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Byrdie / Danie Drankwalter
Toiletry bag, cosmetics case, Dopp kit—call it what you will, we’re willing to bet you own at least one. We’re also willing to bet that it’s probably seen better days and that you may very well be due for a replacement. And if you’ve never given much thought to the pouch in which you stash all your beauty goods, well, you should. There’s no shortage of amazing new offerings on the market, with all kinds of organizational compartments and sections, not to mention that they are just as fashionable as they are functional.
Byrdie Reviewed & Approved
Our best overall pick is Beis The Cosmetic Case, an easy to clean option that comes with a removable mirror and brush holder. For those who need extra room, we love both the Dagne Dover Hunter Toiletry Bag Large, which not only has plenty of interior compartments and pockets, but is chic enough to double as a purse.
The right toiletry bag should be sturdy enough to hold up longer than the cosmetics you put in it. When looking for a new one, you'll also want to consider portability. Be realistic about your size needs, and about how many compartments will be the most functional for you. How you'll use it day to day should factor into the one you choose.
We conducted hours of research on the best toiletry bags, evaluating each on design, material, and size. We also took into consideration how easy it is to clean and carry, as well as any extra cool features. The following can work for your purse, your carry-on, or just to keep in your bathroom.
Ahead, find the best toiletry bags to keep your stash organized.
Best Overall
Beis The Cosmetic Case
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Nordstrom
Easy to clean
Comes with removable mirror and brush holder
Only comes in two colors
This checks all of the toiletry bag necessity boxes (lightweight, easy to clean) with some added organizational bells and whistles, too. Think a double-sided brush holder that pops out and a mirror to make on-the-go touch-ups easier than ever. Plus, it’s big enough to hold all your makeup essentials without being overly bulky.
Price at time of publish: $68
Material: Polyurethane | Size: 9.5” X 4” X 7”
Best Budget
MKPCW Portable Cosmetics Bag
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Amazon
Affordable
Dividers can be moved around
Only comes in prints
Ideal for those who like to separate their beauty bounty by category, this affordable makeup bag has no shortage of compartments. Best of all, you can size them to your liking, thanks to the adjustable padded dividers. There's even a separate zippered area to hold items you'd like to store a bit more securely. The four different prints are adorable too; choose from two different floral patterns, as well as pretty designs of lemons or flamingos.
Price at time of publish: $14
Material: Synthetic | Size: 9” X 3.35” X 7.5”
Best Multi-Functional
Truffle Clarity Clutch Small
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Neiman Marcus
Clear plastic makes it easy to see what’s inside
Zipper can sometimes get a bit stuck
Small enough to not get snatched up by the TSA but large enough to fit the essentials, we love these simple, clear, hold-everything pouches not only for beauty products, but for pretty much anything and, well, everything. Jewelry, chargers, cords, meds—we suggest picking up a few to have on hand.
Price at time of publish: $45
Material: TPU & leather trim | Size: 9” X 7.5”
Best for Minimalists
West Elm Toiletry Bag
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West Elm
Simple design
Good price point
Only comes in two colors
Sometimes you want lots of compartments and pockets and zippers and space…and sometimes, you don’t. For those times, this minimalist option is ideal. Available in gray (polyester) and black (nylon), it's perfect for tossing in the essentials with its clean, chic, and streamlined look.
Price at time of publish: $28
Material: Polyester | Size: 8.5” X 5.5” X 5”
Best Clear
The Daily Edited Pale Pink Clear Travel Case
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The Daily Edited
Small compartment has elastic strap to keep things secure
Can be monogrammed
On the pricier side
Not sure if you packed that beloved tube of mascara? Forgot where you left your bronzer? Enter the beauty of a clear case, where you can quickly and easily assess your stash. This one just happens to have the bonus of sophisticated leather edging, which you can monogram, too.
Price at time of publish: $79
Material: Clear PVC & leather trim | Size: 8.5” X 4.5” X 3”
Best for Purse
Everlane The ReNew Catch-All Case
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Everlane
Plenty of compartments and pockets
Made of recycled materials
Opens wide and stays upright
Can be a little bit tough to spot clean
Pull this out of your purse and we guarantee someone will ask where you got it. The durable exterior is oh-so-chic, and we love that the spacious interior and water-resistant finish. The zipper tabs on the sides can also be unsnapped to adjust the shape, a nice added feature.
Price at time of publish: $35
Material: Recycled polyester | Size: 9” X 4.75” X 4.75”
Best for Overpackers
Dagne Dover Hunter Toiletry Bag
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Nordstrom
Plenty of compartments and pockets
Holds a ton of stuff
Can be hand-washed
Some reviewers note the material is prone to ripping
Even the most overzealous of packers will be able to fit anything and everything into this oversized bag. It truly fits a shockingly massive amount of goods, and touts inside compartments, holders for brushes or razors, and a removable mesh pouch as well, making it easy to keep your necessities organized. It also comes in several different colors, all made of a neoprene material that can be hand washed.
Price at time of publish: $65
Material: Neoprene | Size: 9” X 4.75” X 5.5”
Best Bag Alternative
Poke-A-Dot Cosmetic Organizer
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Amazon
Great for creating a customized storage solution for travel
Easy to clean
Not good for travel
Okay, so it’s not a bag per se, but this organizer is ideal for those who want to keep their stash in a drawer rather than a bag. It comes with eight partitions that can be placed horizontally, vertically, or even diagonally for a completely customized set-up. It’s super easy to clean, and the organizers are also stackable, should you need even more space for your goods.
