Finding the best way to travel with your makeup, whether it’s a soft bag, makeup train case, or rolling train case, is a lot more than just picking up any bag in a color you like. You want to make sure you have the right size and the organizational structure that matches your preferences. If you’re a makeup professional or traveling with more than just the bare minimum to get by, a train case for makeup is your best bet.
The best train cases have lots of compartments so you can organize to your liking, but it’s also safer for your makeup because everything isn’t banging around. This also makes train cases great for permanent storage at home when you don’t have a vanity space.
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1. Sunrise 3-Tier Pro Makeup Case
Pros:- Sturdy hard case
- Six folding trays
- Choice of five colors
Cons:- Smaller than other cases
- Heavy
- Trays are small
This Sunrise brand case is on the smaller side for a train case, but is solidly built and has lots of compartments. It measures 12 inches long by eight inches wide and 9.5 inches tall and opens to unfold three levels of shelves for a total of six accordion-style trays.
The shelves are very widespread giving you a good visual of all your makeup and plenty of room to work. The bottom of the case is heavy enough that the wide shelves don’t cause the case to topple over, but the downside is that the case has more weight to it when carrying. It comes with a removable shoulder strap to make the case more comfortable to transport.
There are two sturdy latches on the top to keep it closed and each has a lock with a key. The locks feel a little flimsy but would be more than sufficient to keep roommates, younger siblings, and children out of your things.
Being a little on the small side, this is a good choice for either a home kit or a traveling case for when you don’t feel like paring down too much.
Find more Sunrise 3-Tier Pro Makeup Case information and reviews here.
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2. Joligrace Portable Train Case
Pros:- Easy clean, adjustable dividers
- Locks
- Choice of colors
Cons:- Not as sturdy as others
- Only one side has accordian shelves
- Compartments are tiny
The Joligrace train case has tree fold-out shelves, and fold-up mirror, and a spacious lower compartment. The dividers are adjustable and I like that they are a very cleanable hard plastic and that the grooved interior gives you a lot more options as to where you can place your dividers. It measures 10 inches by 9.25 inches by seven inches.
It’s a hard case with a faux marble patterned metal exterior and a key lock on the latch. The metals sides are a little thin which makes it lightweight but if you’re thinking of checking your makeup bag when flying, you may want to find something heftier.
The size and number of shelves on this one make it a great choice for home use, for performers, and for traveling professionals. It comes in a range of colors and patterns.
Find more Joligrace Train Case information and reviews here.
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3. Shany Premier Fantasy Collection Cosmetics Train Case
Pros:- Durable exterior
- Comes with mirror, brush holder, and locks
- Choice of eight fun colors
- Easy to clean
Cons:- No dividers in compartments
- Prone to tipping
- Too small for some
These brightly colored train cases come in divine blue, black diamond, leopard, NY taxi, rainforest, silver diamond, snow white, and zebra.
Shany is a cruelty-free company and this case measures 14 inches by eight inches and is 10 inches tall. The metal exterior is very sturdy and can hold up to a lot of pressure and dings in transit. It has an asymmetrical design in its shelving which has its pluses and minuses.
The downside of that is that if you have heavy items in your trays, the box is more likely to become unbalanced and topple over when the accordion shelves are full extended. The plus is that it creates almost a portable vanity where you can sit at your case with all your makeup in front of you instead of having to look from side to side.
At the top of the tiered shelves is a hinged mirror so you can do your makeup right at your case. Having shelving only on one side also leaves room for the included brush holder that sits in the base compartment.
These cases come with removable shoulder straps and keys for the built in locks on the two latches on the lid. It has a non-absorbent, easy to clean liner and the base is large enough to house hair styling tools like curling irons and straighteners.
Find more Shany Premier Fantasy Collection Cosmetics Train Case information and reviews here.
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4. Shany Color Matters Train Case & Nail Polish Organizer
Pros:- Choice of flashy colors
- Removable dividers
- Cruelty-free
- Good size for home
Cons:- Too small for professionals
- Only one option for carrying
- Just two compartments
You’ll always be able to tell which makeup case is yours with Shany’s Color Matters Collection which includes choices like bird of paradise, sugar gum, white lily, and black with pink interior. It’s organized a little differently with storage on top and a drawer on the front and this train case is smaller than the others at 9.25 inches by nine inches and 6.25 inches tall.
