Beauty Bag: Vanessa, Vanessa and Valentine

Hello lovely readers of Wallpaper!  This is Vanessa coming to you from sunny Los Angeles!  I was so thrilled that Liz asked me to be part of this series because I've literally been wearing makeup pretty much my entire life!!!  I'm one who cruises the makeup counters and Sephora regularly, checking out new products, and I always seem to make friends with the sales girls.  I love giving advice about makeup and products to my friends and family, and even the friendly strangers that I meet in the stores.  I'm the one who always applied my girlfriend's makeup before we went out to parties during our teens and 20s, and I even did my own makeup for my wedding!  In another life I must have been a makeup artist!  To me makeup is like painting and I apply techniques I learned while studying art to the face.  I also read somewhere that women who wear makeup to work, earn higher salaries!  Whether that's true or not, I don't know, but I definitely am one who "puts on my face" everyday.  I work as a Creative Recruiter in my day job,  and I'm constantly in front of new clients and talent daily, so I think it's important to put my best face forward.  I own too much makeup for it to fit in a bag, so here's what's in my makeup drawer!!!!

1st "You Can Tell A Lot About Someone By Their Skin" 

You can own the most expensive makeup in the world, but if you don't have good skin, it doesn't matter.  My sister works for Murad in Manhattan Beach and I'm lucky to get the most amazing products for next to nothing.  MY ABSOLUTE CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT PRODUCT is what I call "botox in a bottle without the needle": Murad's Intensive Resurfacing Peel.  I use this little miracle mask twice a week and my skin glows like it does when I get mircro-dermabrasion facials!  I swear, the next day my makeup goes on so nicely and it looks like I've gotten 12 hours of sleep, even though I haven't (I have a 4 month old, so I will do whatever I can to look well rested). These are my other favorite Murad products: Tinted SPF 15 Moisturizer, Hydrating Toner, Intensive Wrinkle Reducer For Eyes (I use on my entire face - again it's like botox in a bottle),  Hydrodynamic Ultimate Moisturizer, Clarifying Body Spray (for bacne - yuck), Firm and Tone Serum (I used everyday of my pregnancy and have no stretch marks-yay)!  I swear by these products!

Good Foundation is a Must  

For great coverage and again to protect my skin from the sun I use Laura Mercier's Foundation, Tinted Moisturizer, and Foundation Powder.  I've tried them all, but these products are my favorites. 

I can't get enough of Bronzer!  I love looking tan year round, without actually going in the sun, so I use Bronzer very generously.  I love them all (Cargo, Nars, and Smashbox are favorites), but I just bought Estee Lauder's Bronze Goddess because I liked the packaging.  I literally have 3 bronzers going at once, one in my purse, one at work, you get the idea!

Along with my bronzer I love to apply blush to have a flushed pop of color!  My favorites are Bobby Brown Coral, Nars Orgasm, and a pink mosaic that I got from Victoria's Secret. 

While doing "research" for my wedding makeup, I found a great product by MAC called Painterly.  I use this daily to keep my eyeshadow and eye liner in place.  It's a miracle and I won't ever wear eyeshadow again without this product!  For eyeshadow, I love Bobby Brown, Nars, MAC, and Smashbox.  I prefer dark browns for a smokey look and creamy whites under the brow to make your eyes pop and look alert!  Eye liner is a must and MAC's Stubborn Brown is my go to for that.  I think brown is less severe for the office and great for daily use.  I am obsessed with having groomed eyebrows that are thick without being overly done so I get them professionally threaded regularly.  To top off the eyes, She Uemura's eyelash curler is the best I've found, and I use cheap drugstore mascara - L'Oreal Voluminous in Blackest Black.

I think every woman needs a great nude lipstick, a sexy lip gloss, and a classic red lipstick in her bag.  I start with lip liner always - Lorac 05 (the perfect nude that actually shows) and 06 (a rosy color) the consistency is great and easy to wear.  Laura Mercier is my preference for lipstick - my daily colors are Coral (which also mixes great with reds), Caramel for my pinky nude, and my red is Truly Red (it has blue undertones that I love)!

I love getting mani/pedis every two weeks.  Chanel Vamp and Django are my classics.  I also love great reds like Essie Lollipop!  

Having great brushes allow you to apply your makeup easier - my faves are MAC, Trish McEvoy, and Bobby Brown.  Sephora makes decent brushes too at good prices.

I never leave home without it.  The one I use daily is a big bottle of Chanel Gardenia.  I just love the way this perfume smells and it never offends anyone in the office like perfume can sometimes do.  The other ones in rotation are Crabtree and Evelyn's Rosewater, Versace's Crystal Noir (there are notes that remind me of coconut - love that!), Chanel Cristalle is my daily winter fragrance, Tocca's Stella was a Valentine's gift that I adore, Trish McEvoy Gardenia is great for summer nights, and Fresh's Lemon Sugar is heavenly.  

Warmest Thanks to you Liz for including me in your series!  Cheers Everyone!!!

xo,

Vanessa 

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