Preaches n' Cream

Back to School has me thinking about beauty habits I formed in high school and how they followed me into my adult life and the work world. 

Having important essentials stored in my high school locker got me through the day comfortably and beautifully.  

I would have never been seen with a hair out of place, oily skin or a blob of pizza sauce on my shirt; stored in a cute makeup bag in my locker would be the tools required to combat these problems if they ever occurred.

Naturally when I started working I kept this system; to me, looking beautiful and appropriate for all work scenarios is very important. Starting the day off clean and fresh is lovely, maintaining that image throughout a long day is key.  

Creating yourself a Beauty Tackle Box is a great way to get through long days and not be be foiled by beauty blunders.  

Go out and get yourself a nice makeup case or makeup bag and fill it with the following essentials:

1. Brush
2. Dry Shampoo
3. Bobby Pins
4. Nail File
5. Clear Nail polish 
6. Mascara
7. Blush
8. Highlighter
9. Make up brush kit
10. Oil Blotting Sheets (industrial toilet paper used in most offices doubles as a great oil blotter)
11. Lip Gloss
12. Toothbrush, Toothpaste & Floss
13. Hand Moisturizer
14. Fashion Tape (to fix fallen hems or a gap between your breasts on a button up shirt)
15. Nude Pantyhose
16. Black Cardigan
17. Pair of flats
18. Tide Stick

*A great way to collect some of these essentials is through cosmetic “Gift With Purchases”, they always come with a nice makeup bag and travel sized cosmetics. 

**Sephora also gives away little samples with purchases, those samples come in handy stored in your desk. 

It may seem like a tonne of stuff to store in your desk at work; it may even take up one whole drawer, but it will help you feel fresh and pretty throughout the day and rather than worrying about a bad hair day, your breath smelling like your lunch or dark circles under your eyes come midday you can concentrate on your actual job and meeting clients or talking to VPs: where it’s important to be especially presentable. 

If I could only own one brush it would be the Denman 9 row brush.

I’ve had the same one for about 5 years now and I truly love it.  It’s the perfect all around every day brush and it gets better with age (the bristles seem to soften up with my hairs natural oils). It works well with blow outs and to freshen up your mane during the day. It also brushes out my fringe perfectly.

I got mine at Cosmetic World on Yonge Street and I’ve seen it around at salons and other beauty supply places. I think I paid maybe $15, I also have a different brush that was $200 and I’m not recommending it in my blog, so five years later the $15 was definitely worth it.