Top Must Haves You Need In Your Makeup Bag

Hey girl hey! How often do you find yourself scouring social media, watching YouTube tutorials, or spending way too much time in the beauty aisle looking for those makeup must haves? Unfortunately, we are all guilty of it. With all the endless products these days in the beauty world, shopping for makeup can be super overwhelming!

The many shades and types of lipsticks and gloss can be daunting and don’t even get me started on mascaras. How many different ways can you reinvent a spoolie wand? Anyways the crazy part about it all is we are still compelled to try and buy it all even though we have a drawer filled with products and samples that are either half used or never opened. Am I right?

So to help ease your “makeupxiety” and put those worries to bed, here are the top makeup must haves you need in your makeup bag that are essential basics that anyone can benefit from.

Primer- Makeup Must Haves

Primer is so important yet often overlooked. For example, paint doesn’t sit right on a wall without priming it first, right? So why wouldn’t you treat your skin the same way? Primer is amazing at evening out your skin’s texture so don’t skip this first important step. It’s the base to the canvas of your face! It’s one of the most important makeup must haves by far!

YVES SAINT LAURENT-Touche Eclat Blur Primer

WHY I LOVE IT:

• It’s magic in a bottle.
• Lightweight, non – greasy formula that feels so unbelievably soft on your skin.
• Above all, it blurs out imperfections, brightens your complexion, and gives you a luminous glow with a subtle shimmer.
• It’s a nice sized bottle so although its on the pricier side, a little goes a long away. It’s worth every penny!

TULA FACE FILTER PRIMER

WHY I LOVE IT:

• Above all, a more affordable option.
• It has a touch of color in it that is perfect for evening out your skin tone giving it that perfect “filtered” look.
• I love the lightweight feel. It’s very hydrating and even great to wear on its own!
• A helpful tip: I like to add a little to my Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer to help stretch the product out for a longer period of time since it is on the smaller size.

Tinted Moisturizer- Makeup Must Haves

LAURA MERCIER- TINTED MOISTURIZER

WHY I LOVE IT:

• It covers just enough to give you a no-makeup makeup look. Perfect on those days you need to get out the door quick. (Isn’t that everyday?)
• SPF 30 Sunscreen in it along with antioxidants and Vitamin C and E! A triple win!
• Hydrating, lightweight feel and helps skin retain moisture all day. I don’t feel the need to reapply midday and my skin never feels dry from it.

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter

WHY I LOVE IT:

• A multi-purpose product that can be used as a primer, highlighter, or can be mixed with a foundation to get a dewy finish. Great to build under or on top with TARTE MARACUJA HYDRATING TINTED MOISTURIZER (see why I love it below.)
• Light coverage that doesn’t feel heavy.
• For example, it can be used as an under eye concealer for those that need extra hydration. Set with Charlotte Tilbury setting powder and you are good to go!

Tarte Maracuja Hydrating Tinted Moisturizer

WHY I LOVE IT

• A light sheer coverage that is light on the skin.
• Enriched with essential fatty acids and vitamin C to keep skin brighter, smoother and firmer.
• Meanwhile it infuses skin with the maracuja super fruit for deep hydration and turmeric root extract to soothe and reduce the appearance of redness.
• Vegan and free of phthalates, parabens and mineral oil.

Foundation- Makeup Must Haves

If you’re looking for a bit more coverage, a good foundation will do the trick. A good rule of thumb to help you find the right shade is to match the shade to the top of your hand…it will help you find the closest shade.

LAURA MERCIER FLAWLESS FUSION ULTRA-LONGWEAR FOUNDATION

WHY I LOVE IT:

• Lasts all day
• Oil & fragrance free and won’t clog your pores.
• It is a medium to full coverage that is buildable so if you prefer a more full coverage look you can add more. For example, perfect for an evening look.
• Lightweight without the heavy feel on your skin.
• I love that it is a matte finish that leaves skin flawless. Not cakey or flat.

Concealer

Tarte Shape Tape Concealer

WHY I LOVE IT

• The holy grail of concealers. It does exactly what it needs to! Most importantly, it is full coverage and doesn’t cake or crease!
• Blends well and evens out fine lines and dark areas underneath the eyes.
• A helpful tip: To not waste excess product, I scrape some product off back into the tube when pulling the wand out. You don’t need much at all with this concealer. A little goes a long way!

Translucent Setting Powder

LAURA MERCIER TRANSLUCENT LOOSE SETTING POWDER

WHY I LOVE IT

• Soft, weightless powder that instantly sets your concealer and foundation
• Lasts all day
• Lightweight and doesn’t feel heavy on your skin.

Bronzer

Mascara

I have tried more mascaras than I’d like to admit, but I find myself going back to two drugstore brands that have not let me down yet! Like I mentioned about the face primer, don’t forget about primer for your eyelashes! IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE. I’ve been loving Diorshow Maximizer 3D Triple Volume Plumping Lash Primer. It’s a goodie!

And to help your lashes grow, I’ve been consistently using GrandeLash MD Lash Enhancing Serum for a few months now and it has definitely helped grow my lashes longer!

Onto the drugstore mascaras I was telling you about above.

LORÉAL TELESCOPIC MASCARA

WHY I LOVE IT:

• It has a thin, comb-like brush that separates each one of your lashes so nicely.
• The smooth formula applies evenly and really lengthens your lashes. It doesn’t clump at all!
• This mascara comes off easily, which is awesome! I can’t stand when mascara is stuck to your eyelashes and won’t budge.

MAYBELLINE LASH SENSATIONAL Luscious Mascara

WHY I LOVE IT

• It’s affordable, it’s buildable, and works well for all types of lashes. If I want a bolder, fuller lash look, I will add this on top of the Loréal Telescopic Mascara.
• The unique fan shaped wand helps get all the layers of lashes at once giving a nice and even coverage from the root to the tip.
• The formula is just right. It will make your lashes fuller and gives a great amount of volume.

Blush

nars blush

I swear everyone and their mother, sister and girlfriend has worn the shade Orgasm from NARS for years. It’s one of those makeup must haves that doesn’t go out of style. It really is great. I love it, too!

WHY I LOVE IT

• It’s a perfect shade of pink with a hint of orange and subtle shimmer that just looks amazing on every every skin tone.
• I love NARS’ formula. It blends well and its powder pigments are buildable so you can go for a soft look or a more intense look if you’d like.
• A great dupe and more affordable drugstore option is Loréal Visible Lift Color Lift Blush. The Peach Gold Lift color is a super close match. It’s a soft powder/cream hybrid blush that can also be used as a highlighter to contour and illuminate cheekbones. It’s super pretty with the same subtle gold-like shimmer at a third of the price.

Eyeliner

REVLON COLORSTAY EYELINER PENCIL

WHY I LOVE IT

• It is a great drugstore brand that works great for under $6.
• It glides on easily and gives a smooth, precise line that lasts all day. I like to apply it on my top and bottom waterline too and it doesn’t run.
• It has a built in smudger on the end if you want to achieve a more smokey eye look.

Now that you have the basic essentials, top off your look with your favorite lipstick or gloss and you’re all set!

Let us know what you think about these makeup must haves and what your favorite go-to products are. We love trying out new products!

Interested in other beauty posts? Make sure to read our posts on:

• The Secret to Beautiful Hair & Skin
• The Best Self Tanners that Won’t Make you Look Orange & How to Apply Them

Don’t forget to pin these for later or share with a friend!

Xo, Jean