What I Crammed Into My Travel Bag

I have a tendency to over-pack when I travel, and that includes my makeup selection. I'll pack five different lip color options and three foundations, despite the fact that I'm incredibly lazy when I travel and I spend a lot of time makeup-less in my pajamas. To save space in our luggage, I decided I'd only pack what I could fit in this small makeup bag. I openly admit that I squeezed it cram-jam full and I could barely pull the zipper shut, but shut it I did, so it counts.

Against my better judgment, I packed two highlighters: Glossier Haloscope in Quartz and MAC Strobe Cream. I brought the Glossier highlight because it's my go-to for natural looks, and I brought ye olde Strobe Cream because it's almost done and I wanted to empty the tube. (This is a good place to point out that I've decided to stop collecting empties for the year. I'm tired of having a box full of trash in my bathroom and empty containers clogging up my luggage.)

Glossier actually makes up about half of my bag. I brought three shades of Cloud Paint because I'm Too Much, but also because Dusk, Puff, and Beam can be mixed to make a whole slew of shades. I'm almost done with this tube of Lash Slick, and it's my go-to summer mascara because it doesn't smudge or flake on me, so I figured I'd finish it up on this trip. I'll be curling my lashes with the Shu Uemura Lash Curlers, which are honestly at the end of their life cycle--the hinge is getting rather loose. As for the Boy Brow: it's just a tube of the clear shade I'm trying to finish up.

There's a distinct lack of Besame in this bag, which I know will raise some eyebrows, since they make my favorite lipsticks. Frankly, I've become a bit of a Besame collector, and I'm way too worried about losing my beloved lipsticks to even consider tossing them in my carry on. Instead, I brought two travel-sized lipsticks that won't hurt my wallet if they're lost: YSL Oil-In-Stick in 44 Nude and Shiseido Modern Matte in Exotic Red. If I wear the Shiseido, I line my lips with the NYX Auburn Lip Pencil to get a crisper line.

Now, I would usually round out my bag with a brow pencil, since they're easy to apply and don't require any special tools. But honestly, I've been loving how the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo in Medium Brown makes my brows look. It takes a little longer to apply, but it's unbelievably natural looking. I use the lighter shade in the front of my brows and to map out the shape, and I fill in the tails with the darker shade.

For my base products, I brought my most natural, slap-it-on-and-go foundation (Surratt Surreal Skin) and my new favorite undereye concealer (YSL High Cover). If I'm traveling and dealing with something that needs more coverage, like the travel acne that finally reared its ugly head today, I usually just skip a full face of makeup and go with these two products instead:

Is it a cheat to bring these two products in my purse, separate from my makeup bag? I always carry a lip balm (this is the new Glossier Balm Dot Com in Mango) and my Sephora Make No Mistake High Coverage Concealer in 04 Ginger, so it's just standard fair for me. But maybe I should've wedged them in to the bag, too, to prove to myself that I could pack light. Anyway, I think the Mango balm is just okay, and I absolutely love and rely on the Sephora concealer. Sephora will inevitably discontinue this concealer and I will have a minor panic attack. It's doing a great job covering up this morning's travel acne.

Now that my brother is back from the south and I've finished sorting through roughly half of the objects I left at my parents' house, I can probably start using this makeup bag, right? Right. I'm going to get out of these pajamas and put on that fierce red lipstick!

...tomorrow. Tomorrow I'll do it, I promise. Today, I have books to read and a brother to hang with.

Inventory and Review for 2018 and No Buy 2019 Prep

One of my most-repeated "stop buying shit" tips is to pull out everything you own and really look at it. You can arrange everything in neat rows and count it, or you can pile it up like a dragon's hoard. I like to do both: the organized method helps me calculate exactly how much I have, and the pile o' stuff is just a fun visual. I mean, c'mon, look at this picture! Isn't that quite a lot of frivolous stuff? Just call me Smaug.

I dropped almost $2000 worth of makeup on my office floor because I've decided to go through with my no buy in 2019, and before I start that, I need to get a handle on what I currently own and how I did with my 2018 goals. Frankly, I didn't do well, but I'm not the least bit upset about it. Why? Because I absolutely underestimated how taxing it is to move to a new place and start two new jobs. I was up at 7am and working by 7:15am most weekdays, and I worked until 5pm, then made dinner, then cleaned...reading and wearing makeup took a back seat to so many things these last few months.

I will not read 50 books this year.

I will not finish $200 worth of makeup.

I spent too much money these last few months on things I didn't need.

That's fine. I've got this. I'm settled. We're looking forward to a brighter, better 2019.

First up, let's look at some numbers! Here's what I had at the start of the year versus what I have now.

PRODUCT	JANUARY	DECEMBER
Concealer	4	4
Foundation	2	4*
Powder	2	1
Spray/Mist	1	1
Brow Pencils	3	5
Brow Gels	1	3
Eyeliner	2	1
Powder Shadow	16	3
Cream/Liquid Shadow	5	12
Eye Primer	2	2
Mascara	3	5
Lip Gloss	1	2
Lipstick	18	26
Lip Pencils	6	7
Blush	11	12
Highlighter	4	6

Note the * next to my foundation number: I just bought a foundation I've been wanting for over a year from Sephora, but it disappeared from the website ten minutes after I placed my order, so I have the sneaking suspicion Sephora will cancel that item. Also, I'm not too upset about where my numbers went up, since a decent amount of that is going to get used up pretty soon. For instance, I'm almost done with my Milk Makeup Gel Brow pencil. That drop in my number of powder shadows is just...so pleasing. Lastly, I have a small pile of products I plan on purging: I've set them off to the side, and if I don't miss them in the next month, away they go.

Now for my official plans for my 2019 No Buy! First, the exceptions. I am allowed to:

• Purchase replacements of staple products, like MAC Face & Body foundation or Jordan Samuel Hydrate Serum.
• Buy new things if I have gift cards or store credit.
• Receive products as PR or gifts.

 To stay on track with my goals, I plan on:

• Collecting all of my makeup and skincare empties for the year. This might be easier said than done, since we only have so much space, but I can try to squeeze a bag under the sink!
• Keeping all of my receipts AND keeping a list of my purchases. If I buy something with a gift card and end up paying a few dollars for taxes, I need to keep track of it.
• Writing down what I wanted to buy, then calculating how much I saved by not buying it. I already have a sticker in my planner for this!
• Doing regular update posts and/or videos. (Would posts or videos be better?) I think a monthly post in the same format would be a bit dull, but I could probably do something no-buy related each month.
• Forcing myself to be more inventive with the products I have. As I've gotten older, I've grown away from heavy eye makeup, but isn't it worth revisiting?

