What's In My Make-Up Bag? Daily Essentials

When you ask people what their morning essential is, more often than not they will rant and rave about needing a double espresso shot as soon as humanly possible. However, for me, I can't leave the house without using my basic make-up tools to conceal imperfections, highlight my best bits and brighten up my complexion. 

I've loved reading posts on people's morning and evening 'getting ready' routines recently, so I thought it would be fun to share what's currently in my everyday make-up bag. Feel free to share yours below!

Real Techniques Blush Brush & Stippling Brush
I've got a confession to make - I've only just started using brushes to apply my foundation and blusher. I used to use the No.7 Foundation brush, but after hearing several rave reviews about the Real Techniques Stippling Brush I gave in and popped it in my shopping basket. Using the brush has really changed the look and finish of my foundation and it's so easy to use every morning. It's also really easy to wash with baby shampoo.

I also ummed and aahed about getting the blush brush, as I wanted to start using different blushers and not just using the tiny brushes you (sometimes) get with each product. I was worried it wouldn't work that well and I wouldn't get much colour pay off, but I was wrong and I now consider it a core tool in my collection. 

Models Own Bronze and Powder Brush
There's no denying that I was definitely attracted to the neon orange handle on the Model's Own brushes - it's definitely what made me buy it - but I think the brush is really good and I've been using it for quite some time now for my powder and bronzer. The only annoying thin about this is that the hairs are quite light, so if they break off mid application I feel them on my face but they are hard to find! Apart from that I really love it.

Hourglass Large Concealer Brush
I bought this in Grace from All That Slap's blog sale back when I first started blogging, as I was intrigued to see if using a brush would make much difference to my concealer application. I think using a brush is great for the initial application, but using my fingers to blend the product out after applying it gets the best result. I love the size of the brush as it means I can apply concealer to larger surface areas. 

Daniel Sandler Retexturizing Primer
I bought this a while back when I was testing out a few different primers to see if the product was generally worth the money, and thought I'd bite the bullet and invest in my first Daniel Sandler product. I loved the packaging and thought there was a lot of product to play with, especially as you don't need much per application. It's lasted me ages and I love the clear, light texture of it. Really easy to apply. 

B. Flawless Foundation
As I'm on a spending ban, I needed to spend a bit less than usual on foundation. As I was impressed with the B. Pure micellar water and heard good reviews about the other products in the B. skin care and cosmetic ranges, I thought I'd take a risk and give the foundation a go. It's a good colour for my skin and doesn't look orange at all. The only thing I would say is it's a just a little bit light in terms of coverage for me, but apart from that I'm really impressed. 

Benefit Fake-Up Concealer
This product needs no introduction, as I am sure you will agree. I use it every day as an under-eye concealer. It's a lovely light shade and the hydrating factor makes it perfect for use around my eyes, where the skin can get dry. I apply it using the stick itself as I found that this works better.  

Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer
I used to use Benefit's Erase Paste concealer, but wanted to branch out and try something a little cheaper and creamier. I've been completely converted to the Healthy Mix concealer - it applies like a dream and is a great match with my Hourglass brush. It also smells like raspberries - could it get any better?! 

Benefit Hello Flawless Custom Powder Cover-Up 
This is one of those products I probably wouldn't have bought had it not been for the make-up lady at the counter applying it to my face after trying out a new foundation. Some people would probably use this as on it's own, but I love using it as a setting powder as it creates a fab finish and is a tad darker than my foundation, which lifts my complexion. It comes with its own brush, but I definitely prefer applying it with my Models Own one.

NARS Laguna Bronzing Powder
I bought this recently as I ran out of my Topshop powder bronzer and wanted to try something new. It was my first ever NARS product and I love it - it's a bit pricey, but it has a smooth bronze shade and suits my skin tone well. I can see why it is a staple product for beauty lovers. 

Givenchy Le Prisme Blush (In Vogue Orange)
I'd abandoned this for a while, as I'd been using my Chanel pink explosion blusher, but it is a really gorgeous one and was my first ever orange/coral blush. I love using the really bright orange on my cheek bones and using the lighter shade below it to create some definition. I'd definitely love to give the pink Le Prisme Blush a go!

Guerlain Noir G Mascara
I absolutely fell in love with Guerlain a few months back and bought their Maxi Lash mascara to try something new. Then, when that ran out, I decided to go with the cult refillable mascara Noir G. My first impression of Noir G was that it has really heavy packaging but it's black exterior makes it look and feel like a top class luxury product. I strangely like that the Guerlain mascaras are scented too!

What's in your make-up bag? xxx