What’s The Best Makeup Bag? 5 Beauty Editors Share Theirs

The unsung hero of any beauty routine is the makeup bag. In this current era of Get Ready With Me videos, the humble makeup bag has become more than just a canvas pouch that stores your primer and foundation. It’s home decor to display next to the jewelry bowl on your vanity.

On TikTok, the makeup bag conversation has been gaining steady traction with creators pulling their Summer Fridays lip oil from a quilted, cherry-print mini bag, or a Rare Beauty liquid blush from a chic top-handle carrying case. The buzz had our editors — makeup lovers and frequent travelers — wondering, who makes the best makeup bag? 

Of course, there's aesthetic, but functionality and durability are equally important. So, do you go with a beauty brand? A luggage company? A niche accessories label? A trusted review really helps! If you, too, are inspired to make a makeup bag upgrade, here are the pouches, bags, and top-handle cases we use, love, and 10/10 recommend.

“I have gone through my fair share of sturdy, durable, extremely un-aesthetic makeup bags and I am grateful for each and every one of them, but a few years ago, I decided I needed to step up my makeup bag game. I was spending so much time with it, traveling for work, that I needed it to not only be functional, but also nice to look at. Cue: Leatherology’s train case. In my opinion, there is nothing more reliable or more chic than these makeup cases. I have both the medium and the XL case — one for my skincare and one for my makeup products. They are both monogrammed with my initials on them and in addition to keeping all of my jars, tubes, pencils, lipstick bullets, and even jewelry safe and intact, the bags are just so incredibly gorgeous.” - Sara Tan, Beauty Director

"On the face of it, this is just a humble pouch. There are no special compartments or clear windows, but it serves its purpose so well. I have it in pink and mine currently houses two large eyeshadow palettes, a chunky translucent powder, various foundations, lipsticks, eyeliners and mascaras, plus tools like eyelash curlers. The rounded zip means that it opens up wide enough to see every single thing inside, so you don’t have to rifle around or dig deep to find what you need. When I travel, I even stuff my brushes inside, it’s that roomy. The best thing about it, though, is that it sits relatively flat in a suitcase, which makes packing around it really easy." - Jacqueline Kilikita, Deputy Beauty Director

"Plush, cream, with a purse-like structural frame at the zipper, this bag appears way more expensive than $20. Most often I use it to hold all my skincare when I travel but it has also doubled as a clutch on more than a few occasions when I'm on vacation and don't like the bags I packed. Also worth mentioning, Rose Inc has a curated skincare set that comes with a similar beige leather pouch with a drawstring closure. I wore it out once and my friend thought it was Bottega." - Megan Decker, Beauty Editor

"I can’t be trusted to pack light for any trip, no matter how short — and that’s certainly true when it comes to my cosmetics. This Calpak cosmetics case is the perfect size for my beauty go-tos: it fits a compact, medium-sized contour palette, concealer, primer, eyeliner, shadow, small perfume bottle, and multiple brushes on one side and plenty of travel-sized beauty products on the other. I love that the two sides have separate zippers, which makes it easy to keep my products organized, and the fact that it’s clear means I never find myself searching the wrong side for the item I’m looking for. The top handle and bright color (I own one in Dragonfruit) also make it particularly easy to not only locate, but lift out of a larger bag. It comes in two larger sizes, as well, if you happen to enjoy tossing an entire Sephora into your purse when you travel." - Sarah Crow, Affiliate Director

On short trips, I can usually get away with stashing my skincare and makeup in repurposed bags (usually from gift sets, like the quilted pouches from Sephora’s holiday kits), but on longer stints away, I absolutely love the Béis Hanging Cosmetic Case. I’m a fan of Béis luggage for its organization features and durability, and the same holds true for this very chic toiletry bag. It’s roomy enough to hold full-size skincare bottles, and I love that it has plenty of clear zip pockets so I can see what’s inside. My favorite thing about the bag, however, is the removable (!!), clear pouch that I can take with me on the go if I want to freshen up my face during the day. Also, being able to hang it up in my hotel room really helps a new space feel like a home away from home — they’ve really thought of everything. - Karina Hoshikawa, Senior Affiliate Writer

I'm a sucker for red pebbled leather. This compact case comes with me whenever I travel. It holds my small makeup — mascara, eyelash curler, brow gel, rollerball perfume — and I love it so much. It's unassuming and perfect and would make a great gift for your sister-in-law whose birthday you almost forgot. - Decker