Packing My Toiletries Used to Be a Disaster, Until I Found This Travel Gem

Up until a year or two ago, whenever I packed a suitcase I would put my cosmetics in a mishmash of mini zippered makeup bags and zip-top bags of varying sizes. It was a random, inefficient process that often left me guessing where my face lotion was and why it wasn’t in the same bag as my toner (it didn’t fit). If something leaked, it would generally seep out of the fabric bag and on to the rest of my clothing-filled suitcase. 

Then, I received the Calpak Medium Clear Cosmetic Case, and it quite literally changed the way I pack overnight. 

At first, I was wary of the Calpak cosmetic case’s bulk. Measuring nearly 10 inches by 8 inches, and 5 inches thick, it felt too big to make space for in my already-pushing-capacity bags. My scrappy little system of plastic baggies seemed more compact (albeit prone to disaster). But the first time I actually tried out the Calpak case, I was hooked. Not only did it make me feel 10 times more put-together, but it also actually made packing easier. 

So how much can the Calpak Medium Clear Cosmetic Case fit? In one bag, I’m able to store all my skincare and bathroom essentials, which means I don’t have to go scrounging around for various bags or figuring out how to fit everything. Although what I pack depends on where I’m going and how I’m getting there — if I’m just going away for the weekend I won’t bring my full skincare routine, or if I’m traveling by plane I’ll bring travel-sized products only — for the sake of proving how much this thing fits, I tried packing an indulgently full toiletries bag. 

Here’s what I packed in there: a bottle of toner, retinol serum, vitamin C serum, face moisturizer, face wash, a big tube of Aquaphor, deodorant, contact lenses, an overstuffed makeup bag, some leave-in hair conditioner, a lip scrub, and even a bottle of perfume. All of that, and the case wasn’t even completely full — I could’ve squeezed several more items in there.  

Truth be told, the Calpak Medium Clear Cosmetic Case is a little large — it takes up a good third of my go-to weekender bag. But I’ve grown so fond of it that, unless I’m trying to pack really light, I’ll use it for pretty much any length of trip. If you are looking for a different-sized option, though, Calpak also carries a small version of the same case, and a bigger one, too. 

It’s worth noting that all sizes of the bag come with rave reviews. The medium case has a 4.9-star average rating after 1,057 reviews on the Calpak site. Although they all come in the same classic colors (mauve, caramel, stone, and black), some sizes come in extra colors. I’m coveting the small case in the color papaya, for instance. 

Rounding up my toiletries is always my least favorite part of packing, as I’m usually finishing it up at the last minute, needing to remember to add my deodorant and toothpaste after I’ve just used them. Because the Calpak case is completely clear and spacious enough to really see everything, I can take a quick look at it as I’m putting it in my suitcase to make sure everything’s in there — which has saved me from forgetting my toothbrush or contacts more than once. 

And because it’s made of flexible polyurethane, it’s easy to squish down a bit to fit in your bag, but the semi-rigid frame ensures it doesn’t compress enough to squeeze any of the liquid-filled bottles and tubes inside. If you do have a leak, though (that’s only happened to me once with the Calpak) it’ll stay neatly inside the case and save the rest of your belongings. 

Although the Calpak Medium Clear Cosmetic Case makes packing so much less annoying, an unexpected perk has been how handy it is to have once I’m at my destination. Rather than pulling all my tinctures out from their various bags and putting them on the counter wherever I’m staying, I can keep it all neatly corralled in the case. It’s like having a portable medicine cabinet. And when I go to pack back up, I know all my toiletries will fit beautifully into one bag.

Buy: Calpak Medium Clear Cosmetic Case, $85