I get asked a lot about what a woman should have for necessities in her makeup bag. Seeings how there are roughly nine bazillion products out there these days it’s hard to weed out the “needs” from the “wants”. These are products you should have for day or night. Not necessarily to wear all together on a Tuesday, unless that makes you feel good. Then go for it. Either way, these are the things I find that most women end up using to get ready.

Foundation- You can use it for full coverage or dot and blend over blemishes and discolorations. Just make sure to match it to your skin color and tone so it doesn’t look like your wearing a mask. If the color believably blends into the back of your hand then that’s the color you buy.

Blushes- Every woman should have one cream blush and one powder blush in a soft pink and peach. They are the most blendable and most believable for most skin tones.

Bronzer- For if you have a tan or want to do contouring. Bronzer in your cheekbones is an easy way to achieve some simple yet dramatic contouring.

Eye Shadows- It’s easy to get carried away with eyeshadows since they come in every color of the rainbow. However, if your not into playing with color then there’s only a select few that are always flattering. Brown, black, grey, beige, bronze and burgundy can be used for both a natural and dramatic look.

Eye Pencils- Simply put you need two. A black and a brown can do a range of different things for you.

Moisturizer- Before I do someone’s makeup I always apply moisturizer to their face first. It helps makeup go on smoother, lighter and more dewy.

Concealer- This is to hide dark circles and blemishes. A little goes a long way. This should always be one to two shades lighter than your foundation.

Mascara- Every woman should have three different mascaras. A black for night, a brown for a more minimal day look and a clear to use to brush and set eyebrows into place.

Lip Gloss- A sheer gloss can always pull your look together without having too much color on your lips.

Lip Stick- Again, there are a million lip stick colors in the world. You can always work in building your color selection for different moods. But basics wise you really need a red that works well with your skin tone and a natural pink.

Shimmer Highlight- You can find this in cream or powder. It can be used on the top of your cheekbones, under your eyebrow and inside the corners of your eyes for an instant pick me up.

Translucent Powder- This has no color. It’s just to “set” your makeup for the day. It can also be used with lipstick to hold color into place.

Eyelash Curler- Curling your eyelashes can make you look like you’ve gotten a full eight hours of sleep when you haven’t. For better results heat the metal with a lighter for a couple of seconds so the metal is warm to the touch. This will hold the curl more. Please make sure that its not too hot first. Burning your face off is not worth some curled eyelashes.

With these products in your makeup bag you’ve covered a large range of looks. Be it for a night out, work or running errands. Sometimes it’s just nice to get back to basics.

xo Stephanie