Every so often, especially when I can’t find the makeup I’m looking for, I catch myself thinking, “Maybe it’s time to ditch all my products and start fresh.” It never actually comes to that, but if I were to start rebuilding my makeup stash, I know where I would start: multi-use makeup palettes.
Not only would makeup palettes de-clutter my makeup drawer and make packing a breeze, but they’re often the best of all worlds. There are options for eyes, cheeks, and sometimes even lips. Most include bronzers, highlighters, blushes, eye shadows, and contouring shades in various textures, like powders and creams. And thanks to their perfectly coordinated colors, you’ll be surprised at how effortlessly you can mix and match shades to create a look that’s uniquely yours.
Keep reading to shop 10 stunning multi-use face palettes that alone could easily replace the majority of makeup I own.
Top Travel-Friendly Makeup Palettes
1. Les Filles En Rouje La Palette Visage
This French face palette (“la palette visage”) uses coconut oil, jojoba oil, and cocoa butter to create three nourishing blushes and three highlighters. You can wear each shade individually or mixed together, and it also looks gorgeous on the eyelids and lips.
Price: $66
2. CHANEL Les 4 Rouges Yeux et Joues
Explore shades of warm reds with CHANEL’s limited-edition matte and satin eye and cheek palette. Any shade can be used on the cheeks and eyes, plus the gold color makes an excellent highlighter on the cheekbones and in the corner of the eyes.
Price: $90
3. Tarte Maracuja Juicy Eye & Cheek Palette
There’s truly no makeup look you can’t achieve with this palette from Tarte. It has 12 eye shadow shades, two cream blushes, and a darker cream contour shade, all made with “skinvigorating” ingredients like maracuja oil (rich in essential fatty acids and brightening vitamin C), Amazonian clay, skin-softening minerals, and antioxidant-rich vitamin E.
Price: $52
4. Stila Sculpt & Glow All-in-One Contouring & Highlighting Palette
Sculpt, highlight, illuminate, bronze, and add color to cheeks, lips, and eyes with Stila’s do-it-all palette. The lightweight gel formulas build and blend beautifully, leaving your complexion with a luminous glow.
Price: $45
5. Kevyn Aucoin Contour Book Volume III
Celebrity-loved makeup brand Kevyn Aucoin makes sculpting your facial features easier than ever with this powder face palette. It boasts three contour shades, two highlighters, and the most stunning, multi-faceted blush.
Price: $64
6. Make Up For Ever HD Skin All-in-One Face Palette
This cream palette is all the makeup you need-foundation, concealer, color-corrector, contour, blush, and highlighter-in one travel-friendly palette. Harmony 1, or H1, is designed for light-to-medium skin tones, while Harmony 2, or H2, is meant for tan-to-deep skin tones.
Price: $88
7. Danessa Myricks Beauty Groundwork Palette
It’s not easy to include every piece of makeup you need in one palette, but Danessa Myricks comes incredibly close. The talc-free palette contains 10 flattering berry and mauve shades in two unique textures: creamy Velvet Pomade and oil-reducing Shape N’ Fix Powder. Use it on eyes, brows, cheeks, and lips.
Price: $65
8. NARS Laguna Ultimate Face Palette
If a vacation tan could be pressed into a palette, it would look like the NARS Laguna Ultimate Face Palette. It features four eyeshadows, two bronzers, and an illuminating highlighter that melt into skin, make skin look like silk, and deliver all-day warmth.
Price: $59
9. Milani The Look All Inclusive Eye and Cheek Face Palette
For the more amateur makeup appliers like me, I love Milani’s palette because it tells me exactly how to use it. (Not that you can’t mix shades, because with these richly pigmented colors, it would be stunning.) Featuring two blushes, three eyeshadows, a bronzer, and a highlighter, you can’t beat this golden glow for under $20.
Price: $15
10. Well People Power Palette Powder Face Trio
Known for their high-quality, clean makeup, Well People knocks it out of the park again with a plant-based palette made with ingredients like grapeseed oil, jojoba seed oil, and rice starch.
