The best travel makeup bags offer portability, storage, and organization. There are many great options, but the best overall is the Béis On The Go Essential Case. This case features a zippered compartment with clear windows on both sides, allowing you to store numerous products and make cleaning easy. For a hanging option that hooks onto the back of your bathroom door, we recommend the Bagsmart Hanging Travel Makeup Bag. If you prefer a monogrammed leather set, the Cuyana Travel Case Set is elegant and durable.
The best travel makeup bag is one that is spacious enough to hold all your essentials, yet easy to carry… [+] It's small enough to slip into your luggage or carry-on.
Illustration: Forbes / Image: Retailer
Below, we'll introduce more travel makeup bags that are perfect for any type of trip, from pouches to sets, and we've also rounded up the best jewelry cases for travel.
Best Overall Travel Makeup Bag: Béis The On The Go Essential CaseBest Hanging Travel Makeup Bag: Bagsmart Hanging Travel Makeup BagBest Travel Makeup Bag for Organization: Relavel Travel Makeup CaseBest Affordable Travel Makeup Bag: Drunk Elephant Midi Dopp KitCompact Travel Makeup Bag: Dagne Dover Mila Toiletry OrganizerBest Travel Makeup Bag Set: Cuyana Travel Case SetTravel Makeup Bag with Pouch: Lululemon Go Getter PouchClear Travel Makeup Bag: Calpak Small Clear Cosmetics Case
Dimensions: 7.5 x 3.5 x 5.25 inches | Weight: 0.56 pounds | Materials: PU leather, PVC exterior, PU lining | Closure: Double U-zip
Best for:
Easy to clean exterior Clear window Heavy duty zipper
Skip if:
If you have a small carry-on luggage or personal items, this makeup bag will take up a lot of space
Béis is best known for its popular travel bags, but the brand also offers great travel accessories. The company's On The Go Essential Case is a favorite of Forbes Vetted Senior Travel Editor Astrid Taran, who brings it on every trip. “I pack my small cosmetic bottles in the top pocket and my dental essentials in the bottom compartment,” she says. “The makeup bag feels sturdy and the exterior is super easy to clean, and I love that it has clear windows on both sides so I can always find the product I'm looking for.”
Unlike some makeup cases with multiple organizational pouches, this case only has two compartments. However, it's very spacious, so the top pocket can easily hold up to five vials of face cream or spray, as well as multiple tubes and compacts. The bottom pocket is handy if you want to separate certain products from others (like keeping hairspray away from lipstick). The handle on top also makes it easy to carry to the bathroom. Although this bag is small, it is a bit bulky, so it's not ideal for small carry-on bags or backpacks.
Dimensions: 11 x 3.7 x 7.9 inches | Weight: 1.8 pounds | Material: Recycled polyester | Closure: Zipper
Best for:
For those who want vertical storage Transparent storage Easy to clean
Skip if:
I need a lighter option
If your hotel bathroom counter space is tight or you want to organize your cosmetics vertically, this hanging travel makeup bag from Bagsmart is a good solution. It features a 360-degree rotating hook and five interior zippered pockets to store a variety of items, including compacts, tubes, and small bottles. The main interior pocket conveniently features an elastic strap to hold bottles upright to prevent spills. For extra storage, the exterior pocket can hold makeup remover wipes and other accessories. Note that this bag is on the heavy side, so it may become bulky if you pack too much into it.
Dimensions: 10.3 x 9 x 3.6 inches | Weight: 1.5 pounds | Material: Nylon, TPU | Closure: Zipper
Best for:
Organized travelers Plenty of storage space Carrying smaller or unconventional products
Skip if:
This case is large enough that you can travel with a slim bag
If you travel with lots of brushes, sponges, and other makeup tools, this Relavel makeup case is perfect for keeping you organized. It has five dividers that you can move around to accommodate your products, and it's spacious enough to hold multiple foundation bottles, serums, and a few makeup brushes. You can also use the dividers to create a little space for less-commonly shaped products, like egg-shaped beauty sponges or hair clips.
Both the exterior and interior fabrics of the case are durable and waterproof, so you don't have to worry about spills, and the dividers are sturdy to keep your contents in place. Note that with lots of storage space, this bag can be bulky, so it's better suited as checked baggage rather than carry-on.
Dimensions: 8 x 2.5 x 6 inches | Weight: Not specified | Materials: Vegan leather, plastic | Closure: Zipper
Best for:
For budget travelersTransparentEasy-to-clean materials
Skip if:
One pocket isn't enough
Drunk Elephant has developed a loyal following for its skincare products, but it also offers chic storage accessories, like this neat Dopp Kit. It fits easily into a weekend bag or backpack and is deep enough to hold multiple bottles, compacts, tubes, and brushes. And at an attractive $20, it's the best value option on this list. Its waterproof exterior means you can toss it in your bag for beach trips. However, it only has one pocket, which might not suit your organizational needs if you carry a variety of makeup tools.
