The Lo down: beauty kit necessities

And, if you’re living life in the fast lane, balancing work or studies with your social life, having easy access to a few beauty must-haves can keep you fresh-faced when you need it most. So, what are my beauty essentials? Here are the six staples that I just can’t leave home without:

1. Lipgloss

Whether you prefer a more opaque lipstick or a shiny lipgloss, polished and moisturised lips are both professional and attention-grabbing. The key is to choose a shade that complements your skin tone and hair colour. Bold reds and dark browns are great accents for darker skin while softer beiges and pink shades are better suited for a lighter skin tone. Don’t make the mistake of matching your lip shade to your outfit – not everyone can pull off bright red lips.

2. Bronzer

We all want healthy, glowing skin, so a touch of shimmery bronzer on the top of your cheekbones will give you just that. Add some bronzer to your forehead, the sides of your nose, and your chin for an overall sun-kissed glow. With the warmer, sunnier days, bronzer is a summer staple.

3. Eye kit

Invest in a small eye kit with a travel-sized mascara, eyeliner, and eye shadow palette. Just as with lipstick, choose shades that work for you and apply subtle amounts during the day which you can then accent for a night-time transition. When it comes to eyeliner, don’t be tempted to go all Cleopatra, especially during the workday. To apply, start at the inner corner of your eye and trace your way to the outer corner. If you don’t feel comfortable wearing eyeliner during the day, just apply some mascara. Black mascara complements darker hair and complexions while brown (or even blue) mascara stands out against lighter lashes.

4. Perfume

The next time you’re at a beauty counter, ask for a few bottled samples of perfume. Not only is this a great way to try out different fragrances, you can pop one into your beauty bag to use during the day. A little tip: perfume lasts longer when applied to your hair so spray some into your ends so that as your hair moves, you leave a trail of fragrant deliciousness behind you.

5. CC cream

I’ve given you the “Lo down” on CC (colour control or colour correcting) creams before, so this is a no-brainer to include in your bag. I prefer a CC cream that helps cover imperfections and lessen skin blemishes such as dark circles under the eyes, freckles (although these are coming back in a big way so let’s not knock them), and sun spots. At the same time, a CC cream moisturises your skin, controls that annoying end-of-day shine, and provides important sun protection.

6. Hairspray

Nope, don’t think Eighties hairstyles. Ever. Rather, my small bottle of hairspray helps smooth away flyaway strands of hair, can be used on stockings to stop runs, and can even shine up a scuffed pair of high heels or pumps. You don’t get more multi-purpose than that.

With these six beauty products, you can have radiant-looking skin and hair, all day, in seconds. Tweet me @Le1ghLo and let me know what your makeup bag essentials are to stand a chance of winning a range of beauty products to the value of R400.