A while ago, I showed you a birds eye view of the epically large cosmetics kit that I packed ostensibly for travel. Firstly, I’d just like to say that if I were truly travelling for work or even for a holiday, I never pack a kit this massive. My travel cosmetics kits fit in 1 pouch and usually look something like this.
This time however, I was headed home for my brother’s wedding and I knew I had to look good so I could not risk a breakout or reactions to new products, and I also knew that I’d be sharing all sorts of stuff with my sister who had warned me that she wasn’t packing anything so could I just bring extra? Ah yes, sisters 🙂
So I packed full sizes of almost everything and packed exact products of skincare I had been using at the time. The bag turned out to be extremely large and probably weighed about 5kg 😛 I could be exaggerating, I’m not sure. But here’s what went in there.
I’ll start off with the skincare because good skincare is the foundation of good skin right? 😉
- Bioderma Micellar cleansing water for normal/combination skin – I was using this for removing makeup prior to cleansing, as I realized I might have to remove makeup a few times and didn’t want my skin to be too stripped. I also brought along a travel size Laneige cleansing oil (not pictured)
- Biore Makeup Remover for Eye and Lip – I remove eye and heavy lip makeup separately from my face (and the reason why I do so can be found here)
- Diorsnow White Reveal Moisturizing Lotion – a hydrating lotion (toner)
- Diorsnow White Reveal Wipe off Gel – this is something I use every other day or at least 3 times a week. It acts as a mild exfoliant and removes the surface skin cells so skin is brighter and better. It isn’t a gel though.
- Diorsnow White Reveal Day Essence – this one’s a whitening essence and my day serum at the time
- Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Serum – I’m terrible with using eye cream and despite the many tubes out there, I always go back to this one because its light and it works for me. It helps reduce puffiness around my eye area and I was anticipating lack of sleep. It did a fair job.
- Shiseido Sunblock – I used this one for face and body. Its really nice and isn’t oily at all. It leaves a light matte, powdery feel on the skin and acts as a lovely primer too! You can expect a proper review soon 🙂
- Clinique Moisture Surge gel cream – I used this in the day and at night as a sleeping mask.I think it most certainly helped my skin stay balanced and hydrated despite the heat.
- Vichy Normaderm purifying gel cleanser – I use this one every evening still. It helps keeps spots and breakouts at bay and my skin feels clean and smooth after use. Love it! Hate that its no longer available in Malaysia but you can still get it in Singapore I believe.
- Melvita Narcissus Extraordinary Water – I took this one along to see if it would help my skin feel more hydrated. Everyone I’ve met tells me they love this Melvita Extraordinary Water because they say it keeps their skin feeling hydrated and that its so wonderful! The jury is still out on this one.
- Estee Lauder Hydrationist Serum – I went back to this one recently as part of my hydrating skincare regime and I think it does make a difference. I might have to stick with it.
- Clinique Even Better Spot Corrector – Just part of a desperate attempt to keep dark spots at bay 😛
- Melvita Floral Water – Love this for everything! Setting makeup, cooling down skin, dampening skin to help skincare absorb better… love it!
- Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate – I blend this with No. 15 and use it every night. I swear this magic combo helps my skin a lot.
- Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum – Granted HG status in my skincare regiment and I don’t give that title lightly to anything! Can’t do without this one anymore.
Whew! Still awake? See anything you want a review of that I haven’t already reviewed? Please holler and if there’s enough interest, I’ll bump it up the list 🙂 Products I’ve reviewed may be viewed by clicking through the name.
Next, makeup! Epic, I tell you, its EPIC! 😛
- A palette of Lunasol blushes – I wanted a set of different blushes I could use for day and night and that my sister might like to use too so this came in handy. Its actually a 4 pan palette that I fit 4 Lunasol blushes into and it isn’t sold as is.
- Shiseido Perfect Defining Volume Mascara – I only carried one mascara and it must not fail me. So naturally, I went with my Perfect Mascara! It still is, after all this time and I think will continue to be. I love this one.
- Guerlain Kohl Pencil Liner – I’m never straying from this pencil so long as Guerlain makes it. And they better do because I have never found another one better than this. Soft, black, no tugging, minimal smudging. I can’t do any better. I’m spoilt!
