Since it is the beginning of the travel season, I thought I'd share with you some tips I've learned from living overseas and traveling (A LOT). This article was originally run on a site called Corporate Goes Couture (and authored by me, obvs):

We’ve all been there when after a long flight, you finally get to your hotel, open up your checked luggage and something has spilled all over the inside of your suitcase. Whether it soaked an important paper or simply drained you of your favorite product, the results can range from mildly annoying to a total disaster. Over the years of traveling and living overseas, I’ve compiled a few tips and tricks (through lots of trial and error) to keep your beauty products, and your documents, safe.

Fill Smaller Bottles with Your Favorite Products
Instead of investing in travel minis, go to the drugstore (some make-up shops like Mac also carry them) and purchase empty travel containers. You can easily fill them with your favorite products without spending a fortune on the miniature versions. You can also use old mini products or mini hotel toiletries in the same way. Clean them out by rinsing their insides with water to ensure there is no more product in them (this may take a couple of rinses depending on the product) and drop in your products. It’s easy, cheap and enables you to travel without missing anything in your daily routine. To ensure maximum leak protection, go for bottles or travel minis with screw on caps. They may be annoying to take off in the shower, but it prevents product from spilling out during the journey.

Separate Your Make-Up
If you’re like me, you’ve packed an eye-shadow palette or a powder, only to get to your destination to find it reduced to a pack of crumbs. To prevent this from happening, separate your make-up before you travel, putting the powders and anything that is likely to crumble in your carry-on. That way, you know you have precious cargo in your bag and aren’t likely to sling it around carelessly, keeping you in control of the crumbs.

Wrap It Up
Pack all of your liquids in an airtight baggie to avoid spills. This way, if something does get loose during your journey, it will spill into the bag and not all over your stuff. For extra safety, tape the lids shut with masking or duct tape to prevent further leakage.

Double Check Your Products
It may seem like a no-brainer, but even after all the traveling I’ve done, I still don’t always take my own advice on this one. Before you pack any of your products, inspect the containers thoroughly for holes. Make sure that you also ensure the tops of the products are screwed on as tightly as possible, that any pop tops are closed and any spray tops are set to “lock.” Forgetting this simple step can mean the loss of an entire product.

Pare Down Your Make-Up
When traveling for a work event, it is easy to want to pile in every single make-up product you own so you’ll be ready for anything. This can weigh your bag down and maximize the chance of having something spill. Instead, plan which looks you’ll want to create before you go. The best way to do this is to take an eye shadow and blush palette that can accommodate several looks. I’m a big fan of the Naked 3 palette, as it has both darker bolder colors for a dramatic nighttime look paired with lighter and fresher colors for daytime meetings and activities. Be sure to pack your palette in your carry on to avoid the crumbs travesty.

You can also create simple travel-friendly looks with eyeshadow sticks, such as the By Terry Ombre Blackstar. These are especially great if you’re short on room in your carry-on. If you don’t feel like shelling out $45 for an eyeshadow crayon, Sephora makes a great dupe for $10 in their signature collection called Crayon Jumbo Liner Wear. Just draw the color on your lid and use a brush to blend and go.

Mini Hair Dryers and Straighteners
If you’re like me and don’t place your faith in hotel hair dryers, investing in a mini one is a great alternative. These little guys often pack a powerful punch and you can purchase them for under $20 most of the time, making them a perfect travel accessory. If you have thin hair (this won’t work for ladies with thick, luscious locks), invest in a miniature straightener that won’t take up too much room.

Chill Out
For long car trips, especially in the spring and summer months when the car can get pretty hot, put your meltable make-up in a baggie and place it in a cooler with your drinks and snacks.

Original article: here