in-depth research conducted by our writer and meticulous vetting by the editorial team.
What To Consider When Buying A Travel Makeup Bag
Not every makeup bag is the right fit for travel. When selecting the best travel makeup bag, keep the following in mind:
Portability
Think about what type of bag or suitcase you’ll put your travel makeup bag in. Depending on the amount of space you have, you’ll want to go for a makeup bag that can easily fit into a personal item without adding too much weight or bulk. For small bags or totes, consider the Lululemon Go Getter Pouch or the Dagne Dover Mila Toiletry Organizer. If you’re planning on bringing a travel makeup bag in a carry-on suitcase, the Béis On The Go Essentials Case will easily fit, while you’ll want to store the larger Relavel Travel Makeup Case in a checked bag.
Capacity
The amount of beauty products you usually bring on a trip is a great indicator of how much capacity you’ll need in a travel makeup bag. If you have a large amount of beauty tools, like makeup brushes or other grooming devices, you’ll want a bag with extra storage capacity. For lighter set-ups, a smaller makeup bag should suffice. You can even split your products into two cases by using a travel set like the Cuyana Travel Case Set. You can bring the smaller makeup bag with you for quick trips and the larger one for extended getaways.
Organization
Beauty products come in all shapes and sizes, from tubes to compacts. Depending on how you want to organize your products, you may go for a travel makeup bag with built-in organization. Both the Dagne Dover Mila Toiletry Organizer and the Relavel Travel Makeup Case feature adjustable compartments that allow you to organize your products by shape or size. For travelers who want to be able to examine their products all lined up, a hanging travel makeup case, like the Bagsmart Travel Makeup Bag, is a great option.
