Makeup Bag Must Haves

I always like to mix up my makeup bag choices a couple of times a month so I'm constantly rotating my makeup collection and not neglecting anything. I prefer to have a good mix of budget and higher end makeup products within my collection as I love discovering a good budget beauty buy, but I can't help but feel a little fancier when using more luxurious products. Thanks to the generous discounts afforded by being a Luxplus member, I am allow to indulge in guilt-free luxury buys which I simply cannot resist.

The Barry M Makeup Bags are all so brightly coloured with fun makeup quotes, but my favourite is the "I'm Too Full" bag as the purple and white stripes are so cute. I was really surprised by how decently sized the bag was as it's big enough to hold of all of my beauty essentials alongside a couple of extra handbag must-haves. The makeup bag has a good quality plastic outer which can be wipe cleaned, with a lilac cotton lining and the plastic boxy structure offers a little protection for your makeup products which is ideal for any powders or palettes you wish to put inside.

I for one am very grateful that the temperatures are beginning to fall as I hate wearing a heavy base when it's hot and humid. So lately, I've been favouring the Max Factor Face Finity All Day Flawless Foundation. It claims to be a primer, foundation and concealer all in one with an added SPF20. Although I'm not sure I agree on the 3 in 1 claims, as a foundation it ticks all of the boxes in that it offers medium coverage with a luminous finish which wears well throughout the day.

An hairbrush might sound like an odd makeup bag addition and normally I'd agree with you, but The Wet Brush Pop Fold is the perfect hair tool for your handbag. The original Wet Brush is my holy grail hairbrush as it glides through knotty hair like butter with no tugging or discomfort. The Pop Fold is the same full size brush as the original Wet Brush, but comes with a folding handle. I find that mini hairbrushes are pointless for long hair but this offers the convenience and efficacy of a full size hairbrush with a super handy compact design which fits into the makeup bag perfectly for on the go hair touch ups.

I can't stop raving about the L'Oreal Brow Artist Genius Kit as it's an amazing little brow kit and in my opinion is better than the Benefit Brow Zings Brow Kit. The compact kit contains an handy little acetate guide on how to use the kit, a pair of mini tweezers (which work pretty well), a decent quality slanted brush and spoolie duo, a tinted wax and a brow powder all neatly packed within the mini kit. L'Oreal recommends using the tinted wax to map out your brows and help keep hairs in place and then following with the powder to fill in any sparse areas. I've found that some brow kits which contain powder and wax can be a little disappointing especially where the wax is concerned, but this wax is super effective and the shade compliments the brow powder very well. It's the smallest brow kit I've ever seen but is easily one of the best too and you can use the brow powder as eyeliner or eyeshadow should you wish to - got to love a good multitasker.

Eyeshadow pencils are my go-to for my makeup bag as they're incredibly easy to use by simply drawing all over the lid and then blending the edges with your fingertip so you don't have to worry about carrying around any makeup brushes or tools with you. The Barry M Eyeshadow Pencils don't get enough praise within the beauty community, but the Brown Black shade is my favourite as it's a beautiful reddy toned brown shimmer which I personally like wearing as an eyeshadow and/or as an eyeliner. I really like how creamy and pigmented these eyeshadow pencils are, and in my opinion are one of the best eyeshadow pencil formulas under £10.

Sticking with the eyes I've really been enjoying this lash loving duo for ridiculously long, voluminous lashes. I'm sure we all remember those dual-ended mascaras which had a white end and a black end which when used together created thick, spidery lashes which wasn't a good look. Fast forward a few years, the whole lash primer game has stepped up massively and the DIOR Diorshow Maximizer Lash Serum is the best lash primer I've ever used. Not only does it help to lengthen and volumise your lashes when used with mascara, it also works to strengthen the lashes and promote natural growth for healthier looking lashes.

The other half of this dynamic duo is the Estée Lauder Sumptuous Infinite Daring Length + Volume Mascara which is one of the most raved about mascaras right now. The brush on this mascara has two different sides with one side having shorter bristles, and the other having longer bristles to catch every single lash for maximum impact. If you're not gifted in the lash department like myself, this mascara really does work wonders at lengthening the lashes as well as adding volume when usually you'd have to sacrifice one trait for another. The Sumptuous Infinite Daring Length + Volume Mascara certainly delivers both length and volume especially when paired with the DIOR Diorshow Maximiser Lash Serum giving the appearance of faux lashes minus the fuss.

I have quite the obsession when it comes to cuticle oils as I hate the appearance of dry, ragged cuticles so I like to apply cuticle oil several times throughout the day to keep my nails and cuticles looking as healthy as possible. If you work in an office or call centre type environment, it's less than ideal to slather your cuticles in oil as it can leave your hands feeling a little greasy which can prove troublesome should you need to answer the phone. The Sally Hansen Cuticle Rehab is the best cuticle oil I've come across for those with a busy lifestyle as it has a gel-like consistency which sits on the skin until you massage it in so it won't render you useless whilst it dries. In addition to the work-friendly consistency, it also has a nice subtle scent which won't offend your whole office and your cuticles will be left nourished and smooth.

Finally I always like to carry around a good nude lip gloss with me as I find they compliment practically any makeup look, and they can help to pep up my makeup in just a couple of swipes. My current favourite nude gloss is the Barry M Lip Boss in Thinking Outside The Box which is a neutral nudey beige shade with a hint of micro silver shimmer particles for a touch of shine. I find that you always know where you are with a good nude gloss as you don't have to worry about troublesome feathering lip lines or uneven fading throughout the day. Best of all, the Barry M Lip Boss formula is not at all sticky making it a total winner!