So what new stuff do I plan to bring to the blog? Well...

• It would be great if I could bring my day jobs in to the blog from time to time. There's a slim chance of that happening, since I work in education, but my career is incredibly important to me. 
• I want to write about food from time to time, particularly as it relates to my health. I've been somewhat shifty about this because it's so personal, slash, some people hate hearing about it, but I try to eat a certain way 90% of the time because I have irritable bowel syndrome and I work weird hours. So the occasional meal prep, what I ate today, food challenge-type stuff seems interesting and worthwhile.
• Kirby will probably come back for another video. He's funnier than I am, so, you know...worth it.

Winter-is-Coming 2018 Makeup Bag

If I were still living in Pennsylvania, this would be a fall makeup bag and I wouldn't use a memed-to-death quote from a series I loathe. I'm in the great white north now, though; I walked in to work covered in snowflakes and turned on our heat as soon as I got home. It's winter in my neck of the woods, friends, and that's worth a Game of Thrones reference.

Perhaps the funniest thing about this makeup bag is just how blatantly lazy I've gotten. I didn't think it was possible to put any less effort in to my makeup while still actually enjoying makeup, but here we are, sans foundation and using bright lips as a crutch. Bold lipstick just screams "I tried, I really did!", even if I slapped said lipstick on during my five minute break between shifts.

Slap-It-On Base -- I've always stressed the importance of sunscreen year round; the sun doesn't stop shining on the last day of summer, after all. But it's especially important for me to use a moisturizing sunscreen like the Skin Laundry Daily Moisturize SPF35 now that I'm living somewhere colder, dryer, and brighter. It leaves my skin feeling smooth and plump, and it makes applying concealer a breeze. I've been skipping foundation and going for just undereye concealer on a lot of days, and while the Sephora Bright Future Serum Gel Concealer doesn't have great staying power, it's very skinlike and super easy to apply. For my cheeks, I've been reaching for the Face Stockholm Cream Blushes. The gel texture provides a bit of natural dewiness, aka it let's me skip highlighter.

Something Old, Something New -- My feelings about the Glossier Zit Stick are pretty mixed. The actual formula isn't that amazing or unique; you can get an equally effective acne treatment from any number of brands. That said, the pen format makes it ideal for purses and makeup bags, and it dries totally clear. I used it several times during an especially stressful conference in September. By contrast, we all know that I love the Maybelline Full n' Soft Mascara! It seems like no matter how many other mascaras I try, I'll always come back to this one. Full n' Soft gives me fluffy, naturally volumized lashes with minimal flaking or smudging.

Monday Morning Effort Level Lips -- Yes, I know what you're saying: "Dark lips for fall? Groundbreaking." But while Besame Red Velvet is one of my standard reds, MAC More Than a Woman is more purple than what I normally wear. I just tend to think that purple looks stupid as Hell on my skintone. I can get away with More Than a Woman because of its strong pink base, and it's just light enough to be office wearable for me. I pair it with the Sephora Lip Liner to Go in Deep Aubergine.

As a final note, I would like to thank the readers who donated via my Ko-Fi link! Our $15 donation to ProLiteracy went towards improving women's literacy across the globe. From now until the end of December, I'll be gathering donations for the Foundation for AIDS Research. If you'd like to contribute, please click the Ko-Fi link in the blog sidebar.

VIDEO: My Fiance Built My Dream Storage

I often (only half jokingly) say that Kirby's greatest personality trait is his ability to put up with my nonsense, and I stand by that. But he's also incredibly creative, hard working, and talented, which contributed this this beautiful build. I've wanted a card catalogue of my own for over a decade, and this vintage catalogue he completely refurbished for me is better than I ever dreamed it would be.

Kirby's Instagram: klund1215

Song #1: Dirty Elegance - "Dying Earth"

Song #2: Michael Nyman - "The Heart Asks Pleasure First" (from The Piano)

Hi, I'm back. Here's some stuff in our new apartment.

We've got our place about 95% set up, so it's time to come off of hiatus and post the obligatory shelfie picture! I'm aware that this isn't the most attractive arrangement of products, but we have a massive vanity in our bathroom and I've yet to find a bathroom organizer I like, so...product pile! Fun fact: roughly a third of these products have been living in a drawer in my fiance's old place for years. You can tell how long we've been dating by the bottle of Pssst dry shampoo, since I made the switch to Not Your Mother's years ago.

I have more products, by the way, but they're in a bin under the sink or in the vanity drawer. I'd be more apt to show this stuff off in an apartment walk-through if I lived in a place that was truly #aesthetic, but no joke, friends, almost every piece of furniture in our apartment came from a family member's garage or a local rummage sale. We're very function over form here. Case in point: the beat-up desk and bookshelf in my office were in Kirby's undergrad basement apartment.

That's not to say we haven't fancied things up a bit. The chair in my office reading nook came from Kirby's late grandmother's house, yes, but the pillows and the picture are new-ish: my parents bought the poster for me when I was a teenager and my mom made me the pillows several years ago, and they stayed wrapped in their plastic until we had a home of our own. Insert a lamp here and we're pretty much done with this section of the apartment, which I think is quite cute.

I'll also have more attractive organization for my beauty products soon, but I'm hoping to use a certain antique that Kirby is refinishing for me. In the meantime, my makeup lives in this post office box and these Glossier mailers. Trust me: the wait for my new organizer will be worth it.

As a post-script, I've considered starting a second blog for posts about budgeting, food, books, and other miscellany stuff, mostly because I think it would frustrate people if that content started popping up here. If you've got an opinion on that, leave it in the comments!

2018 "Warm Weather" Makeup Bag

I promised I would be better about documenting my makeup bag, makeup basket, "what I'm reaching for right now" products, so here I am with a warm weather makeup bag! ...except it's not warm yet. In fact, it's barely cracking 60°F this week, so is it even spring?

Part of me relishes the cooler weather because my fiance and I are visiting Toronto in June, and if it stays 10° cooler than usual, we'll have no problem walking 4+ miles a day to sight see. Buuuuuuut one of my students told me this actually means it's going to be hotter than Hell this summer. So is there going to be a sudden jump from cold, damp April to blazing May? Climate experts, help a girl out!

Regardless, I've been wearing these products a lot lately, and I'll likely keep favoring them when the sun does finally show up to the party. Here's a breakdown of my warm weather ready look.

