We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Shopping Style Fashion Accessories The 12 Best Makeup Bags of 2024 Treat your makeup and beauty supplies like the precious cargo they are. By Andrea Pyros Updated on May 08, 2024 In This Article View All In This Article Reviews Final Verdict How to Shop FAQs Take Our Word for It Photo: Real Simple / Kristin Kempa You spend time, energy, and money choosing the perfect cosmetics —and those items deserve the best makeup bags to keep your beauty products protected and organized. There are many different makeup bags to fit anyone’s needs, whether you want an attractive, compartment-rich makeup bag to keep your bathroom counter neat or a cute pouch to store a few key items and tuck into your work bag for a mid-day refresh. Choosing a bag that works for your daily life can be overwhelming since there are quite literally hundreds of different options out there. To help you come to a sound decision, we researched and evaluated the best makeup bags, considering factors like construction, material, size, and design. We also consulted with Donni Davy, the co-founder of the popular vegan makeup brand Half Magic and the head makeup artist on the hit show Euphoria, for expert advice on what to look for in a makeup bag. Best Overall Beis The Cosmetics Case PHOTO: Beis $68 at Nordstrom $68 at Bloomingdales View on Beistravel.com What Stands Out This makeup bag has an elegant design and comes in a range of gorgeous colors, all at a fairly reasonable price point. What Could Be Improved It comes with a convenient, large-sized accompanying mirror, but it has to be unfolded to be used. The Béis Cosmetic Case is our top pick for a makeup bag. It’s a classic, boxy shape with a handle for carrying and a two-way zipper. The bag also has a convenient brush holder with a flap closure that stays connected to the case with hidden magnets, but it can also be pulled out and laid out separate from the main bag. A zippered back pocket holds smaller items, and an inner pocket on the case holds an included full-size mirror that can be pulled out and folded into a stand. This luxe-looking vegan material can be wiped clean, and it’s available in an range of eight shades, including black, beige, pink, olive, and slate. Size: 10 x 7 x 3.8 inches | Material: Vegan leather, polyester | Closure: Zippered | Compartments: Five Best Budget EACHY Travel Makeup Bag PHOTO: Amazon $21 at Amazon What Stands Out It’s available in a vast array of color choices. What Could Be Improved Its zipper doesn’t always open and close smoothly. With multiple compartments and a sturdy design that keeps its shape, the EACHY Travel Makeup Bag makes for a decently durable, budget-friendly makeup bag. As an added bonus, the bag opens fully from one end to the other and you can even lay it flat to see all of your contents. The interior is divided into two halves, each of which has side pockets to keep things further organized, and down the middle is a clear plastic zippered pouch where makeup brushes can be stored. The exterior is made from waterproof vegan leather and comes in a variety of colors and patterns, including smooth, checkered, or quilted finishes. It also comes in two sizes, but if you plan on carrying a large supply of beauty gear, definitely consider going for the larger size to maximize how much you can take with you on the go. The only main downside with the bag is that its dual zippers can occasionally feel a little sticky, making closing and opening the pouch awkward. Size: 10.2 x 4.7 x 4.9 inches | Material: Vegan leather | Closure: Zippered | Compartments: Two Best Splurge Leatherology Medium Clamshell Makeup Bag PHOTO: Leatherology $110 at Amazon View on Leatherology.com What Stands Out The top-notch craftsmanship and classic style of this bag means you’ll be able to use it for years. What Could Be Improved This doesn’t offer multiple compartments. Leatherology’s gorgeous Large Clamshell Makeup Bag is perfect for a splurge item for yourself or a thoughtful gift for someone who appreciates classic, timeless style. With clever details hidden within its understated, well-crafted elegance, this chic makeup bag can easily do double-duty as a clutch. The bag has an angled silhouette and full zippered opening, with two side gussets at the bottom to keep it standing upright and open when it’s placed down. Inside, there’s a tiny interior zippered pocket for small items. Unfortunately, there are no additional compartments or pockets. The bag comes in eight different colors, including a pretty pink, rich camel, classic black, and river green. If you wish, you can opt to personalize this bag in one of three ways: deboss, handpaint, or trapunto. The large-sized version is our favorite, but it’s also available in a medium size as well. The medium comes a few additional playful colors, like an eye-catching electric blue. Size: 6 x 8.75 x 4.7 inches | Material: Full grain leather | Closure: Zippered | Compartments: Two Best Compact WELLinsulated Performance Beauty Bag PHOTO: WELLinsulated View on Wellinsulated.com $69 at Bluemercury.com $69 at Neiman Marcus What Stands Out This bag has an insulated lining to help protect your makeup and