Makeup

The Only 5 Makeup Items You Should Have in Your Purse -- Ever

The essential products you need to lighten your load and still have your best makeup day

by Tiffanie Petett, Allie Flinn | COMMENT

PHOTO 0/5

A Brightening and Concealing Stick When you're faced with the task of cutting your beauty product arsenal down to what fits in an evening clutch, you probably think you have to forgo a flawless and dewy complexion. But, according to Susan Posnick, founder of Susan Posnick Cosmetics, there are multi-tasking products out there that conceal imperfections and provide a bright, radiant finish.

The fix: A product that color corrects and evens out your skin tone is key, says Posnick. "The Susan Posnick Color Correct is a dual-ended brightening and correcting pencil that conceals blemishes like sunspots and redness, and brightens up your complexion for that wide-awake, natural look. "You can apply it under the brow to lift the eye and define the eyebrow. It can also be used to highlight the top of the cheekbone, the nose and the tip of the lips.

If you're into even more coverage, Emmy award-winning makeup artist Melanie Mills recommends having a foundation stick as a staple item.

"I love foundation sticks, like the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick," says Mills. "They're portable and can be applied directly to the face." You can apply it lightly or in layers for more coverage as a concealer. You can also use it as a primer. "It's compact and you'll use it everyday," she says.

SEE NEXT PAGE: Color for Lips and Cheeks

EDITORS' BEST OF

12 Best Acne Products for Your Clearest Skin Yet

11 Best Tinted Moisturizers for Easy, On-the-Go Coverage

Whether it's an overnight bag or the moving box marked "kitchen utensils," my over-packing problem is one that no amount of duct tape (or therapy) can fix. This everything-but-the-kitchen-sink mentality overflows into my beauty habits as well. It doesn't matter if I'm going for a natural, no-makeup, makeup look or full glam; my handbag still ends up crammed full of just about every product I own. To ward off the early stages of Poshitis (also known as heavy handbag syndrome), I took my problem to the experts to find out how to touch up my look on the go without getting weighed down.

We talked to an expert panel of award-winning celebrity makeup artists and cosmetic company execs, who shared with us the only five (gasp) makeup products you need to carry with you-- ever.

products mentioned