Have you ever watched a makeup tutorial on YouTube and thought to yourself well now I have to go out and buy a whole professional makeup kit to do my makeup? I've thought that before and to be honest when I first starting accumulating my makeup kit I thought I needed everything. The truth is somewhere in between.
A few well chosen products can brighten dull winter skin, revive tired eyes and make your gorgeous eyes really pop! But what about all those times when you don't really have time? When you are rushing out the door to work or dinner? When you throw a lipgloss and eyeliner into your purse hoping it will be enough to get you through the work day/meetings/lunch with that important client/after work drinks with friends/dinner with your partner/family and you second guess whether it's better to just pack your entire bathroom cabinet to help you survive the busy day while still looking hot and delicious.
In the last few years I've discovered there are a lot of products that have a double or triple use if you dare to be a little creative. That concealer can also be your foundation, highlighter or eye primer. Your favourite lipstick can moonlight as your cream blush or eyeshadow. That brown mascara can be your brow colour as well as your eyelash colour. So the question is what do you really need in your makeup bag?
Keep reading to find out my top products that you need in your makeup kit! All the products I mention have at least a secondary use so you can cut the amount of products you have in your bag.
Concealer
This is probably the most important product to have as it is small enough to fit in your makeup bag yet so pigmented that you can easily touch up your foundation during the day. A good concealer will erase blemishes and even out your skin tone. If you don't have time to use foundation simply use the concealer in the areas you need it most and you can skip the foundation. You can also mix concealer with a bit of moisturiser and it becomes a tinted moisturiser - voila! I like to keep a creamy concealer like this one by Nars or a stick concealer like the Hourglass Corrective Concealer in my makeup bag. I also like the IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer found here as it is super pigmented - a little goes a long way! I've covered serious dark under eyes and bruises with the IT Cosmetics concealer so it's a winner in my book!
Eyeshadow
Matte brown/taupe eyeshadow can double as your eyebrow powder - just use an angled brush to fill in the gaps in your brow and your done! Using matte eyeshadow also draws less attention to any lines and wrinkles on the eyelid and around the eye so is better for mature skin.
Mascara
As I mentioned in the intro using a brown mascara can also double as a brow colour. If you have light brows you can also use a clear mascara. Who knew a humble mascara could curl and lengthen the eyelashes and at the same time keep your brows in place?!
Lipstick
Lipstick is my favourite multi-use product. I use this not only to touch up my lips during the day, but also on the apples of my cheeks for a soft and pretty blush colour. I've also used lipstick on eyelids as a quick soft eyeshadow look. Using the same colour on the cheeks and the eyelids brings your makeup all together. I love the cheek colours by Stila found here.
Highlighter
I love a good highlighter and when I got to this section I struggled to suggest my favourite as I really like both cream and powder highlighters! By layering highlighters you really can get the most amazing glow! However for simplicity's sake I recommend sticking to a cream one if you like a dewy look and a powder highlighter if you prefer a matte finish. If you are setting your makeup with powder I would recommend going in with the highlighter as the last step. If you are using cream make sure to put this on before you powder. I love MAC's Strobe Cream and Mecca Cosmetica's Enlightened Lit from Within powder found here and here.
Powder
A good setting powder needs no introduction. For me there is no better way to set my makeup and help it to last the day. Using a shade that is slightly warmer can also help to give your skin a healthy glow. I keep this one in my purse to touch up during the day and keep the oils and patchiness at bay!
The most important thing to remember is to find what works for you and helps your makeup to last the day and into the night.
What makeup products can't you live without? Leave your comment in the section below!
Sarah x
Note: This is not a sponsored post. All products linked to are my recommendations and are products that I am currently using on myself and my clients.