skincare products from temperature changes, humidity, and damage. What Could Be Improved This bag lacks multiple compartments — there’s just the main interior with one small zippered pocket. The tech-forward company worked with fashion designers and aerospace engineers to create the WELLinsulated Performance Beauty Bag. The result is a cleverly insulated, aluminum-lined interior that protects delicate bottles and compacts from breakage and damage. The material also helps keep your makeup temperature regulated, so your lipstick isn’t melting on a hot day and your facial serums aren’t exposed to the humidity of your bathroom. The futuristic-looking makeup bag exterior is made with a shiny vegan leather that also helps reflect heat, and you can easily wipe clean the interior and exterior of this bag. The bag comes in three different shades: gold, rose gold, and silver, in both the original size and a larger version. Size: 7 x 5 x 3 inches | Material: Vegan leather, aluminum | Closure: Zipper | Compartments: Two Best Clear Monda Studio Large Classic Set Bag PHOTO: Nigel Beauty View on Nigelbeauty.com What Stands Out The multiple pockets can help organize makeup, tools, and more. What Could Be Improved Although it’s practical, it’s not the most stylish bag on this list. The Monda Studio Large Classic Set Bag offers an impressive seven flip-top pockets that snap close to help organize all of your cosmetics. The myriad snap-close pockets are helpful for keeping track of things, as well. The only downside is the pockets may not be tall enough to hold all your makeup brushes, depending on the type. However, there is an interior zipper that can hold them as well. This makeup bag is designed for people who want to take their whole makeup collection on the go. There are two ways to carry it: you can use the grippy rubber handles to carry it in your hands, or you can use the adjustable shoulder strap. It’s lightweight and collapses down when it’s empty. You can wipe or hand wash this bag, so you’ll have no problem taking care of spills and smudges when they occur. Size: 16 x 10 x 6 inches | Material: Clear vinyl | Closure: Zippered and snaps | Compartments: Nine Best Organizer Relavel Travel Makeup Case PHOTO: Amazon $20 at Amazon $37 at Walmart View on Relavelbags.com What Stands Out Adjustable and washable padded dividers keep items from rolling around or knocking together. What Could Be Improved The dividers can sometimes become loose. The Relavel Black Small Makeup Case with Light Up Mirror is a lunchbox-sized, waterproof case that unzips to reveal an interior that has plastic, detachable partitions. These accompanying removable dividers can be taken out and fitted back in in whatever design you prefer, depending on the size of your beauty products and how you like to keep them stored. That said, these dividers can occasionally get a little loose inside the case. In addition to the main compartment, there are designated pockets for your brushes that come with a clear plastic covering to protect them. What really sets this train case apart is that it comes with a rechargeable lighted makeup mirror. The mirror’s brightness can be adjusted, and you can also switch through three different types of light: white, warm, and cold. The mirror angle is also adjustable, and you can place it open onto a surface so you can see yourself work.. When you’re ready to pack it up, the mirror is stored in a compartment with a protective layer to reduce the chance of cracks and breakage. Size: 10 x 3.5 x 8.9 inches | Material: Vegan leather | Closure: Zippered | Compartments: Customizable Best Set Sonia Kashuk Makeup Organizer Bag Set PHOTO: Target $35 at Target What Stands Out This set of four makeup bags is fairly affordable, and it comes with a bag sized for every type of trip and occasion. What Could Be Improved There aren’t other colors available. The Sonia Kashuk Makeup Organizer Bag Set comes with four, different-sized bags to hold your makeup, brushes, skincare, and more. The biggest bag is a clear, plastic, travel-friendly tote with handles, and it’s large enough to hold the other bags or makeup. The other bags can fit inside the larger one, or they can be used for carrying smaller items. Each bag has a zipper closure, and they can all be wiped clean fairly easily. The material is also made from recycled polyester and each bag has a different pattern and style. However, on this topic, the bags only come in one neutral color tone, which does minimize any room for customization. Size: 8 x 13 x 5.5 inches | Material: Recycled polyester, plastic | Closure: Zipper | Compartments: Four Editor’s Pick for Best Travel Béis The Dopp Kit PHOTO: Béis View on Beistravel.com What Stands Out It has several compartments that can fit a variety of bottle and product sizes. What Could Be Improved It’s a bit bulky compared to other more compact options. For jetsetters, the Béis Dopp Kit provides a fair amount of storage options for all of your must-have gear. Real Simple Beauty Editor Hana Hong raves, “This is hands down the best makeup bag for travel, even if you're a beauty maximalist like me. Case in point, it has two separate compartments to fit your bigger bottles on