Take your makeup from day to night and from corporate to kapow with these makeup bag essentials.
I think we’re all in agreement that when it comes to packing your evening bag with cosmetics less is inevitably more. Unless you fancy sitting down all night babysitting a product-plumped, over-sized handbag that could fit a small dog in it, you will probably want to carry a small handbag or clutch. So when space is at a premium, think like a strategist – weighing up the minimum number of tools to turn your look from day to night with maximum impact.
If you stock your purse or a desk drawer with these items, you’ll never be caught short transitioning from office to evening out. Pare it back to basics but don’t forget to tailor your makeup itinerary to include what works best for you.
The makeup essentials
Cover
Achieve long-lasting, flawless foundation throughout the entire day and well into the night, minus touch-up time. The best foundations and concealers have a beautiful workable 
coverage that will stay with you until the end of the night! Apply foundation around the centre of the face in a butterfly formation (wings around the nose, antennae on the forehead and a v shape on your chin) and blend the base outwards using your fingertips, sponge or brush. Apply concealer after foundation, focusing on any blemishes, under eye circles, marks or redness.
Illuminate
Daytime makeup should look soft and natural, but as the light fades you want your face to glow in its place. Steal the limelight from the candles in restaurants and bars with an illuminating product. This can be a dusting of highlighting loose powder, an illuminiser stick or even an illuminating concealer. Applied to the brow bones under the brows, top of the cheekbones, bridge of the nose, inner corners of the eyes and on the lip contour for added fullness, it will both smooth and highlight. Don’t forget to blend, blend, blend.
Define
Eyeliner is the quickest and easiest way to intensify your eyes. While browns and charcoals cut it in the daytime, we love the strength of black, deep plum/purple or bold slate grey for night. Line the top lashes with a pencil or liquid liner (extended out with a flourish). If you’re not planning on making your lips a colour feature, line the inner rim of your lower lid, which will draw attention upwards and give the illusion of denser lashes. If you’re seeking to smoulder, smudge liner along the outer corner of the eye at the lash line.
Shadow
Dramatic eyes will never go out of fashion for a night out on the town. If you’re pressed for time and need to transform your day look into an evening look, have no fear. With a few simple alterations, the look of your eyes will turn from droll to doll in no time. For a quick eye colour update, select a shade several shades darker than your day hues. A shimmery or shiny metallic colour adds a dramatic flair while a lusty charcoal gives a sultry stare.
Dab a shadow brush into the medium shadow and tap it on the edge of a counter or sink to get rid of the excess, then apply all over the lid and blend up the crease. Apply the darkest eye shadow in the outer crease of the eye, layering the shadow a little at a time to intensify the result.
You may also like to blend it into the lash line of the lower outer lid. Highlight the brow bone area by sweeping a shimmery neutral shade from the top of the eyelid up to the underside of the brow. Silvers, whites and soft golds are good for this and they also complement most skin tones.
Blush
While we all love the coquettish effect of a blushing cheek, we want to avoid looking like an overly made-up doll. Save blush for last when you’ll know if you’re being too free and easy 
with it. You can choose a deeper or more punchy shade for night, as plums and bronzes show up well in dim lighting. However, if you’re going to a well-lit locale, stick with a hue that is a slinkier version of your daytime blush.
For a fresh appearance, a crème blush blended lightly on the apples of your cheeks and gently smoothed upward towards your temple can create a subtle illusion of higher cheekbones. Alternatively, use a stain that will tend to both your lips and your cheeks.
Pout
Nothing steals the show like a perfect pout, so pay heed to dressing your lips for the occasion. For dramatic lips, a richly pigmented red, pink or burgundy lipstick is a makeup bag must. If you’re colour shy, go for a gold or bronze hue to add depth to your lips without being excessive. Don’t forget the matching liner to add some depth to the mouth and enhance your existing lip colour. If you’ve gone for big eyes, steer clear of big lips – a coloured gloss or more delicate nude tones overlayed with gloss will leave you subtle yet sexy.
Powder
Finish off your makeup with some lightweight perfecting powder to keep your face looking soft, smooth and gorgeous around the clock. Be sure to stray away from heavier, oily or waxy products that will clog pores and irritate skin. Look for something that will still offer coverage but is completely free from all the nasties, so you can keep your pores sparkling clean.
Run a fluffy brush over pressed powder and apply to your forehead, down the bridge of your nose and onto your chin. This will help set your foundation, minimise shine in the areas that tend to get oily, while keeping your cheeks dewy for that more natural look.
Preen
Turning work hair into evening hair is as simple as product and a comb, no matter what look you’re after. Be aware of what atmosphere you may be exposed to as well. If you’re going to be outside, depending on the weather you may want to carry a small bottle of anti-frizz serum to tame any hair flyaways you may encounter. If it’s windy, carry bobby pins to execute a smooth up-do, while hairspray and a teasing comb can help you transform into a sexy bedheaded bombshell in seconds flat.
Bronzed babes
While a highlighted and natural radiance is the way to go for daytime, after the sun goes down it’s prime time to show some sun-kissed skin and get your glow on.
To get that tanned radiant look, apply bronzer or shimmer powder on key areas — the brow bone, cheekbones, and décolletage. Remember to adjust your application to the darkness of your surroundings, but be careful not to overdo it!
