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The Only 9 Makeup Items You’ll Ever Need

(OK, the only 9 I’ll ever need—but are we really so different?)

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Benefit Benetint

By now I’m sure you’ve read that this clear red stain was originally created for strippers (yes, they used it on those), but it’s even better applied to lend a rosy glow to lips and cheeks. A celebrity makeup artist once told me what to do if you run out of Benetint and can’t get to Sephora: mix up a batch of cherry jello and dip a Q-tip into it before it cools; use the swab to give your lips a natural glow that lasts all day, and a taste of childhood.

benefitcosmetics.com

Diorshow Mascara

I first tried this stuff when it was given to me by a makeup artist who used it on Beyonce. It’s like fresh lemonade in summertime—I can’t get enough of it. I literally think I have gone over my lashes at least 20 times with this chubby black and lefty wand, and I still never end up with that clumpy Twiggy look c. 1960, but with long, full, glossy, separated lashes.

neimanmarcus.com

Delux Beauty Lip Gloss

Since long before she became known as “Dr. McDreamy’s wife,” Jillian Dempsey has been getting the coolest actors in Hollywood ready for the camera (yes, that’s how she met Patrick). She developed a well-edited line of makeup inspired by people she’s worked with, and her lip glosses are, hands down, the best I’ve ever tried. They’re sheer and liquidy, not sticky, yet they stay on for hours. I also don’t mind knowing that Kirsten Dunst is walking around in the same lip gloss as I am.

deluxbeauty.com

Becca Bronzing Powder in Flamenco

No, I don’t just like this stuff because it’s named after me. Avril Lavigne’s makeup artist introduced me to it on a photo shoot a couple of years ago, insisting that it could give even the palest girl (hello, Avril) a believable sun-kissed glow. It’s sheer and not sparkly, which is key. Hello, does your skin produce glitter when exposed to the sun? I don’t think so.

sephora.com

Bare Escentuals Starter Kit

I know. Long ago you vowed never to purchase anything sold on T.V. Well, get over your snobbery—they have this stuff at Sephora now! I was introduced to powder foundation by my cousin Liz, who has the most flawless skin I’ve ever seen on anyone over seven.

ulta.com

Stila Brow Polish

This year I went from over-highlighted back to my natural dark brown hair color. My brows, competing with my new brunette-ness, seemed to disappear. But they were back after I combed this sheer brown gel through them. It keeps hairs in place and fills in sparse areas with a lovely transparency that looks natural, and sort of runway-esque (Gordon Espinet, chief makeup artist at M.A.C cosmetics, once told me that the more prominent your brows, the younger you look).

stilacosmetics.com

Nars Sheer Blush in Orgasm

The name is good, but the product is even better. It’s this sheer, peachy powder blush with a teensy bit of shimmer that looks natural on absolutely everyone, from the fairest to the tawniest.

neimanmarcus.com

M.A.C Eye Kohl

The day I discovered smudgy black eyeliner, my life changed. People started complimenting me on my eyes. It’s a myth that dark liner makes eyes look smaller; applied correctly, it can make them appear twice their size. I like this soft kohl because you can smudge it subtly into the lash line or go all rock and roll on your lower lids (yes, line the inner rims!) for a night out.

maccosmetics.com

Dior 1-Colour Eyeshadow in Bronze

I am not an eye shadow person. But after seeing pros apply makeup on famous people at least a thousand times, I’ve learned that a nude-ish shadow with some light reflecting particles applied all over eyelids makes you look younger. Period. Patti Dubroff, a genius makeup artist I’ve had the pleasure of working with on photo shoots, creates shades and formulations for Dior, and it seems like every celebrity in the world calls in (that’s industry speak for “requests for free”) her stuff.

sephora.com