SPF (aka "Sun Protected Face"): Glossier Invisible Shield Daily Sunscreen (1), Kat Von D Lock It Concealer Creme (2) Philosophy Renewed Hope in a Jar Skin Tint (3) -- I get lazy as all get-out about my base makeup in summer. It's just too humid and hot for me to care, and I hate the feeling of sweat mixing with foundation. So I almost always skip foundation in favor of sunscreen and concealer. Lately, I'm eating my words about Glossier Invisible Shield and am enjoying it for incidental exposure; I add dabs of Kat Von D Lock It where needed for coverage. But I've also finally found a tinted sunscreen I like, the Philosophy Renewed Hope in a Jar Skin Tint, which provides light coverage with a natural finish.

Glossy, Glowy Finishes: Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand (4), Becca Beach Tints (5), Glossier Generation G (6), Glossier Lip Gloss (7) -- My highlight collection has expanded recently to include a number of newer products with an almost "wet" finish. The Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand, a champagne-colored highlighter that adds a bit of warmth and plenty of glow to my skin, is leading the pack. The locking mechanism on the tube just makes it so makeup bag friendly! As far as colors go, I tend to stick with warm, pretty pinks in the summer months; the Becca Beach Tints in Watermelon and Dragonfruit fit the bill for blush, and for my lips, I like a layer or two of the sheer Glossier Generation G lipstick in Crush.  I've been topping that off with some of Glossier's Lip Gloss lately for a super shiny look.

Sweatproof Eyes: YSL The Shock Mascara (8), L'oreal Brow Stylist Definer (9) -- The L'oreal Brow Stylist Definer is actually brand new to my collection, but I plan on giving it a thorough testing this summer to see how it compares to the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz. I have the shade Brunette. Beyond that, the only other eye makeup I usually wear during the summer is mascara, because everything else just tends to melt and smear. YSL The Shock is my favorite sample I'm using right now because it provides plenty of volume and some length without looking clumpy.

The Last Budget Post and 2018 Goals

It's been an interesting year, full of plenty of saving and downsizing ups and downs. I now work two-and-a-half jobs, I'm almost 30, and I'm hoping to get married in the next couple years. All of this has shifted my views on beauty, budgets, and goals.

Let's start by talking about my year long project pan. I should have a picture of the products for you, but, um...I kind of threw a lot of them away after my last empties post. I'm really sorry; I wasn't thinking.

Achieved:

• finish at least 2 mini face creams -- I actually ended up finishing a lot of skincare deluxe samples, including a handful of moisturizers.
• finish the Glossier Balm dot Com in Mint -- I kept this in my work bag. Personally, I like this balm and the strong minty flavor, but I prefer the Jack Black mint balm because it has SPF.
• finish the Glossier Boy Brow in Clear -- Again, this is a perfectly fine product, but I greatly prefer the Anastasia Beverly Hills brow gel.
• finish the Maybelline Dream Lumi Pen in Ivory -- To be honest, I have the tiniest bit of product left inside of this tube, but it's such a small amount that I don't mind calling it done. I prefer the Radiant shade, which is a peach corrector.
• use up half of my 1 ounce MAC Strobe Cream -- Is using up MAC Strobe Cream ever a trial? I've gotten in to layering the Glossier Haloscope in Quartz over this for an extra glowy effect, so I went through this cream faster than I thought I would.

Not Achieved:

• finish the mini Milk Makeup Blur Stick -- I tried to use this every time I went sans foundation, but honestly, a little goes a long way with this stick...and I don't like it that much. I'm not going to force myself to finish something I'm not liking, so in to the trash it goes.
• hit pan on the YSL Creme de Blush in Babydoll -- The scent of this discontinued blush began to change at the end of this year, so I decided to toss it. While I didn't actually see the bottom of this cream blush, I did make a massive dip in it--check the most recent empties video for that.
• finish the Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint in Light -- I developed a weird allergy to this product, but it took me a while to admit it. It's since been purged. I'm pretty bummed, because I really loved this product.
• finish a mini lipstick -- On the one hand, I didn't finish a mini lipstick. On the other hand, I got rid of almost all of my mini lipsticks; I'm down to three now. So...progress?

Overall, I'd give myself a B- for this project. I didn't hit all of my goals, but some of those weren't my fault (Glossier PST allergy), and others aren't really bothering me (Milk Makeup Blur Stick). I can definitely do better, though.

Let's go over my other goals! I'm using + for goals I achieved and x for goals I didn't manage.

[ x ] Unsubscribe from Sephora Play -- This one is really 50/50. I unsubscribed in summer, resubscribed in fall, and just unsubscribed again this week. As you can see from the photo of my sample box above, I have a ton of new stuff to test and don't really need any more deluxe samples coming in. Also, I miss watching Drunk History and a Hulu subscription was around the same price. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[ + ] Complete another Project Pan -- See above!

[ + ] Complete another Lipstick Diary -- I'm still loving this series, but I'm wondering if I should try a new version. Maybe one in which I wear the same lipstick with two at-least-a-little-different FOTDs? That'd be a pain in the ass to keep track of, but it'd definitely be interesting.

[ + ] Put more money in to savings and charitable donations -- This ended up being pretty easy at the end of the year, as a slew of natural disasters prompted even more donations than usual. (I'm actually considering setting up a digital "tip jar" for this blog, and the money would be given to charity every $20 or so--does that sound like an okay idea?)

[ + ] Finish as many foils as I can -- At the time of this post, I've finished 52 foil sample packets!

[ + ] Be less wasteful -- Thanks to tupperware and the Makeup Eraser, I rarely use plastic bags or makeup/baby wipes anymore. I also switched over to glass straws, which are much better for the environment and can go in the dishwasher. I've bought very few new clothing items as well, thanks to the local thrift stores.

[ + ] Finish up at least $1000 worth of products -- I actually finished up over $1000!

[ x ] Maintain a $250 budget for cash spending on new products -- I went over my budget by $72.27, spending a total of $322.27 in cash this year (excluding staple replacements). Halfway through the year, I realized I probably should've made my budget $300, since taxes and shipping add on more than I thought they would...but still, I'm a little sad that I didn't stay under that number. But let's look at the bright side! Is it massively over what I wanted? No. Is it definitely under what I spent in previous years? Yes. And keeping track of my spending definitely made me more aware of my habits and weaknesses. Note, for example, that I tend to buy the most in the middle (April, May June) and end (November, December) of the year.

[ x ] Be more adventurous -- I want to blame my failure on working two and a half jobs, but really, I just became even more of a shy, sheltered homebody. I have plans to travel more this coming year, though...so maybe that will help.

[ x ] Save up for a trip with my partner -- I'm not upset about this one because I encouraged my fiance to spend his money on something else, and we're very happy with the results. Again, traveling will hopefully be a priority of ours in 2018.

[ + ] Read 50 books -- As of this post, I've finished 68, and I'll likely finish another one before the year is out. I think I'll strive for 50 again in 2018.

