Um, Basically: 8 Beauty Basics We Need Every Day

Gear up every day with these go-to products.

March 11, 2015

Natalie Schack,

You’re feeling like you’re under attack—from imperfect skin, dull lips and tired eyes. Although that natural instinct is to bunker down and hide out, these are the front lines of life! That means being ready to go head-to-head with anything at any moment. Looks like you’ll just have to soldier on.

Start stocking your arsenal smart with everyday beauty basics that will make a big bang. From camouflaging concealers to nude palettes with real firepower, you’ll totally kill it with these fave go-to products. We make sure to never venture into the fray without carrying these in our rucksacks—er, purses.

We’re ready to fight the good fight.

1. Power up for your work meeting. Look cute at lunch. Sizzle during happy hour. Your to-do list necessitates a range of eyeshadow shades natural enough for everyday (no neon greens, please) but still capable of kicking it up a notch. We love the uber-versatile Smashbox Full Exposure Palette, which will take you from day to night, no sweat. $52, smashbox.com

2. You may fool around with gold eyeliner for New Year’s Eve, but, let’s be honest: You’re primarily a one-liner lady. Nothing brings your look together better than an application of Estée Lauder’s Double Wear Stay-In-Place Eye Pencil. Plus, you’ll love how the smudge end makes tweaking your look for a sultry night out a breeze. $23, esteelauder.com

3. You’re always after that effortless “I woke up like this” look, without actually looking like, well, how you actually look when you wake up. This Clinique Chubby Stick Baby Tint Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm really gets it right, giving lips a natural, dewy wash that’s not too intense. $17, neimanmarcus.com

4. Gone are the days of being 20, and with them goes your flawless skin. Nothing screws up your beauty groove more than dark circles. Cover up with Tarte Under-Eye Concealer, which has a colored clay formula for thorough coverage. $24, tartecosmetics.com

5. Rosewater. Green tea. Oxygen facials. We all have beauty secrets we swear by, and we just found yours in the simple perfection of DiorShow Mascara. Big volume, clump-less lashes and an outrageous curl factor? Win. $25, dior.com

6. As much as you love makeup, your skin isn’t always a huge fan of it. Pick a good base to keep those adversaries apart, like this NARS Pore-Refining Primer. It’s oil-free, plus it dries clean without that tacky, heavy feeling. $34, narscosmetics.com

7. This one’s a no-brainer. In case you didn’t get the memo, it’s the Age of the Brows, ladies, so keep those bad boys in check. There’s a reason why Anastasia Brow Gel is everywhere—it doesn’t get flaky and it turns your wild arches tame. Once you try it, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. $22, nordstrom.com

8. Here’s a secret: Those cheekbones on your fave celeb are totally fake. The good news is, scoring that Kim K look is no biggie with the massive Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette, complete with three shades for highlighting and three shades for contouring. $46, sephora.com