Beauty Moment- Peek Inside My Makeup Bag

I spent part of this past Labor Day weekend cleaning out my makeup bag. Ok, bags - plural. I tried to whittle down my stash of all things beauty so I could fit it into one central bag.

Yeah. That didn't work out. I tossed everything that was cracked, crumbling or smelled weird. But that still left me with as much inventory as my local Benefit counter. So I organized all the makeup I don't wear on a daily basis but still need (sparkly eye shadows, backup eye liners, and a ridiculous assortment of lip glosses), and created a smaller bag full of the items I use every single day. Wanna see what's in that one?

Nars Blush in Dolce Vita- this powder blush looks very intense in the compact, but brushes on super light. It gives me a really natural "I just came in from the cold" flush.  I like that the color is buildable, too, so on days when I've got a little more color in my cheeks I can tone my application. 

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light Bisque - For those days when I look like I've been up all night drinking (even when I haven't), I spread a healthy layer of corrector on the dark circles under my eyes. Then I top it with one dot's worth of Stila's Illuminating Concealer in Light. If I can get the concealer close enough to my lash line, I look incredibly well rested. If I can't, then I just rely on the light-reflecting particles in the concealer to do the work for me.

Global Goddess I-Divine Eyeshadow in Batasia - this neutral birch brown shadow is my go-to when I don't have time to get creative. It makes my green eyes look alive. Worn underneath my Stila Eye Shadow Pan in Kitten, it makes me look polished in an instant. I can't live without Kitten. It's the perfect pearly/shimmery neutral shade that goes with anything else you want to throw on top of it. And a little bit dabbed in the corner of your eyes goes a long way toward glamourous.  When I want a little extra nighttime oomph, I reach for an old school product from Benefit - a coppery Show Offs loose shimmer powder called High Roller.  

Nars Lipgloss in Frisky Summer - This gloss feels smooth and shiny but is ultra pigmented so the color wears like lipstick. Frisky Summer is a bright, saturated raspberry pink that instantly perks up my complexion. To add more depth to my lips, I like to layer it over Nars Lipstick in Tutti Frutti. Tutti Frutti is a sheer strawberry shade that lasts and lasts. There's just something so ladylike about swiping on lipstick, isn't there?

Rounding out my makeup bag is Stila Natural Finish Oil-free Makeup in B, Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion, a sample size Vincent Longo's The Curl Mascara that I got with an order from Beauty.com (makes my lashes look full but natural), and another Benefit fave- Dr. Feelgood.  I pat this clear, mattifying balm on underneath foundation and then over my chin throughout the day as needed.  

Maybe next time I'll show you my "reserve" stash of makeup - the stuff I don't use every day but just can't part with.  In the meantime, what's in your bag?