I get a lot of inquiries about what I have in my makeup bag. So here goes:
I am a HUGE fan of these little wonders. I’ve used disposable wedges, foundation brushes, my hands, knockoff Beauty Blenders, and believe me. You get what you pay for. It has to be the real thing. There are lots of fakes out there and some of them get amazing reviews on Amazon.com and Sephora but nothing compares to the original. The finish that you get with the Beauty Blender is the same as with an airbrush machine. I stock up on them whenever I go to Sephora and replace them every month. It gets pricey but it’s worth it.
My favorite M.A.C. and Luxie Brushes
I carry a Luxie angled blush brush, two different M.A.C. blush brushes, my M.A.C. angled brow brush, a M.A.C. lip brush, and a Sonia Kashuk bent eyeliner brush that I picked up on a whim from Target.
Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup in Tawny
This is my personal go-to foundation. I wear it in Tawny, which is beige with warm undertones. After years of experimenting with different foundations, this is the holy grail for me.
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation in Y345
Another great foundation. I use this whenever I know my photo will be taken since it photographs beautifully, even with a flash.
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20 in Nude
My everyday base when I don’t want to wear foundation. I love how sheer and lightweight it is. I don’t wear foundation everyday and prefer to use this for my casual days when I’m not working or going out or having my photo taken. It’s also great for women who hate wearing foundation but still appreciate being able to cover up redness and even out skin tone. I love how it lets my skin breathe without feeling heavy or flaky and will keep me looking fresh and glowing. I use the regular version because my dry skin but there is an oil-free version for those with oily complexions. I still apply it with a Beauty Blender for the most even finish.
Those of you that know me know that I am brow-obsessed. I overplucked my eyebrows in the 90s when everybody was trying to copy that Kate Moss skinny eyebrow look and now I regret it because I have to fill in my brows everyday. Right now my preference is for a highly arched, thick eyebrow. For 10 years I used a Maybelline brow pencil every single day until i discovered the Senna Brow Book, which is a refillable magnetic palette filled with 9 different brow powders. I like to use a lighter color on the front of my brows (closest to my nose) then transitioning to a darker color from the arch to the tail. It also comes with a brow pomade that you can layer on top of the brow powder to create texture.
Make Up For Ever Aqua Brow in #30
I love this brow product because it’s waterproof, doesn’t budge and I can put it on quickly when I’m in a rush. NYX Cosmetics Brow Gel in Brunette is a really great alternative if you like this one.
Bobbi Brown Artist Palette for Lips
This palette for lips has 54 different shades in 4 different formulas. I love that i can customize a lip color to my liking or just use one of her many gorgeous shades. Only available from her website.
Benefit Cha Cha Tint Cheek and Lip Stain
Although this is a cheek and lip stain, I only use it on my lips. I actually don’t like the way it goes on my cheeks and it’s difficult to blend. But on my lips, OMG. The color goes on very orange but don’t panic. It dries into a bright, coral color that looks amazing against a tan. This is my everyday lip color because I can swipe it on in the morning and just use clear lip balm to moisturize for the rest of the day.
This is a clear, moisturizing lip balm that I fell in love with after picking up a few tins at Urban Outfitters. My favorite is Salted Caramel because it smells and tastes yummy. It is now sold at Sephora and since it’s pretty inexpensive, I usually pick up a few tins every trip. I’ve turned many clients on to this lip elixer too. Permanent cult status.
I’m all about simplifying my makeup routine and enhancing one’s natural beauty. For that reason, I always carry this little tube around with me. I probably have about 5 of them scattered around the house. I have it in Pink and Coral.
OCC Lip Gloss Stains in Jealous and Off World
More lip stuff. I go back and forth between a lilac pink and a red orange lip. These are inexpensive but still great quality with a lot of color payoff. Not as potent as the OCC Lip Tars, I layer them on top of my lipsticks for some added shine.
Ben Nye Luxury Powder in Banana
A staple in both my personal and professional kits. I use this yellow powder to set my foundation. Kim Kardashian was right when she called this her favorite makeup product. I panic whenever I start running low so I’ve been stocking up on the bigger sizes.
Becca Cosmetics Blush in Wild Honey
I almost never wear blush but on the days when I need a teeny, tiny bit more color, I love this peachy nude shade. I’m super picky about too much color on my face (I prefer all the color to be on my lips) so a little can go a long way. The powder is super fine so when I do use it, I use my Make Up For Ever small fan brush and “flick” it over the apples of my cheeks.
Flattering on EVERYONE. Seriously. I use it for adding color, for contouring and as an eyeshadow. Try it and you’ll be in love too.
Becca Cosmetics Liquid Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal
I love to use this product for strobing or to add a bit of highlighter to the tip of my nose, my cheekbones and my browbones. I love how it prevents that cakey, powdery look and makes your skin look dewy but not greasy. The reason I prefer the liquid version over the powder version for my personal kit is because I have dry skin. In my professional kit, I keep both the liquid and the powder version in case I have a client with oily skin.
Mally Beauty High Shine Liquid Lipstick in Pouty Pink
I own about 7 of these pens but my personal favorite is Pouty Pink. I love how highly pigmented and creamy it is so there is no need to layer on top of another lipstick. It’s something to keep in your kit if you want to simplify your routine. I’m still waiting for Mally to release one in an orange red color.
Bobbi Brown Gel Liner in Sepia Ink
I used to be a black liquid liner girl for years. That is, until I discovered the magic of brown eyeliner for creating a more natural, sultry look. These days I wear winged liner in brown instead of black as my signature. It’s not as dramatic as black so it’s more wearable as an everyday makeup look. I even tightline with brown now.
Xtreme Lashes Glideliners in Espresso and Rose Gold
I discovered these eyeliners because of doing eyelash extensions and the need to find an eyeliner that was extension-compatible. I use the Espresso color for smokey brown looks and the Rose Gold to line my lower waterline to open up my eyes more.
NARS Audacious Mascara in Black Moon
This was sent to me to test out and so far I like it. I have short, straight lashes so I’m not a huge mascara fan (I’m all about lash extensions and individual lashes). While it does lengthen and darken my lashes, I mostly use it to get rid of the powdery look on my lashes after I apply setting powder.
Follow me on Instagram!
