I’m not what you would call…the most organized of peoples. I hate to admit that, but there are many layers of “organized chaos” in my life. People think I’m joking when I dedicate almost all my Friday nights to just cleaning out my closet– without it ever completely being done. It’s a big priority for me every weekend though. So you can iamgine how my makeup stash(es) look like. I finally resigned to having a random bag just dedicated to traveling so I won’t have to pack and re-pack my makeup for every trip, but it usually ends up a mountain of a mess where I can’t find jack when I need it. Recently, however, I’ve been introduced to a game-changer: Mocha Moon’s Perez Beauty Case. You just have to see to understand:

I can see everything I have and make sure I take everything I need at a glance. Here are some of the deets:
1) Two transparent removable pouches that fit easily in your purse, handbag, or carry on for touch ups
2) Soft, sleek faux leather for the ultimate product that looks good and feels good to the touch
3) Lightweight design holds all your makeup and saves some serious space in my carry one
4) Organization Bands that eliminate digging and put makeup and makeup brushes at your fingertips, and helps ensure you don’t leave anything behind!
5) Compact size: 4″ x 7 ½” x 4″

And in case you’re wondering what makes up my essentials for a bachelorette party weekend in Miami:

From left to right: 1) Benefit See & Be Seen Sasha perfume vial; 2) Benefit Laugh with Me Lee Lee perfume vial (BOTH which I’ve already gotten a ton of compliments on..these smell heavenly and are a perfect size for travel); 3) Buxom mini lip polish in April; 4) Shiseido Lacquer Rouge in RS 404 – Disco (magenta) and 5) RD 203 – Portrait (nude beige)

From top to bottom: 1) Laura Geller Inkwell Waterproof Gel Liner (This does NOT smudge — even after a day at the pool); 2) Bobbi Brown lip liner in Soft Rose; 3) It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer in Tan; 4) Japonesque Heated Mini Lash Curler; 5) BareMinerals Stroke of Light Eye Brightener; 6) Laura Geller WOW Factor All in One Mascara in Black (you have no idea — this gives so much gloss to lashes and body without getting clumpy…love); 7) Joey Healy Brow Structure Clear Set.

Assorted: 1) Lancome Hypnose Star (another mascara that coats lashes like no other); 2) Nanoblur (a European-craze that’s come stateside: pore-blurring and line-reducing in one); 3) BeautyRX Skincare by Dr. Schultz Gentle Exfoliating Eye Therapy Cream; 4) Reach total care plus whitening mint floss; 5) Laura Geller Lip Pops Lush Waterproof Lip Gloss in Palazzo (this tastes like candy too!)

Left to right: 1) Bare Minerals Precision Face Brush; 2) Smashbox blush brush (was part of a set); 3) Benefit High Brow Glow; 4) Lise Watier Feline Eyeliner HD; 5) LaVaque Tweezers; 6) Anastasia Covet Waterproof Eyeliner in Noir (new obsession and the latest from the brand!); 7) Joey Healy Duo Brow Brush; 8 ) Anastasia Covet Waterproof Eyliner in Azure; 9) It Cosmetics No-Tug Waterproof Eyeliner in Brown

Assorted Mess: 1) BareMinerals READY SPF 20 Foundation in Golden Tan; 2) Laura Geller Dream Creams Concealer & Highlighter Palette in Regular/Tan; 3) Laura Geller Ombre Baked Blush in Peach Blossom; 4) Lise Watier Portfolio; 5) Joey Healy Luxe Brow Powder in Raven; 6) BareMinerals Correcting Concealer SPF 20 in Medium 1; 7) Benefit Hellow Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Makeup in Beige; Make Up For Ever Sculpting Kit in 1; 9) Ruby Kisses HD Set N Forget Setting Powder in Banana; and 10) Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Lip Shine in Wink (the latest from Burt’s and something you all NEED to own…post on this soon!)

Seriously, these are all some of my current favorites — what are some of your travel essentials? And let me know if you have any questions about the products above .

x
Shy
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By Nicci Jordan Hubert

You may recall the last time I posted about Mirabella—only because it was as squeaky as a teenage girl; as if I was gushing over Brad Pitt circa River Runs Through It. But seriously. From the moment I “met” the line of makeup, I was smitten. There are several things to love about this brand, so I shall count the ways:

1) They focus on chemically responsible products and are paraffin free when it works. They call their products “clean luxury,” because although they care about making clean products, they won’t sacrifice the quality of the product just to make a vague “green” statement. Love.

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My friends often ask me about my favorite brands, and I gladly rattle off on the topic. I experiment with so many things that I tend to stumble upon a lot of brands that are not always found on the shelves of Sephora or at your drugstore. One popular up-and-coming brand in particular I’ve been obsessing over in the past year is It Cosmetics (you may remember, I profiled founder Jamie Kern in a past Beauty on the Streets feature). It boggles my mind why more people don’t know about them yet!

