Minimal makeup bag

I asked AI to generate a picture with a prompt ‘makeup bag' and ‘makeup products'

<— Update August 24 - ‘makeup bag’ created by AI

Ever wondered how a few lifestyle changes could lead to a pared-down makeup collection? Well, it happened to me! Here's how I embraced a more practical approach to makeup, and some tips for building your own minimal makeup collection.

My journey towards a minimalist makeup bag was influenced by a number of factors:

• Relocating and traveling (the ever-present anxiety of packing/forgetting things 😬)

• Realizing that - at the end of the day, I didn't use many products, leading to wastage

• Acknowledging that having an extensive makeup collection is unnecessary unless it's a professional or financial investment (such as being a makeup artist or content creator)

• Wearing makeup infrequently (I do probably 3-4x/week) makes having a large collection even less practical

• Skincare > makeup. Always.

• Prioritizing a few high-quality products over a vast collection

• Remembering that makeup products have expiration dates and using expired items can cause allergies (did you know you’re supposed to replace mascara every 3-4 months?) - so it’s better to rotate products frequently as opposed to having multiples of the same category (one blush, one mascara, one eyebrow product…).

• It just makes 💰 sense to be pragmatic as well

Things to consider when building your makeup collection

Probably the most important thing to take into account is to think about what works for you - your face and features, skin tone, colour of your hair, eyes etc.

Not everyone can pull off a red lipstick, or a cateye - or a particular colour of an eyeshadow. Unpopular opinion - not everyone suits thick eyebrows. Those things can be overpowering and lead you to not that smart decisions when buying and investing in makeup products.

So, think about what works for you:

• best thing you can do is to book a session with a professional makeup artist - get their advice on how to approach your routine, what you should highlight etc.

• invest accordingly - opt fo quality products that make sense and save on others (e.g. I’d rather invest in quality foundation and save on eyebrow pencil)

• Focus on what complements your features, rather than following trends

• Adapt products to you age - stuff that worked in your early 20s probably won’t be a fit in 30s

My 10 min makeup

My makeup stack:

Here's a rundown of my carefully curated collection:

1. Foundation: I invest in quality foundations and keep only two shades - a lighter one for winter and a slightly darker one for summer. I make sure to replace them every year.

2. Concealer - hydrating one for winter and another one for summer

3. Multipurpose Lip to Cheek: A versatile product that works for lips, blush, and even as an eyeshadow.

4. Highlighter Stick: I prefer stick highlighters over liquid ones for their ease of use.

5. Eyebrow Pencil: Tinted gels just don't work for me, so I stick to a trusty pencil.

6. Translucent Eyebrow Gel: A must-have for taming and shaping my brows.

7. Lipliner: To achieve perfectly defined lips.

8. Small eyeshadow palette

9. Stick Eyeshadows: Great for traveling

10. Eyeliner

11. Mascara: I can't emphasize this enough - keep only one open and replace often

12. Eyelash Curler: A necessity for me to achieve those perfect curls.

13. Lip Balm: A nighttime essential for keeping my lips moisturized.

14. Moisturizing Lipstick: I choose this over liquid gloss for its hydrating benefits and a similar glossy finish

Minimal makeup bag for traveling

How to keep your makeup game strong and your luggage light? Here’s a couple of hacks on how to keep your makeup bag lean. Minimum amount of liquids and multi purpose products ftw.

• Stick Foundation or Concealer: Ideal for on-the-go coverage and easy touch-ups, saving space in your bag.

• Lip to Cheek Product: A versatile hero that adds color to your lips, cheeks, and even eyes, all in one convenient package.

• Eyebrow Pencil

• Mascara: Pack a travel-sized version to give your lashes that extra oomph

• Eyeliner

• Stick Eyeshadow: One multi-purpose shade that's a breeze to apply and blend

• Highlighter: Opt for a blendable formula that can be easily combined with your eyeshadow for an added glow on the go.

• Lip Balm

What are your makeup must-haves? Are there any ones you won’t compromise on? Let me know in the comments. :)

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