Price: $22
Creating the Perfect Travel Makeup Kit with Mini Products
I have been checking off lots of adventures through Europe, which means I have become a master at packing for long-distance travel. It wasn’t until my trip to France where they lost my luggage with all of my hygiene and makeup products that I began packing more strategically. After this trip, I went to Ulta and Sephora to pick up my entire makeup routine and create the perfect makeup kit for travel using all mini products.
When it comes to creating the perfect makeup kit for travel, it is all in the mini makeup products. Of course, not all of our favorite products come in mini form, but I assure you, I have tried and tested dozens of brands and I am sharing the best formulas in mini makeup form so that you can put together your salon-quality makeup kit for travel. If you want to check out my short tutorial video below to get an idea of the colors I chose for my kit, go for it. I have linked all of the products I use in this video below!
I was amazed to find my favorite Fenty Match Stix contour in mini makeup form at the Ulta inside of Target. When it came to foundation and concealer, I had to play around at the testing stations at Ulta. Here are the face makeup items I decided to add to my makeup kit for travel.
The fluffy consistency is really nice and hydrating without being oily. I use the medium shades in this set. The contour is my usual shade in Truffle. I normally use Tarte Shape Tape for concealer and did find that one in a mini, but not in the creamy form, so I decided to go with Fenty Snackz concealer, which I believe is only available at the Ulta inside of Target at the moment. I did find the Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer in a mini at the main Ulta shop.
So I went with two blushes, mainly because I could only find a mini of my favorite cheek highlighter in a gift set with a mini blush, and I really wanted my favorite Nars Orgasm Blush in mini form. I am very pleased with the liquid blush that came in the Charlotte Tilbury Mini Pillow Talk Cheek Set. While there are lots of Charlotte Tilbury minis at Ulta, I found this little set at the Sephora inside of Kohl's. I had never tried the Pillow Talk blush. This set comes with the Orgasm Glow Blush; I really like pairing this with the Orgasm matte for extra glow.
I went completely new when it came to shadow combos because I couldn’t find my usual Tarte Maneater palette in a mini. After testing lots of minis, I went with the Natasha Denona Mini Biba Eyeshadow Palette. I loved the unique colors in this set. I also tried the Tarte Tubing Mascara and was very pleased with the elongating look. As for the e.l.f. Liquid Waterproof Eyeliner, it isn’t technically a mini, but it fits in my tiny makeup bag so it works for travel makeup. I really like the precision of this waterproof eye liner.
This brow product looks so natural on, and the spoolie tool on the end helps to blend for a natural look. I love a great nude lipstick and was able to find my lipstick in a mini, but not the liner. Like my e.l.f. Waterproof Eyeliner, the lipliner I chose easily fits in my mini makeup bag. I had never tried this one until I started testing out minis in Ulta.
Smart Packing Strategies for Travel Makeup
Since you have an entire makeup line of mini makeup for traveling, you won’t need a large makeup bag. I love these tiny little makeup bags which take up hardly any room in your carry-on, making them the best makeup bags for traveling.
Choosing the Right Travel Makeup Brushes
Choosing the right travel makeup brushes can make your packing more efficient without sacrificing your beauty routine. Opt for travel-sized brushes with protective caps or cases to keep the bristles clean and intact. Multi-functional brushes, like a dual-ended foundation and concealer brush, save space while maximizing utility. Synthetic bristles are a great option for travel since they dry quickly after cleaning and are less prone to damage. I love the brush and mirror travel set I found on Amazon. Don’t forget to pack a mini brush cleaner to maintain hygiene while you’re away.
Maximizing Space with Multi-Use Products
Packing makeup for travel doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your routine or overstuffing your cosmetic bag. With a little strategy, you can bring your favorite beauty products without the stress of spills, breakage, or TSA surprises. When space is limited, multi-use beauty products are your best friend. Think cream blush that doubles as lipstick, bronzer that can act as eyeshadow, or tinted moisturizer with SPF. Even if you prefer full sizes at home, decanting foundations, serums, and setting sprays into travel containers saves space and keeps you TSA-compliant.
TSA Guidelines for Liquids and Creams
Yes, you can absolutely bring makeup on a plane. However, TSA rules apply to certain types of products. Liquids, gels, and creams must be in containers 3.4 ounces (100 ml) or less and fit into one quart-sized clear bag. Powder foundation, powder blush, eyeshadow palettes, and solid lipsticks are typically not subject to liquid limits. Yes, you can bring makeup in your carry-on, but it must comply with TSA guidelines if it falls under liquids or creams.
