Finally! The Breakdown of What is in that Epic Cosmetics Travel Kit!

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? 😉

1. 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)
2. 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)
3. Diorsnow White Reveal Moisturizing Lotion – a hydrating lotion (toner)
4. 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.
5. Diorsnow White Reveal Day Essence – this one’s a whitening essence and my day serum at the time
6. 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.
7. 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 🙂
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. Clinique Even Better Spot Corrector – Just part of a desperate attempt to keep dark spots at bay 😛
13. Melvita Floral Water – Love this for everything! Setting makeup, cooling down skin, dampening skin to help skincare absorb better… love it!
14. 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.
15. 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! 😛

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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!
4. Shu Uemura Hard Formula Brow Pencil 9 – Another one I’d never stray from.
5. 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.
6. 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!
7. 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!
8. 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 …
9. 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.
10. Guerlain Meteorites Perles de Nuit – No dress up makeup kit of mine is complete without one tub of these magic balls!
11. 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.
12. 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!
13. 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!
14. Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler – ’nuff said!
15. 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.
16. 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.
17. 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!
18. 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.
19. 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!

1. 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 😛
2. Lunasol Cheek Brush – The softest bestest blush brush I have. Worth every hard earned penny I turned over for this one.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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