When I first decided to pursue makeup artistry, I bought one of those classic metal traincases to carry my products in. Granted, it was a bigger one since it came with a huge bottom portion to attach on top of, but it was pretty typical nonetheless. As I became more immersed in the industry, I learned about the Zuca line of bags. So many of the makeup artists whom I followed on Instagram and YouTube used the Zuca that I felt I HAD to try it.
Traditional metal traincase
Before I get into my experience with the two, let me explain a Zuca bag for those of who you are unfamiliar with them. A Zuca bag is a rolling zippered bag that comes with a number of outside zippered compartments and clear zippered bags to put inside. (The bags resemble packing cubes if you’ve ever used them.)
Standard Zuca bag
The Zuca is much lighter weight than a traditional metal traincase and conveniently has a seat on top that you can use in a pinch. That being said, the seat is pretty low which would make doing makeup a pain in the… back. Hehe, see what I did there? The other main benefit to the Zuca is that it is carry-on size and looks like luggage so it is a dual-purpose bag.
Maybe it’s just me, but I found the Zuca to be frustrating and a little disorganized. Unlike the top half of my traincase which can be set on top of a table with the compartments unfolded and then put away in a matter of seconds, setting up and taking down my kit from the Zuca became a real hassle. I had to unzip, take out the bags, take products out of the bags, put bags back into the case, then later repeat in reverse. Trust me when I say that no amount of trendiness is worth waking up 15 minutes earlier and staying 15 minutes late.
The other issue is that the Zuca is actually relatively small for someone who needs to bring their entire kit on set. While prepping for a creative expo I did months ago, I found that I couldn’t fit everything I needed (yes — needed) and had to pack a separate tote to carry all my makeup. My train case has the awesome and convenient top half which can be rested on top of a small table space (who knows how much room the photog/director/whoever is going to give you to set up) and doesn’t require nearly as much work. In the bottom half, I can put boat loads of miscellaneous products, stored in whatever type of bags or organizational cubes that I want.
My current setup is using my normal traincase for makeup and my Zuca for hair. Since I don’t do a lot with hair, it fits the basics perfectly: a hairdryer, straightener, curling irons, products, accessories, brushes, etc. If you have a huge kit, hate when things appear visually disorganized, or don’t like the idea of needing 15 or 20 minutes to setup and take down your kit, the Zuca probably isn’t for you. If you have ideas for a more concise method of organization within the Zuca, are in need of a second case for either more makeup or hair supplies, or don’t have an enormous amount of makeup to lug around, you probably will be fine with it.
