How to travel with make-up (...without resorting to tipping the entire contents of your make-up drawer into your suitcase)

Who needs clothes anyway

Boys have it easy, right? When traveling they can pretty much get away with a toothbrush, toothpaste, razor and shaving gel (maybe some aftershave if they're feeling lucky). Take the metrosexual male - that breed of late nineties/early noughties man who has dabbled in male moisturiser and succumbed to its powers of hydration - even he would be hard pushed to produce a bigger bath bag than us when going on holiday.

So how do we do it? Is there a secret to taking 50 beauty products on holiday without looking like we could set up shop there?

I flew to Australia last month for my sister's wedding and knowing I'd be doing her make-up and that of 4 others on the day, I knew I'd have to be strategic about my packing. Here are my top tips:

1. Write a list. Then halve it.

It's important to pack the essentials first, then decide on the nice-to-haves:

- toothbrush & toothpaste

- lip balm (Vaseline mini pots are fantastic, as is Lucas' Papaw)

- sunscreen (Khiel's Ultra Light Daily Moisturiser boasts SPF50)

I would also add a decent hair conditioner to this list, as well as body moisturiser (there's nothing more stress-inducing on holiday than not being able to detangle your locks after a shower, or the feeling of tight, scaly skin).

The perfect base under any make-up

2. Invest in travel containers
Both Boots and Muji do fantastic, refillable plastic containers for around £2. My favourite find was Boots' Mini Travel Set - a bargainous £3 for 2x 26ml bottles and 2x 10gm cream pots (tip: be careful not to screw on the lids too zealously as they can crack)

You'll wonder how you previously traveled without them

3. Buy some sticky labels 
I know, this screams 'organised freak' but it is deeply satisfying (try it). The white round labels from Rymans cost just £1.19 for 90.

4. Protect expensive compacts from annoying breakages
Like it or not, your case is likely to be treated in the same way a WWF contender welcomes his opponent into the ring. With gusto. To ensure your favourite Chanel/Dior eyeshadow quad or powder compact survives the journey, place a sheet of kitchen towel between make-up and lid, then seal the entire compact with cling film (it also helps to place compacts in-between layers of clothes for added protection).

Worth protecting

5. Brushes
Brushes might be the last thing you think about taking with you on holiday but they're the unsung heros of the beauty counter and are as light as a feather. Not only do they generally make make-up application look infinitely more polished, they can also help to make your holiday make-up go further. Tips: transform any eyeshadow into an eyeliner using an ultra fine liner brush and a little water. Or, to save packing multiple lipsticks, bring along a retractable lip brush together with a couple of brightly coloured lip pencils (use the lip brush to blend in some clear gloss or lip balm over the lip pencil et voila).

Laura Mercier's Fine Point Eye Liner Brush (£20.50) is all you need

What are your beauty-packing secrets?