Be Prepared!!!!!! and Pardon the Novel...

So, I already had something prepared...no pun intended...for this post when I had a most intense situation occur yesterday. I had a photo shoot but was missing just one little item that I needed to grab at the mall. Taking NO thought to how I looked (meaning not ONE ounce of makeup, hair in some gnarly high bun and a cut up Queen shirt...that I just happen to LoVe!!!) I leave one son with the neighbor and grab the other to head out. En-route I get a phone call from the FaBuLoUs Miss Ruby Sue (couture hairpiece QUEEN!!!) telling me that she has met an amazing hairstylist (soon to be to the stars) and wants us all to have a power lunch to talk ideas and opportunities. I was thrilled and went along the rest of our journey with a big smile and this "new woman's" number. Get to the mall, shops are closed for still another 15 min. So, I plop down on an obliging, yet poorly colored couch, and decide there is no time like now to call this woman. I do and lo and behold she is in town and wants to meet...........now.........NOW?!?!?!?!?

Ladies, I am supposed to be a makeup artist and the LAST thing I was ready to do was meet a potential partner with how I was looking. Almost shooting myself in the foot I told her just that. It just wasn't a good time and I looked terrible. Needless to say she talked me into it. I grab Branson and RACE for the bathroom. I set him up on the counter with a pad of paper, a pen, and looked in the mirror to survey the damage. It was not pretty! I had blemishes along the jawline, no eyebrows, uneven skin, and bags from no sleep. I almost started to cry until I remembered that I was in the middle of writing a post about being prepared with certain makeup essentials. Believe it or not I nEvEr carry around makeup but have sometimes been in situations where I wish I had. I had just recently put together a small bag of essentials and then left with now makeup on only to use what I had once I got to where I was going. I would then come home and reevaluate adding more or taking useless things out. I was SOOOO grateful for this bag that I then wanted to cry just out of sheer happiness. I got to work. It wasn't breathtaking but it was enough to make me walk out of there in confidence knowing that she would not be horrified. We met, she was great, we meet next week where I can show her what I can REALLY do but all in all, everything turned out okay. I came home and added some MORE to "the bag" and now I feel that I have THE bag that all of you need to not just be passable in a snap but STUNNING!!!!!

#1 A GOOD concealer!!! Not just any that you don't normally use. Buy an extra one and plop it in the bag. I use Benefit's boi-ing concealer.#2 Either a liquid or loose powder foundation. I use loose powder from Beauty From the Earth. I like using the lose powder because I am usually in a hurry in these situations and i can fill my brush and get it done QUICKLY!!!#3 Blush! Nothing cheers up your face or puts more color into a "dead" face than a good blush. Choose a bright cheery color and you can't go wrong! Maybe add a small bronzer if you have room.#4 Any quad or trio of eye shadows. This will give you options. Try to use a dark brown or black for one of the colors so that it can double as a liner or brow fill in. Try to also have at least one brow color and one close to skin toned shadow for your crease and maybe a bit of contouring around the facial features (SuCh a great trick!!!). Try to stay away from too dark of colors to avoid having fallout or needing to blend like crazy. 

#5 Just a few brushes. One to put your foundation on if you use the powder (you can use your fingers for liquid application) this can also be used for blush and bronzer, and one to use for your shadows. A craft store find would be PeRfEcT since it wouldn't break the bank to buy another. A Maxine's Mop is always handy eh? =) If you are like me you may need a travel angled brush for your eyebrow application.

#6 Ready to go lashes and glue. This may sound unnecessary, but when you get the hang of doing lashes this technique takes all of three minutes. Just make sure the lashes are clean and pre-cut and throw 'em on! I prefer the demi whispies in black from Ardell because they are gorgeous but natural. It makes a HUGE difference!!!!!

#7 Any lip color. I love using the Cover Girl Outlast Lipstain #410. You can easily draw it on your lips for a healthy color without needing a lip liner and it will last!

#8 If you can't live without liner and shadow won't cover it for you, I suggest you buy cheap Wet'N'Wild pencils in whatever color you need. You can't go wrong with 99 cents.

#9 Fixers. Let me explain =). When you are needing to look fab, chances are your hair needs a little something too. SO, bobby pins and a rubber band or two are essential "fixers". Make sure and have a few large ones as well as smaller pins. Speaking of hair, sometimes we can forget to pluck once in a while and so a pair of tweezers can be a LIFESAVER! A safety pin can always come in handy, not to mention a small pencil sharpener for your liners. I also have a tester size LAMB fragrance tube so that I can feel glammed up as well. Chap stick can also help with an even application of your lip color so throw one of those in there too =). Oh, and I got my bag at Target =).Well, that is my bag and I must say, I am SO glad to know it's there in my purse if I need it. Put together a bag and tell me what YOU put in it, or tell me how this one worked out for you!!!