10 Iconic Essentials for any Makeup Bag

By Gabrielle Henderson 

Senior Makeup Artist for L’Oreal Paris New Zealand 

 

The makeup bag. It must be one of the great wonders of the world, right? 

There are some items that a vital, and some that are wonderful, but not necessary for a beautiful makeup. 

 

These are the 10 items I cannot live without: 

1: Primer 

People skip this step and often wonder why at 5pm their nose is red and shiny.  

A primer over our T-Zone is a 2 second trick to stave off the shine and slip for a full day’s wear. 

 

 

 

2: Foundation 

The skin. It is everything. This is where a truly beautiful makeup is made.  

For a light to medium look, True Match is just gorgeous. 

 

 

For a med to full coverage, Infallible 24 Hour Foundation has options for both matte or dewy/fresh looks: 

 

 

 

 

3: CONCEALER

Most people need a rose-toned under-eye concealer. Go easy, LESS IS MORE. 

To cover red spots, use a yellow-based, thicker concealer. Yes, it does mean you need two concealers, but trust me, it’s worth it. 

 

 

 

 4: POWDER - Make it stay. 

Firstly use a small, fluffy brush to set concealer under the eye. Use a larger brush to set the foundation on your face.  

I’m loving the translucent Infallible powders. 

 

 

 

5: BROWS

Entirely block coloured brows are OUT! 

Brows of today are hairs that look like hairs.  

Full brows that are greying, or need a little ‘oomph’ – coloured brow gel is all you need 

For brows that need a little definition, or have gaps, use a pencil followed by a clear or coloured gel to hold in place: 

 

 

6: EYES

Eyeshadow: 

Whether it’s a wash of one colour, or using a deeper colour to accentuate the crease, natural tones are the call of the season.  

 

 

Lashes: 

Mascara is an absolute must have. If very fair, a brown mascara is a great day look, otherwise black is timeless. 

 

For volume: 

 

For length: 

 

Waterproof excellence: 

Light hair/ natural look - brown mascara: 

 

 

8: Blush: 

No face is complete without a blush. Experiment with peachy or pink tones: 

 

9: Lipstick: 

My favourite lipstick look this season is a bold, bright lip, softened with a small fluffy brush to give a less defined edge. 

For a more natural tone, remember that nude should be a tone close to your natural lip colour, not your skin. Nude lipstick shouldn’t make your lips disappear altogether: 

 

 

10: Setting Spray: 

If you want your makeup to last all day, finish off with a setting spray. 

 

For a luminous finish: 

For a setting spray that mattifies and sets: 

 

Gabrielle Henderson is the Senior Makeup Artist for L’Oreal Paris NZ. Gabrielle has over a decade’s experience in fashion/ film/tv and bridal make up.  

A busy mother of two, she understands the ‘must haves’ and the ‘nice to haves’. 

“I love that L’Oreal Paris products give luxurious quality, look, and feel, at accessible prices”.

 

 

 

 


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