'On the (Makeup Kit) Case'

Hello everyone, sorry this is a little late, been a really busy month...

I think this will be the last of the basic introductory tips, I'm hoping next month to start to look at some of the interesting products and materials we use in the trade.

Anyway, to conclude the general advice theme we started on, I thought we'd just dip into the world of makeup cases, boxes and the like.

This is great, as there's no rules here at all, it really is personal choice, and to be honest, it hugely depends on the kind of job you're doing, products you'll be using etc as to what kind of 'Kit Case' you need.

There are a whole host of different designs, some made especially for makeup, and some are simply boxes which are quite handy for our particular purposes.

These are a small selection of some I've tried, and my thoughts on each as to how useful you may find them...


Case 1 - The classic Cantilever box, looks great, very robust and folds out to reveal lots of compartments. Really good for small jobs etc, but sadly the box is quite heavy to start with, so if you're walking a long way, you may wish to think again. I always found it difficult to fit everything I wanted in this one, as the compartments can tend to be a little shallow. Also, be aware, when it folds out it takes up a lot of space, however it is very quick to open and close in a rush to get at your supplies, and that can be really handy, particularly if you're in a hurry on set !

These cases can be found all over the place in a range of normal high street shops, DIY stores etc, be careful, you don't need to pay a lot for them !

Case 2 - A nice compact makeup case, held together with two little twist fasteners and Velcro sides. A little tricky to find your stuff quickly as it has a lot of compartments, but some are clear which helps when locating small items in a hurry (or at 5:00am when you're half asleep and about to start a long day). As it's nylon, it's light weight, strong and fairly easy to clean, but suffers from being black as it will tend to look dusty and messy fairly quick. We used these cases quite a bit for a while, they take quite a lot of products, including tall bottle which is handy, however getting into them quickly can be tricky, and again they take over a fair bit of space when opened out.

These types cases can usually be found at good makeup suppliers.

Case 3 - This larger case really covers a bit of Case 1 and 2 above, it's fairly light, carry's lots of stuff and has a removable cantilever section for loads of smaller items. It tends to be a little bulky, and again I couldn't always find a space for all the bottles of colour I was carrying, but depending on what' s in your kit, this can certainly be a useful companion.

These types cases can usually be found at good makeup suppliers too.

Case 4 - Ok, I know it's not really a case, but it goes hand in glove with any of your Kit needs. There's lots of different sizes & shapes of these kind of clear flexible plastic pouches, great for brushes, small makeup items etc. They really are helpful just to separate up various items or brands of product within your chosen makeup kit. Clear is often very useful !

These types cases can also be found at good makeup suppliers.

Case 5 - And talking of clear, here we are... the humble clear tool box. I've gone through quite a few boxes, cases and kit carrying devices in my career so far, and in reality, I've reached a stage where I find a simple box like this one of the easiest units to use. They look clean, are easy to access all your items, some have great lids which have little compartments for smaller things, and others of course have removable trays inside also. You can gets lots of different sizes, even giant ones on wheels, which are also great. Of course not all are clear/translucent, but whenever I find one that is, large or small I pick one up.

These cases can be found all over the place in a range of normal high street shops, Art & Craft stores, DIY stores etc.

Ultimately, as you develop your career, you'll find that the best option for you is to have a range of cases on hand to suit each job. Sometimes you'll want them all with you, some for holding stock products and spare equipment, some for in the makeup room, and some for on set work.

Much of this will also depend on whether you are working on location, or on a fixed studio shoot. The best thing is to always keep your eyes peeled for that little gem which you think will be just perfect for your next job.

See you soon in April.