Finally, let's talk about my goals going forward. As you can see from the photo above, I've decided to start doing a bullet journal/planner...type...thingy. (I dunno, it's not as pretty as most planners I see or as minimalist as a bullet journal should be, but whatever, it's meant to work for me.) I'll be creating a page for each month and two pages for each week. The monthly pages will allow me to keep track of important deadlines, bill payments, purchases (excluding necessities like food), and my wish list. The weekly pages will include a mini habit tracker, my work schedule, what I've read and watched, and a skincare log, plus whatever other notes I want to jot down.

I technically haven't started using this journal yet, since I've only recently finished the January pages. But I have to say that just creating this little book has been very relaxing. I've actually been wanting to try this for a while now, but my limited artistic abilities and the cost of the supplies prevented it. A huge thank you to my parents for giving me a slew of planning supplies for Christmas, including a sizable batch of washi tape. My God, that stuff is like crack.

As you can see, I'll also be using this journal to keep track of my 2018 Project Pan and my empties. And that empties section is so tiny because I'm going to make some changes for 2018 to see how they go. Namely:

• I will no longer being doing seasonal empties videos with every beauty-adjacent product. I'll just hold on to empty makeup. Empty skincare, finished candles, depleted lotions, and so on will likely still be posted to my Instagram.
• I'd like to skip the annual favorites for 2018 and do seasonal posts instead. These would include a couple of beauty products I'm really liking, but also any movies or books that impressed me, what music I'm loving, etc. (There will still be a "Best Products of 2017" video some time in January.)
• I will not come up with a specific budget for 2018, but I will continue to keep track of my purchases, albeit in a more basic way. Honestly, keeping a budget this past year has made me hyper aware of my spending, and I'm more hesitant than ever to bring new products in to my bathroom.

What do we think of these changes? Yay or nay?

Moving along, here's a typed version of my Project Pan 2018 items, since my handwritten version is likely too tiny or too sloppy for most people to read:

1. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Pearl -- I love this stuff, but I've had this bottle since graduate school. I'd like to finish as much as I can, then get a new bottle.
2. Deciem Heel Chemistry -- I am the WORST at using this up, mostly because it smells kind of like Bengay and I don't want my hands to smell like that right before bed.
3. Glossier Generation G in Jam -- A solid sheer plum lipstick, but it's showing its age and I'd like to use it up.
4. Glossier Haloscope in Quartz -- This is a lofty goal, considering I have another highlighter on this list and a little of this cream product goes a long way. But it is a cream stick product, and they do age. Again, I'd like to see how far I can get.
5. Glossier Wowder in Light/Medium -- This powder is...just fine. Let's see if I can get it out of my collection this year.
6. Milk Makeup Gel Brow in Pilsner -- I like this pencil, but the very soft, slightly waxy formula is not my personal preference for brow products. I'd say the pencil is about halfway gone right now.
7. Tom Ford Lipstick in Indian Rose -- This is a deluxe sample lipstick that I received in a luxury Sephora Play box a friend got for me. It's an okay color, but it's nothing to write home about, and the Tom Ford formula is infamous for going rancid quickly.
8. YSL Touche Eclat in #2 -- A perfectly nice product, but probably too expensive for what it is. I want to finish it and repurchase the Maybelline Dream Lumi Pen in Radiant.

Last, but most certainly not least, here's a list of my beauty-related goals for 2018. Definitely let me know what yours are in the comments, and/or if you have any suggestions or tips for me!

• Complete a year-long project pan.
• Finish at least 15 fragrance samples.
• Do not buy mascara for a year. (Free samples and PR are acceptable.)
• Focus more on skin health.
• Finish at least $200 worth of makeup.
• Start a new inspiration series.
• Maintain my current lipstick drawer: everything should be able to lay flat in it.
• Do not purchase base products (foundations, concealers, powders) if there is clearly zero attempt to include darker skintones. If your product comes in three shades of beige, I'm sorry, I'm done with you.

I'll be away for the rest of 2017. The blog will be back in January. Happy New Year!

2017 Makeup Bag

Is there some reason why it takes me a freaking year to document my current makeup bag? This is definitely an alternate collection of products from what I was using at the start of 2017, and seeing the transition would've been really fascinating. Why am I so bad about writing these posts?

Ah, whatever. "What's in my makeup bag" posts are always so voyeuristic in the best way possible, so even though this is long overdo, hopefully it'll still be interesting.

Bear in mind that these are not the only products I'm using right now. This is just the collection of makeup I'm currently favoring and using very frequently. Also, this is a theoretical bag of makeup I'd take on a trip if I had to be gussied up while I was away.

The perfect sheer base: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly (1), Buxom Show Some Skin Foundation in Tickle the Ivory (2), YSL Touche Eclat Radiance Perfecting Pen in #2 Luminous Ivory (3), and Glossier Cloud Paint in Beam (4) -- I spend more time on my base than on most parts of my face because I'm funny about how my skin looks. That said, I like to stick with products that are comfortable on my dry skin and easy to apply. You're seeing two repurchased base products here, Buxom Show Some Skin and NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. The foundation provides light coverage, subtly perfecting and staying skin-like, while the concealer softens my undereye circles and hides my blemishes. I'm still fiddling with the Touche Eclat Pen, and I don't think I'd call it a holy grail yet, but it's certainly useful for subtle highlighting. The Glossier Cloud Paints are goof proof, so I can slap them on on the go and never look overdone. Beam is probably my favorite of the bunch.

A simple, fuss-free eye: Milk Makeup Ubame Mascara (5), Glossier Boy Brow in Clear (6), and the Catrice Long Lasting Brown Definer in 040 Brow'dly Presents (7) -- I'm lazy about eye makeup in general, but especially when I'm traveling, I don't want to deal with liner smears or shadow fallout. Instead, I tend to focus on a lashy look, which the Ubame mascara does perfectly. For my brows, I'm still loving the look of brushed up hairs and a not-too-precise fill in. The Catrice brow pen makes filling in your brows quick and easy, and while Boy Brow isn't my absolute favorite brow gel on the market, it does a nice job of grooming the hairs without feeling crunchy.

A statement lip: NYX Lip Pencil in Auburn (8), Besame Lipstick in Portrait Peach (9), Glossier Generation G Lipstick in Jam (10) -- Peach, plum, and burgundy are cliche colors for autumn, yet I think there's something to be said for switching up your textures. With a lip pencil, for instance, you can get a really precise application of color and a variety of finishes: slide it over balm for a stain, fill in your lips for a matte look, or add a dash of gloss on top for some shine. NYX Auburn is probably my favorite pencil for this because it's such a flattering red shade. For plums, I often like to move away from the vampier options and go for a sheer shade, like Glossier Jam. And while there are many peach lipsticks I love, Besame Portrait Peach is my current favorite because of its smooth satin formula.

