10 MUST HAVE ITEMS TO BUILD THE BEST MAKEUP KIT
If I asked you to describe what your mom looks like, you would probably talk about her hair style and eye color. You would mention how she dressed and if she wore makeup or not. My mom was always dressed to impress. Her closet was meticulously lined with Armani suits in every version of beige you could imagine and her pop of color was typically a red lipstick. She believed in never leaving the house without combing your hair and putting a bit of color on your lips. As I write this, I can hear her voice asking me to run a brush through my hair. It’s the little things we recall when we miss someone. Today, I never leave home without making sure that I have lipstick and a brush in my handbag.
As a beauty blogger, I am obsessed with sampling and researching new products. I love walking up and down store aisles searching for the newest and best skin care, hair care and makeup. Recently, I was asked by Vetted Founder, Jamie Lewin, what types of products I have in my makeup kit for an easy, daily look. I decided to start with the basics. You don’t need to be a professional makeup artist to have the best products. Just follow this list below!
PRIMER
Jane Iredale Smooth Affair Mattifying Face Primer ($55)
I have oily skin and although they say that it helps to prevent wrinkles, nothing is more frustrating than walking outside on a humid day only to have my freshly cleansed, contoured and blended face literally melt away within minutes. I have thankfully found the perfect makeup product to counteract the humidity by creating a barrier between my skin and makeup and it has made a huge difference.
This amazing primer was designed to mattify skin, help balance oil production and blur the appearance of pores and fine lines for smooth makeup application and a natural matte finish. Don’t get scared by the runny consistency. Once you apply it, your makeup will stay in place all day. The key ingredient, red algae extract, is proven to provide anti-aging benefits as well as improving the skin’s ability to protect itself against damage caused by UV light.
FOUNDATION STICK
Ilia Beauty Skin Rewind Blurring Foundation and Concealer Complexion Stick ($48)
A good foundation stick is the gold star for multi-tasking makeup. It’s one of the most important tools as it can conceal, takes the place of contour sticks, as well as provide coverage. If you currently use a liquid foundation, you should definitely try this stick. It’s much easier to apply, plus it looks adorable in your makeup kit and doesn’t take up much room.
This vegan, cruelty-free and non-comedogenic stick has the greatest application I’ve seen in a foundation stick. The brand suggests using your fingers to conceal and a brush for all over coverage. (You can use it as a medium coverage foundation or build it up to be full coverage for a flawless look.) I like to apply it all over my face like I’m creating a Rorschach test and then take a sponge to blend it all in. The coverage lasts a long time, and the finish is natural and not shiny which makes my oily skin happy.
FOUNDATION POWDER
Jane Iredale Pure Pressed Base Mineral Foundation SPF 20/15 Refillable Compact ($57)
I have tried so many different brands of foundation powder that I literally could open my own second-hand cosmetic store and sell everything that I sample and don’t love. It’s difficult to find a loose powder that doesn’t make my face look cakey. Another problem I run into is that the powder wears off and is not long lasting. I find myself needing to reapply throughout the day, thanks again oily skin.
If you are like me and are 50-something (a woman never reveals her exact age), you need to stop what you are doing and go buy this foundation powder. It is a seriously a game changer! It is a foundation, concealer and sunscreen all in one. I literally never leave my house without brushing it onto my skin every morning and it feels and looks amazing. There are 26 shades of foundation to choose from and they guarantee 100% color match if you take their quiz. (My shade is suntan.)
BRONZER
Westman Atelier Beauty Butter Powder Bronzer ($75)
I use bronzer everyday, all year round. I really love using both cream and powder bronzers but what I don’t love is when I see someone who has overly bronzed their face. There’s nothing worse than having a summer glow on your face and then a whiter than white neck, especially in the winter! For this reason, I swipe a bit of my bronzer onto my neck to give myself a sun kissed look.
Gucci Westman is the makeup artist connected to some of Hollywood’s A-listers like Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow and Reese Witherspoon. In 2018, she launched her own line of clean cosmetics. Although the line is a bit pricy, I must admit that every product I have tried feels amazing on my skin but this bronzer is my favorites product from the line. Not only is this bronzer clean and made with natural ingredients, but it also feels velvety on my face, gives me a matte finish, and looks like I just walked off the beach. The compact is stunning, and I’ve had more than one person glance over at me when I take it out of my makeup bag.
