Makeup Bag Essentials

There are a few items everyone should have in their makeup bag. With these you can create almost any look from natural daytime to a full on evening makeup.

Here is a list of my recommendations:

Powder foundation: I use one every day, it evens out your skin in a flash and sometimes you don't even need a concealer. My pick is Hello Flawless by http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/ which also has an SPF in it so you can top up your sun protection all day!

Black eyeliner pencil: This you can use to give subtle definition or go for an all out smoky eye. Useful to keep in your bag for touch ups too. My favorite is 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Zero by http://www.urbandecay.com/ it stays on all day and is waterproof, I also like Oil Slick which is black with a tiny silver glitter in it - perfect for night.

Black powder eyeshadow: I always use black powder shadow over eyeliner to set it and you can use this to add drama too by smoking it outwards and lining under the eyes too. My choice is Black 4 by Makeup Forever available at http://www.sephora.com/

A palette of neutral shadows that you can create different looks with, going from extremely natural with light sheeny shades to dramatic evening with the more shimmery shades combined with the previous black pencils and shadows. I love 5 Coleurs in Earth Reflection by http://www.dior.com/

Eyebrow pencil: Your face isn't finished until you have defined your brows. It's amazing what a difference it makes. Choose a pencil in your shade from http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/ their Instant Brow Pencil comes with a spooly brush on the other end making it wasy to achieve perfect brows, even on the go.

Black mascara: I know everyone says you should wear brown mascara if you're blonde but I like the added definition and depth that black mascara gives to every coloring. My favorite is Deep Color Mascara in Black 01 by http://www.korres.com/   for US readers go to http://www.korresusa.com/ also available at http://www.sephora.com/ and http://www.studiobeautymix.com/

Powder blusher: This is the easiest to apply, especially for touch ups. I prefer a pinky peachy shade which suits most coloring, if you have very dark skin opt for a plummy shade. The one I use all the time is http://www.cargoscosmetics.com/ powder blush in Catalina.

Powder Bronzer: Great for any skin to add warmth and cheekbones if shaded underneath the apple! It's best to choose a matte formula that isn't too orange so it looks natural during the day and add shimmer with a highlighter at night. The best I've come across is http://www.jouercosmetics.com/ matte bronzer in Suntan.

Lipliner: A neutral shade can be used to define lips and add a base for gloss. I don't like just lining the outside of the lips, I always fill in too so that you don't end up with a ring around the edges when your gloss wears off! A great choice is Lipliner in Natural or Blush (for pinkier lips) by http://www.josiemarancosmetics.com/

Lipgloss: This is entirely your choice of texture and color. You can go for ultra glossy, plumping or a sheeny balm depending on your preference. Good picks are: Ultra glossy - Extreme Sheen by http://www.hourglasscosmetics.com/ , Plumping - Instant Plump Volumizing Lip Shine by http://www.get247beauty.com/ (also available at CVS), Balm: Sugar Lip Treatment in original (no color) or Rose by http://www.fresh.com/ which has an SPF 15, great for the summer months to stop lips drying out in the sun.

Eyedrops: After a long day my eyes get red and no matter how great your makeup is, this can definitely spoil a look! I keep a bottle of Naphcon A eyedrops http://www.alcon.com/ (available at all good drugstores)  with me all the time, they not only relieve redness totally but also stop itching and irritation from allergies.

Last but not least I like to keep a makeup finishing spray in my bag to set my makeup but also refresh during the day. I cannot do with 10 Years Younger by http://www.skindinavia.com/ - it has come to my rescue many a time!

Gorgeous last minute gifts for under $50

If you're stuck for a gift to give last minute and are on a bit of a budget I highly recommend one of these:

For girls who love makeup and like to experiment with color, you can't get better than this: 78 Color Eyeshadow & Blush Combination and it's only $25.00!! The colors are amazing and go on beautifully. I have this and got one for my friend for her birthday too.

