To know me, is to know I always have a lipstick bag in my purse. Back in 2012 {maybe?!} I purchased this Louis Vuitton makeup bag, and it has turned out to be one of my best purchases ever. It’s leather, so I could wipe off any spills or sticky messes from gloss, making it stay in pretty fantastic condition all these years. It was *maybe* $300, probably $250, and I can see myself carrying it for at least 10+ more years. For now, it’s been about $30 a year in terms of use and still looks new. I couldn’t say I’d probably have the same experience with a cloth makeup bag that is $30 at Target- but that’s my cost per use rant for another day! Sometimes a frivolous splurge pays off- sometimes ;)!

But I’ve shown this makeup bag in videos over the years and have received a few questions on what I keep in it. And girlfriends, I will gladly spill out my lipstick bag secrets for you! A few things to note about this lipstick bag if you choose to make your own:

• I keep all the colors in the same-ish color family. You’re going to see a lot of pinky-nudes in this bag because I’m looking for things I can reach for and layer with for an everyday look. I don’t keep a hot pink, a true nude, a coral in here because if I’m wearing that for an event, I’ll just throw that lipstick in my smaller handbag. I’m wanting something I can reach for without looking for and know I’m getting a consistent color each time.
• If I’m carrying a smaller handbag, I just reach from this and grab a lipstick and gloss and am good to go!

• Laura Mercier Ruthless– I view some lipsticks as “all over” shades and some as “lip cocktail” shades. With the lip cocktail shades, I’m either putting that in the center of my pout to create a fuller effect, or I’m mixing with a darker color to create my own shade. Ruthless can be both! Usually, I use it as a lip cocktail color as it is a bit lighter- think a very matte or more mauve MAC Snob. But using this in the center of your pout always gives a full look and I have repurchased this AT LEAST 4x.
• Tarte Juicy Lips in Petal– If you don’t think you are a gloss girl, you’ve got to try Tarte Juicy Lips. I’d seen them praised on Instagram for a year or so and just thought there was no way a gloss could be *so* overhyped. But then, I purchased them on a whim before a trip last September and can’t believe I didn’t buy them sooner. They aren’t sticky, they are ultra-moisturizing, create this gorgeous opaque layer on your lips that conceals imperfections. My friends that don’t like any makeup, are obsessed with these.
• Too Faced Bossy & Glossy– I love to wear this while shooting as it is just really flattering no matter what you are wearing! If you want a “one swipe and you’re done” lip product this is it! You’re getting gloss, plumper, and pigment. I don’t even bother with lip liner half the time I wear this. We all wore it for the Hale House shoot. I also wore it to my birthday dinner.
• Fenty Balm in Suga Kiss– This is a sheer lipstick, but has the texture of a balm! I call this my “poolside lip” because if you have no makeup on, this is great. I have the light pink, but based on your skin tone, grab whatever color you feel best in. It’s very sheer so don’t be alarmed at how pink it appears! With sunscreen and this, I feel a little more pulled together outside with my kids.
• Makeup by Mario Gloss in Mauve Nude– I raved about this gloss in my Sephora sale blog post recently. Over a nude lipstick, this is beyond gorgeous! It’s got glitter but appears as a subtle highlight to the lip- not glittery at all!
• Jill Stuart Beauty Lipstick in Faceted Femininity– I really like Jill Stuart Beauty Lipsticks. They have great oils in them to hydrate the lips, but this one has a ton of pigment. It is all I brought on our Vegas trip! Do make a note you need to buy the case for it, too!
• MAC Liner in Soar– I don’t even know why I buy other lip liners, as I use MAC Soar 99.9% of the time. *Again, catch me at Ulta next week swatching liners thinking I’ll change my mind.* It works for nudes, it works for pinks, it works for berry shades. I find no flaw. ha!
• Tarte Juicy Lip Plumper in Cherry Blossom– This is the Tarte Juicy Lip in plumper form, I wouldn’t say the plumper is intense, but again I just love the formulation of these glosses and this is more of a mauve nude shade.
• Revlon Lipstick in Make It Pink– If I could only buy drugstore lipstick ever again, I’d go with Revlon Luscious Mattes. These are amazing! Now I want to note “Make it Pink” is NOT an all over color for me. This is a lip cocktail color to tone something down or place in the center of the lip. Candy Addict or Wild Thoughts is more of an all-over color, but regardless go and try these out. I use them in so many colors.

And as extras, I always keep a ponytail holder, sample-size perfume, my concealer, and Lanolips for chapped lips or cuticles!