top and smaller palettes on the bottom, and there’s even a loop that you can use to hang the bag from towel hooks.” The top and bottom compartments both open and close with dual zippers, and the dopp kit opens fully for easy visibility of the interior contents. The interior bottom compartment has water-resistant lining, while the top has a clever little side plastic pocket just to keep your toothbrush separate. “The canvas material is washable and comes in a variety of chic colors,” Hong also notes. While this certainly is a great pick for those on-the-go, just note that this makeup bag is a little bulky, which may be a nuisance if you prefer to tote around a smaller bag for travel. Size: 6.5 x 11 x 6 inches | Material: Canvas | Closure: Zippered | Compartments: Three Best Hanging Bagsmart Atlas Bonchemin Hanging Toiletry Bag PHOTO: Amazon $27 at Amazon View on Bagsmart.com What Stands Out A stand-out array of pockets and compartments on this bag keep everything placed in it neat and orderly. What Could Be Improved The bag’s exterior is not as easy to clean as some other ones on this list. The wallet-friendly Atlas Bonchemin Hanging Toiletry Bag is thoughtfully designed for travelers. The main interior has a clear plastic covering in the front so you can easily see what’s in your bag when it’s hanging. The main compartment also has interior mesh pockets and elastics to help keep your bottles upright. When the bag is hanging, you’ll also have access to two zippered pockets that can hold elastics, bobby pins, q-tips, and more. On the outside, the bag has two external side pockets for even more storage, one of which is PVC lined in case you have items that may spill. The water-resistant quilted polyester exterior comes in pink, black, teal, and gray. It can be wiped clean, though it’s a little trickier to get stains out of this than some other fabrics. Size: 9' x 9.25' x 2.5 inches | Material: Polyester | Closure: Zippered | Compartments: Five Best Train Case Leatherology Train Case PHOTO: Leatherology $145 at Amazon View on Leatherology.com What Stands Out This train case comes in a variety of color options, three sizes, and can be personalized. What Could Be Improved It has rings for a shoulder strap, but the strap isn’t included. It’s impossible not to feel chic when you’re using the Leatherology Train Case to carry all of your makeup and tools. The bag features a classic, elegant shape and is made from 100% full-grain leather that can even be personalized with your initials. When it comes to organization and storage, the bag contains two zippered pockets, alongside four open pouches for all your brushes, palettes, and more. There are also elastic bands with snap closures to secure additional items. The train case comes with a handle, and there are two rings attached on the outside for a crossbody strap. However, note that the strap doesn’t come with the bag, so you’ll have to purchase one separately. Despite this con, the bag comes in a variety of sizes, with the XL option being a nice and roomy pick that’s tall enough to hold 7-inch bottles. No matter what size option you go for, know that you can select from 12 eye-catching colors, including lime, scarlet, camel, and more. Size: 10.25 x 6.5 x 7.5 inches | Material: Leather | Closure: Zipper | Compartments: Six Best Pouch Julie Mollo Travel Bag PHOTO: Julie Mollo View on Juliemollo.com What Stands Out These bags are handmade, one-of-a-kind, and full of personality. What Could Be Improved There are no additional smaller pockets or compartments. If you want a fabulous pouch to take with you everywhere, Davy has a pick with your name on it. “My absolute number one recommendation is to shop my favorite female-owned and operated small business out of Brooklyn, Julie Mollo,” Davy says. Though you can use the Julie Mollo Travel Bag for a variety of purposes, Davy says “they make amazing makeup bags.” Get the exact bag you want by choosing your favorite colored glitter vinyl bag from the 13 choices, including a see-through glitter. You can personalize the pouch by opting to have your name printed on it, and you can choose from one of three font types. You can even add a shadowing effect to the writing. The only downside is that it doesn’t have any internal pockets. Size: 11 x 10 x 2 inches | Material: Vinyl | Closure: Zippered | Compartments: One Editor’s Pick KUSSHI Signature Makeup Bag PHOTO: Kusshi $45 at Amazon $69 at Nordstrom $69 at Kusshi.com What Stands Out The fabric version of this editor-approved bag is made with a machine-washable fabric, so it’s stress free to keep it clean. What Could Be Improved The leather version is not machine washable. Wondering what Real Simple’s beauty editor uses? For beauty director Heather Muir Maffei, it’s the Kusshi Signature Makeup Bag. “I do my makeup on the train on work days so I’ve experimented with a bunch of different bags,” she says. “My fave is from this cute brand Kusshi. It comes in a bunch of shapes, sizes, materials, and colors. I love the Signature Makeup Bag because it solves all of the pain points of most on the market. It has pockets for my BeautyBlender, brushes, lash curler, etc., and it’s machine-washable. I chose the pink