Desert Island Beauty

Ok, so I realize that if I was actually going to be trapped on a desert island for the rest of my life the things I would bring would be somewhat practical. Like sunscreen, or chapstick, or water. Stuff like that. But if I'm going to be trapped on said island with other people, and I don't want to run the risk of scaring them away with my morning face, then let's face it, my desert island top five would probably be all makeup. I don't want to think about what that says about me as a person.

1. Kiehl's Tinted Moisturizer.

This is the Holy Grail of tinted moisturizers. I've tried so many different brands (Laura Mercier, Benefit, Duwop, Tarte, the list goes on) and this is by far my favorite. It actually has a significant amount of pigment, so people without perfect glowing skin can use it. It only comes in three shades, but somehow they seem to work for a lot of different people's skintones. It's magic! It doesn't feel gritty or go on streaky, and it's decently moisturizing. It also has SPF, so it's somewhat practical for a desert island. Score!

2. Stila Pressed Powder.

I have combination skin, so my face is shine central by lunchtime. However, it's also completely dry and generally flaky, and finding a powder that cuts down on shine but doesn't highlight how dry my skin is has been nearly impossible. That's why I love this powder. It's so finely milled that it doesn't accentuate any of my flakies (it seems to make them disappear!), it makes me skin look airbrushed, eliminates shine, and tones down redness. And the compact is adorable!

3. Urban Decay Primer Potion

I was in denial about needing shadow primer for years. I thought it was a waste of money and overrated, and so I didn't even bother trying it. But when I actually started wearing a decent amount of eyeshadow for more than two or three hours, I realized that most of the shadow ended up on my browbone, or on my cheeks, or under my eyes. Basically everywhere but my eyelids. And what little remained on my lids creased like crazy. This stuff is genius! My eyeshadow and my eyeliner stay on all day without fading at all (my shadow will still crease a tiny bit but it's so much less noticeable), and it waterproofs my eyemakeup. A long shower has no effect on my eyeshadow. So even though we all know that the packaging is ridiculously ineffective (grrrrr) and it's a little overpriced, I still can't imagine not having this in my makeup bag.

4. Urban Decay 24-7 Liner in Rockstar

This is the only eyeliner that I'll use. It comes in a great range of colors, glittery and non-glittery, it lasts forever, and the color doesn't fade. The 24-7 thing is a bit of a stretch, but if I didn't remove this stuff at night it would probably stay on for two or three days (for serious). And Rockstar is the perfect color for hazel eyes. It's just dark enough to give definition, but the purple is much softer than black and brings out the green in my eyes. Love!

5. MAC Tendertones Tinted Lip Conditioner in Petting Pink

Because everyone gets chapped lips, and this is much more glamorous than Chapstick. I realize the pot isn't very hygenic, but if I'm on a desert island, I don't think hygene will be my biggest problem. It's the perfect pink color, it smells and tastes like sugar cookies, and it has SPF 15 (totally practical).