Fall-friendly fragrances: Hermes Ambre Narguile (11) and Dame Perfumery Dark Horse (12) -- Sorry about the tacky alliteration, but cold weather fragrances do funny things to me. While warm, spicy, sultry scents are my favorites and I therefore own a wide variety of them, these two are my current favorites. Ambre Narguile is sometimes described as a "spicy apple pie" scent, which is both somewhat accurate and overly simplistic. There's an incredible warmth to this fragrance; dabbing it on is like wrapping my body in a warm blanket while I sit at the edge of an apple orchard. It manages to be thick and sweet without being cloying. Dark Horse screams fall to me, too, but in a different way; there's a dryness to this fragrance that carries the spicy notes like leaves on the wind. Purple prose aside, these are damn good scents that deserve every bit of love they get.

Moderate Stash: 2017 Storage Situation

This past Christmas, my partner and I agreed to skip giving each other gifts and to instead just enjoy our time together. Being a bit of brat, however, my partner cheated and got me a "I heard your last week of classes was tough" present: this plastic storage tower. I've been wanting a tall tower with drawers for about a year now, since I found it difficult sometimes to navigate a flat tray and I wanted to conserve space on my desk. This sneaky present absolutely fits the bill!

Before we break down what's in my drawers these days, a few quick notes:

• I have two drawers in my bedroom Sterilite tower dedicated to beauty products. One contains all of my perfumes so they're away from light and temperature changes, the other contains body lotions, expired products used for swatching, back-ups, and my few nail polishes.
• Most of my skincare is kept in the bathroom, since that's where I use it.
• This tower actually came with three of the wide drawers. I removed one because I didn't need it.
• The top tray, wide drawers, and narrow drawers are technically three separate pieces. I used glue spots my partner had left behind to affix the tray to the top of the wide drawers.

Moving right along!

The top tray is technically designed to hold your "every day makeup," but I use it hold primarily base products. The larger compartment in the back left is good for my exceptionally tall bottles, like the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector and the Clinique Moisture Surge spray. In the raised, divided compartments, I keep my most-used brushes, brow products, ELF makeup remover pen, and a few very long tubes, like the L'oreal Voluminous mascara primer and Physician's Formula liquid liner. My lash curlers are tucked in to the far left. The shorter compartments in the front contain smaller eye liners and my current mini-mascara line up. The right compartment contains most of my base products, including my foundations, concealers, and powder, plus some miscellaneous "dumb reach" products like my Kat Von D Lock-It concealer sample and lip balm.

The first wide drawer contains all of my blushes, and I was SO excited to see that they all fit in here! The Stila Field of Florals palette takes up about a third of the drawer, but that's fine; it contains 12 different colors, after all. There's also 2 blushes from Face Stockholm (sorry about the fingerprints), 2 Becca Beach Tints, 2 BBIA Downy Cheeks, and my YSL Creme de Blush in Babydoll and Kevyn Aucoin Creamy Moist Glow in Pravella.

The second wide drawer houses a small variety of products. First, the brushes I use only occasionally are in the back. I also put my Beauty Blender and my current pencil sharpener in here. My lip pencils are laid out in the front, and I really like this organization for now; it makes it very easy for me to spot each individual color. I stored my Besame mini-lipsticks in here because they're easier to see and get to laid flat like this.

This container has four narrow drawers, two shallow and two deep. The shallow drawer on the left contains my Lime Crime Velvetines; they're the only liquid lipsticks I use now because I'm a monster they're my favorite formula. I keep the eyeshadow products I use regularly on the right: three of the amazing but apparently discontinued Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor eyeshadows, Wet n' Wild Brulee, and Too Faced Shadow Insurance. I still own a magnetic palette containing the Urban Decay Book of Shadows and some singles, but because I don't use those often, they're put away in the Sterilite tower.

The deeper drawers hold--shocker!--more lip products. On the left, we have my two Bite High Pigment Pencils, the only gloss I own (this one is from the Glossier Holiday collection), and most of my Glossier Balm Dot Coms. (The fourth tube is kept in my purse.) On the right, I store my traditional lipsticks. I currently own 3 Glossier Generation Gs, 2 MAC mattes, 2 of the now-discontinued Urban Decay Revolution lipsticks, and 5 NARS Audacious. I wanted to store these lipsticks upright, but the Glossier tubes are just a hair too tall.

So as you can see, I'm back and totally ready for more posts in 2017! I'm hoping to write better reviews, finish more products, and find a few new Holy Grails. (Most perfect foundation for dry skin, I'm ready for you.) Here's to another year in the beauty blogosphere!

Moderate Stash: Lip Pencils

This post has been on my to-do list for almost 6 months, but I never got around to photographing it until now. Why? I dunno, maybe it's because I have a deep love for lip liner that a lot of people don't understand, or maybe it's because I was distracted with more requested posts, or maybe I was just really, really lazy. Whatever. It's here now!

While I never had a truly obscene number of lip liners in my collection, I did have well over a dozen at one point in time. Actually, it might've been closer to 20 pencils--that's a lot when you consider how long they last. I've since narrowed my collection down to 7 favorites. And while I may pop in one or two more over the next year to fill in any supposed gaps, I think this is a solid assortment that meets most of my needs.

With two exceptions, my lipliner collection always has been and likely always will be composed primarily of NYX offerings. The only two outliers are a Kevyn Aucoin liner (Minimal) and a MAC Chromographic pencil (Basic Red). All of these have the kind of formula I like: a bit more hard than soft, but not overly dry and not prone to tugging on the lips, packed with pigment, great staying power. I would say that Basic Red is a hair creamier than the others, but only a hair.

Some notes on individual shades:

• Kevyn Aucoin Minimal and NYX Mauve are very similar, but not totally identical; Mauve is slightly darker and more brown than purple. I like to wear both with cool nudes like MAC Faux. That said, I may eventually get rid of Mauve, just because I slightly prefer the color of Minimal.
• NYX Nude Pink is the shortest pencil I own because it's been sharpened so much. It's my go-to for warm or beige nudes like NARS Raquel, although it's so light that it doesn't add much depth. It's more for getting a precise shape.
• I don't use NYX Rose a lot, I admit it, especially in a traditional lip liner capacity. However, it's useful for warming up other lipsticks; I've used it under the super cool-toned Bite Velvet many times.
• NYX Pinky and MAC Basic Red are my go-tos for bright shades. If I'm wearing NARS Michiyo, you know Pinky is coming to the party, and if it's time for a bold vermillion like MAC Scarlet Ibis, I can't be without Basic Red.
• NYX Auburn has a nice balance of red, brown, and plum, so it works well with both deep scarlets like NARS Charlotte and stark plums like Besame Noir Red. This is also my favorite lip pencil to wear as a lipstick.
• Another liner I don't use a lot is NYX Plum, but that's really because I have a hard time finding vampy purple shades I like on my skintone. Also, Plum is a little dryer than the rest of my NYX pencils, likely because it's such a deep shade.

