Top makeup bag essentials

Turns out most women, like Laura DiBattista from CityTV, lug around 10 of the same lip colours, old sponges and other products that are filled with bacteria. I know it's hard to resist buying tons of the same products, and trust me, with all of the selection (check out our lipstick bin below) it's hard not to go a little buckwild in the gloss department, but really ladies? Take out the junk and your back will thank you.

So I thought I'd share the top products your makeup bag should have:

Mascara (L'Oreal Voluminous or Bourjois Liner Effect Mascara are both some favs!)

One dark lipstick/one light lipgloss (YSL or Revlon for the lipsticks and Stila or Bobbi Brown for the glosses)

An eyelash curler (Try Shu Uemura's! Amazing!)

Foundation (So many I can't even begin to elaborate on them.)

Concealer (I love Lise Watier's concealer wheel as well as CoverGirl for under the eyes.)

Eyeliner - one brown pencil and one liquid black (M.A.C.'s Teddy has been my go to for years. I also like Annabelle for a great purse cheapie!)

Blush (Nars Orgasm is everyone's fav but mine is Nars Desire and I also love Joe Fresh Beauty blush and Cargo.)

Bronzer (Physician's Formula has a great option for on-the-go and Bobbi Brown's Shimmer Brick can be used all over.)

And of course you can always add in extras but those should be your staples!

My advice? Dump out your makeup bag every time you're going away or even dragging it to the gym.   Take out the basics and realize, if you can get by with those you can probably do without a lot of your other items. I keep a big makeup drawer (okay many drawers and bins – it's an occupation hazard!) of products I don't use all the time but that I want to save for special occasions. I don't lug them with me every day but I have them nearby if I need them.  – Kate Daley