Related: The Best Clean Bronzers To Add to Your Beauty Routine
BLUSH
NARS Blush Orgasm ($34)
This blush was the first one I ever bought and is literally the best of the best. Professional makeup artists always have it in their bags, and it has been a makeup essential for decades. Over time I purchased and sampled many different blushes but as they say, “you never forget your first love”.
This iconic peachy pink with golden shimmer blush has been a staple in my makeup kit forever and if you’ve never heard about NARS Orgasm, you must be living under a rock. Over the years, this blush has been written about by beauty experts and influencers who all describe it as universally flattering. NARS has put out many different variations of this flawless color from this powder blush to a unique creamy formula in a multi-purpose stick to a liquid blush and a lip stain. However, the original color remains the same which is why it is one of my most favorite makeup essentials and is a must-have in even the most basic makeup kit.
EYESHADOW
Thrive Brilliant Eye Brightener ($26)
Although I don’t use eye shadow daily, I keep a few different shades in my makeup kit. You never know when you are going to get a last-minute invitation to do something spontaneously so it’s always good to be prepared.
Forget the old-school eyeshadow palette. These easy to apply, all natural, cream to powder highlighter sticks are the answer to looking like you have had 12 hours of sleep when all you really got was 5. For a quick no-makeup-look, I apply shade Stella, a champagne shimmer to the inner corners of my eyes and on my bottom lash line. If I want a more dramatic look, I apply Muna, a mauve taupe shimmer along my eye crease and then Mieko, a soft pink shimmer on my brow bone. These sticks give just a soft wash of color that never creases and are long lasting.
MASCARA
Ilia Beauty Limitless Lash Mascara ($28)
What I look for in a mascara is something that won’t smudge, won’t make me look like a racoon on a hot summer day with dark circles under my eyes and will lengthen and curl my lashes. I also want my mascara to be clean with non-toxic ingredients. Until a few years ago, the options for clean mascaras were scarce. The limited choices that were natural and clean never worked well to lengthen and curl my lashes and weren’t high quality. I definitely reverted back to my drug store favorites and basic black mascara more than once during that time.
Ilia’s award-winning mascara has changed my lashes and my view on clean beauty mascaras. I love how this mascara not only curls, but it also lengthens my lashes and almost never flakes. It also washes off easily and my favorite trait is that this natural mascara is not a tubing formula. If you are lucky enough to pick up a travel size tube of this mascara, you can keep one at home and one in your makeup kit.
LIP COLOR
Jones Road Lippie Stick ($22)
If you haven’t jumped onto the clean beauty bandwagon yet, I suggest you at least switch to using organic and natural lip products. For too long, lipsticks have been formulated with extremely toxic chemicals that are proven to be harmful to your health. Although many cosmetic brands are cleaning up their acts and moving towards using more natural and cruelty-free ingredients, I worry about the younger generation who get their makeup tips from Tik-Tok and other social media outlets. It’s really important that we look at what we are putting directly onto our skin and how to look for toxic chemicals in products. (Jumping off my soapbox now.)
Jones Road was founded by celebrity makeup artist Bobbi Brown. The products in her line are clean and high performing. The lippie stick is my most coveted Jones Road beauty product. The first thing you notice when you open these yummy sticks is their signature scent made with a blend of essential oils. The texture of these sticks is extremely lightweight. This product makes your lips look and feel luxurious moisturized and protected. There are 11 different shades to choose from, but I tend to wear more neutral pinks and the cool pink Flushed is my fave. It’s the perfect finishing touch for any makeup look!
MAKEUP TOOLS
A good idea is to also purchase the Handi Brush ($45) Good makeup brushes are key and this concealer brush is one of the best! This flat-headed, long bristled, nylon powder brush is the perfect tool to use because it gives you control for buildable coverage.
I hope that some of these suggested products make their way into your makeup kits. No matter what your makeup skills are, the products are easy to apply and look amazing on different skin types and a wide range of skin tones. Even makeup newbies are sure to get these right! Let me know what’s in your essential makeup kit!
