My Top 5 Beauty Must Haves

"If you were stranded on a desert island..." No thanks. I'm good. The chances that any of us will go full-fledged Castaway and wind up alone in the middle of nowhere are slim to none. Let's talk about a more realistic horror, like being stranded in an airport without your luggage. Now that's scary.

Although I haven't had the pleasure of an airline losing one of my suitcases, I have witnessed such misfortunes that in turn have taught me to always be prepared. Now of course I don't plan what goes in my purse based on the aforementioned circumstances, but if I were told I had to choose only five beauty products to have on hand here is what I would choose:

1. Origins Make A Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Moisturizer 

I use this moisturizer every morning after washing my face and it leaves my skin feeling supple, protected and ageless. As someone who fought the good fight against teenage acne (and won), I am very picky about what I use on my face as I don't want to clog my pores or irritate my face in any way.  Origins uses pure ingredients in all of their products and I never have to worry about my skin breaking out when I try something new, which is why I am a huge fan of their entire collection. 

2.  MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Microfinish Powder

Drop those embarrassing oil-blotting sheets and invest in this transparent makeup setting powder by MAKE UP FOR EVER. This is a staple in my makeup bag and I'm certain it will be for you, too.  Although many matte foundations claim to keep your face oil-free all day, but that is often not the case and by the middle of the day, you're shining bright like a diamond. Each day after I apply my foundation, I use a kabuki brush to swirl a bit of this HD Microfinish Powder. The matte look lasts virtually all day. Swoon!

3.  CHANEL Rouge Allure Velvet - L'Amoureuse 

Step one: apply generously to lips. Step two: rule the world. That's basically what happens when I wear my favorite Chanel lipstick from the Rouge Allure Velvet collection. What I love about this color is that it treads the fine line between "I spent a lot of time on my look" and "I barely had time to take a look in the mirror" which is nice because it keeps people guessing just how much time you spent getting ready. Either way, this particular lipstick is up for whatever you throw at it, from a passionate kiss to a giant hamburger. Chanel is there for you. Chanel is ALWAYS there for you. 

4.  göt2b defiant POMADE 

If you read my post on my hair routine, you know just how little time I actually spend on my mane. One of the few products I use on my hair is this defying pomade gel from göt2b. I dab my fingertips in it and gently run my fingers through my hair, smoothing fly aways and taming frizzy ends. It is super versatile and works well on thick coarse hair or thin smooth hair. I use this product every day, whether I am wearing my hair natural, straight or curly I know that I will be frizz-free all day. Did I mention it's super cheap and available at any drugstore ever? Yeah, I'm about that. I'm alllll about that. 

5. KIKO MILANO Precision Eyeliner 

This eyeliner deserves the medal of makeup honor because it got me through the hottest, most humid month in Milan on record. Let me preface this by saying that KIKO Makeup Milano is a gift to us straight from the Italian beauty gods and I highly recommend you shopping on their website for your makeup essentials. This eyeliner gives designer quality at a drugstore price. It's incredible. I use this particular eyeliner to line the top lid for everyday look. It's so easy to apply and it lasts all day long - no smudging.