- Shu Uemura Hard Formula Brow Pencil 9 – Another one I’d never stray from.
- Clinique Eye Shaper pencil in brown – I brought this along to use for the day but decided that I still preferred my black liner so this didn’t get any use.
- Shiseido Perfect Smoothing Lip Pencil – I spotted this one in my stash drawer and didn’t remember why I had it so I took it along with me. Turned out to be the best idea I had! It was gorgeous as liner and a base for lipstick and was perfect. I’ll have to tell you about it properly soon!
- Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Silk Eyeshadow – I brought #1 Blast of Blue because of my blue dress. Went with a smokey blue, pairing it with the Dior palette and it was quick and perfect!
- Shiseido Shimmering Rouge lipstick RD406 – I wasn’t sure which red I was going to use for the evening so this was back up because I ended up going with …
- Rouge Dior #444 Red Muse – the perfect red! I wore it over the Shiseido pencil which toned down the brightness and it stayed on all night, through an 8 course banquet dinner. Seriously impressive.
- Guerlain Meteorites Perles de Nuit – No dress up makeup kit of mine is complete without one tub of these magic balls!
- Diorskin Forever liquid foundation – I wanted something that had more coverage for the night but that would stay on without slipping all over the place. I mixed this one with the Estee Lauder ANR serum and it lightened it enough so it did not look so flat on my skin yet stayed on all evening looking quite perfect.
- Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation – Day foundation because this one is just perfect for hot afternoons. Stayed on, light, good coverage. I love this one!
- Face of Australia Face Base Primer – I tried this a few times before this, but wasn’t too impressed. Still, I brought it along and this time, it impressed me to no end. I wore it under the Bourjois foundation. I was in the sun and heat a lot and nothing budged. Blush and foundation stayed on despite me sweating buckets. My sis was equally impressed because her skin is less obedient than mine. I think she might have nicked this, given the chance!
- Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler – ’nuff said!
- Lucas Papaw Ointment – for my lips at night and in between in the day because I was wearing too much lipstick and not drinking enough water and just generally trying not to expire from the heat.
- Dior Ultra Gloss lipgloss in Empire Pink – because I don’t wear any other lipgloss. This one’s permanently lodged in my makeup pouch that I carry to work and is about the only one I ever use. I wonder why I have others. Curious.
- Guerlain Serie Noir Rouge G Fuchsia Delice – Sis ended up using this one. I only brought it along because I actually lost this one for a few months. I eventually found it in a long forgotten bag I’d used about a year ago. I’ve been carrying it around ever since… but haven’t used it myself. Curiouser!
- Diorskin Nude Hydrating Concealer – Purchased this a couple of months ago and damn if I don’t like this a lot! Sis proclaimed it the best she has used and would have packed it away if not for my not so gentle reminder that it was mine and belonged in my epic cosmetics kit.
- Dior 5 Couleur eyeshadow palette in Royal Kaki – I needed something that could morph from day to night. I couldn’t have asked for better.
As we come up for air, again, remind me if you want anything specific dealt with in its own review post. I will get to them all in time, but I’m notoriously slow because I get distracted so holler and I’ll bump it up! 🙂
Finally, the tools of mass destruction… I meant construction 😛
After the whole mass of products up there, the tools suddenly seem so few LOL! But its what they do that counts!
- MAC #239 – I use this one nearly everyday for patting on eyeshadow colour. Its great for getting lovely intense colour and for blending it out. One of the only… it could be the only MAC full size brush I own 😛
- Lunasol Cheek Brush – The softest bestest blush brush I have. Worth every hard earned penny I turned over for this one.
- Trish McEvoy Bronzer Brush #37 – Technically, its a bronzer brush. Practically, its one of the best brushes I’ve ever used for applying Meteorites Pearls. Also works well for bronzer.
- Shiseido Perfect Foundation Brush – I’ve gushed about this so much in its own review, if I gush anymore, someone is going to stick a stopper in me.