Tips for Storing and Securing Makeup
Slip a cotton pad inside your compact before closing it. Keep liquids in a clear pouch and powders in a separate cosmetic bag. If you’re checking luggage, place your makeup bag in the center of your suitcase surrounded by soft items like clothing. I always keep a mini pouch in my carry-on with concealer, lip color, mascara, and blotting papers. A bag organizer insert with compartments keeps brushes, palettes, and smaller items from shifting.
Personalized Travel Makeup Selections
I’ve got a very fair neutral cool skin tone, so I prefer my makeup to be cool to neutral toned. I rarely wear warm colors as they tend to turn an unflattering orange on me. I’m still searching for my perfect ‘nude’ blush, so took a few products with me to try for that.
Face Products
- One Size Cheek Clapper 3D Blush Trio Palette in Attention Seeker - described as a true bubblegum pink blush trio (cream, matte, and shimmer).
- Haus Labs Bio-Radiant Gel-Powder Illuminating Highlighter in Rose Quartz - described as a light magenta.
- Haus Labs Color Fuse Longwear Hydrating Glassy Lip + Cheek Blush Balm Stick in Glassy Hibiscus.
- Urban Decay Face Bond Luminizer Waterproof Glow Drops in Silverlake - It’s described as y2k frosted glaze shimmer.
- Kaleidos Space Age Highlighters in Moon Cruiser (rich neon lilac with a cool, moonlit cobalt shift) and Star Surfer (smooth, rosy champagne with silver undertones). Moon Cruiser is my everyday wear highlighter.
- RMS ReDimension Hydra Powder Blush in Crystal Slipper - Described as a sheer, sunkissed buff, this is a light beige brown with subtle pink iridescent shift. If you’re very fair-complexioned and you’re looking for a blonzer (blush plus bronzer) cheek product, I recommend looking at Crystal Slipper.
- RMS ReDimension Hydra Bronzer in Beachwalk Betty - Described as having the sweet kiss of sun with neutral nude undertones for fair skin.
- LYS Triple Fix Blurring and Hydrating Skin Tint Foundation Stick in LN1 Porcelain (very fair skin with neutral undertones). My friends, allow me to unveil the magic of the LYS Triple Fix Blurring and Hydrating Skin Tint Foundation Stick in LN1 Porcelain-a true treasure for my fair skin. This radiant potion is my current beauty muse; I’m so grateful to have a stick foundation that’s easy to use daily. I cherish this stick foundation more than I can say, after having spent a few years without a good stick foundation that I loved. Its application is a delightful ritual: a direct caress onto the skin, blended gently with my fingertips, as the brand recommends, though a brush may also serve if one prefers. In my meticulously planned packing, my foundation brush was left behind, yet the magic of this stick foundation shone through, proving its beauty in its purest form. I’ve done a wear test for the LYS Triple Fix Blurring and Hydrating Skin Tint Foundation Stick, as well as the Axiology Fungdation (#3 on my best foundations list) on my IG stories prior to me going to New Zealand, and both looked great after 12+ hours of wear. If you need a new foundation, I highly recommend checking out LYS Triple Fix Blurring and Hydrating Skin Tint Foundation Stick. The artful blurring technology grants just the right amount of coverage to let one’s inner glow flourish, making it one of my top picks for the best makeup for travel.
- Haus Labs Triclone Skin Tech Hydrating + De-puffing Concealer in 01 Fair Neutral (fair with balanced undertones). The Haus Labs Triclone Skin Tech Hydrating + De-puffing Concealer in 01 Fair Neutral has been my favorite concealer for the past year and it’s still going strong for me.
- Rare Beauty Positive Light Under Eye Brightener in Light (neutral undertones to brighten fair to light complexions). The Rare Beauty Positive Light Under Eye Brightener in Light is just the right amount of coverage for my under-eye area to diffuse and misdirect from shadows underneath the eyes.