Give the gift of beautiful skin Murad Acne Complex Kit/ for problem skin ($80 Value) 60 day supply. This kit is great value at only $45.00.

For calming down after the hectic holiday season how about this for the women in your family Serenity Gift by LUSH. They can escape to the peace and quiet of the bathroom for an hour and pamper themselves. $34.95.

For party hair, give them Jonathan Dirty and Flirty Kit http://www.jonathanproduct.com/ this little beauty contains Travel size Silky Dirt Shine & Define Crème, Shimmer Silky Dirt in Soft Pink and in Golden Glow, perfect for New Years Eve hair and is on offer now at $20.00 (20% discount)!

This next gift is one I'd LOVE! I've bought these before and am hoping someone will give me a Sephora gift card for Christmas so I can get one! Sephora Favorites LashStash Mascara Deluxe Sampler ($104 Value) LashStash Mascara Deluxe Sampler It's $39.00 for 10 mini mascaras.

For a quick and easy tan (I used this before I went out last night and it was amazing!) get Fake Bake Instant Self-Tanning Spray Air Brush 207ml/7oz. It goes on fast and dries even quicker giving an instant tan that deepens over a few hours. $29.95

Candles make a great gift, I love them and have many around my house (be careful to blow them out though!) I recently was sent this one Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange 10.5oz Boxed Candle and it smells so good I want to eat it! At only $19.50 it's great value and they do a lot of other great scents too.

Another bathtime treat that is sure to transport you to the tropics (if only in your daydreams) isPure Fiji Spa Pure Fiji Coconut Milk Bath Soak-Coconut Infusion (16 oz) I love this line of products. The coconut smell is gorgeous and they make your skin sooo soft. $29.95.

A great and inforamtive beauty read is Liz Earle's Natural Beauty Kit $35.00 and is the gift that keeps on giving - giving great skin that is!

(some of the above brands were provided to me and some I bought)

How to achieve the Hourglass Holiday 2009 Look

The Hourglass Holiday 2009 look is up now in Sephoras nationwide and on both the Hourglass and Sephora websites. As I created the look for the campaign I thought I'd let you in on how I created it:

Start by priming your skin with Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer to give a smooth base and give it a few seconds to absorb. Then apply a light base of Hourglass Fluid Veil Foundation and blend thoroughly with a wedge shaped sponge. Apply Hidden Concealer under the eyes and over any blemishes and pat gently to cover without removing the base underneath. Now take a little of the cream highlighter from the Illume compact and highlight your cheekbones, down the center of your nose, your cupid's bow and your browbones. The trick here is to be subtle, so don't use too much and blend well! Next apply a very light dusting of Invisible Veil powder all over to set the base but still leave a bit of glowiness showing through.

Now on to the eyes...using a medium size blender brush, pick up a little of the light cream shade from the Suede Visionaire Eyeshadow Duo and blend over the entire lid, in the inner corners and up to the crease. With a smaller crease brush put a little of the darker goldy shade from the duo in an arc in the crease and yes - blend throughly! Line the upper lid with Calligraphy Liner in Ebony and flick up slightly at the outer corners for a sultry effect. Define your eyebrows if necessary with a powder eyeshadow in a shade closest to your natural color. Two coats of Superficial Mascara in Carbon complete the eyes. Leave under the lower lashes bare, the main focus of this look is the lips.

Leave the cheeks bare apart from the glow from the shimmer cream and concentrate on your lips. Line them with Trace Lipliner in Bare to keep the gloss in place. Blend the line with a cotton swab so it isn't harsh and then apply the metallic red Extreme Sheen lipgloss in Siren for a showstopping look!

All cosmetics available at http://www.hourglasscosmetics.com/ and http://www.sephora.com/ or instore at Sephora and Barneys.