Swatch Photos

Natural Light

Flash

Moderate Stash: Summer 2016 Inventory

We're having back-to-back Moderate Stash posts, thanks to the season: I worked from home this summer and therefore stared at my makeup for a good 8+ hours a day. It's also the middle of the year, which makes it a great time to review my collection and figure out where I want to be. Because several readers have expressed interest in the Beauty Roulette and Moderate Stash series, I thought this might be an interesting addition!

Also, pardon the towel. No matter how much you vacuum, you're going to want a drop cloth of sorts if you're dealing with a cute little asshole who shakes litter off of her feet and on to your dark carpet. See this specimen for reference:

What a jerk. She's lucky she's cute.

ANYWAY.

I really do recommend spreading all of your products out on a clean towel or blanket as you organize, clean, purge, whatever. It really gives you a perspective on your collection. Spreading all of this stuff out made me realize...holy crap, I don't actually have as much as I thought I did. Here I am, beating myself up, and I've reduced so much over the years!

But I'm still a hair off from my "ideal" stash size. Hence, I decided to do an inventory. :) Here is how much stuff I currently own in each category, plus my projected goals for 2017. I'm actually transcribing this from my notebook, since I generally prefer to keep my panning and purging goals on paper.

To be clear, my goal is not to become a "minimalist" or to continuously hit narrower goals as the months go by. It's to get good use out of the products I love, to think carefully about what I spend on beauty products, and to make sure I don't take up too much room when I eventually move in with my partner. Also, the pile of seemingly unorganized "junk" in the top right corner is separate because I keep that stuff handy, but I don't consider it part of the inventory. It's mostly skincare staples, like hand cream and sunscreen, that I want to be able to grab quickly.

BASE PRODUCTS

PRODUCT	CURRENT	GOAL
Concealer	2	2
Foundation	5	3
Powder	2	1
Spray/Mist	2	1

I'm fine with having two concealers, especially since I really love the ones I have right now (NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer and Maybelline Dream Lumi Pen). Five foundations is a bit much, though, so I'm hoping I can finish at least one (preferably two!) up within the next year. While I like both of my powders (Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Ethereal Light and Dolce & Gabbana Powder Foundation in 50 Ivory) and sprays (Cinema Secrets Moisture Spray and Glossier Soothing Face Mist), I think one of each will more than suit my needs in the long run. Don't be fooled by that mini bottle of MAC Fix+, by the way; I just depotted some of the Cinema Secrets product in to it because it gives such a nice, fine mist.

CHEEK PRODUCTS

PRODUCT	CURRENT	GOAL
Blushes	10	8
Highlighters	5	3

This was one of the categories that stunned me--I could've sworn I had far more blushes! I really have done a good job of purging over the years. :) Still, ten cream blushes is a lot, especially since I have an entire palette full of cream blushes as well (but that was put in another category). I've also gathered a few too many highlighters and would like to get the number down to three.

EYE PRODUCTS

PRODUCT	CURRENT	GOAL
Brow Pencil	3	2
Brow Gel	2	1
Mascara	4	2
Single Eyeshadows	8	5
Liquid Eyeshadow	6	5
Liner	3	2
Primer	2	2

I don't think I'll have too many issues reducing my products in this section, but as we all know, I'm not majorly in to eye makeup. The primers section is staying as-is because...well, it's just two basic products: my regular eyeshadow primer (Too Faced Shadow Insurance) and a sticky base for glitter (LIT's glitter adhesive). I figure I'll use up my Colourpop or Milk brow pencil by the end of the year, as well as either the Milani Liquid Eyes liner or the Marc Jacobs Highliner. Several of my eyeshadow singles will most likely be purged and given to my cousin, who is waaaaay more in to them.

The mascaras are the one section where I see a potential problem. All of my current mascaras are sample sized, and I've admitted that I'm addicted to collecting and trying new mascara samples. I dislike one of my currently open tubes, however, and another tube is actually a lash primer that's half empty, so it shouldn't be too difficult to finish what I have now. The issue will be keeping that number down.

LIP PRODUCTS

PRODUCT	CURRENT	GOAL
Traditional Lipsticks	19	15
Liquid Lipsticks	8	8
Lip Pencils	10	8
Gloss	3	1

Ahhh, my weakness! Honestly, I'd be happy just to see this category stay the same, slash, keep in balance. That being said, I do think I'll be able to finish up a few lipsticks this year if I put my mind to it. I'd really like to move at least one sample lip product out of my collection, as well as make a dent in my Bite lip pencils; as a few people have recently pointed out, Bite's ingredients are all food grade, which often translates to a lower shelf life.

MISCELLANEOUS

PRODUCT	CURRENT	GOAL
Palettes	2	2
Pigments/Glitters	2	1
Brushes	18	10

The one portion that appalled me here was the brushes: for somebody who generally applies her make up with her fingers, I have a freaking lot of them. This is the one category I'd like to drastically reduce, and in fact, after I finished this inventory, I went through my stash and dropped at least three of said brushes in to my purge box. As for the other categories: I've fine with having my one eyeshadow palette (Urban Decay Book of Shadows II) and my one blush palette (Stila Field of Florals). And while I like having a single "going out" glitter, I do want to break my emotional attachment to the MAC pigment my father bought me years ago and send it off to a more loving home.

When I finished my inventory, I rearranged my products and was stunned when I realized...95% of them fit in to my organizer and my makeup tray (my version of a "weekly makeup basket," aka, products I want to use frequently). I still keep samples and back-ups in a jewelry organizer that hangs on my closet door, but except for a few brushes and a palette, all of my stuff now fits on my desk. Every day, I get closer and closer to my goals! :D

Moderate Stash: Mid-Year Replacements

One of the things I like to do that sometimes freaks people out is get rid of stuff I love. Yes, I know, that sounds counter-productive: you would think that you would find something you love, hang on to it, and never let it go. The thing is that I try a lot of stuff--I mean, a lot--and I sometimes come across products I love even more than a long-standing Holy Grail. So rather than cling to all of those products and deal with the over-flowing makeup drawers of my youth, I let the old favorites be replaced by the young guns.