- Tony & Tina Blender brush – Part of a set of Tony & Tina brushes I own. A discontinued makeup line but these brushes were legend in their time for being perfect for the price (cheap and absolutely excellent quality) and rumoured to be made by Shu Uemura. Truth or not, they are excellent brushes but no longer available.
- Becca Eyeliner Brush 01 – I picked this up years ago before Becca pulled out. It was crazy cheap and I didn’t know how the heck to use it. Years down the road, its my everyday liner brush for lining my lower lash line and because its discontinued, I can’t own another. Funny how life turns out.
- Shu Uemura brush case (Mika collection) – The brushes had to be kept somewhere and this case came in handy.
All the above fit into a Pierre Cardin cosmetics case. Snugly. With no room to spare. Ok with just about enough room for my toothbrush, a hair brush and a pack of cotton pads.
A lot of you expressed interest in the bag, what it was and where to buy it. I’ll be honest, ladies. I have no idea! I redeemed this bag many many years ago under one of those loyalty card points think – Bonuslink I think it was. It arrived larger than I expected, and I have only used it a few times due to its size. Its a canvas bag and padded for protection with a divider inside so there are 2 large compartments; and there is a flap at the back that allows you to slip it over the handles of a trolley back, if you choose to travel with it. Its by Pierre Cardin and you may be able to find something similar in the travel luggage department. One of you mentioned that you could use your DSLR camera bag and I think that’s an excellent idea!
So there you have it. This is what I would carry for a very important event that needs me to have my full arsenal of products with me. On other occasions, I carry sample sizes of everything, sachets if possible, and fit them all into a slim hand carry pouch. I am, it would appear, a creature of extremes 🙂
So tell me, do you carry full size products of your skincare when you travel? Or do you only do so on rare occasions? Makeup rarely comes in sample sizes, but if they do, would you carry a sample size or would you go with the full size too? Have you noticed something from the above lists that you’d like to know more about? Do let me know and I’ll get down to it!
Paris B
I carry everything in full size when I travel :). I don’t want to have the feeling of “Arrgghh! I should have bring the big bottle” when I finish something hehe. Plus it looks good in the hotel bathroom LOL
I guess it does 🙂 I just don’t like the space being taken up by cosmetics so I pack as minimal as possible. Better if its sachets so I can just toss them as I go LOL!
Yeah I carry full size now think want change small one lol as not go many days
That’s hardworking. I could never carry full sizes of anything 😛
That’s truly the single most epic travel kit I have ever seen, Peebs. *salutes
LOL Thank goodness it was travel by road and not by air! 😛
Wow, that is pretty big haha
I don’t always take full size stuff with me, mostly because I’m obsessed with travel size things, so I have travel sizes of almost all the products that they come in. But I make up for that by taking wayyy too much makeup, most of it I won’t even use.
Yeah I prefer to carry travel sized items too. Its only in “emergencies” like this that I would even bother to pack full sizes of anything 🙂 I’ve cut back on my travel makeup kit too so I hardly carry much anymore! Its great to try to figure out items that can multi-task 🙂
The Lunasol blush palette is pretty awesome, I must say.
It is! I’m so glad I built it 😀
Holy cow! I can almost believe that your arsenal weighs 5kg!
Do you ever experience spillage/leakage of products even from their original bottles? My Midnight Recovery leaks and I don’t tote it around even though I would like to because well … having an oily mess in your kit is NO fun!
Hmm… I don’t usually experience spillage/leakage. If I carry my full size serums when I travel, I try to make sure that caps are properly closed and bottles tightened. Also, if it is something light like oils, I put them into a zip locked bag first so if there’s spillage, its contained 🙂
it must have been heavy, but what an epic kit! i might pack and bring full size products if i am just going for a staycation, where i won’t be required to lug everything around or across cities.
I don’t bring full size products when i travel because i want to leave room for my purchases too! i would bring small sachets of samples and decant a little of my usual skincare and bring it along. just in case i break out from the samples. i tend to bring more eyeshadows because i like to have variety. and i always favour palettes like stila’s travel palette with 4 eyeshadows and 2 blushes.
haha… having learnt the hard way, I now travel very light on holiday because like you, I just know I”m bound to pick something up on my travels! So why go with a heavy bag and come back even heavier eh? I used to decant before but I don’t bother now. I just pick up sample sachets of products and use them as I go. 😉
Oh my lord. That is seriously epic!
