Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photos: Carol Lee, Retailers
Since I’m the Cut’s beauty writer, most of my time during New York Fashion Week is either spent backstage watching makeup artists and hairstylists work their magic or on my laptop writing about the looks we’re most excited about. It also means my bag — this year, it’s a vintage Balenciaga Le City inherited from my aunt — is packed to the brim at all times with my go-to beauty products. It’s just a part of who I am. You never know when you might need to retouch your lips, use a dollop of hand cream, or apply some concealer to camouflage a budding breakout. As you can imagine, most of the real estate in my bag is taken up by these beauty essentials. Some may call it overkill. I call it preparedness.
Photo: Carol Lee
I know it may seem a bit ridiculous to carry around a facial cleanser, but hear me out. It can come in handy in the most random situations, whether you find yourself in a bathroom without hand soap or need to wash off your sweaty, worn-down makeup from the day and need to start fresh for an after-party. This one from Olay feels light as air and won’t spill in your bag, since it comes in these tiny sheets that activate with water. All of the versions are great and lather up well, but I’ve picked up the gentle version this time for my sensitive skin.
I was never a huge hand cream wearer, but I’ve recently noticed that my fingers and cuticles have been looking a bit haggard. The Chanel hand cream is a classic, looks chic, and absorbs quickly. Whenever I pull it out, everybody around me seems to want some.
In this case, TikTok was 100 percent right. I gave in and tried this product a few weeks ago, and I’ve worn it every time I’ve put on makeup since. I don’t wear it on its own, but it’s perfect for overlining and as a base for my lip liners. Just make sure your lips are exfoliated before use it and that you let the product sit on your lips for a sufficient amount of time. Billie Eilish and I have something in common: Noohde is our favorite shade.
Lately, the Sacheu Noohde lip stain and the Charlotte Tilbury Super Nudes Lip Cheat Contour Duo Lip Liner have been the combo for me. After staining my lips, I apply the darker end of the Charlotte Tilbury onto the outer edges of my lips, then shade in the rest with the other side. The result is a sexy ’90s brown that doesn’t look too harsh against my fair skin tone.
I’ve raved and raved about this fragrance, and I’m here to rave some more. It has four notes: lily petals, sandalwood, amber, and soft musk. They combine to create the most comforting scent that makes me feel like I’m getting a warm hug from my mom after a long day at preschool. I love it so much that I carry the giant 30ml roll-on in my handbag and reapply throughout the day.
I’m a huge fan of Spice Cake, a new shade of this lip treatment that’s coming out this month, but I adore the clear and pink-y iterations too. The cooling metal applicator is easy to clean and a pleasure to press against my lips, and the formula doesn’t feel too thick or goopy. Best of all, it actually hydrates, which is more than I can say for some of the other lip balms in my stash.
When I need to concentrate — this includes eating, writing, and brainstorming — I need my hair to be up and out of my face. Luckily, I finally own a Deborah Pagani pin, so my humble buns now have an accessory of their own. I’ve never felt so put-together.
Rouje’s Le Correcteur is the concealer I keep in my purse at all times, which is why it’s so beat up. I can use this for my entire face, but I usually reserve it for covering specific spots of hyperpigmentation or redness that appear when my base makeup wears off. All I need is the tiniest bit, and it looks like skin when blended in.
I prefer to wash my hands, but if I’m in a situation that calls for hand sanitizer, you bet I’m going to pull out my Touchland. I love this one because it hydrates my hands rather than drying them out, and it smells faintly of rose water instead of alcohol.
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