While not a good fit for a professional makeup artist, this would certainly be a great travel case or organizer for nail art tools. The top section fits 24 nail polishes and the divider lifts out so you can use that space for things other than lacquer.
There’s a small mirror on the lid and six band holders for thinner tools like brushes or pencils. The bottom drawer pulls all the way out for easy access and cleaning and has a small pouch along one side and more elastic band type holders on another. The outside is covered in matte faux leather and both that and the lining inside are water and stain-resistant.
The drawer and lid latch closed, but the only handle is the one on the top so this one might not be best for long journeys. A nice thing to know is that all of Shany’s products are cruelty-free so your money isn’t going to a company that uses animal testing or animal products.
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5. Travel Mall 3 Layer Train Case With Mirror
Pros:- Four ways to carry it
- Includes mirror
- Adjustable dividers
- Many straps
Cons:- Not a hard case
- Less room than others
- Not ideal for home use
This train case is shaped more like a laptop bag than a typical makeup bag design. It opens like a briefcase and has optional straps to keep the top lid from falling too far back. This is great because the first layer on the lid is a mirror making this a great choice for going on vacation or a place where you are literally going to need to do your makeup straight out of your bag.
The flap that holds the mirror can be lifted and placed over the back of the lid revealing a brush organizer with six roomy brush compartments. That organizer detaches with a zipper revealing larger pouches for items like curling irons and straighteners. This is all just the top lid.
The bottom of the case has foam padded dividers that are all adjustable. You can even get additional dividers so you can organize to your heart’s content. It’s smaller than the others at 9.6 inches long by 8.9 inches wide and 3.9 inches tall, though that does make it great for personal use on the go.
The Travel Mall train case is extremely travel friendly in that there are so many ways to carry it. It has a standard briefcase handle, a removable shoulder strap, a large strap on the back meant attached to the handle of your rolling suitcase, and even a configuration where you can wear it as a backpack.
Find more Travel Mall Train Case With Mirror information and reviews here.
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6. Glenor Beauty Train Case
Pros:- Four accordion shelves
- All dividers adjustable
- Sturdy hard case
- Lockable
Cons:- Not a lot of room for large items
- Lining feels a little cheap
- Locks aren't super secure
This hard-shell train case is a good size for home and travel. It’s 14 inches long by 8.5 inches wide and 11 inches tall. When you open the case it unfolds to show four accordion-style trays and a deep storage space beneath. The bottom of the box is weighted so that it won’t topple over when the trays are moved, but that does add some weight to the empty box overall.
It has lots of dividers and every single one is removable and adjustable. It might take a little tugging, but you won’t hurt it. I like that I can adjust the dividers to fit my items exactly and securely so fragile pieces aren’t bouncing around.
Because of all the shelves, there really isn’t any room for taller products you’d like to store upright. It has lockable latches on top and comes with a set of two keys. The keys look like the type I had when I was little to lock my kid’s safe, so I’m not sure if these are secure enough for professional artists, but it is nice to have, especially if you have kids in the house.
It has a thick handle on top and a removable shoulder strap for carrying. This cosmetics train case comes in black, grey, and pink.
Find more Glenor Beauty Train Case information and reviews here.
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7. Professional 16 Inch Wheeled Train Case
Pros:- Eight accordion-style trays and lots of space
- On wheels
- Professional looking
- Telescoping handle
Cons:- Can get heavy
- Too bulky for home use
- No color choices
This is the largest train case on the list coming in at 16 inches by 9 inches and 14 inches high. It opens to eight accordion-style trays stacked in four levels and a hollow compartment in the base.
Professional makeup artists may want to run the measurements to make sure it’s the size you’re looking for, but for most of us this will be plenty of space. It’s about the size of average carry-on luggage and has a sturdy metal exterior that is built to withstand heat and keep your makeup from getting too hot in the sun.
That does mean that along with the extra storage space, this case gets heavy. But that’s not a problem since it’s on wheels. There are two solid wheels on the bottom and a telescoping handle that collapses so you can easily stow your case when you’re not using it.
