This post is a part of my Japan 2014 Beauty Series. It's my take on "beauty-travel blogging" where I post exclusively about fashion, makeup, skincare and shopping while travelling to another land.
Click here for all posts on the Japan 2014 Beauty Series.
Click here for the overview post.
Whenever I travel, I want to be Packing Beauty-full... to be Fucking Beautiful... get it, get it??? Harharhar.
A smaller pouch or pocket 5 of my Beabi Sassari bag should suffice. Ever since I learned how to do my face, even way before I got into beauty blogging, I've relied on this huge, chubby pouch for all my extra makeup bits.
It's a Clinique freebie (thanks to my Clinique mom!) It's a great size and can carry a few small palettes and some tubes of foundation, along with a handful of tools and tons of other little sticks and pots. It's pretty gaunt at this state due to my brush downsizing.
Observe:
TOOLS:
Sephora Face and Eye Travel Tool Kit
Shiseido Perfect Foundation Brush
Zoeva 142 Concealer Buffer Brush
Suesh Spoolie
Revlon Lash Curler
From a handful of full-size MAC brushes, I'm glad to have pared it down to this compact Sephora Tool Kit with the Shiseido Perfect Foundation Brush tucked inside. In my review of the Sephora Kit, I'd lamented how it included just one face brush because I needed at least 2; 1 for wet and 1 for dry products. I said I'd just use my hands for liquid products but I realized I can't deal with the mess.
I ate a bit more space with the Zoeva 142 and Suesh Spoolie. I'd already settled on not touching any makeup so I brought a concealer buffer. Belatedly, I realized I could double-duty the Shisiedo brush for the liquid base and concealer work.
The spoolie gets packed because grooming both brows and overly clumped lashes is so difficult without it.
Next-Time Notes: Everything in this list was 100% utilized. Actually, the brush kit was a little underutilized but that's because the local eye looks I followed were pretty simple and not really smoked out.
I think I can settle on this bunch of tools for travelling. I used to pack a more compact battery-operated lash wand (featured in my caddybag) but it's too much of a pain that I carried a bulkier lash curler.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light
Benefit High Beam
Chanel CC Cream SPF 30 / PA+++
MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW 20
Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light Peach
MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Soft Ochre
Lorac PRO Palette 1
I took the longest deciding on foundation. I have a lot of good BB creams on hand and I could go with my thicker options since it was winter when I went (Dec. 30-Jan. 3). In the end, I chose the lightweight but highly prettifying Chanel CC Cream. I'm not sure I made the right call on a lightweight base for winter.
Next-Time Notes: I wish I didn't bring Benefit High Beam. I don't even think I use it in the Philippines and in terms of highlighters, I like the finishing effect of Hourglass Diffused Light more. I also regret bringing 2 concealers and maybe should have just stuck with the Bobbi Brown Corrector.
Good call on bringing the matte MAC Soft Ochre paint pot. It was much more versatile than the shimmery Bare Study, which I feel influences mattes to be shimmery. Also, Lorac PRO may be slightly long but it's worth twice its size in versatility.
NYX Lip Liner Pencil in 841 Coral
Too Cool for School Glam Rock Smoky Nudy Lipstick in #1 Pale Beige
Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Supreme Matte Lipstick in M PK 376 (a.k.a. Gangnam Pink)
MAC Matte Lipstick in Russian Red
I prepared for gradient lips but apparently, that Korean trend does not apply in Japan. My lip choices were a huge bust! I ended up actually using my NYX Lip Liner, TCFS Glam Rock and a Bloom Lip Tint I had in my purse's makeup kit- this pouch is my checked-in kit!
Next Time Notes: Aside from one bold and one nude option, it pays to have an MLBB option. Thank God I had one in my purse's makeup kit- I hadn't considered it!
Heroine Make Quick Eyebrow in 01 Dark Brown
Heroine Make Impact Frame and Curl Mascara
Too Cool For School Double Long Lash Shaper Mascara
I brought one brow product and it was great. This thing stays on me for the whooole day, even if I grease up.
I brought 2 mascaras, one was for doll eyes (Heroine Make) and one was for a more natural look (TCFS). I wasn't sure how to pack my mascaras but I ended up using the Heroine Make mascara 2 out of 5 days, and no mascara on the 3 days I used false lashes.
Next-Time Notes: Do I keep on pretending that sample size mascaras are good for travel even if I don't bring them along when I go on vacation???
NYX Wonder Pencil in 01 Light
Heavy Rotation Perfect Liquid Eyeliner N in Black
Eye of Horus Natural Eye Pencil in Black
Clinique Quickliner For Eyes in 03 Roast Coffee
Clinique Quickliner For Eyes Intense in 02 Intense Plum
Essence Long Lasting Eye Pencils:
01 Black Fever
05 C'est La Vie!
09 Cool Down
12 I Have A Green
16 Coolest Chick
17 Tu-Tu-Turquoise
Huge bust.
I thought to myself: the Japanese are all about the eyes, so I packed graphic and colorful eyeliners. When I landed, I saw only black liners and huge lashes. I ended up using only the Heavy Rotation Liquid Liner for a winged line, the NYX Wonder Pencil to refresh my constantly tired waterline and the Clinique Quickliner in Roast Coffee to frame my lower lashline. That's 3 out of 11, which could easily be a 2-for-11 because I could have used the Lorac PRO for my lower lashline but i wanted redemption for my eyeliner overpacking.
Next-Time Notes: Have some fucking restraint, woman.
I failed on the eyeliners in the same way people who win the lottery lose it all in a year or so: I didn't know what to do with all the newfound space and ended up squandering it in a panic.
Nonetheless, I'm happy with my makeup pouch. I could easily zip it up even as I overpacked. Before the Sephora Kit came along, I had to meticulously tuck brush hairs in to avoid getting zipped and I lugged so much stuff I'd never use that my pouch nearly burst at the seams.
Are you an overpacker or an acetic monk who can get by with nothing? Let me know in the comments!