How To Pack Makeup for Moving

Supplies Needed to Pack Makeup Safely

The right supplies can help you pack and transport your makeup safely. Here are some of the materials you'll need:

• Plastic bags: Resealable plastic bags protect individual cream and liquid makeup products and prevent leaks from damaging other items.
• Packing paper: You can use packing paper to fill gaps in your boxes or cosmetic cases to prevent items from moving around in transit.
• Bubble wrap: Bubble wrap is useful for protecting delicate items, such as glass bottles or powder compacts. It can also help prevent scratches.
• Plastic totes: By using plastic totes instead of cardboard boxes, you can prevent moisture damage and keep your makeup safe.
• Labels: If your makeup is going into a moving truck, place labels on the outside of the box to mark it as fragile and temperature-sensitive.
• Tape: Even if you use plastic totes, you'll still need tape to keep the bubble wrap or other wrapping material in place.

You can buy all of these supplies affordably online or at a shipping store. If you're in a hurry, many big-box and discount stores sell packing supplies at reasonable prices.

Step-By-Step Guide for Packing Makeup

When you're packing and moving makeup, your goal is to keep it clean and cushioned. It's also important to limit exposure to moisture and temperature swings, which can cause beauty products to separate or encourage the growth of harmful bacteria. In some cases, hot or cold temperatures can ruin your cosmetics completely. Here's how to pack your makeup safely in 6 easy steps:

Step 1: Clean makeup products and applicators

This is one of the most important packing tips for makeup. Giving it a quick clean helps keep dirt and bacteria at bay during the move. Wash and dry your makeup brushes, sponges, and tools such as eyelash curlers. Soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol, and use it to wipe down the dispenser tops of foundation bottles. Wipe buildup off the surface of cream and pressed-powder products with a clean tissue, and spray the surface lightly with rubbing alcohol.

Step 2: Bag liquids and creams

To contain leaks, place each liquid or cream product into a small plastic bag and seal it up tightly. Avoid packing more than one item into a bag; the movement of the bottles can dislodge caps and cause damage.

Step 3: Wrap delicate containers

Use bubble wrap to wrap eyeshadow palettes, pressed finishing powder compacts, and glass bottles. You might need to use a small piece of tape to keep the wrap in place.

Step 4: Pack items securely

Slip your bubble-wrapped items into smaller cosmetics bags or cases, taking care to fill the available space without packing items too tightly.

When you shake the bag, the contents shouldn't rattle around. If they do, stuff packing paper into the open spaces to reduce movement. Load the smaller cosmetics bags into a plastic tote, and fill the open spaces with towels, packing paper, or soft accessories.

Step 5: Secure makeup applicators

Put your brushes and sponges into a zippered cosmetics case, and zip it closed. This prevents dirt, dust, and debris from getting into your brushes and onto your face.

Step 6: Store makeup safely

Before you move, leave your packed totes in a cool, dry spot until you're ready to load them onto a truck. This prevents moisture or extreme temperatures from affecting the formulas. You can put the totes in a bedroom closet or a linen closet, for example.

How to Transport Makeup Safely

If you've ever dropped a powder blush on the bathroom floor, you know that makeup products can be extremely delicate. To help avoid damage, consider taking it with you in your car. If that's not possible, label each box clearly and add a "fragile" sticker or write it clearly in black marker. Ask your movers to load it last and unload it first to reduce the time it spends in a hot or cold moving truck. For long-distance moves, consider taking the most expensive or delicate items with you and packing the rest.

While all of this sounds pretty time-consuming, it’s more than worth the effort to keep your cosmetics safe. Taking the time to wrap your makeup carefully helps protect it and prevents you from having to replace anything expensive, rare, or in a limited color that breaks.

Learn more on our How to Pack Hub.