Traveling with Cosmetics: Z Palettes Makeup Cases

I don’t just wear one makeup look every day.  I like to mix it up a bit, so when I travel, I like to have a lot of different options as far as makeup goes.  Unfortunately, with the myriad pots, pans and palettes I have in my make up bag– this can be a challenge. Heck, it’s hard to store when I’m not on the road!  That’s why I’ve switched to Z Palettes in my bag– both personal and professional.

Z Palettes are flat, magnetic palettes that allow you to put professional pans (or pans of eyeshadows, blushes, and other powdered products) in a space-saving organizer. These makeup cases make it easy to work and travel on the go.  For instance, on the set, you might put the products you use for a particular actor all in one palette for organizational purposes, or (like many makeup artists), you might keep all of a certain color of eyeshadow together in one palette, all of your bronzers in another, or however you personally like to organize.

For travel, I like to make sure I have a bunch of options with me, so I’ll create a palette or two that includes my basics (like bronzer and a couple of blushes, and maybe a pan of pressed powder), and another pan with coordinated eyeshadows.  I then have a third with lipsticks– that one goes in my purse!  I just throw the palettes in my carry-on and forget about them until I unpack in my room.  Unlike individual eyeshadow pots, you have a much lower chance of the eyeshadow breaking in transit, and an even lower chance of losing that favorite, single eyeshadow in a hotel room.

If you’re a pro, you likely already have a lot of depotted products, or have already bought pan-only products.  If you’re not a pro, you likely have a lot of eyeshadows, blushes and other pressed powder products that are in pans.  In the future, if you’d like to use Z-palettes to store your products, there’s a list on their website of manufacturers who sell pan-only products (and often, it’s at a discount).  Already have a big collection of eyeshadows? It’s easy to get them out of their packaging and into a Z-Palette.

You’ll simply need some waxed paper, an eyeshadow, a pointed metal tool (like a metal nail file) and a flat iron.  For the first time around, use an eyeshadow that’s inexpensive or easy to replace, just in case you make a mistake!  It’s pretty foolproof, so this shouldn’t be a problem.

1. Pop the eyeshadow out of its plastic packaging, if it has any.  MAC, Urban Decay, and other products have a plastic insert that goes into the case.  You want it out so you can easily manipulate it.

2. Turn your flat iron on high.  Carefully place a piece of waxed paper on the bottom iron, then place your eyeshadow on top, and then another piece of waxed paper on top of that.

3. Clamp down on the eyeshadow.  It will take between 1-3 minutes to heat up enough so you can pry out the pot.  Watch it carefully, so it doesn’t burn or overheat.

4. Poke or pry, depending on the packaging, the pan out of the plastic packaging. This should be easy to do if it’s heated up enough.

5. Apply the metal sticker that came with your Z Palette to the back of the eyeshadow, and write the name of the product down on it so you don’t forget!  Use a Sharpie for this.

6. Place your eyeshadow in your Z Palette.  Now you’ve got interchangeable eyeshadow palettes for your every need (or whim!).

Don’t forget that you can make your own lipstick or concealer palettes as well!  Cut off a bit of lipstick with waxed dental floss and place it in a Z Palette Empty Square Metal Pan.  Use a blow-dryer to melt it into the pan and voila!  Lipstick on the go.
What is your favorite strategy for travel makeup storage?  Let us know in the comments.

You can purchase Z Palettes at www.wardrobesupplies.com