“What’s in my makeup bag” is a popular youtube / blog topic, it’s fascinating to see what other people find to be so essential that they need to carry it with them at all times.

Here’s the makeup bag I carry in my purse:

What’s inside – it’s nothing exciting:
I just don’t touch up my makeup all that much during the course of the day. My key priorities are: hydrating my lips, and ensuring my skin looks acceptable throughout the day.  That’s it, really.

Here’s a closer look at each item:

Anna Sui Face Colour Brush $48 (select Bay and Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Boutique stores) – it’s a pricey item but so worth it in my opinion.  The brush twists up rather than pushes up, so there’s control over how fluffy or dense I want the brush.  The casing is made of metal, not plastic, so it can withstand a bit of abuse.  The bristles are of natural hair (goat, I think), are soft and pick up a good amount of product (and look at the girly pink tipped bristles!) I’m considering buying a back-up.

Caudalie Lip Conditioner $12 for 4.5g (Sephora)– normally I use Dr. Hauschka’s Lip Care Stick but this was included in a kit.  It’s decent but I still prefer the Dr. Hauschka – I’ll go back to that once I’m finished this one.  I like these types of tube lip balms during the day time – they’re hygienic, hydrating but don’t add too much shine to my lips.

Prestige Waterproof Eyeliner in Suede $6USD (drugstores – I don’t think Prestige is available in Canada anymore, it used to be at Rexall) –  I tossed this little pencil nubbin as insurance during allergy season, in case the liner on my lower lash line rubs off.  I hardly ever reach for this (even though it’s a good product).

Shiseido Corrector Pencil in Medium $24 for 1.4g (department and select Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Boutique and Rexall stores) – this handy pencil concealer is great for detailed spot concealing on the go or lining around the lips, or for the waterline (for that awake look).

KATE Stick Concealer in Natural Beige $12 for 3.1g (available online – I bought mine on ebay.ca) – I mentioned this item in my Best of 2014 discoveries – it’s a great touch up concealer since it doesn’t cling to dry skin and doesn’t look cakey if applied on top of existing makeup.

BECCA Boudoir Skin Mineral Powder in Rapture $10 for 7g (I got this at Winners – the regular price was $48. This particular item is discontinued and its replacement is the Perfect Skin Mineral Powder Foundation) – this has a sheer luminizing finish similar to that of MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural. I use this powder daily to touch up my skin around midday, dusting this on with the Anna Sui brush. This shade is slightly too dark for me but since it’s so sheer, I can get away with it. I would be the shade “Nude” in the new powder.

Anna Sui Lip Rouge Jar in 001 $24 for 3.5g (select Bay and Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Boutique stores) – this lip gloss appears clear in the pot but changes to varying shades of pink once it comes in contact with body heat, depending on how hot you are (*fans self*). It’s gimmicky like mood rings but I really enjoy the flush it gives my lips – and the balm is quite moisturizing, to boot.

I also carry around a travel-sized tube of Kibio Ki-Creme (sadly this brand is now discontinued) which I really like for getting rid of dry flaky skin around my nose (especially if I have been blowing my nose).  It adds moisture without greasiness.

I do carry in my purse, separate from this makeup bag, my lipstick or lip gloss du jour – it’s a crapshoot if I even remember to reapply during the day though!

What do you carrying in your makeup bag?