I've recently been back from a 2-week trip to London and Paris at the beginning of September. I'm no stranger to traveling internationally for the long-haul ( 2 weeks or more) and usually have one at least once a year. However, I do have to say that I've only recently mastered the art of packing my makeup and toiletries so that it does not occupy a third of my large suitcase.

I used to pack up so much makeup even though my trips were only a few days. It didn't matter that I tried to pack light in terms of clothes and shoes, my toiletries and makeup caused me still have a very full luggage. After a few attempts at trimming down what I pack, I think I've finally got it, so here are some of my most important packing tips!

1. Utilize Travel Containers - Instead of purchasing smaller versions of your shampoo and makeup products, get those empty travel containers instead from the Container Store or Travel Section at Target. Not only will you save money because travel-sized products tend to actually be more expensive than their full-size counterparts, you also can be sure that you are bringing the products that you actually use instead of settling with whatever travel-size product you find at the travel bins section. I utilize this especially when it comes to foundation, primers and face moisturizers. I use the mini sample jars from department stores (or you can buy them as well), load them up with product and label them. Most of those sample jars contain up to 3-7 days worth of products, it just depends on how much product you need per use. You can also make multiples of them for longer trips.

2. Z Palettes or other Empty Palettes - If you have a lot of makeup in pan/palette form, this is by far the best way to consolidate all your makeup in one palette especially when you are traveling. No longer will you need to worry about bringing smaller pieces of your makeup or the possibility of breaking them because of that. I pretty much made my Z palette of the 9 eyeshadows I will most likely use to do my eyes while on vacation, 3 blushes, a contour shade and a highlight shade as well.

3. Skip Bringing Bath Products Altogether - I have to make a confession, I am really not fussy when it comes to what Bath Products I use, especially during vacations. Before, I tended to just buy whatever Shampoo, Conditioner and Shower Gel I can find in the travel sections of Target . However, as I've travelled more, I've realized that I don't even really end up using the bath products I took with me because I mostly stay in hotels and I pretty much end up using whatever bath products they provide me. When I do stay with relatives, they usually end up providing me some basic bath products. Lastly, if I do not have any bath products wherever I am staying, I usually know that most places I'm traveling to has some sort of drugstore/grocery area when I can buy those travel minis to use during my stay. This may not be the case for you, especially if you're staying at an Airbnb or cheaper hotels that don't provide them, but it's worth considering.

4. Save Your Samples - It's no secret I buy a lot of makeup. One of the perks of this is that not only do I get a lot of samples, I usually receive quite a bit of deluxe-size samples. I have a little bin of all the hefty sample products I get from various companies. I usually go through the bin to look for possible products I'm gonna take with me on my trip. Mini cleanser? Check. Mini Mask? Yep. Mini Eye Cream? Check. This helps eliminate that amount of full-size products I have to bring with me or transfer to empty travel containers. Also, I recommend being strategic with picking your Sephora Beauty Insider rewards. If there's a deluxe sample of your staple product, I suggest getting those for future travel use!

5. Perfume Vaporizers - Multiple places sell perfume vaporizers, like Sephora and Nordstrom. I tend to buy them and then fill one or two of them with my favorite perfumes to wear for travel. I don't bother buying the travel size of my perfume because I tend to not use them aside from traveling, and most of them come in a rollerball packaging, which I really don't like.

6. Sheet Masks - These will be your best friends when it comes to travel. I bring 2-3 sheet masks when I travel. Sometimes our skin can freak out when we're traveling, and so the best way to pamper them and help them calm down is by treating your skin to a good sheet mask. I suggest putting a hydrating sheet mask in your carry on, if you want to get a little self-pampering done during your flight.

7. Invest in a Travel Makeup Bag - I cannot stress this enough, but figuring what type of makeup bag format works for you will be key to being better at packing your products. Once you find a bag/format that works for you, stick to your allotted space; resist adding a smaller toiletry bag to fit other items that do not fit in your designated travel bag.

8. Pack Your Makeup Bag Ahead of Time - I suggest doing this a day or two ahead of time, that way once you pack it, you can try doing your entire makeup routine with what's in the bag and it will act as your checkpoint whether you forgot any product at all. This tip has prevented me from leaving my black eyeliner and duo lash glue on my recent trip! It is definitely a good way to lessen the stress of packing- just make sure you put all the products back in the bag!

I hope these tips have helped some of you out! If you have any packing tips that I did not mention, feel free to mention them on the comments section, as I'd love to hear them!

8 Packing Tips for Makeup and Toiletries