Price at time of publish: $23
Material: Plastic | Size: 8” X 2.5” X 10.5”
Best Pouch
Stony Clover Classic Large Pouch
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Stoney Clover Lane
Super roomy
Comes in plenty of fun colors
No interior pockets
For those looking for a big bag that you can toss in everything and go, this can’t be beat. It’s super roomy, so much so that it can even fit hair tools in it (not to mention all of your basic toiletries). It doesn’t have any interior compartments or pockets, but for storing larger items, this is ideal. Bonus points for the wide range of 16 colors to choose from.
Price at time of publish: $78
Material: Nylon | Size: 8” X 5” X 11”
Best Clear, Runner-Up
Calpak Clear Cosmetics Case
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Calpak
Makes it easy to organize all your toiletries in one bag
Comes in multiple colors
Some users report the zipper can catch
Consider this basically like getting three toiletry bags in one. Not only does it come with two clear compartments, it also has a smaller zippered pocket as well. Once again, the clear plastic makes it easy to spot everything, and this also flattens down nicely, making it easy to fit into even the most overstuffed of suitcases.
Price at time of publish: $95
Material: Plastic | Size: 9” X 5.25” X 11.5”
Best Hanging
Away The Hanging Toiletry Bag
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Away
Spill-Proof interior
Can be personalized
Comes in several colors
Some reviewers note the removable bag could be bigger
Hanging toiletry bags are both a great way to house all of your goods and save precious real estate on your sink counter. This is one of our favorites, touting three pouches (and one removable one). The exterior is made from water-resistant nylon, and the interior is coated so that it’s totally spill proof.
Price at time of publish: $75
Material: Nylon | Size: 9.6” X 3.74” X 6.6”
Best Leather
Cuyana Leather Travel Case Set
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Cuyana
Interior can be wiped clean
Can be personalized
Made of high-quality leather
Expensive
Looking for a toiletry bag that feels extra luxe and special? Opt for a leather one. Here, you get not one but two bags, both of which are so chic they really could double as a clutch. Still, they’re both totally functional, with a microsuede interior that can easily be wiped clean. Use the smaller one for makeup, the bigger one for skincare and haircare. (At least, that’s what we do.) This is priced extravagantly for a cosmetics case, but the craftsmanship of this artisanal leather company justifies the price in our book, making these pouches worth the spend.
Price at time of publish: $128
Material: Leather | Size: 7” X 3.5” X 12”/5” X 2.5” X 8”
Best Capsules
Cadence Weekender Bundle
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Cadence
Sustainable
Rounded edges make it easy to scoop out the product
Could be slightly larger
Again, not a bag, per se, but a must-have addition to any toiletry bag. This convenient set of six capsules make it easy to decant all of your toiletry basics, a more sustainable and space-saving alternative to constantly being travel-size products. The magnetic system keeps them all held together, and you can easily add on more capsules if you have more products you want to take with you.
Price at time of publish: $84
Material: BPA-free plastic | Size: .56 ounces
Best for Easy Cleaning
Kusshi Vacationer Makeup Bag
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Kusshi
Machine washable
Wide bottom ensures it stands up on its own
Comes in 14 prints and colors
Some reviewers note the fabric feels a bit thin for the price
The hard truth of the matter is that any toiletry is inevitably going to get gunked up, which is why we’re such big fans of this fabric pick. It’s totally machine washable—yep, just throw the whole thing in the wash and call it a day. It zippers on three sides to allow you full access to all of your stuff, has plenty of compartments and pockets, and touts snaps if you want to add in one of the brand’s extra organizers.
Price at time of publish: $45
Material: Nylon | Size: 7” x 13” x 5 ¾”
Final Verdict
A good toiletry bag is an ideal way to store all of your necessities, whether at home or away. The Beis The Cosmetic Case is our overall top pick, an easy-to-clean option that comes with a removable mirror and brush holder. For those who need extra room, we love both the Dagne Dover Hunter Toiletry Bag Large, which has plenty of interior compartments and pockets, and the oversized Stony Clover Classic Large Pouch, a perfect catch-all for bigger items.
What to Look For in a Toiletry Bag
Cleanable Material
Suede is a beautiful material, but if your mascara wand drops onto a cosmetic case made of that, the mark may be there indefinitely. Your best bet is to choose a material that can be cleaned. Whether that means a canvas that can go in the wash, a plastic that wipes down easily, or a specially treated leather, remember that these guys can get messy.
Portability
If your toiletry bag never leaves your home, it doesn't matter how well it travels--but if you tend to put it in your purse, or you want to travel with it in your carry on, portability is everything. The TSA rule is that your resealable bag of toiletries can't be larger than a one quart size, and no items in it can be more than 3.4 ounces each. It makes sense to consider owning a home case, and a separate one for travel.
Compartments
While some people love an all-in-one, pocket free bag, those of us who have any propensity for losing things, or who like everything in its place with no cross-item touching thrive on cases with compartments. They're excellent for keeping your makeup brushes from getting dirtied, they prevent the loss of small things like bobby pins, and you won't ever have that angsty feeling of digging through a seemingly endless container.
The Proper Size For Your Needs
Here is where we again mention that you may be best served by owning one home and one travel toiletry case. If you use a lot of products day to day, it only makes sense to have a large case. But you don't necessarily want to travel with all those goodies, especially if your air travel isn't going to involve a checked bag. When choosing a cosmetics case, first have a strong idea of how many products you want to go inside it. It can be helpful to place them all together on the counter as a visual aid.
How We Researched
To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key features—like ingredients, shade range, or design—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then used this research to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.
Why Trust Byrdie
Byrdie contributor Melanie Rud has over a decade of experience in the beauty industry, writing for some of the biggest magazines and websites out there. She is notorious for packing a ton of toiletries any time she travels, meaning she usually brings an average of three toiletry bags with her on any trip, including many of the ones featured on this list.
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