What's In My Artist Kit vs. My Personal Makeup Bag
You know that moment when someone peeks into your makeup bag and says, “Wait… this is all you use?” You just have to laugh—if only they knew what your pro kit looked like.
Let me set the scene.
It’s 5:00 a.m. I’m half-asleep, coffee in one hand, rolling suitcase in the other. I’m heading to glam a bridal party of six before sunrise. In my kit: a small Sephora exploded. Foundations in every undertone. Concealers so precise they could erase a bad mood. Blushes? I’ve got options that would make a Crayola box jealous. My artist kit is a curated, high-performance,
camera-tested arsenal that travels with me from weddings to shoots and everything in between. It’s built to perform under pressure, in unpredictable lighting, on every skin type imaginable.
But me? Personally? Off-duty? Let’s just say my everyday makeup bag could probably fit inside one of the compartments of my pro kit… with room to spare.
There’s a huge difference between being in artist mode and just trying to make it out the door in under ten minutes. My personal bag is a whole different vibe: edited, fun, and deeply me. There’s a new mascara I’m trying out, a lip liner that’s basically a stub, and a concealer that I will cry over if they ever discontinue. There’s beauty in the simplicity—because while my kit is built for everyone, my bag is built just for me.
Here’s the thing about being a makeup artist: you quickly learn that your kit and your personal makeup bag serve two very different purposes.
Your artist kit is a curated, high-performance collection built to serve everyone but you. It’s designed to be versatile, sanitary, and camera-ready. Every product is tested, depotted, labeled, and chosen to perform under pressure. There’s no room for sentimentality—only what works across every skin tone, texture, and lighting condition. It’s your workhorse. Your toolkit. Your backstage pass to flawless glam.
Your personal bag, on the other hand, is deeply… you. It’s a reflection of your habits, your mood, your loyalty to that one lip liner you’ve sharpened to a nub. It doesn’t need to cater to twelve undertones or withstand a twelve-hour wedding. It just needs to make you feel like you—with the least amount of effort and the most joy.
And hygiene? Non-negotiable. Mixing the two isn’t just chaotic—it’s risky. Your personal makeup lives a different kind of life, one with coffee runs and car touch-ups. Your kit? That’s sacred territory. Clients deserve tools that are clean, intentional, and made just for them.
So while both bags hold beauty, only one of them has a little glitter on the zipper and a half-eaten mint at the bottom. Guess which one’s mine?
What’s In My Makeup Bag (a.k.a. The Bag That Lives in My Purse, My Car, and Sometimes My Lap)
Let’s be honest—my personal makeup bag is always evolving. It’s part tried-and-true staples, part chaos, part Sephora playground. And right now? It’s heavy on what’s new, what’s buzzy, and what just dropped in my PR mailer five minutes ago.
I treat my personal bag like a beauty lab. This is where I test-drive all the “Is it worth the hype?” products before they even come close to my pro kit. If something earns a permanent spot in here, that’s when I know it’s got potential.
Here’s a peek at what’s living in my personal stash right now:
Recent PR products I’m trying out – From dewy skin tints to barely-there mascaras, my bag’s currently full of formulas I’m getting a feel for. Some are already stars. Others? TBD.
Trending beauty products – Think: glossy lip oils, underpainting contour sticks, skin-enhancing highlighters that look like you slept eight hours (even if you didn’t).
A mix of drugstore and luxe – Don’t let the designer clutch fool you—there’s a $7 brow pencil in there that I swear by, right next to my splurge-worthy lipstick from a brand I probably can’t pronounce.
Things I love even if they’re not “pro” – That tinted balm that melts a little too easily? I still carry it. That shimmery shadow stick that creases by hour five? Worth it for the glow. Not every product needs to be editorial—it just needs to make me feel pretty at Starbucks.
Old favorites I refuse to give up – You’ll find a nearly empty tube of a gloss they don’t even make anymore, a limited-edition blush I treat like treasure, and an eyeshadow single that’s barely hanging on—but still hits every time. If you know, you know. Sometimes nostalgia wins over practicality.
And of course, sprinkled between the new launches and long-lost gems are the products I’m fully obsessed with right now. Some products I’m currently loving are the Haus Labs Triclone Foundation—the finish is unreal, like filtered skin in real life—and their Lip Glaze in every shade I can get my hands on. It’s glossy without being sticky and looks good even when I’ve had zero sleep.
