Take a load off your shoulders — and your baggage allowance — we’ve compiled a kit of perfect products that go-the-distance when it comes to looking good while on the go.
From cream blushes that double up as cheek and lip stains, to eye pencils that can be used as eyeliners and even contour crayons, we’ve got you (and your luggage) covered.
Here are the double-duty godsends deserving of your makeup bag’s precious real estate.
Fenty Beauty Match Stix Trio
The first in our list is also one of the most hyped products of 2017, with even Time Magazine flying the Fenty Beauty flag, listing the brand as of the year’s ‘Best Inventions’.
But there’s some serious brilliance behind all the puff and promotion, with every product in the Fenty line seemingly built for beauty hacking (and when it’s been designed by the ultimate multi-talented ultra-slashie that is Rihanna, you’d expect nothing less).
Use the darker Matte Skinstick (we used ‘Truffle’) stick as a base for eyeshadow after you’re finishing contouring, then dot the Shimmer Skinstick highlighter (we used ‘Rum’) over the top to add dimension. You even double any of the Match Stix as lipstick under a gloss.
Throw this kit into your bag and you’ve got half your holiday-face sorted.
Lancôme Cushion Blush Subtil
As one of the first and best cushion blushes by a European cosmetics company, Lancôme’s take is true to the K-beauty trend. Lightweight with great coverage, this velvety formula has buildable colour, whether you want to sport a subtle tint or a bolder look.
Dewy and glowy without any stickiness, this intense colour compact can also double as a lip stain.
Super hydrating, the formula is also SPF 50/PA+++ giving you extra protection from the sun – great if you’re using it as lippie, because when did you last remember to apply sunblock to your pout?
Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer Highlighter
A cult favourite of makeup artists, celebrities and your BFFs, this multitasking illuminator and skin perfector may be a bit steep, but we’re telling you it’s worth going over your weekly budget.
Dab it on your cheekbones to make them pop, or even using a little on your lips to achieve a dewy pout.
Extra bonus, with its ever-growing list of colours, you can even use the Giorgio Armani’s Fluid Sheer Liquid Highlighter as an eyeshadow base and bronzer. Say no more.
Nyx Professional Jumbo Eye Pencil In Dark Brown
NYX Professional is one of our go-to brands for easy-on-the-purse products that do what they say they will without forcing you to spend the next week working your butt off so you can pay off your credit card.
Their Jumbo Eye Pencil is no different.
Available in 16 shades – from shimmering champagne, deep bronze and dark brown hues – these pencils can be used as an eyeliner, eyeshadow, highlighter and even a contour.
L’Oreal Infallible Nudist Lip Paint Matte
We’re forever in search of the perfect nude matte lipsticks and this L’Oreal pick is topping our list right now for its lightweight mousse formula that feels creamy and hydrating.
Use Babe-in 211, a dark nude with a pink undertone, as a double up as a cheek tint after applying on your lips.
Plus the long-lasting formula means you don’t have to worry about caking, flaking and reapplying, in between photo-ops.
+ 1 Honorary Mention
Fenty Beauty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter In ‘Trophy Wife’
We tried to keep this to a tidy 5 but we were willing to make an exception for her holiness Rihanna.
Freestyle by name, freestyle by nature, this looks incredible on darker skin tones as a standard highlight but we’re here to say that even if you err on the light side there’s some seriously cool things you can use this for.
The first and most obvious is as an overall eyeshadow. Now, this probably isn’t going to fly on those day-tours around bustling markets but when you’re hitting the bar after a big day out, this is definitely a makeup bag win because you don’t even have to use a base shadow. Just apply and go.
But if you want to ease into the blinding gold look, simply brush a little into the corner of your eyes before you leave.
Also, keep it on hand in your handbag and add a 3 dimensional effect whenever you want by dabbing a little of it over your lipstick.
Shop our favourite dual-purpose beauty buys below
