What's in My Makeup Bag? Home for the Holidays Edition :)

Today's post gives you a peek into my makeup bag! I recently spent 10 days at my parents' house to celebrate the holidays and I was faced with the challenge of selecting the essentials I'd need and use while away from home. I'm a notorious over-packer, so I went a bit beyond the 'basics', but the lovely products I selected really represent everything I couldn't live without on my trip. This isn't quite a 'favourite products of 2012' post, but in many ways it is synonymous because, at the end of the year, these little gems are what I wanted in my holiday makeup arsenal!

I'm not going to review each item (the post would be gargantuan!), but I'm including a brief comment about each and when I've previously featured an item on the blog, I'll include a link to the previous post. That said, if you see any items you'd like to hear more about, let me know in the comments and I'll do my best to write a full review soon!

Here's a literal peek into my makeup bag:

But before we delve in to the makeup, here's a look at the skin care staples I brought with me for the holidays:

Skin Care:

Shu Uemura Vitalizing Retexturizing Cream- hands down the best night cream I've ever used. Doesn't break me out and leaves a lovely glow!

Chantecaille Vital Essence with Arbutin- a basic lightweight anti-aging, hydrating serum. Worth the high price tag? The jury's still out. 

Shu Uemura UV Underbase Mousse SPF30 in Beige- best primer I've ever used! Incredibly lightweight and a high SPF! Check out a review of the Masterclass where I bought this prime for the first time.

B. Kamins Acne Wash- my holy grail nighttime face wash. Keeps my skin clear and smooth and doesn't irritate! Check out a review of it (and the amazing transformation of my skin due to the B. Kamins acne products) here!

Thayers Alcohol Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner (in Vichy bottle)- a basic, gentle toner that smells like roses!

B. Kamins Corrective Mattifier- an excellent primer, but I use it as a nighttime exfoliating acne treatment. Gentle, but effective! See here!

Shu Cleansing Oil sample- I've tried a couple Shu Cleansing Oil formulas and they are both top-notch at removing my long-wearing makeup!

B. Kamins Blemish Gel 5% (in cup with brushes)- effective spot treatment for persistent breakouts

Base Products:

Revlon ColourStay Whipped Creme Makeup in Buff- my go-to winter foundation! Excellent coverage and extremely long wearing. Check out my review of it, here!

NYX Above and Beyond Full Coverage Concealer #3- actually not my favourite concealer. But worked very well when mixed with Hard Candy Glamoflauge!

Hard Candy Glamoflauge Heavy Duty Concealer #1- a basic, affordable, high pigment concealer for under eyes and blemishes.

Shu Uemura Face Architect Smooth Fit Fluid Foundation #784- a moderate-coverage, mattifying foundation that leaves a slightly luminous finish. For days when Revlon ColourStay is a bit too much. I'm wearing it in this look of the day!

Lush Emotional Brilliance Transluscent Face Powder- a basic, finely-milled loose powder that keeps me shine-free

Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Ash Blonde- my holy grail brow product. Makes my sparse brows look full and natural!

Blush and Bronzer

Chanel Luminous Bronzing Powder in Sable Rose- a shimmery, rosy bronzer that leaves a lovely glow and blends like a dream. Check out a review of it here!

Sleek Makeup Blush in Life's a Peach- a basic matte peach that works well with my skin tone. See photos, a review, and swatches of it here.

NARS Powder Blush in Dolce Vita- a lovely matte dusty rose shade. Perfect for the colder months!

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed- the perfect, go-with anything, matte blush. One of my new favourites! Read a review and see some swatches here!

NARS Powder Blush in Deep Throat- I've said it before: perhaps my favourite blush of all time! I hit pan on it so badly, I had to swap for a new one!

Sleek Makeup Blush in Flamingo- a happy, warm, vibrant pink with a subtle sheen. An instant pop of colour! I used it in this look of the day.

Eye Shadow

MAC Custom Palette with Eye Shadows in Mulch, Bronze, Ricepaper, and Amber Lights- my favourite of the custom palettes that I've put together. Perfect for creating a neutral smokey eye!
Karl Lagerfeld for Shu Uemura Eye and Cheek Palette in Prestigious Bordeaux- purchased this recently and am totally loving it for a festive holiday look. See a full review and swatches of it here!
Stila Eye Shadow in Oasis- a gorgeous, pigmented golden peach. Lovely as a wash all over the lid. I featured it in this look of the day.
Lush Emotional Brilliance Liquid Eyeliner in Fantasy- have been using this as a festive, sparkly eye shadow. So bold and striking! It was the star of this recent look of the day!
NARS Eye Shadow Duo in Cordura- purchased this recently during Sephora's 20% off VIB sale and am using it frequently. Sexy, smokey browns.
Shu Uemura Pressed Eye Shadow in IR911- an absolutely gorgeous iridescent golden white. A dramatic highlighter!
Laura Mercier Eye Shadow in Sandstone- one of my best-loved eye shadows this year. Excellent as a highlight shade or as a wash all over the lid. I used it in this look of the day!

Liner, Primer, and Mascara

Urban Decay Primer Potion, Original- the only eye shadow primer I've ever used. Works so well I've never been tempted to try another. A classic.

Clinique Lash Doubling Mascara in Black- one of my favourite mascaras of all time! Dark, dramatic, full lashes without any clumps!

Tarte emphasEyes Clay Liner in Brown- my favourite new eyeliner of the year! A super flattering, long-wearing brown shade that blends like a dream then sets all day! I used it in this look of the day!

Revlon ColourStay Liquid Eye Pen in Black- best black liquid liner ever! So easy to apply with super pigmented colour. I've used it in several looks of the day, including this one.

And that's it! I realized afterwards that I hadn't photographed the lip products I brought home, but trust me- I brought waaay too many, enough to warrant their own post! I'm planning to swatch the majority of my lipstick collection soon, so you will be seeing many lipstick posts in the near future! Lipstick aside, the products above really represent my most-loved makeup products at the moment, so I'm happy to share them with you here!

Are there any products I featured here that are among your favourites as well? Any you'd like to see more detailed reviews of?

Thanks for reading! :)