This doesn't make the replaced products any less impressive, mind you. They were favorites and stand-bys for a reason, my go-tos, my "I'm in a hurry and I have to get a decent face on fast" staples. Two of the replaced products were actually repurchases. Yet again, I just don't want to have so much stuff that a sizable chunk of it goes unloved.

Here are the products I've decided to let go of and their replacements.

Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee is being replaced by BBIA Downy Cheek.

Why I love the Josie Maran blush: This is a unique blush in my collection because of its gel texture and stained effect. While this works on all skin types, I think it's especially perfect for dry skin; several people I've spoken to have been able to use it even when they were dealing with intense dryness caused by -30 degree weather or cancer treatment. It's very sheer, but easily built up for more color.

Why it's being replaced: The Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelees come in several shades, but I find that all of the warm shades apply coral and all of the cool shades apply watermelon pink. By contrast, these Korean cream blushes from BBIA apply very much as the shade in the pan. And while the stark white bases make them less than optimal for anyone with a deeper skintone, they look truly lovely on very fair skin. The tipping point for me is their incredibly emollient formula, which is easy to spread on my cheeks even when they're at their driest and most sensitive.

Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer is being replaced by NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer.

Why I love the Kevyn Aucoin concealer: If you want the most pigmented concealer you can find, it's hard to beat the Sensual Skin Enhancer. This creamy, little-goes-a-long-way base can cover the heaviest dark circles or the reddest blemish. The shade range is relatively broad, and the Sx01 shade is a great match for NC5-10 skintones like mine. (If Sx01 is too yellow for you, Sx02 is a hair darker and more pink.) This is at least my second pot of the SSE, as it's lovingly known, and the most popular posts on this blog outline tips for using it.

Why it's being replaced: The Sensual Skin Enhancer has a bit of a learning curve, and while I've figured out how to use it best on my skin, it's still a bit fussy. It's also a smidge too heavy for my undereyes unless I really sheer it out. The Radiant Creamy Concealer is simply an easier product to use, and I find myself continuously grabbing it instead because it works on my undereyes and does a great job of masking pimples. Also, I don't need a separate brush for the NARS product.

MAC Cream Color Base is being replaced by Glossier Haloscope.

Why I love the MAC highlighter: This is not my first pan of MAC Cream Color Base. Actually, I'm old old old friends with the formula, and I know I've run through at least one full pot of Pearl (an off-white pearl shade). This pot is Luna, a pure white that is very striking on fair and light skintones. While it has a cream formula, it's a bit "stiffer" than most, so it doesn't melt in your bag or feel heavy on the skin. This is yet another product that comes in a wide range of shades, including many different frosty finishes that can suit a wide range of skintones and a lot of very beautiful blush colors.

Why it's being replaced: I already have a stark white highlighter that beats the shit out of MAC Luna, and that's Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Pearl. Glossier Quartz is a very pale gold, making it a different color from all of my other highlighters. Also, as I've gotten older, my skin has gotten dryer, and stiffer creams like the MAC Cream Colour Bases are often pushed aside for more emollient products like the Glossier Haloscope.

Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipsticks are being replaced by several other liquid lipstick formulas.

Yes, that is a Lime Crime Velvetine, they were gifts, please don't hate meeeeeeeeeee!

Why I love the Hourglass lipsticks: Although the color range for this product isn't huge, it is decently varied, and you can get everything from a soft beige nude to a flaming red orange. These elegantly-packaged lipsticks are easy to apply and wear like iron; you can eat a massive meal with them on your lips and still have full, rich color after. Both of the shades I currently own, Riviera (orange) and Empress (plum) are beyond gorgeous.

Why they're being replaced: The ORLL formula has always been somewhat heavy and drying. While that was totally tolerable when I first tried these, the liquid lipstick market has since blown up, and some companies have now produced formulas that are just as pigmented and long-wearing, but also more comfortable. Competition to produce the best liquid lipstick and keep up with ever-evolving trends has also resulted in an absolutely stupefying range of shades. Finally, the Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipsticks are rather pricey. It's now possible to get a high quality liquid lipstick for a fraction of the price.

Moderate Stash: Eyeshadow

If you've been here for a while, you've probably noticed that I'm not big on eyeshadow. I don't own a ton of it, I never really review it, and I'm rarely wearing more than one shade on my lids in Face of the Day photos. There was a time when I was really in to eyeshadow, when every bright color and flashy finish felt like the best way to express myself. But as I've gotten older, I've gotten lazier. I've also fallen more and more in love with lipstick. At the end of the day, I admit that I love to emphasize my cheeks and lips, but my eyes? Meh. Too much effort.

I do keep some eyeshadows around, however, for the occasional fancy look. Creams and liquids are my go-tos for quick and easy washes of color, and my small assortment of powder shadows has me covered for smoky eyes. All of these were swatched over Too Faced Shadow Insurance, my favorite primer. I did not swatch two specific things: Wet n' Wild Brulee, a single eyeshadow that is nearly the same color as my skin, and my depotted Urban Decay Book of Shadows II, since loads of swatches are available via a Google Image search.

CREAMS AND LIQUIDS

• Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Eye Shadows in Rio de Rose Gold, Playa del Pink, and Beach Sand. In my opinion, these are the rulers of Liquid Eyeshadow Land; no other product is as pigmented, as smooth and easy to apply, or as beautifully metallic. These are so shiny and pretty, they actually look foiled when the light hits them! I like all three shades: Rio de Rose Gold is a copper, Playa del Pink is a soft champagne, and Beach Sand is a rich brown. Unfortunately, it looks like Josie Maran might be discontinuing these absolutely flawless little babies. :( Maybe she's bringing them back with new packaging!
• MAC Shadestick in Heirloom. Yes, this thing is ancient, and no, they don't make Shadesticks anymore. But while I've busted through the remaining few in my collection, tossing them in to my Back 2 MAC bag with a muttered "Good riddance," I cling to Heirloom. It's this wonderful frosted antique pink, and it works well on its own and as a base for purple and pink powder shadows.
• Charlotte Ronson Liquid Eye Shadow in Sky. Yet another discontinued product because I suck! This liquid eyeshadow has an extremely thin, very liquidy formula; the tube needs a lot of shaking before you apply. Sky is a translucent pink shade with tons of microshimmer. While it's very beautiful and flattering, I don't wear it nearly as much as my Josie Maran liquid shadows, so I'm considering destashing it.
• NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils in Black Bean and Milk. These super-creamy, very opaque puppies had a Moment on YouTube a few years back, but while many bloggers right them off today, I know a lot of drag queens who still keep these babies in their kit. The stark matte shades are great for dramatic highlighting and lining, and if you spread them out over a primer like Too Fashed Shadow Insurance, they make great bases that can amp up the drama for your other shadows.