It closes by two latches on the top of the case and each latch locks with a key. This makes more sense for make up lovers, professionals, performers on the go rather than as an organizing home makeup kit.
Find more Professional 16 Inch Wheeled Train Case information and reviews here.
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8. Sunrise 3-in-1 Professional Makeup Artist Train Case
Pros:- Part of interchangeable system
- Choice of 11 styles
- Built to last
- Comes with mirror and locks
Cons:- Heavy
- No shoulder strap
- No large compartment
This unique train case design is part of Sunrise’s Interchangeable E Series . These cases are designed to fit together. With all these swap-able parts, you can build a makeup storage case exactly how you want it.
When all closed up, the Pro 3-in-1 measures 14.5 inches by 9.5 inches and 13.25 inches tall. It’s made up of three trays that lock together as one piece or unlock to be used separately. What I love the most about this is that if you end up needing more storage space down the line, you won’t need to buy a second case or a whole new larger one while ditching your first case which is a huge waste of money–you can actually add onto this one with the 3 Series so you can always have the amount of space you need.
A removable mirror is included in the top lid and each hinge latches independently and locks shut with a key. It’s heavy duty and built to last with reinforced steel corners so it’s plenty sturdy enough for travel but also a bit heavier than some other models.
It has a nice thick handle on top but no place to attached a shoulder strap which would be nice. I partly think this is due to the fact that these pieces slot together with other models which are on rollers, but it still would be convenient to have a strap.
Each tray has adjustable dividers and the lining is easy to wipe clean when there are spills. True to Sunrise’s fully customizable spirit, this train case comes in 11 different colors and textures including black, white, leopard print, and pink alligator.
Find more Sunrise 3-in-1 Professional Makeup Artist Train Case information and reviews here.
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9. Boknight 6-Tier Pro Makeup Case
Pros:- Cute pink color
- Six fold out trays
- Lightweight
- Good size for home use
- Lockable
Cons:- Not as durable as others
- Not big enough for professionals
- No color choices
This train case, while probably too small for professional makeup artists, is a good size for home use or travel at 11 inches by 6.5 inches and 8.5 inches tall. With six accordion-style trays tucked inside, you have loads of space for organizing your small items.
The hollow base is great for storing larger pieces, but since it’s one of the smaller cases, if you have, or plan to travel with, a lot of large eyeshadow palettes, this one might not be big enough to fit what you need.
If you’re looking to store small palettes, this ought to suit you just fine. The hard case is plastic with steel corners. It’s sturdy enough but not as strong as the full metal cases. That does make it around half the weight as a lot of the other train cases on this list though so that’s something to keep in mind. The double latches come with built in locks and keys for extra security.
The girly rose-pink color makes it easy to pick your case out of the crowd.
Find more Boknight 6-Tier Pro Makeup Case information and reviews here.
What Are Some Tips for Traveling With Makeup?
If it's for your own personal use, before you pick your favorite makeup on autopilot, check what colors you'll need for the clothes you're packing and take into account the kind of events you'll be at.
If you can skip your powder compacts, do it. Opt for liquid foundation and cream blush and eyeshadow if you can manage. Pressed powders are fragile and may crack and break apart during rough travel.
When you need to have your powders with you, and most of us will, pack your compacts gently with cotton rounds to give your powders some cushion and keep them from bouncing around in their containers.
Can You Bring Makeup Through TSA?
When you're traveling by plane, make sure you know what you can and can't bring with you in your carry on. Solids like chapstick and lipstick are fine but liquids and gels like mascara, lotion, lip gloss, liquid foundation, and nail polish are all subject to TSA's 3-1-1 rule that says each passenger can carry one quart-sized bag filled travel containers of liquids no bigger than 3.4 ounces.
How Do I Keep My Makeup Safe When I Travel?
If you are checking your full makeup kit and you're worried about your tools being stolen, you might want to take some before photos of your full case or make an inventory list (signed and dated) and leave a copy in your makeup case so no one is too tempted.
If you are checking your case, bubble wrap is your best friend and carry your powders on with you if possible. Airlines aren't always the gentlest when it comes to luggage.
Protect your brushes. Invest in a hard-shell case or specific protection for your brushes or else you could arrive at your destination with a bag full of bent bristles.