I once heard that in Asia, women do a SK-II Facial Treatment Mask, $90 every night for 60 nights before their wedding. (The wildly expensive masks are often a gift from the bridal party.) Knowing that nugget, I've been stockpiling the masks in my VIP (very important products) basket, saving them for big events like Fashion Week.

This season, I had four masks at my disposal, so I spaced them out (one every other night) for the four nights before the week started. They give your skin an unbelievably moisturized, dewy glow. It's the kind of hydration that really lasts ... hopefully through eight grueling days.

There's usually a food sponsor at Fashion Week, but it's essential to pack your own snacks. The last two seasons, the tents have been stocked with Fiber One bars. I don't have anything against these bars per se, but eating fiber for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is not wise. The other backstage option is the models' catering table. And you know they're not eating it, but I just don't feel right about stealing food from 90-pound 16 year-olds.

My solution? Kind bars (I prefer the nut and spice variety) and Mamma Chia squeeze snacks. The protein from the nuts keep me feeling full while the chia seeds give me lasting energy. I'll have at least two of each in my bag at all times.

I'm seriously anti gel manicure. I don't have the patience to remove the polish properly, and I end up wrecking my nails. But all bets are off during Fashion Week -- walking around with chipped polish isn't an option, particularly when I'm interviewing the top nail artists in the biz.

So I got my gel on. I opted for an opaque nude -- similar to the nails that went down the runway at the DKNY fall show. They'll match everything, they're on trend, and at the end of the week I'll go to a pro to have it removed.

My bag is ridiculously heavy during Fashion Week. Start with the regular stuff -- wallet, keys, and phone -- and then pile in the camera, iPad, array of chargers, notebook, snacks, roll-up ballet flats, and makeup bag, and you end up with a handbag that weighs more than a tween. It's imperative to have a light makeup kit.

For starters, I'm using this Nordstrom Transparent Cosmetics Bag, $12. It weighs only slightly more than a Ziploc (except it looks so much cooler), and I'll be able to find what I need. I'm filling it with just the essentials: Boscia Blotting Linens, $10, Korres Lip Balm, $12, Jane Iredale Pressed Powder, $40, whatever lipstick shade I choose to wear on a given day, and a couple packets of hand sanitizing wipes. Between makeup spills and germy, crowded tents, the wipes are like gold.