My 2014 Beauty Handbag Essentials (and why you need them!)

Image: Fashion Is Endless

So another new year is upon us, scary yes! But totally inevitable. So too is the fact that our current handbag essentials will need a refresh.

For 2014 I recommend investing in great staples that will serve you well despite the occasion. Your handbag goes everywhere you do, so as long as you have the below, it doesn’t really matter if a spontaneous invite is thrown your way!

My kit includes a great red lipstick for day and night, a plum lip gloss for more dressy affairs, an illuminating but extremely natural blush, and of course a few pencils to stow that will allow you to highlight your most gorgeous features.

Refreshing your beauty bag is pretty (okay, very) important for two reasons:

1. All makeup has a use by date. The products you loved and used throughout 2013 may now have run their course, and a nasty eye infection from overused mascara is the opposite of attractive.
2. Trends change! That Barbie pink lippy you sported back in February may have been fab then, but look to see what’s on everyone’s radar (or lips) now.

While the incredible post Boxing Day sales are still going, this is the time to pick up the below:

 

1.  Loreal Paris Color Riche Le Khol in Immaculate Snow – $19.95

Soft and creamy – just how you want a waterline/tightline pencil to feel. This white eyeliner will brighten up your peepers even on the most draining of days! Simply draw on to your tightline and waterline to make the whites of your eyes appear larger and brighter. This particular white isn’t too stark, either, so it will look completely natural.

2. Natio Define Eye Brow Pencil – $13.95

Defining your eyebrows is a must. Don’t let them become dishevelled and lack lustre just because you aren’t at home with your entire beauty box. This clever pencil has a brush on one end (so you can neaten them up) and a matte brown eyebrow pencil on the other that allows you to build up to your desired depth of colour. 

3. Maybelline New York Master Precise Liquid Liner – $13.95

Winged eyeliner has almost become my daily beauty look – it’s just so easy and always looks as if you’ve put in a certain degree of effort in the morning! I found that the tip on this liquid liner pen is perfectly pointed so you really can make your cat eye flick as thin, or thick, as you want.

4. YSL Gloss Volupte in Prune Organdi – $55

Hello luxury! This pigmented lip gloss not only feels, but smells like heaven! One whiff reminds me of a blueberry/lemon gelato – definitely not what you would expect from the moody hue. I love this lip gloss for vamping up my night time look in a hurry.

5. Maybelline New York Colorsensational 916 Neon Red – $16.95

 I’m a big fan of red lips, for day and night. This particular lippy comes in a matte formulation, so you literally get a bright pop of colour on your pout instantly. I’d describe the colour as cherry-neon, so it suits most complexions and brightens up the skin to make it appear more radiant.

6. Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Ultra Lipstick in Sugar – $35

 This is, quiet literally, the perfect everyday nude/natural lipstick. It will be your go-to for job interviews, catching up with long lost friends, seeing the in-laws and even before your late night grocery shopping dash. It's matte, but contains a slight pearlescent shimmer. It also has no scent whatsoever, so if you’re one of those girls who constantly complain of makeup giving you a headache (due to the overload of fragrances used) this is a dream come true!

7. Shu Uemura Cream On Cream Cheek Blush in Light Peach – $35

Want to add light to your face as well as a hint of subtle colour? Say hello to Shu Uemura’s Cream On blushes. The silky soft creams contained in the cute snap lock compacts add the perfect, very natural hue, to your cheek bones. No one will even know you’re wearing blush – what they will know however, is that you look absolutely heavenly! I love sneaky beauty products.

What products are currently on high rotation in your handbag?

SS xo