Compact & Easy: Travel Makeup Hacks Using 100-Yen Contact Lens Cases

Travel Makeup Hacks: Keep It Small, Leak-Proof, and Stress-Free!

Want to pack your travel makeup as compactly as possible without any leaks? You’re in luck! As a travel blogger who jets off 1–2 times a month, both domestically and internationally, I’ve mastered the art of downsizing my everyday cosmetics for travel—and I’m here to share my secrets with you.

Sure, you could try cutting up a straw to store your products, but honestly, I wouldn’t recommend it. DIY straw containers tend to leak, crush easily, or turn into a sticky mess due to airplane pressure changes—leaving your makeup pouch in chaos. What’s the point of going small if it’s unusable at your destination, right?

Instead, I’ve got a foolproof method that works even for long-haul international flights. No fancy tools needed—just affordable items from dollar stores or convenience shops like 100-yen stores or local marts. From skincare essentials to foundation and concealer, I’ll show you how to bring your go-to products along without the bulk.

I’ll walk you through it step-by-step, with a few handy tips to avoid mishaps. If you’re tired of wrestling with travel makeup woes, stick around—this guide will make your packing routine a breeze and your trips even more enjoyable!

Why I Ditched Travel-Sized Refill Containers

Lots of people love transferring their everyday skincare into those tiny travel containers from 100-yen stores for trips. But me? I’ve sworn off those little refill bottles entirely.

Why, you ask? Because they turn my makeup pouch into a jumbled mess where I can’t tell what’s what. If you’re just packing one or two products, it might be fine. But when you’ve got morning creams, night serums, moisturizers, and more, squeezing them all into those mini containers makes it impossible to figure out which is which (laughs).

I’ve tried fixes—color-coding the lids, scribbling contents with a marker, even sticking on labels. But no matter what, they still end up a chaotic pile in my pouch, impossible to grab quickly without a hassle. Worse yet, airplane pressure changes have caused creams to leak out, leaving my makeup bag a sticky disaster more times than I’d like to admit (sobs).

So yeah, I’ve waved goodbye to those travel-sized refill containers for good.

My Go-To Travel Hack: 100-Yen Store Contact Lens Cases!

So, what do I use to carry my makeup on trips? Believe it or not, it’s those cute contact lens cases you can snag at 100-yen stores! I pop my creams into these adorable containers—mine have Hello Kitty designs, but that’s just my vibe. Any pattern works, and you can grab them at dollar stores or convenience shops too.

These contact lens cases are designed to hold liquids, so leaks are rarely an issue (though overfilling can get tricky, so watch out!). Plus, with the right-eye and left-eye compartments attached, they don’t scatter all over your pouch—no more “where’d it go?” moments. The color-coding and “R” or “L” labels make it super easy to tell what’s inside at a glance, which is a total game-changer.

I keep it simple: “night stuff on the left, day stuff on the right.” Specifically, I stash my night pack cream in the “L” side and a daytime all-in-one cream with sunscreen in the “R” side. Mixing up cases with different colors or patterns cuts down on mix-ups even more—pretty handy, right?

That said, while I was obsessed with these contact cases for a while, I recently stumbled across an even better option. Now, I’ve switched everything over to that new find!

My Travel Must-Have: A Mirror-Equipped Contact Case from 100-Yen Stores

Here’s what I’m currently using to pack my makeup for trips: a contact lens storage case from 100-yen stores like Daiso.

This little gem is about 6cm x 7cm, super compact, and comes with a handy mirror. Inside, you’ve got a round case for lenses, a cylindrical container for liquid, and even a pair of tweezers—all bundled together. But since I don’t need tweezers for makeup, I ditch them and just use the cylindrical container, the lens case, and the mirrored outer shell.

Contact Lens Case with L and R Labels for Easy Sorting

My old Hello Kitty case was color-coded in bright white and red, but my current one rocks a sleek monochrome vibe. It’s got a black lid and a white lid, each clearly marked with “L” or “R.” These colors and labels make it a breeze to organize my products.

For me, the black “L” holds my night pack cream, while the white “R” is for my daytime all-in-one cream. The cylindrical liquid container? That’s perfect for my serum, ready to go wherever I travel.

From Bulky to Super Compact!

The containers for your everyday cosmetics can be pretty big and bulky, right? But transfer them into a contact lens case, and they shrink down to an amazingly compact size!

