Overhaul Your Makeup Bag For The New Season

There's no time quite like the end of one season and the beginning of the next to overhaul your makeup bag.

Don't you just love this picture??

image from Short Is The New Black

If you follow this blog you'll know that for years now I've only used makeup bags from Stephanie Johnson, 

both for traveling, and also to tote around in my handbag. 

So as I'm prepping my Stephanie Johnson makeup bag for fall,

 here are some of the key items that will be making the cut.

Today I'm focusing on the eyes.

First up, a really good eye shadow primer. 
I am a big fan of the Lorac Behind The Scenes Eye Primer,
as well as the Nars eye primer.
Both of these are in my pro kit, and either or both wind up in my personal stash too.
An eye shadow primer is going to help your eye shadow to go on more smoothly, keep the color true, stop it from balling up and creasing, and keep it on all day.





Next is a luminizer.
Makeup Forever Uplight is one of my "go to" products for all kinds of quick fixes. You only need the tiniest amount as it is super concentrated, but it is a fabulous way to wake the skin up and make it look revitalized.
a tiny dab at the uppermost point on the cheekbone and the bridge of the nose can actually brighten the eye (if the surrounding skin is looking dull).
If you're looking sleep deprived, mixing a dot of it with your concealer can restore vibrancy under the eye.
But be careful: adding shimmer where you have fine lines and wrinkles just accentuates said fine lines and wrinkles...

A good eye shadow palette.
I prefer to buy an empty palette and make my own, as the pre-made ones in the stores are frequently too sparkly, and have some pretty cracked-out colors you'll never use.
Build your palette with matte shades - you build your eye with matte shadows. Add in a shimmer shadow for effect and a dark shadow for lining.

A Gel Cream Liner
When in doubt - wing it.
You can add polish to your look with a defined lash line. It doesn't have to be high drama or over the top. An accentuated lashline with a slight lift at the tail can be super flattering to all. Just play around with it first, and find your ideal  thickness and shape.

Last but by no means least, max out your lashes with a really killer mascara.

Find one that is ideal for your lash needs - do you need to lengthen or define? Thicken or build?
If you're not planning on swimming or sobbing 86 the waterproof in lieu of water resistant - far kinder to the lashes.
Know that most of the magic in a mascara is in the wand, so find a mascara with a wand to meet your needs.
Personally I'm still a Diorshow Blackout girl. I like to build huge, thick, dynamic lashes.
Be ready to toss your mascara as soon as it starts to get a little on the dry side. Crumbling, flaky mascara does no one any favors.