I’m a total makeup fanatic. It’s kind of a problem, but it came in handy when I first moved to North Carolina and couldn’t find a journalism job… so I got a job at the Estee Lauder counter at Belk. It was awesome. I got free makeup AND got to do makeovers.

Now I am more of a Lancome girl (as you can see from my makeup bag), but I still love Estee Lauder and all different brands of beauty products. My favorites change a lot, but these are some of my faves for now:

Eyeliner: Khol in Love in deepwater blue. I got this at the military exchange at Camp Pendleton when we were there to look for houses and I totally love it. It glides on really easily and stays put all day, and the color looks the same on as it does on the pencil. The green color also looks awesome, but I have a random British drugstore eyeliner that’s a similar color, so I haven’t tried that one.

Foundation: Teint idole ultra 24H. I have a hard time leaving my house without foundation, so some kind of tinted moisturizer is not going to cut it. This foundation goes on well and stays all day, no matter what you do. Estee Lauder’s Double Wear and Double Wear Light are also very good, but the colors don’t match my skin as well.

Lipstick: I usually wear various colors I get in free gifts with purchase, but MAC Viva Glam Gaga (the first one) is my favorite lipstick. I haven’t tried the Nicki (partly because I despise Nicki Minaj), but the color looks similar.

Cleanser: Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser. For ever and ever.

Shampoo: I have so much hair that my pony tail is about the same as an actual horse’s tail. And if I don’t use appropriate shampoo and conditioner (or if it is teased or I ride in a convertible), it is uncombable. Pureology Hydrate shampoo and conditioner (regular, not light) are ridiculously expensive, but I’ve never found anything that works as well.

Eye makeup remover:  Simple kind to eyes eye make-up remover pads. Shout out to my friend Joan for telling me about these when we were at Boots in Richmond (England). I have a hard time with eye makeup removers because I have very sensitive skin and uber-sensitive eyes. These remove the makeup without getting any gunk in my eyes or leaving any yucky residue. And they are easy to travel with. I just don’t know if you can get them in the U.S.!

And my favorite that I am super sad about leaving: My hair salon, Lorraine Aprile. I’m pretty sure everyone there is awesome, but Laura is particularly fantastic. If you’re in the DC/Alexandria area, I highly recommend checking it out.