 Natural light on top, flash on the bottom.

MAC POWDER SHADOW PANS

• Matte shades: Wedge and Truce. Wedge, a medium brown with some slightly warm leanings, is a staple in many collections. I used to use it as a brow shade, but nowadays I like it best in my crease. The same goes for Truce, a gray putty shade: it makes the perfect crease color to emphasize my deep set eyes and cast a shadow. Both are decently smooth and opaque, though being mattes, they require a bit more blending to get a soft effect.
• Frosted/Metallic shades: Satin Taupe, Woodwinked, and Vex. Satin Taupe and Vex are both relatively cool-toned shadows; Satin Taupe reads, as the same suggests, as a taupey purple and makes a great all-over-lid shade for smokey eyes, while Vex is a sheer duochrome that makes a great transition or crease color. Woodwinked is in a whole other ballpark, though. It looks brown in the pan, but applies as a warm, coppery gold on your lids, especially if you buff it out. It has one of the smoothest powder eyeshadow formulas I've ever felt!

 Natural light on top, flash on the bottom.

So Here's My Stuff

In my recent Beauty Community Pet Peeves video, a lovely reader pointed out that the beauty and bed rooms of many bloggers and YouTubers are homogenous: swaths of pure white Ikea furniture, a burning candle in the background, and at least one inspirational quote framed, pinned, or posted on the walls. As silly as it sounds, I sometimes see these beautiful rooms and think, "Man, I wish my bedroom looked like that!" It just seems so elegant and functional.

Then I remember that I am tacky as Hell and I have a weird obsession with repurposing things, soooooo why not be happy with what I've got? After all, this is where I really live, where I do my makeup and prep my lesson plans and sleep at night--why not show it for what it really is?

So here are a few beauty-related parts of my bedroom.

I keep most of my fragrances in a drawer away from the window and air vent  to prevent spoiling, but I like to keep a few on my bookshelf in case I'm in a hurry in the morning. I do pick the cheaper frags, though, because if they DO spoil...well, I won't be totally heartbroken. Currently taking up residence amongst my tchotchkes and photos are the Dolce & Gabbana Eau de Toilette, Lady Gaga Fame, Ghost Deep Night (long discontinued, I believe), and a small box containing some TokyoMilk roller balls.

Yes, the shelf is totally tilted. I'm finally at the point where that doesn't bother me.

I keep some of my makeup in a jewelry organizer that hangs on the back of my closet door, but 95% of it is right here on my desk. If you want a nice acrylic organizer, definitely check out Marshalls or TJ Maxxx; they abound there.

As for, "Why your desk?" Well, I do most things at my desk or in bed, and doing makeup in bed is a bit tricksy, so there's the obvious choice. Also, I like to sit down when I apply makeup and there's zero room in here for a separate vanity. Desk it is!

By the way, this is my version of a "makeup basket." It's actually the lid from a tin that held a men's wallet. Is it elegant? No, but it's definitely functional; the small lip on it keeps products from rolling around, but also makes it easy to grab stuff without having to reach deep in to, say, a jar or a drawer.

Speaking of the makeup basket: somebody please force me to do a review on that Becca Backlight Priming Filter. I have been staring at it for days, but actually forcing myself to use it under makeup? That hasn't happened yet as of this writing. MAKE ME DO THE WORK, GUYS.

2016 Makeup Bag

It's been a while since I posted the contents of my makeup bag, and to be honest, a lot of that has to do with some of my evolving views on beauty. I've realized that I don't use as much makeup as I think I'm going to on trips or when I'm in a rush, so I've started packing far fewer color cosmetics. In fact, there's little enough makeup in this bag that I can also fit my skin, body, and hair care if I go on a trip. (Squeezing in the full-size deodorant and a little dry shampoo are still a bit tough sometimes, though.) Here's what I'm currently tossing in my makeup bag!

1. MAC Huggable Lipcolour in Bare Hug, $20.00 -- It looks like a shocking pink coral in the tube, but it applies as a soft, slightly glossy, slightly warm pink. It's very comfortable and wearable, making it a great slap-it-on-and-go shade for any occasion. I'm really impressed by how much I'm liking this formula!

2. Anastasia Brow Wiz in Medium Brown, $21.00 -- While I am trying to use this product up, it's not because I dislike it. Brow Wiz is one of my go-to brow products for travel, since it's very small and comes with a spoolie. The formula is softer, and the thin pencil makes it easy to get defined brows without overdoing it.

3. Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint in Light, $26.00 -- This incredibly sheer product is great for travel, since it comes in a tiny plastic bottle. It's best applied with fingers and smooths in to the skin in seconds, giving you a natural, soft-focus finish. (Please note that this link is an affiliate link.)

4. Aquaphor Healing Ointment, $6.79 for 2 --  Aquaphor is my standard balm of choice; I always apply it fresh out of the shower and sometimes when I'm on the go. It manages to lock in moisture and keep my lips soft and supple without being obscenely glossy. These small tubes aren't as cost-effective as the large ones, but they're perfect for travel.

5. Urban Decay Naked Skin concealer in Fair Neutral, $28.00 -- I know everybody has been claiming that this concealer is their new BFF, but I find it just...okay. It's good for travel, though, because the pink tones in it work well for correcting my blue undereye circles. If I'm going somewhere where the temperature/pollution tend to make me break out a bit (ex: New York City), I'll swap this out for my NARS concealer.

6. Isehan Sunkiller Perfect Strong Moisture sunscreen, ~$10 -- I buy most of my Japanese sunscreens from eBay, including this guy. It doesn't work that well under foundation, to be totally honest, but I prioritize sun protection over flawless makeup. Hence, I carry this with me in case I'm planning on being outside. The bottle is small and travel-friendly, and the thin, serum-esque formulation is comfortable and lightweight on the skin.

7. Goody Spin Pins, ~$6.00 -- I bought these 5+ years ago when they were first released, totally prepared to hate them. Little did I know they would become my go-to hair styling buddies! All I have to do is pull my hair up with my hand, twist it in to a bun, and add two Spin Pins, and I'm set. Now I have a pair in my briefcase, in my desktop organizer, and in my bathroom.

8. Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee in Pink Escape, $22.00 -- If you have dry skin and/or you hate heavy cream blushes, give this little wonderkin a shot. The shades are sheer but buildable, and the gel texture means you get a bit of a natural glow to your cheeks even without highlighter.

9. whatever mascara sample I kinda like at the moment -- God bless mascara samples, my personal favorite add-on.