Steps to an easy smoky eye makeup

Most girls like to do a smoky eye for nights out but there is a fine line between a sexy look and a heavy drag queen makeup! Here are the steps to a brownish taupe smoky eye makeup instead of the regulatory black, that never looks too heavy and suits all skin tones....I start by blending a cream eyeshadow/liner all over as a base to keep the rest of the makeup in place and add depth, Smashbox (http://www.smashbox.com/) do a great range for this and I particularly like the shade Putty for this look, they have good metallic ones that would work too.Next Line the top of the lashes with a darker cream liner and blend out, I use Caviar or Midnight Brown for this by Smashbox too. The key to this look is no hard lines. Everything should blend and look feathery. I then go over the shadow base with a shimmery taupe shadow Jouer's (http://www.jouercosmetics.com/ )Amaretto eye shadow is a favorite of mine. Go over the lash line with a fine brush dipped in a dark brown or black eyeshadow and feather it out. Line the lower lashes inside and out with Sephora's (http://www.sephora.com/) chunky eyepencil in 502. You can use this pencil heavily and it looks smoky or lightly during the day for a baby like glisten. Finish with a few coats of black mascara - Fresh (http://www.fresh.com/) Firebird Mascara works perfectly for this look and groom your eyebrows for a polished look.A perfect smoky eye in 5 minutes or less!!

A preview of the new Hourglass Cosmetics campaign:

This is a sneak preview of the Hourglass Cosmetics campaign I did the makeup for recently. Look out for it in Sephora stores nationwide soon!

Things I buy more than once

As a professional makeup artist and self confessed beauty junkie I get to try pretty much every product on the market. The true test of how good a product is for me is if I buy it again and again. This is a list of those items:

Clarifying Cleanser by Murad http://www.murad.com/ - by far the best wash I have ever used for keeping those dreaded monthly breakouts at bay.

Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser by Liz Earle www.lizearle.com - my friend Joolz first introduced me to this unbelievable cleanser, it gets even the hardest to remove makeup off and leaves your skin looking like you just had a facial.

Alpha Derma CE by Janson Beckett http://www.janson-becket.com/ - an amazing moisturiser that isn't greasy at all and tightens the skin instantly.

Beautifull Lips by Janson Beckett http://www.janson-beckett.com/ - I use this every day to plump my lips and give them a natural rosy glow.

Veil Fluid Foundation by Hourglass Cosmetics www.hourglasscosmetics.com - a great natural looking foundation that covers and tightens the skin in one step.

Secret Brightening Powder in no.2 by Laura Mercier www.lauramercier.com - I can't even count how many pots of this I've gone through. I use to to brighten under the eyes but also all over the face as a loose powder for a soft glowy effect.

Beauty Elixir by Caudalie www.sephora.com - this facial mist really smooths and freshens the skin leaving it looking dewy and can be used under or over makeup.

Calligraphy Eyeliner by Hourglass Cosmetics http://www.hourglasscosmetics.com/ - a felt tip like eyeliner pen that enables you to do a cat like eye effortlessly.

Smoky Eyes Mascara by Makeup Forever www.makeupforeverusa.com - this mascara gives deep black, long, thick and feathery lashes all in two coats.

Jumbo Eye Pencil in 502 by Sephora www.sephora.com - I buy this pencil in bulk just in case they ever decide to discontinue it! It creates a natural looking glistening eye when used lightly inside and around the lash line but can become a shimmery smoky eye when used over black eyeliner. I use this on everyone.

Cream Tint in Orchid by Jouer Cosmetics http://www.jouer.com/ - don't be scared of the deep red of this tint, it gives a gorgeous just back from the beach flush to cheeks and a deeper version of your own lips when applied lightly to them.

and last but not least:

Lip Plumper by Freeze 24/7 www.freeze247.com - the only plumping lipgloss that I've come across that actually works. It gives glossy, plump flushed lips in seconds.

All the above products I love and use on myself and my clients, I hope you love them as much as I do!

Coming soon....

behind the scenes of the Hourglass Cosmetics shoot for their gondolas in Sephora. We did several different looks and I'll tell you how you can achieve them at home.