A friend of mine asked me about my Fashion Week schedule the other day. After I went through the list of shows, lunches, more shows, dinners and parties, she asked me if I carried around a huge bag of makeup with me to look fab all day and night. I’ve tried many cosmetics over the years and have found my personal arsenal of products that last, so I don’t need redo my makeup over and over. I thought I would share my faves with you. If you would like more info about any of the products, click on the photo.

I think that full-on foundation can look too heavy most of the time, and by the end of the day it’s faded anyway. I started using tinted moisturizer in college and switched brands a few times until I found the gold standard: Bobbi Brown’s BB Cream SPF 35. The formula combines moisturizer, treatment, SPF and a lightweight foundation into one. Plus, it’s available in five skin tone shades carefully formulated by Bobbi herself. $42 for 1.3 oz.

I am cursed with stumpy, thin eyelashes. Even the supposed no. 1 mascara in the world (Maybelline Great Lash) doesn’t do a thing for me. Then I found DiorShow, used by a ton of makeup artists. Some mascara formulations are goopy and clump if you try to layer the mascara on. Some have bizarre applicators that don’t do a thing. DiorShow has a great brush and a slightly drier formula, so you can keep layering it again and again until you’re happy with the result.  I do carry it with me to add extra layers if I go from a show to a party. $25 and available in blue, brown and black.

One of the secrets to long-lasting eyeshadow is using a primer underneath. A former hairdresser who had eye makeup that lasted forever with no creasing told me about MAC Prep + Prime Eye. I spread a thin layer over my eyelid and give it a second to dry. Once I apply my eye shadow, it stays put with no fading or creasing. It’s pretty amazing!! $18.50 and available in 3 colors.

I don’t think you need to spend a fortune to find great eye shadow. I got this L’Oreal Colour Riche Shadow Quad at a fashion show a couple years ago, and I really like it. The colors are subtle but pretty and with four options, I can choose how natural or smoky I want to go. $7.95 and available in 18 different options.

This is a brand-new find that I got as a freebie at a show this season, but I LOVE it. I have always had a hard time with liquid liners. I find the brushes are hard to maneuver, and I inevitably end up with a bump somewhere or one side thicker than the other. L’Oreal Voluminous Eyeliner is like a marker. I use it very close to my upper lashline to make my lashes look thicker. It’s very easy to use, and it’s so thin that I can carry it in my bag if I want to go from a day to an evening eye (then I make the upper line a bit thicker and draw a very thin line at the base of my lower lashes). $8.49 and available in black and brown.

Unfortunately, there is no lipstick or gloss that lasts all day and night, so I always carry one with me. L’Oreal Infallible Never Fail Lipgloss lasts a long time ($9.99 and available in 16 shades), but my lips have been very dry this crazy winter, so I’ve been using L’Oreal Colour Riche Le Balm. It glides on like a chapstick but has a hint of color. I love the way it feels, and my lips are much more hydrated. $7.95 and available in 8 colors.

I’d love to hear about the products you use or the tips that keep you looking fab all day. Let me know!

Illysia Neumann-Loreck