At first glance, these tiny cases might make you think, “No way! This won’t be enough!” But here’s the thing—daily creams aren’t something you pile on in heaps. For me, the amount that fits in this case is plenty for a week-long trip.

If you’re worried about running out, try transferring your products ahead of time and testing how many days they last. It’s a simple way to put your mind at ease!

All the Skincare I Need for Travel

My travel skincare routine? Just a cream in a contact lens case and a few pre-portioned serum packs. It’s so small and compact, yet I can still do my full routine—pretty impressive, right?

Even better, I don’t have to stress about finding a mirror. This case comes with one built in, so I’m covered no matter where I am!

BB Cream Fits Perfectly in 100-Yen Store Containers Too

It’s not just skincare—BB cream gets the same treatment in my contact lens case! I stash concealer in the left “L” side and tube-style BB cream in the right “R” side.

When refilling, I don’t go all the way to the top. Stopping at about 90%, just like with my creams, keeps it just right.

Liquid Foundation Goes in the Cylindrical Container

I use the cylindrical liquid container for my liquid foundation. The white cap pops off easily, making it a total breeze to refill.

Heads up, though—liquid foundation can leak due to airplane pressure changes, so don’t overfill it! Keeping it at 80–90% capacity works like a charm.

Oh, and if I want to bring more liquid products, those 100-yen store “soy sauce containers” from the bento section are surprisingly handy. They used to just come in fish shapes, but now there’s a bunch of fun designs to pick from!

Foundation This Tiny? 100-Yen Store Compact Travel Magic!

My refilled foundation shrinks down to this—seriously compact! This amount in the container easily lasts a week-long trip. Honestly, with foundation, it might even stretch to 10 days. Since everyone uses different amounts, I’d suggest transferring it beforehand and testing, “How long does this last me?”—it’s a stress-free way to know for sure!

All the Foundation I Need Fits Right Here

Liquid foundation for my base, concealer—everything included, and it’s just this much!

The black case on the right holds a mini foundation I grabbed for about 500 yen at a convenience store (FamilyMart). The round white case up top is my finishing powder. I don’t usually use both at once—it depends on my skin that day. Some days it’s “Powder’s enough,” others it’s “Let’s go with foundation,” so I carry both.

Travel Info 【台湾 沖縄 国内 旅行】女性のLCC機内持込7kgってどれぐらい？3泊4日のスーツケースの中身公開！【韓国 海外 旅行】 ジェットスターやピーチ、タイガーエアー、チェジュ航空、エアアジアなどLCCの航空会社の機内持ち込み手荷物は7～10kgまで。この7kgだけで旅行に行くときのスーツケースの中身を写真で公開！それを買えるお店も紹介するので参考にしてね。荷物公開女性編。

Travel Info [Actual experience report] Female must-see! The contents of the baggage of 7 kg within the overseas travel / in-flight carry-in restriction are released with LCC! (Women's edition) This one-week trip is OK! LCCの手荷物7kg制限の女性の手荷物はこんな感じ。化粧品から洋服まで写真付きで中身を公開。8日間程度の荷物です。ぜひ参考にしてくださいね。

Packing liquid foundation and concealer into a contact lens storage case means no more lugging around bulky tubes or cases. Everything foundation-related stays in one spot, so my makeup pouch doesn’t turn into a scattered mess—super easy and convenient!

The trick to enjoying travel? Keep your luggage as light and compact as possible. Less baggage leaves room for cute souvenirs or tasty local treats to bring home—trust me, it’s a total game-changer!

Summary: Travel Makeup Packing Hacks

Want your travel makeup compact but leak-free? Here’s a travel blogger’s tried-and-true guide to solve that problem!

Those 100-yen store mini travel containers might seem handy, but I skip them—they clutter my pouch and leak on flights. Instead, I swear by 100-yen contact lens cases. Creams and BB cream go in the “L” and “R” compartments, while liquid foundation fits perfectly in the cylindrical tube, shrinking everything down to a super manageable size.

A mirror-equipped case means you’re set to primp anywhere. Just fill to about 80–90% to avoid spills—safety first! Bonus tip: bento soy sauce containers are a surprising lifesaver too. Less luggage means more room for souvenirs, so give it a try on your next trip!