You know, the thing with travel makeup bags is that most of what’s inside are fixed costs, or rather, weight.
You need only a few pumps of foundation to last you a week, few swipes of blush, mere millimeters from eyeliner pencils, 0.5% of mascara, and extremely light dabs of lipstick that make almost no difference in height.
Foundation may be transferred into a little makeshift jar, if you insist, but that would quickly deteriorate the quality of the product, and who would take apart a blush or break into half a pencil? Mascara is impossible to modify for travel. Lol. It also makes no sense to transfer lipstick into a separate palette unless you’re bringing a lot of colors, in which case immediately translates into ‘bringing more than necessary’. We probably really only need 3 shades, unless you’re a MUA.
So for the most part, the amount of makeup we bring for a 4-day or 4-week trip is the same. Agree? I know you do! 
Let’s look at what I brought for my 5D4N Okinawa Trip 2012.
1. Makeup bag: I got this from Diesel at KL Premium Outlet. It cost RM120, I think. It’s expensive, but the quality is really good! Waterproof, sturdy, yet light. And the little birdcages print is so cute! This pouch is actually detached from the hanging toiletry bag with 2 more compartments.
2. Urban Decay Naked Palette: Every girl’s must-have in their travel makeup bag, seriously! I brought Naked on my 7-day Taiwan trip too. Other palettes with neutrals will do, but I rely on Naked the most. The neutral shades I use most are Virgin, Naked, Buck, Darkhorse. I used Virgin and Sin a lot more before MUG Shimma Shimma came into the picture.
3. Z Palette with 23 eyeshadows: What?! Need so many for what?! I didn’t know there’re 23 eyeshadows in my Z Palette until I just counted. Lol. I usually have my most used or newest (to try out) eyeshadows in the Z Palette for easy access. I’m going to get the smaller, squared Z Palette so that I can force myself to bring half of these next time I travel. In here are eyeshadows from MAC, Makeup Geek, NYX, Sugarpill, L’Oreal, Kat Von D.
4. MAC Lustre Lipstick in See Sheer: I LOVE See Sheer! It’s a pretty, coral, that brightens up my skin instantly.
5. Revlon Colorburst in Blush: Hmmmm I find this so-so only. It tends to slide off easily.
6. MAC Studio Fix Foundation NC25: I didn’t use this but brought it along in case I don’t have time to stipple liquid foundation on in the morning. Luckily I managed time for my Bourjois 123 Perfect Foundation every morning!
7. MAC Blot Powder Light: One of my daily essentials! Used to set makeup and control oil, in a way. I’ve panned out my MAC Blot Powder Pressed!
8. MAC Beauty Powder Too Chic: I have thrown away/put aside all other highlighters ever since I got MAC Beauty Powder in Too Chic. Looks exceptionally stunning yet natural on yellow-toned skin. It makes me look like I have cheekbones! :O