- Huda Beauty Easy Bake Blurring Loose Baking & Setting Powder in Poundcake (golden undertones brighten and disguise under-eye darkness). I love this formula so much! The only formula I’ve found that I like better is the Silk Naturals Brightening Powder, but unfortunately they don’t have a dupe for the Poundcake shade. This loose powder formula is vastly superior to the pressed formula in my experience.
- Huda Beauty Easy Bake and Snatch Pressed Talc-Free Brightening and Setting Powder in Poundcake (fair to light-medium skin tones. golden undertones brighten and disguise under-eye darkness). This is the only makeup product that I brought with me that I found disappointing. I need to try a different application method to see if that helps with its performance. While I was hoping that I could use this for touch-ups and to set my foundation, I got shiny when I used this on my own instead of just the loose powder.
- One Size On ‘Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray. I have been singing praises of the One Size On ‘Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray for the past two years and have no plans to stop. It works so well for me, no matter if I’m in hot humid Florida, humid muggy windy New Zealand, or freezing cold once-in-a-century New Orleans snowstorms.
- Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Ultra-Fine Mist. I bought the mist at the recommendation of my friend Kat.
Lip Products
- Buxom Magnetic Mauve Power Line Plumping Lip Liner - This is a beautiful cool-toned mauve pink lip pencil that is my go-to for a MLBB (My Lips But Better) lip pencil.
- Buxom Hush Hush Henna Power Line Plumping Lip Liner - Hush Hush Henna is a nude pink pencil that functions as a neutral warm hue for my skin tone. It looks great when paired with Half-Magic Frosty B*tch Magic Drip Gloss.
- Buxom Recharged Ruby Power Line Plumping Lip Liner - I always need a cool-toned red in my life, and this pencil is perfect for it.
- Untamed Glow Glossy Lip Glazes in Freefall and Penthouse. Penthouse is described as a diamond shine shifting from fuchsia to rose to gold.
- Essence Super Peptide Glossy Lip Treatment. I bought this to see how I liked it as another way to hydrate my lips on the trip.
- Half Magic Magic Drip Glitter Lip Gloss in Y2K Cherub. I adore the Half Magic Magic Drip Glitter Lip Gloss formula, especially Y2k Cherub (bubblegum pink with periwinkle and pink reflects), Problem Child (black with multicolored reflects), and Frosty B*tch (icy peach with multicolored reflects).
- Ve Glamour Magic Gloss in Innocent (PR) (Use code CORDELIA to save 10% at Ve). I love the multichrome iridescence of Innocent! The shimmer and finish are so eye-catching, and the color shift is strong. Even a very minimal layer of gloss gives gorgeous shine and dimension.
- Black Moon Liquid Lipsticks in Sorrow and Armageddon. Sorrow (blackened deep blue with flecks of arctic blue) and Armageddon (blackened metallic red with flecks of copper and lavender) are two of my favorite lipstick colors and formulas that Black Moon has created.
- Flower Bitten Lip Stain in Sass (blue pink). I wore this lip stain a few times while I was in New Zealand. I’m not sure I get the appeal of lip stains as they do wear off, but I love this specific cool-toned blue pink hue.
Eye and Brow Products
- Silk Naturals Tour loose eyeshadow (use code CORDELIA to save 10% at Silk Naturals) is the perfect sheer black matte that is a dream to work with! I dye my brows blue-black these days and use Tour on a slim angled brush to fill in any gaps in my brows.
- I love the Kaleidos Epiphany Glow Melt-On Eyeliners (PR).
- Nyx the Brow Glue in Clear. Now that I’m regularly tinting my eyebrows blue-black, I only need to fill them in minimally.
- Nyx Epic Ink Liquid Liner in Black. I love the look of a big black wing and iridescent eyeshadow with a bright red lip.
- REM Midnight Shadows Lustrous Liquid Eyeshadow in Fembot. I love this liquid eyeshadow in specific. Fembot is a gorgeous shade that shifts to pink, blue, and violet from a mauve beige base. It gives a wet look that is eye-brightening.
- Sigma Eyeshadow Primer Base in Bubbly. Bubbly is described as pinky peach champagne shimmer, and I find that highly accurate.
- I love this eyeshadow so much! I brought it because we went to a festival while we were in New Zealand, and the holographic rainbow effect was perfect!