I only carry full size products when I don’t have samples or smaller bottles that I can decant it into (that sounded grammatically wrong!). Having said that, I would probably go all out with full size products if I were to go on, say, a week long holiday. My greatest fear is running out of my moisturizer and sunblock!
I never thought about that Sooyin! It might be because I haven’t been away for longer than a week for ages 🙁 But still, unless I’m planning to go to a remote island I always keep a mental list of drugstore items I can use so if I really do run out then I head to the nearest drugstore and pick something up. Nice excuse to pick up something new too LOL!
PLEASE do a review on………..Diorskin Nude Hydrating Concealer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hehehhe..TQVM 🙂
I will! 😀 loads of people are asking too 😀
Looking at the stuff you brought, wow, I BROUGHT NOTHING during the Nuffnang AP Blog Awards! hahahaha I love all the make up you have and I will definitely get my hands on that Bourjois foundation! I’ve read nothing but raves!
Haha that’s because you were flying! If I was flying, I might have brought 1/4 of all that 😛 But it was by road so I could bring my whole house if I wanted… or maybe not eh? 😉 Do try that Bourjois foundation. It is amazing!
I’m glad you showed us this! I was so curious.
Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum is one of your HG products? I must check it out then.
I want to try Vichy Normaderm purifying gel cleanser too, after reading your review too. Wish it was easier to get though.
Haha, your sister. 😉 I’d like to know your full review on Diorskin Nude Hydrating Concealer!
I don’t travel much, I usually just head to the beach on my vacation days.
I actually only got into makeup/skincare since last fall.
I don’t have many samples/sample containers so I bring my full size products most of the time. At the beach, I don’t bring much.
Oh yes, I love the Estee Lauder ANR now. I stopped using it for a while but I went back to it recently and I can see the difference its made to my skin. Try and see if you can get a sample because I know it doesn’t work for everyone. When I go to the beach, the only thing I bring is moisturiser, hydrating serum and sunscreen. Nothing else is needed! 😀
Good to know I’m not the only one with a massive haul of skincare while travelling! My skincare/makeup travel kit usually weigh around 4 kg and my sisters always made fun of me about carrying so much weight with me even when it’s only for an overnight stay! Most people won’t care how they look when they travel coz it’s a ‘holiday’ to a place nobody will recognize them they say but seriously, I still want to look good in my pictures! I bring full-sized products most of the time except for the cleanser since I have a massive collection of sample cleansers. I won’t pack much makeup though, I’ll usually just bring BB cream or compact powder and a couple of lipsticks. I’ll probably come back home with a heavier kit too since I have a habit of buying more new skincare and makeup while travelling.
I think I’m beginning to agree with you Liz. Just because we’re on holiday and no one may know us is no reason to look awful right? No need to go all out but no need to look like a drag either 😉 I don’t usually carry this much when I’m on holiday because I like to travel light. I went to Europe for almost 2 weeks with just one carry on! I like challenging myself this way but of course, coming back is a whole different story 😉
this is EPIC!!!! @.@ i dont think anyone beside makeup artist carry such a load hahaha… and all so luxurious!!!
*drool*
can u please review on the Diorskin Nude Hydrating Concealer???? please please please~~
i ran out of concealer…went to the shu uemura after reading your review on the point concealer (enabler Paris! XD) but apparently there’s some problem on the japan site and all outlets i went to are out of stock and they arent sure when the new ones will be coming.. =(
Yikes! I was also told by someone else that the Shu Uemura concealer is so hard to find. I wonder why! I’ll run a review on the Dior concealer soon. Got lots of requests so I’ll bump it up the list!
thank you Paris!
this may be too much for u (u can ignore my babbling, i do know u are more busy than usual this few weeks, noticed from the speed u replied comments hehe) but i secretly really really hope it is before 24th! the isetan sale with cosmetic voucher again from this week til 24thJune!!! XD
plan to grab the sheseido’s foundation brush and a concealer hehe
Will try Gin! Yes, work has been nuts these few weeks. Barely have time to myself 🙁
Thank u very much!!
