The right makeup bag is one of those things you don’t think about until you need it and don’t have it. Rummaging through a carry-on for your lip liner at the airport is not fun. The best makeup bags for travel keep your products protected, organized, and easy to grab without turning your bag upside down. They should be water-resistant and wipe-clean (spills happen), and sized for whatever you actually carry, whether that’s four products or forty.
The options below cover different styles and price points. Browse more picks in the Beauty section.
Best makeup bags for travel: 7 solid options
1. Béis The Cosmetic Case
At 9.5 x 7 x 4 inches, the Béis Cosmetic Case is compact enough for a carry-on but roomier inside than it looks. The main section has three suitcase-style compartments, the lid includes a slip pocket and a detachable mirror, and a magnetized brush holder with a pouch closure attaches inside. The poly lining is water-resistant, and the faux leather exterior holds its shape when packed. The main downside is the limited color selection.
2. Meiyuuo Waterproof Makeup Bag
A good pick if you carry both makeup and skincare. The main compartment is deep enough for sunscreen bottles, serums, and bulkier items, and five brush slots in the lid keep applicators from getting lost at the bottom. The exterior is smooth vegan leather, the nylon lining wipes clean. The tradeoff is no internal dividers, so things will shift around if you’re packing it full.
3. Dagne Dover Hunter Toiletry Bag
The Hunter is small on purpose: at 7.5 x 4.5 x 4 inches, it’s sized for carry-on essentials only. Neoprene makes it easy to wipe down, and it comes with a removable zip pouch, a dust bag, and three elastic loops that work well for brushes or lip pencils. The color range is genuinely good. Because it’s soft-sided, skip it for checked luggage.
4. Stephanie Johnson Belize Stellar Martha Large Cosmetics Case
If you travel with your full makeup setup, this suitcase-style case gives you room to work with. Three removable compartments let you organize however you want, and a clear zip pocket along the interior wall keeps frequently used items visible. The tall handles are useful for hanging it on a bathroom door, which helps when counter space is tight.
5. Glossier The Beauty Bag
This one stands up on its own, which is more useful than it sounds. At 9.5 x 7 x 3 inches, it fits full-size brushes and skincare bottles without taking up much suitcase space. Multiple interior pockets keep things from sliding around, and the coated cotton exterior handles the occasional liquid mishap. It only comes in pink, which is a dealbreaker for some and a non-issue for others.
6. Victoria’s Secret 4-Piece Makeup Bag
A set rather than a single bag: one large main pouch and three smaller zip pouches that can be used together or separately. Transparent panels make it easy to find what you need without digging, and the color and print options are more varied than most. Good value if you like to split up your products by category.
7. Cuyana Voyager Travel Case
The most polished option on this list. Smooth Argentinian leather and gold-tone hardware give it a look that works as a clutch when you’re not traveling. Inside, two wall pockets and a zip compartment keep products from shifting, and it fits full-size makeup and skincare without trouble. For liquid and sizing rules, the TSA’s carry-on guidelines are worth a read before you pack.
Choosing the right bag
If you pack light, a small neoprene bag like the Dagne Dover Hunter is enough. For a full routine, the Béis or Cuyana hold more and stay organized. The best makeup bags for travel come down to what you carry and how you carry it, but any of these will do the job better than stuffing products into a zip-lock bag.