Where to get mini beauty products

If you love to travel or just cute tiny things then you should work on beefing up your mini makeup collection. They're so dainty and fun to use, plus, they're perfect for those who don't like bringing big bags on a regular basis. Get them for the novelty. Get them for the cute.

But wait, how? It's not like brands just sell these on their counters year-round. There are three ways to get legit makeup minis: 

  • Gift With Purchase (GWP) is the typical way of scoring these minis. If you're buying from a high-end brand, remember to ask about a GWP just in case they have one! This practice is not super common in the Philippines but it doesn't hurt to ask.
  • Limited edition sets usually contain at least three mini versions of best-selling products. These sets typically come out during the holidays, but some brands feature them in other seasonal collections.
  • Airport-exclusive items can be found in Duty Free shops all over the world. These travel-sized products aim for space optimization so always get some whenever you're out and about. And hey you can't argue with tax-free prices! ;)
  • Beauty subscription boxes like BDJ Box and a service like Sample Room sometimes come out with luxe, travel-sized samples. Shiseido and Benefit samples are always a treat.
Top to bottom: Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Lipstick in Desirable, Make Up For Ever HD Foundation, Benefit Fake Up concealer, Benefit Benetint

Top to bottom: Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Lipstick in Desirable, Make Up For Ever HD Foundation, Benefit Fake Up concealer, Benefit Benetint

Sometimes though brands sell smaller versions of certain products to serve a different or more specific function. For example, this mini Shiseido lash curler, which I got in Tokyo, is made for curling those hard to reach inner and outer lashes. This is less than half the size of their normal curler.

Bobbi Brown Extreme Party Mascara and Shiseido mini lash curler

Bobbi Brown Extreme Party Mascara and Shiseido mini lash curler

I love having tiny perfume bottles, have I mentioned? It's too bulky and not to mention risky to bring a full-sized perfume bottle. With minis in glass vials, I can refresh my scent any time. The product also doesn't dry out versus transferring them into plastic atomizers.

Burt's Bees Almond & Milk Hand Cream, Clean Perfume, and OPI Nail Polish

Burt's Bees Almond & Milk Hand Cream, Clean Perfume, and OPI Nail Polish

How cool is it that everything above fits in this small acrylic clutch? The clutch from Happy Skin is about half the size of a hardbound book, yet I was able to place a full face of makeup + nail polish + a hand cream inside. The idea tickles my mind haha.

Hope you enjoyed this post! I enjoyed shooting it for sure! Oh and I would love to hear requests for other fun articles like this just to shake things up! ;) 

Liz Lanuzo

Founder & Editor-in-Chief

I eat makeup for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert.

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