While my first installment of What's in my Makeup Bag included the staples I pretty much wear daily, these items I'm more flexible about and tend to change from time to time. I'd love to hear your must-have products because I am always excited about new finds!
1. Eyeliner
I've always been a pencil eyeliner person, liquid is not my thing. Neither is black, so you'll often find me wearing brown, purple and steel. I discovered a new trick that I love after buying this Sephora brush set that came with an angled brush. I now use that and some eyeshadow to serve as my eyeliner. I like it because it doesn't pull on my eyelash extensions when I apply it, it's easy to remove and gives a natural look. I've found eyeshadows with shimmer tend to work better. You can also dip the brush in water for a bolder look, or you can use a gel liner specifically designed to be used with a brush. But I say why buy an extra product when you can use a shadow you already have?
2. Eyeshadow & Primer
When I put on my undereye concealer, I put it on my eyelids as well and dab it with my powder foundation. So basically my eyelids are primed, but if I'm looking for extra credit I'll use Lancome Aquatique Waterproof Eyecolor Base or MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Painterly. Both have a tacky, matte finish. And as far as eyeshadows, I'm all over the place. I use what comes in free gifts and Birchbox, so I rarely have to buy any. However I did recently purchase some Mary Kay mineral eyeshadows, and I must say I was very pleasantly surprised. The colors are gorgeous and the quality is great. I think everyone needs a shade like Rosegold in their repertoire. And as far as other staple colors, I love purples, especially the darker shades; if you haven't tried them, I highly recommend. Sounds clownish, but I promise it's not.
3. Mascara
I don't wear mascara on my upper lashes because of my extensions, so I'm not as picky these days. I most often use Lancome Definicils on my lower lashes and find most of Lancome mascaras to be stellar. In my previous quest to find the best mascara on the market, I may have been the only person to ever return Diorshow. The employee at the Dior counter at Bloomingdale's looked at my like I was crazy when I brought it back, but even with its cult classic status, it didn't work for me. However, I really had success with Loreal Voluminous - can't beat the drugstore price and I've seen many professional makeup artists using it. I'm also really intrigued by Too Faced Better Than Sex; I see a lot of bloggers recommending it. (By the way, a great tip is to heat up your eyelash curler with your blowdryer or curling iron before curling your lashes. It works wonders; just make sure it's not too hot!)
4. Lipcolor
This is the product I struggle with the most because it's difficult to find the right color and consistency. Believe it or not, the wrong lipstick or gloss can screw me up on the anchor desk because it's quite hard to enunciate when you lips are sticking together. These are some of my favorites:
-Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick and Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss
-Lancome Color Design in Trendy Mauve
-Mary Kay True Dimensions in Sienne Brulee
-Neutrogena MoistureShine Gloss in NutriBerry
Don't be intimidated by what the Black Honey shade looks like in the tube; it is somewhat sheer and designed to work on everyone. It looks a little different on each person depending on their coloring. And I can't recommend the Neutrogena gloss enough. I've been searching high and low for the perfect strawberry pink and this is the closest I can find. It's beautiful and not super sticky!
5. Highlighter
Highlighter is not something I use every day, but when I do, I can really tell a difference. I don't get into contouring, but I love using Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter Pencil under my eyes for brightening. I love that it's not shimmery!
