Makeup cases come in all shapes and sizes and are made by numerous manufacturers. They can be purchased at professional makeup stores, beauty outlets, and retail and department stores. They vary in price from a few dollars for cloth totes to several hundred dollars for large travel cases. For the average person, a standard square or rectangular, top-opening makeup case is ideal if it has at least two folding trays and a large bottom compartment.

For someone with more makeup or for a makeup artist, you may look into rolling, stackable cases. Basically, these cases are hard sided, lined with felt or hard plastic, and about one foot square. A rolling system can then be built of three or four smaller cases.

As a rule, each case includes two to four telescoping trays that expand up to triple their stored size. Choose an aluminum or durable plastic case to ensure safe stacking and storage. Also, make sure that your cases have individual locks and rigid plastic handles with a non-slip grip.

If you're shopping for makeup cases, consider how you'll be traveling with your makeup. Airplane travel is a great way to wreak havoc on your makeup. If you're carrying on makeup, a cloth or canvas tote bag is fine. For checked luggage, though, put makeup in a compartmentalized hard sided case. Pack powders together and add few layers of tissue around and on top of them to avoid a mess if powder does break up. Line lipsticks up in a row and make sure their caps are tightly snapped shut. Use your brushes to buffer the empty spaces to keep makeup from sliding around to reduce breakage.