Dimensions: 5.5 x 5.5 x 5.5 inches | Weight: 6 ounces | Material: Repreve recycled polyester exterior and interior | Closure: Zipper
Best for:
Small bottles and tubes Bright color options Fits in a weekender bag or tote bag
Skip if:
Tendency to overpack products
Some trips call for a more natural feel, and that's where Dagne Dover's stylish and compact toiletry organizer comes in handy. Its cylindrical shape means it can easily slip into a tote or weekender bag, and it has a sturdy zipper top and top handle. Though this bag is small, it still packs a surprising amount of organizational features, 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, pop-your-own colors, including Tangerine, Deep Sea, and Heat Wave. As with most Dagne Dover products, it is spot clean only, so follow the care instructions.
Dimensions: 7 x 12 x 3.5 inches (large), 5 x 8 x 2.5 inches (small) | Weight: 1 lb | Material: Argentinian Leather | Closure: Zipper
Best for:
Wide opening allows you to store small items separately from larger items Stylish and elegant appearance
Skip if:
If you're on a budget, this set is pricey
Different trips call for different looks, so it's handy to have a travel makeup bag set in different sizes. This set includes a larger bag that can hold four bottles of makeup, four tubes, two to three compacts, and a few brushes, as well as a smaller case for compact items like under-eye gels and serums. You can split your products between the two bags and carry both, or use each separately depending on the type of trip you're on. The two cases stack together for easy storage, and both are made from sleek pebbled leather (which you can even monogram).
Dimensions: 8.7 x 3.3 x 6.3 inches | Weight: Not specified | Material: Recycled polyester | Closure: Zipper
Best for:
Fits easily into a tote or weekender bag Waterproof and easy to clean
Skip if:
More organization is needed
Like their sporty apparel, Lululemon's travel makeup pouch is designed for active days. It's made from recycled polyester that's waterproof, wipes clean easily, and is small enough to fit most of your personal items. It has a main pocket that can hold a few small makeup bottles, compacts, and tubes, as well as a small front compartment that can hold a few small to medium-sized brushes. It's also reasonably priced at $38. However, there are no dividers or organizational spaces outside of the main pocket and front compartment, so you might have to fumble around a bit if you overpack.
Dimensions: 8.25 x 6 x 4 inches | Weight: 0.85 pounds | Material: Polyurethane and PVC | Closure: Zipper
Best for:
Transparent, lightweight, waterproof
Skip if:
This clear cosmetic case from popular travel brand Calpak is completely transparent, making it easy to find what you're looking for. It features two spacious interior pockets, an easy-to-grab handle, and stylish piping color around the edges. It's also relatively lightweight for its size. The only downside is that the product compartments fold together and face each other, making it difficult to close if you pack it too full.
Why Trust Forbes Vetted
The Forbes Vetted travel team has researched, written, and published dozens of in-depth roundups on travel gear, including the best travel tote bags, the best packing cubes, and more.
This article was written by Astrid Taran, Senior Travel Editor at Forbes Vetted. She has seven years of industry experience, visited over 35 countries, and traveled with all kinds of travel makeup bags. In writing this article, she used her knowledge to explain the differences between everyday makeup bags and makeup bags made for travel.
How to Choose the Best Travel Makeup Bag
We base our recommendations on expert advice, independent reviews, research, and personal experience. Taran has personally used many of the options on this list during his travels around the world.
To help our readers find the best travel makeup bag that suits their needs, we analyzed several important features like capacity, material, overall design, etc. The final product on this list is the result of extensive research by our writers and meticulous review by our editorial team.
What to consider when buying a travel makeup bag
Not all makeup bags are suitable for travel, so keep the following points in mind when choosing the best travel makeup bag.
portability
Consider the type of bag or suitcase you'll put your travel makeup bag in. Depending on how much space you have, you'll want to choose a makeup bag that can easily fit with your personal items without adding too much weight or bulk. For smaller bags or totes, consider the Lululemon Go Getter Pouch or Dagne Dover Mila Toiletry Organizer. If you plan on bringing your travel makeup bag in your carry-on suitcase, the Béis On The Go Essentials Case will fit easily, but the larger Relavel Travel Makeup Case should be packed in your checked luggage.
capacity
The amount of beauty products you usually take on trips is a good indicator of how much capacity you need in your travel makeup bag. If you have a ton of beauty tools, like makeup brushes and other grooming products, a bag with more storage capacity is a good choice. For a lighter set, a smaller makeup bag will suffice. You can also use a travel set, like the Cuyana Travel Case Set, to separate your products into two cases. You can take a smaller makeup bag for shorter trips and a larger bag for longer trips.
Organization
Beauty products come in all shapes and sizes, from tubes to compacts. Depending on how you like to organize your products, you may want to choose a travel makeup bag with organization features. The Dagne Dover Mila Toiletry Organizer and Relavel Travel Makeup Case both feature adjustable compartments that let you organize your products by shape and size. For travelers who like to see all their products side-by-side, a hanging travel makeup case like the Bagsmart Travel Makeup Bag is a great choice.