*BiG HUG*. Gambate!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow that’s a lot.
can’t wait to hear your thoughts on the Shiseido sunscreen. i’m very tempted to get it but due to the high price i need to read a few reviews 1st. Unfortunately very few reviews of the new Shiseido sunscreens.
Ah! I was planning to post up a review on the sunscreen soon. Will get to that!
I like to carry full sizes. But it’s mad as hell heavy, because my products come in glass bottles and those vacuum sealed double-layered canister ones (which means it will turn bad more easily if you transfer bottles).
But these days, because I buy a lot more, and get a lot more super good deluxe size samples in the pretty and big pouches (currently have Guerlain, Giorgio Armani, and Dior in bigger tubes and bottles, and a lot, a lot of Chanel tiny samples), I use my samples on travel.
I am ultra fond of buying travel size trial kits too. And when I went to Phuket last year, I used Olivers & Co. organic skincare that comes in a neat cylinder made just for travel. It lasted me the whole 7 days with half the tube to spare.
Oh yeah! I sometimes buy travel kits of skincare to try and they are perfect for taking on a holiday. Most of the time, I’ve learnt that these kits can last for up to 2 weeks! Its great 😀 Well… provided they don’t break me out 😀
Oh yes…that’s sisterhood alright. Both my sisters expect me to bring full-on skincare and makeup when we go back home for holidays or travelling. And the best part is, it’s expected. They don’t even bother warning me about it beforehand, and I’d still know that I have to pack enough for them. Love them to pieces still. 😀
Reviews for the 3 Dior skincare products would be nice. Please? 🙂
Ps. Managed to get the husband to bring back the Sonia Kashuk powder brush for me. LOVE! Can’t believe I’ve been doing my makeup for 4 years without it. 😉
Haha! You have 2 sisters which will make it double the trouble eh? hehe… 😉 I’m about to get to the Dior skincare products actually so this reminder is timely 🙂 Oh, lucky you to get hold of the Sonia Kashuk brush! I use it often too and its really nice!
whoa, so many 🙂 I always carry sample sizes or pouches. and, minus makeup and with sample sizes, mine is always still bulging!!! need to rethink my kit again probably!!!
I know what you mean! I sometimes overpack my samples and then I have to carry them all back again! 😛
Awesome! Epic indeed. I cant get my eyes off on all of these.
Luxurious must haves.
Its like a cosmetic kit for celebrities =)
Haha or maybe a cosmetics kit for a junkie! 😉
Well, the full size items that I carry with me on my travels are:
1) Simple Cleanser – they just don’t come in a small tube and i don’t even have a proper bottle for this – fear of leakage and Simple’s tube, never ever leak (touch wood).
2) Hair treatment (like my hair serum/oil – after all it’s 100ml or 150ml – depending on which one I take. It’s mostly very concentrated although being liquid, it’s safe to be checked in).
3) Hair mask (I use it as my conditioner, the single pack ones are like RM9 for 5 packs!!! Crazy expensive. I will be finishing up the 100ml Nivea cream plastic tub soon. Will be using that to store the mask next round!! :P)
The rest of the stuffs that I bring are either comes in a small bottle or has been transferred to a travel sized bottle. 😀 Heavy I know. I pack so much makeup but I end up using maybe just 1/4 of it when I travel. LOL
That’s interesting that you will carry hair treatments! The last time I did that was to a place where I knew my hair would be awful due to hard water but on regional travel I don’t usually bother and just get a small travel size shampoo and conditioner 😀
I travel very often for work and I only carry travel sizes, everything below 100ml. I even bring travel sizes when I go home for a 2-week vacation 😀 They take so much space in my luggage. Whenever I go home, 3/4 of the stuffs are presents, then when I come back here, my luggage (and my husband’s!) are full of food and skin care, shampoo, etc from home *lol*
When I was studying, I’d go back to Uni with a giant suitcase full of food and groceries! You’d think there was no food to have in the UK LOL! I don’t carry full size items when I travel, this was an exception but a pretty epic exception I might add 😀