interior so it’s easy to spot what I need—no more digging.” As Heather pointed out, you really can stuff all your makeup, skincare, and other assorted essentials into this nicely padded, machine-washable nylon makeup bag. It unzips fully on three sides so you can easily see everything that’s inside, including the three small pockets—two mesh and one zippered. If you want to further customize this to your specific needs, the brand also sells extras, like bottle protectors and a brush holder that can be snapped in and out of the bag. The bag holds about 15 products, or you can jump up to the Vacationer size, which can hold up to 25 products. It’s offered in an awesome array of fabric color combos as well as multiple leather styles, though the leather version can’t be machine washed. Size: 6 x 11.5 x 5 inches | Material: Nylon or leather | Closure: Zippered | Compartments: Five Final Verdict For the best overall makeup bag, we suggest the Béis The Cosmetic Case. The bag has all the room you need for your makeup thanks to a well-designed layout. It has a separate brush holder so your products stay clean, plus it comes in all sorts of gorgeous colors. How to Shop for Makeup Bags Like a Pro Size The best sized makeup bag for you depends on your personal needs and how much makeup you have. “I think a makeup bag should be fun, easily cleanable, and big enough so it’s never overflowing and hard to close,” Davy says. Before you start shopping, it may be worth editing your current makeup collection. That way you can access what you have and what you plan to keep inside your bag, whether it’s everything you own, or a handful of key products. And though this may be a painful step, while you’re editing, you should toss any makeup that has expired. From there, it will be easier to choose the bag size that’s right for you. Closure Type The majority of makeup bags we liked the most offer a zippered closure, which is great for keeping items secure even if your bag goes flying off of your lap or gets jostled in transit. Zippers can also help reduce the possibility of any leaks from your makeup bag getting onto the rest of your stuff. A few of our favorite bags did have snap pocket closures, and some featured inner pockets that were open on one side. Number of Compartments Assorted compartments, slots, and pockets keep your supplies nicely grouped, prevent things from rolling around and smashing into each other, and also make it easier to see what you’re working with. If you use a lot of brushes and tools, choose a makeup bag with a separate spot for those, Davy says. “Ideally, you can keep your brushes in a separate little pouch inside of your larger makeup bag. [That] will keep your makeup bag cleaner for longer, and will ensure that you can always find your brushes.” Questions You Might Ask What’s the best way to pack a makeup bag? Frequent flyer Davy likes to keep her makeup bag ready to go so she doesn’t have to repack every time she goes anywhere. “I’m big on decanting anything oversized into smaller BPA-free plastic bottles,” she says. “Don’t do glass as that can break, and don’t do aluminum, as that can interfere with product performance.” Depending on the number of slots and compartments you have, you can also group each type of makeup together. And if you’re checking your bag and worried about how it might be handled, you can wrap anything delicate in bubble wrap for the flight. How do you clean a makeup bag? “It’s really important to keep your makeup tools and bag clean, especially if you have acne-prone or sensitive skin,” Davy says. “It’s also a more pleasant experience to do your makeup when all your brushes, tools, products, and bag are shiny and clean.” If you have a makeup bag that can get wet, you can hand wash it yourself. “Run your whole makeup bag under the sink and rinse it out with dishwasher soap whenever it starts getting a little funky, or if you’ve had a makeup casualty like a leak or broken bottle,” Davy says. If you can’t submerge the whole thing or toss it into a washing machine, at least look for an interior that is easy to wipe down. Can you bring a makeup bag in a carry-on on an airplane? If you want to go carry-on with your makeup, keep in mind the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) 3-1-1 liquids rule: each passenger may bring on liquids, gels, creams, pastes so long as: They are 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or lessAll liquids fit into one quart-sized clear zip top bag Take Our Word for It This article was written by Andrea Pyros, a freelance writer for Real Simple along with many other publications. She’s spent years writing about beauty, health, and wellness and interviewing skincare experts and medical professionals for the latest and most up-to-date information. To find the best makeup bags, she compared different materials, compartments, sizes, and price points to narrow down the top picks. She also spoke with Donni Davy, co-founder of the makeup brand Half Magic and Euphoria's head makeup artist for advice on choosing a great makeup bag and how to be smart when taking your makeup with you when you travel. How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes Like a Pro