- Julep Eyeshadow 101 Crème-to-Powder Waterproof Eyeshadow Sticks in Sand Shimmer (light beige champagne shimmer) and Vanilla Matte (light yellow beige matte). I like using these eyeshadow sticks as tinted eyeshadow primer bases, and they look great with multichromes. They’re currently on sale right now, and I’ve picked up Mint (cool-toned pastel green matte), Marigold (yellow gold matte), Periwinkle (blue-violet matte), Black Cherry (burgundy matte), Midnight (blackened blue), and Evergreen (blackened green).
- Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencils in Faux Doe, Cool Coyote, Space Cowboy, and Perversion. Cool Coyote pulls more brown than grey on me, which I did not expect, but is great for more subtle makeup looks and if you’re struggling for a color to put on your lower waterline that will enhance blue-green eyes without overwhelming them, it’s a good option. It’s a nice neutral-cool for me. Perversion is perfection for matte black and great for tightlining at my lashline to make the most of my lashes.
- Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions in Brynn. It’s no secret that this is my favorite mascara ever! It’s vegan, cruelty-free, tubing, and comes in lots of lovely hues including Black, purple, hot pink, green, and blue.
- I brought this singles eyeshadow palette along to have a few of my Devinah shades with me.
- Half-Magic Cheek Fluff Soft Blur Cream Blush in Pink Mushroom. I adore this hybrid cream-to-powder formula that is blurring on the cheeks and easy to blend.
- Devinah pressed eyeshadows in Fairy Fire, Frost Bane, Starfire, Lucius, and Ethereal. Fairy Fire and Frost Bane are eyeshadows that I wear weekly because they make me happy. I love the color shifts and how they catch the light. I love to use Starfire as an accent at the outer lid. Ethereal works as a cool-toned muted nude taupe plum shade, which is a great crease color to make my blue-green eyes pop.
- The BellaBeauteBar Morally Grey palette had to come with me because of the beautiful cool tones and iridescent shades. (use code CORDELIA to save at Bellabeautebar) Not a Villain, Moral Compass, Ambivalence, Indecisive, and Bittersweet were the eyeshadows used the most. For the multiple video interviews that I did, I kept my makeup very minimal and neutral, using the BellaBeauteBar Morally Grey palette.
- I used the Bellabeautebar Dead Roses palette the most! Friend Zone, Not Yours, As If, Drop Dead, U Wish, Thank U Next, and UR the Worst were my most used shades. I wore the Bellabeautebar Dead Roses palette the most because of all the beautiful multichromes in it.
Reflections on Travel and Cultural Differences
Jet lag has been brutal on the way back. Despite meticulously planning our return flight to get in around 9 PM, our flights were delayed by several hours, pushing an already long 22-hour travel day past 24 hours. It’s taken me a week to get to where I feel something close to normal. I’m so grateful to be able to visit New Zealand and experience what everyday life is like there. The easiest way I’ve found to describe the difference is that American culture is very ‘me’ focused, while New Zealand culture is very ‘we’ focused. And I prefer the ‘we’ focus, to make society a better place. Not enough people care about community, their neighbors, and people who are not like them in the USA. The lack of empathy is a real problem. I’m tired of having to explain to people why they should care about others who are not exactly like them. I’m exhausted that people don’t understand that we need to take care of the environment and not pollute it. It’s disgusting that there are individuals who think that those with chronic illness should just die and that vaccines don’t work.
Unrelated, I’ve drastically cut back on my time on social media platforms. I’ve not been updating Instagram daily like I used to. Instead, I’m reading as many books as I can manage so that I’m not doom scrolling. What are you doing for self-care and to protect your health?
Cordelia Frost is a leading expert in cruelty-free indie beauty, gothic fashion, and bold alternative makeup for pale and very fair skin. For nearly two decades, she’s shared her in-depth knowledge on Phyrra.net, helping people find the best products and techniques for hooded and deep-set eyes, unique complexions, and creative style. Cordelia is the author of the acclaimed “Hooded Eyes Makeup Manual,” and she has been featured on TV, at major beauty industry events, and in partnerships with brands like Idun Minerals, Urban Decay, Too Faced, and Nyx Cosmetics.