What’s In My *Work Trip* Makeup Bag
The makeup I packed for a recent work trip...
The Beauty Ed®’s Note: This article contains affiliate links
I think you’ll be surprised - I don’t actually take too much away with me when I travel for work, and it’s not just because of luggage restrictions. I’m a creature of habit when it comes to my makeup look and I like to keep it simple. I always revert back to the same ‘no makeup, makeup routine’.
As a beauty editor who has spent over two decades testing literally thousands of products, I’ve learned that packing light or choosing the simple, less-is-more route, isn’t about compromising; it’s about making sure you’re using products that are multi-tasking and work hard for the result. I just want a fresh, glowy look with zero effort.
Here’s exactly what made the cut for my recent work trip:
1. The Best Luxury Base: Victoria Beckham Foundation Drops
These Victoria Beckham Foundation Drops are the new mainstay in my makeup bag. I wrote a detailed review about them here and while I admit, they’re not cheap, and I didn’t pay for this sample myself as they were sent to me to try by the PR, I will definitely be stocking up when I run out.
Why they works for midlife skin: What I love about them is that they have added skincare benefits and the finish is really natural. As you get older, I think a lot of women tend to put on more product, but less is definitely more - anything heavy is going to sink into any open pores or your creases! And these are really easy to blend with your fingers or a brush.
The Only Problem: No added SPF. There’s probably a formulation reason for that, because SPF can make a product a bit chalky. So don’t forget to wear an SPF underneath. I wore it right on top of the new No7 Prime Forever SPF 50 Primer, and it sat beautifully. No balling or pilling.
2. The Multi-Tasking Concealer: Jones Road Your Skin Foundation Stick
For this trip, I wanted a concealer-cum-base that I could swipe over my skin quickly (there was a couple of early morning starts) and for speed and ease of use, I always recommend the Jones Road Beauty Your Skin Foundation Stick which I previously reviewed HERE.
Application Tip: I suffer with redness around my nostrils so I blended some there, plus I’ve got a little broken vein on the top of my nose that needs a bit of extra coverage. This can be used all over for a lovely, natural base too!
3. The Brightening Eye Secret: Beauty Pie Under Eye Genius Corrector
I don’t use under-eye concealer anymore. I used to, but then my makeup artist friend Donna May advised me not to. She said, “I don’t think you need it, I don’t think a lot of women need it unless you’ve got really, really dark circles.” She reckons makeup looks so much better without it.
So instead of using it under my eyes, I actually apply the Beauty Pie Under Eye Genius Corrector directly onto my eyelids!
The Result: It gives a really gorgeous effect. It blends away any redness and makes your eyes appear brighter and more open. It creates a nice base for eyeshadow too. Or just wear it on its own.
4. The Easy Eye Routine: Jones Road ‘Just A Sec’ & Sweed Cloud Mascara
The Eyeshadow: I love the Jones Road Beauty ‘Just A Sec’ Eyeshadows in Baby Pink and Pewter. They are really lovely with a shimmery gel-like texture and give enough ‘be-dazzle’ to dress up my daytime look to night-time. I just pop my finger in the pot, apply a wash over my eyelids, and it gives that really lovely natural shimmer that catches the light.
The Mascara: I packed my Sweed Satin Kajal Kohl Eyeliner in Black to tight-line, but I don’t think I even used it the weekend that I was away - I just went for a quite bare eye look. But I did use the Sweed Cloud Mascara in Black. I love it because the wand is really slim and plastic instead of really fibrous, which I find just smudges really easily. This one gets right in the corners.
5. The Perfect Everyday Lip: Victoria Beckham Lipstick in ‘Sway’
For lips, I took the Victoria Beckham Posh Lipstick in Sway. It’s like a pinky nude which works for day and night events. I also packed the Jones Road Beauty The Lip Pencil in Tawny Nude with me, but I skipped that step this trip.
6. The Face-Framing Brow Gel: REFY Clear Brow Sculpt
Doing my brows is a step that I’ve recently added into my regular makeup routine - probably in the last year or so. For this trip, I used the REFY Clear Brow Sculpt.
Why it’s a favourite: This clear gel fixes your brows in place and gives them that laminated look, that’s really natural. Setting your eyebrows just really gives a nice structure to your face. If you want a tinted one, try this one by Merit.
7. The One Product I Never Skip: Nudestix Nudies Bloom
I would gladly skip foundation, but I hardly ever skip blusher. As a beauty editor, I’ve tried hundreds, and the Nudestix Nudies Bloom in Cherry Blossom is a new fav!
The Formula: It has the perfect amount of slip and staying power without looking greasy.
The Packaging: What I also love about this product is that one end has product - you just dab the stick onto your cheeks - and then you take the lid off the other end, and you’ve got a really lovely flat brush to blend the color in. So handy! And space-saving. I really love that.