I’ve also been reaching for Tarte’s Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump (a forever favorite for hydrated, pouty lips) and their Maneater Mascara for the perfect natural lash. Makeup by Mario’s Skin Enhancer has been a recent lazy-girl bronzing go-to, and Tower 28’s SOS Spray is essential for calming my skin post-glam.
This bag changes with the seasons, my mood, and yes, my latest Ulta haul. But it’s always me. It’s fast, it’s fun, and it gets the job done on the days when I’m not in artist mode—but still want to feel like that girl.
What’s In My Artist Kit (aka The Glam Vault)
Now let’s talk about the kit—the one that rolls with me to weddings, shoots, VIP glam sessions, and sometimes has to survive 100° weather, back-to-back clients, and four flights of stairs.
This isn’t just a makeup bag. It’s a mission. It’s an organized, airtight, over-prepared glam vault built for results—not experiments. Things I keep in my pro kit are what I call my non-negotiables—everything in here earns its space.
These are formulas that have proven themselves in high-stakes moments, from wedding mornings to stage lights to long, humid nights.If it creases, flakes, fades, or flashes back, it’s out. This kit is for everyone—every undertone, every skin type, every age—and it has to perform every single time.
Here’s what lives in it:
Camera-ready, client-tested products only – These are the long-wear foundations that won’t budge during “happy tears,” the powders that blur without caking, and the liners that survive dance floors and destination heat.
Full shade ranges – I don’t play when it comes to representation. My kit carries complexion products for every skin tone, undertone, and everything in between. No guesswork here—just readiness.
Pro-level essentials – From palettes I’ve customized myself to disposables, setting sprays, waterproof formulas, and matte lipsticks that won’t transfer on champagne glasses—this kit is my mobile glam studio.
Hygiene on lock – Spatulas, palettes, brush cleaner, alcohol spray—everything is sanitized, decanted, and packed with intention. This kit doesn’t do “shared.” What touches my face stays out of it.
One of my ultimate go-to staples is the MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation—it gives that flawless, airbrushed finish without feeling heavy and always photographs beautifully. For concealer, I’m forever loyal to Too Faced Born This Way Multi-Use Sculpting Concealer—it’s creamy, full-coverage, and works just as well under the eyes as it does for sculpting the face.
When it comes to eyes, it’s either Makeup by Mario’s Master Mattes Palette or Natasha Denona’s Glam Palette—both are buttery, blendable, and timeless. And for lips? A MAC Lip Pencil is always in reach—Stripdown, Whirl, and Chestnut live in my kit and rotate depending on the vibe.
These are the products I’ll pull out when I want to feel extra polished, camera-ready, and confident—even when I’m the one in front of the lens.
If you’re curious about the exact products I reach for on wedding days—the ones that never fail under pressure—I actually wrote an entire blog post just on that. Beauty Secrets I Only Share with My Brides is packed with my go-to product recommendations, long-wear tips, and real-deal solutions I swear by when there’s no room for mistakes. Because when it’s bridal glam? I don’t guess. I know what works.
When it comes to my own glam—whether I’m heading to a red carpet event, hosting an industry dinner, or just need to feel pulled together for a long wedding workday—that's when these two kits mix. Who said you can’t have the best of both worlds? My personal bag brings the fun, the trends, and the glow-boosting extras, while my pro kit brings the precision, the long-wear formulas, and the bridal-tested classics.
Some days, I lean more into soft glam; other days, I’m serving full glam with lashes, contour, and a power lip. But no matter what, I’ve found the perfect balance between artistry and authenticity in how I curate my products. Whether I’m glamming a client or myself, the intention is the same: makeup that enhances, empowers, and lasts.
Over time, I’ve learned that the real magic happens when you know your products so well that you can mix high-impact staples with fresh favorites—and still get flawless results. Some days I keep it simple, some days I go full glam, but either way, my makeup routine is a blend of trusted tools and a little bit of play. And that balance? It’s what keeps my artistry evolving.
Because when you live in the beauty world, the line between work and play isn’t just blurred—it’s beautifully blended.
If you love all things beauty, business, fashion, and jet-set inspo, come hang out with me over on Instagram and TikTok.—where I’m always sharing behind-the-scenes moments, product faves, glam tips, and a little sparkle from my everyday life. And don’t forget to keep checking back here on the blog for deeper dives, real talk, and fresh updates straight from the world of bridal beauty and beyond.
