What's In My Make-Up Bag?

In my four-plus {!!} years of blogging, I have never done a "What's In My Make-Up Bag?" post.  I'm not really sure why.  I love, love, LOVE reading other bloggers' similar posts.  I've always kind of been a closet product-junkie, but it's only been in the past year that I've really nailed down which products I'm loyal to and work for me.  In the interest of full disclosure, I should let you all know that I deserve exactly none of the credit for discovering any of these products.  They are almost all products that I found out about from someone else's blog.  I'm all about letting someone else do the road-testing for me.

I obviously have a future career as a photographer/stylist, oui?

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer Tinted Moisturizer, $10. This gem was discovered by way of Invisible Internet Friend Melissa from I Pick Pretty.  Our Her choice was validated when I read multiple interviews with multiple beauty editors {not sure where...maybe Refinery29 and/or Into the Gloss} who all said that it was a fabulous dupe for cult-favorite Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer.  I've been using this since Mel recommended it way back in 2008.  If you need tons of coverage, it's probably not a great choice.  But I'm always aiming {but never quite achieving} that French look of hardly-any-make-up and this evens out my skin tone without the feeling of foundation.  I HATE the feeling of foundation.  Ick.

NARS Illuminator in Orgasm, $30.  I wear this on the weekends in place of the tinted moisturizer.  Sometimes I wear it over the tinted moisturizer.  Just depends on my mood.  In the bottle it looks like it's a blush, but it goes on sheer and just makes your skin look glow-y.

CoverGirl Smoothers Concealer, $7.  I think I first discovered this in an InStyle Best Beauty Buys issues several years ago.  We're talking high school several years ago.  I have this in both the Fair and Neutralizer shades.  I use Neutralizer under my eyes and if I have any pimples.  The Fair shade goes everywhere else I need concealer.   They both do the job just fine, although I have to say, I'm considering making the switch to either YSL Touche Éclat Radiant Touch {I refuse to drop the 'Yves'} or Clé de Peau Beauté.  Do you use either of those?  Which would you recommend?

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Blissful, $25. Discovered by way of Sally and Molly at A Piece of Toast.  Don't be scared off by the neon look of this in the compact.  It goes on much less 80s-prom and more pinched-cheeks.  Purchased almost a year ago and I've hardly made a dent in it.  One thing I've enjoyed about it is that I find the shade works as well on my deathly-pale winter skin as it does on my slightly-less-pale summer skin.

Stila "It Girl" Eyeshadow Palette, no longer available. This one I did discover on my own. I bought it on a HauteLook sale last year.  I am going to be so sad when this runs out, but only because of one color, Eve.  Stila doesn't sell that shade in individual pans and the other two colors {Kitten and Americano} are kind of take it or leave it. I know Kitten has a cult-following but I don't get it. I've read that MAC Kid is a similar shade, so I need to start investigating a replacement. Eve is a tawny matte neutral with a kind-of dusky pink hint.  It's SO beautiful and is the perfect everyday shade for me.  Like I said, I will be crushed when it runs out!

Revlon ColorStay Liquid Liner in Blackest Black, $10. This was another discovery I made on my own.    I am a liquid eyeliner devotee.  I can work out in it on my lunch break and it doesn't budge.  If you've never used liquid eyeliner, don't be intimidated! It's worth a try.  You have so much more precision than with a pencil.  It takes some practice to get it right and you do need a steady hand, but I've used liquid for so long that I can apply it without a mirror.  The little package doesn't look like very much, but it will last for about a year with daily use.

Maybelline Lash Discovery Mascara in Very Black, $8. Discovered by way of Alice at Summer is a Verb.  I've strayed away from this over the years, but I always come back to it.  It rarely clumps, it stays put, it looks natural, and it's cheap.  As Alice says, it makes your lashes look like they've been individually painted.

Maybelline ColorSensational Lipstick in Warm Me Up and Totally Toffee, $8 each. The Totally Toffee shade was recommended by The Pioneer Woman.  I'm not sure if someone recommended Warm Me Up to me or if I just found it on my own.  I alternate back and forth between these two depending on my mood.  They're both neutral/close to my natural lip shade. Warm Me Up is a little more pink and Totally Toffee is a little more brown.

L'Oreal Infallible Plumping Lip Gloss in Plumped Pink, $10.  Discovered by way of Shasta Anne.  I'm not sure whether or not this actually plumps {it does make your lips tingle when you first put it on}, but I layer this on top of either shade of the above lipsticks.  It's not quite as Barbie-pink as it appears in the tube AND {!!!!} it is VERY close to the shade of lipgloss {MAC Plushglass in Posh It Up} that pixiwoo recommend to get the Duchess of Perfection look.

Wow, reading this list makes me realize what a drugstore product junkie I am! It's like I haven't grown up since middle school.  Whatever.  If it works, it works, right?

My make-up brushes are from Sephora {also recommended by Shasta Anne}: I use the Sephora Collection Pro Natural Small Eyeshadow Brush #15, the Pro Air Brush #55, and the Pro Concealer Airbrush #57.  I have to say that a large part of finally feeling that I've found a consistent make-up look was investing in brushes.  I had always thought brushes were a total racket, but they make an enormous difference.  I think having nice brushes {and taking good care of them} is part of the reason I can get away with drugstore make-up.  Brushes make everything look better.  I'm still in need of a good blush brush and/or bronzer brush. Any recommendations?

The eyelash curler is a drugstore purchase, although it's getting trashed as soon as my new Shu Uemura curler arrives. SO FREAKIN' HAPPY they brought it back to the US. It's the best!!

If you've made it this far in the post, bravo! Tell me: what are your tried-and-true make-up must-haves? Is there a product that I am missing out on?