“IT” cosmetics stands for Innovative Technology Cosmetics. The company works with the top plastic surgeons to create high-performance makeup with anti-aging technology. I feel this is one of those small brand has been growing like crazy because the stuff they make is AMAZING. Last year, they won the prestigious Cosmetic Innovator of the year Award and I wouldn’t be surprised if they stacked up more. I met Jamie last year when I was first introduced to the brand, and since then, her makeup has remained some of my staples favorite staples, beginning with her Bye Bye Under Eye Anti-Aging Concealer.

Normally, I’m not a huge fan of liquid concealer, but this one is rich in texture and (what I love) brightens at the same time. The color match (I use Tan) is amazing and a little goes a long way. I don’t really have a huge dark circle issue, but I like to use this just to lighten up around my eyes on occasion. (This comes with a retractable concealer brush for $26 on qvc.com).

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I know what you’re thinking: What is that? An unda?! (For my non-Urdu-speaking readers, that means “egg”). Well, if it were an egg, it’d be the prettiest one I’VE ever seen.

But seriously, I’ve been hearing about this pink makeup sponge from Beautyblender since like FOR.EVER. Practically every interview I’ve ever read of the pros giving us the routine “check out what’s in my makeup bag” would not fail to mention it. Just recently in fact, when I was at The Makeup Show, I randomly overheard so many people raving about it too. At this point, I was so intrigued about what makes it so special, I finally decided to try it.

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I can’t claim to be the best packer, but I can say that I’ve made significant strides in overcoming the need to pack my entire apartment for a trip. When it comes to rounding up my makeup and skin products, I stress. For one, sifting through all the different products and shades while you’re still trying to figure out what exactly you’ll be doing on your trip is just not fun. Second, I used to think this whole “all your liquids have to fit inside this little baggy if you want to take in on board or else we’re gonna throw it away right in front of you and crying won’t help” was just crap. But I realized that it forces me to pick and choose what I really need. And for my current trip to Miami, it kinda looks like this:

{What? I’m a beauty writer. Leave me alone} Anyway, since it’s a combo of some of my old and new faves, I thought I’d share.

Left to Right:
1. CERAVE AM and PM moisturizers (in little travel capsules), $14 each
2. MAKE UP FOR EVER Uplight Face Illuminizer Gel, $29
3. MARIO BADESCU Enzyme Cleansing Gel, $12 for 8 oz.
4. SMASHBOX Photo Finish Primer, $16 for .5 fl oz.
5. MD SOLAR SCIENCES Tinted Mineral Screen sunblock, $24
6. MEHRON Celebré HD Pro Cream Foundations, $9 each

I already told you all how much I love Mario Badescu and CeraVe face products. I think these little travel capsules are so clutch for a short trip. You can fit a lot of cream in it and it’ll last you longer than you think. I was sent Make Up For Ever’s Uplight to experiment with and what I found was the only illuminizer I ever liked using (that doesn’t look tacky, doesn’t crease, and since it’s water-based, won’t irritate my skin). More on this soon! I usually like to take one primer with me too, something I can wear under my makeup to help it last longer and look more even. I decided to go with Smashbox Photo Finish (good for pics!), and the small size was perfect for traveling. I also recently got introduced to MD SolarSciences when they sent me their Tinted Mineral Gel. It’s perfect for Miami because it’s not greasy AT ALL, water-resistant, goes on super smooth, and doesn’t make anything I put on top all gooky. I’m pretty particular about my sunblock, and I’m putting this up there with Neutrogena (another fave of mine).

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By Nicci Jordan Hubert

Makeup applicators can be a tricky business — not all are not created equal. When they’re too cheaply made, they shed and splotch. When they’re too expensive, well, they’re somehow heavier…as if just shelling out all that moola suddenly prohibits the enjoyment of their use (especially if the expensive brushes turn out to be cheaply made arghhh). So last week, when I had the pleasure of attending EcoTools’ launch their new spring lineup for BATF, I was stoked. I’ve long been a fan of EcoTools brushes because I found them like Goldilocks found her porridge — after testing many a brush, I found EcoTools’ weren’t too expensive, they weren’t too cheap… they were just right.

Luckily, the breakfast not only featured a gift bag (perks of the job…) but it was also hosted by The Green Table in Chelsea Market, a lovely nook well-renowned for its sustainable, delicious food. The space was bright and beautiful— just look at those flowers!!—and the ever-flowing glasses of Mimosas on a Thursday morning weren’t too shabby either. Who was I to turn them down?

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