How to Fit Beauty Products in the 1-Quart Ziploc for Traveling

If you've ever tried jamming seventeen makeup products, toothpaste, contact solution or any other liquids in a one-quart Ziploc bag, you know it's practically impossible to fit everything in each day in the hotel, much less get it back together for the return trip without ripping the bag. There's so many things you'd rather not check for several reasons (if for no other reason than the steep $25 per bag checked luggage fee), but you can't really leave any of it home. After all, what good is your blush if you can't fit your liquid foundation in the bag?

As a girl who has not only makeup to carry but several different solutions to care for rigid gas permeable contacts, acne, teeth, hair and who knows what else. I'm unwilling to check the most important items - sometimes I have to settle for checking backup shampoo, conditioner and moisturizer in case the hotel doesn't have any - but I have been able to figure out how to carry my most necessary possessions in the 3-oz quantity requirements.

1. Makeup: For the most part, my mascara, lip gloss, chap stick and eyeshadow base fit into the bag, as these are straight, skinny objects. But when it comes to my makeup remover, it seems the bottle takes up way too much space and is too fat. I remedied this by buying those 1 to 1.7-ounce travel containers from Walmart and transferring some liquid makeup remover into this with a funnel.

If you can't fit your liquid foundation bottle in here, either, I suggest doing the same. You could also buy a small amount of mineral foundation for the trip and pack this in your regular luggage.

2. Facial products: I use Proactiv's three-step acne system daily, but I usually don't have to use step 2, the toner. I axe this from the travel bag every time, but I still have to carry the cleanser and repairing lotion.

Thankfully, Proactiv carries a travel kit that contains Proactiv solutions in one-ounce quantities. Though I can't put the handy carrying pouch in the Ziploc, I just take out the two bottles I need, and they take up far less space than the real bottles.

I have on occasion transferred the Proactiv cleanser into an empty 1-ounce travel container if I didn't have the travel size on hand.

3. Contact solution: Whenever you're at the eye doctor, ask for their Boston cleaning solution samples, as these are the perfect size for travel. However, some stores like Target carry the Boston Simplus two-in-one solution that conditions and cleanses your lenses, so you don't have to pack the solution and the cleanser in two separate bottles.

I highly recommend trying to find these in travel sizes; transferring solution into non-sterile containers could result in an infection. I even put my lens cases through a dishwasher cycle every so often to sterilize them.

4. Toothpaste: Well this one's pretty obvious - just get a travel size toothpaste that's under 3 ounces. You cannot bring a rolled-up tube of half-empty 3.1-oz or more toothpaste, as this doesn't fly with TSA.

5. Travel extras: Sanitizing the toothbrush: Do you have a toothbrush set aside just for travel? Good for you. But do you ever sterilize it after you use it on a trip, or do you just put it away for next time? You could potentially pick up germs from this type of use, especially if you had a cold or the flu while on your last trip.

Every time before I leave on a trip, I boil hot water in the teapot, pour it into a glass and douse my toothbrush and travel toothbrush case in the boiling water for several minutes.