13 Australian creatives on the night out beauty essentials they take in their tiny bags
words by cait emma burke
Sweat- and dance-proof favourites.
If I’m heading out for the night, there are a few products I will always take with me, come rain or shine. These are my old faithfuls – they’re tried and tested. They’ve been the products I’ve kept in my stupidly tiny bag for the last few years, accompanying me on all-nighters where I’ve stared at my face in a crusty sharehouse bathroom in horror.
No matter how haggard I might look after dancing until the early morning hours, Nars’ Radiant Creamy Concealer, RMS Beauty’s Champagne Rosé Luminizer and Milk Makeup’s Lip and Cheek Blush in Quirk will resurrect my complexion.
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I’m not alone in this. Everyone has particular products they will always make space for in their tiny bag on a night out. Whether it’s a certain lipgloss, the world’s longest-wearing concealer, a mascara you can layer without it getting clumpy or a highlighter that turns sweat into shine, these are the products that I want to know about. Below, 13 of our favourite Australian creatives reveal which beauty essentials make the cut in their night out bag.
Mon Barton, model and content creator
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I haven’t gone a single night out in years without my Bobbi Brown Art Stick in Rich Nude. The best lip colour I’ve ever used. I don’t leave the house ever without my Salt and Stone California Mint Lip Balm. And I’ve recently discovered the Mecca Max Off Duty Blush Stick in Moody! Truly a game-changer.
Meg McConville, makeup artist
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I probably take out more products than most people put on their faces although a warm brown lip liner and gloss are always in my makeup bag – Plush by Mecca Max and Haute Cocoa by Bobbi Brown are usually my go tos.
A dab of eye cream is a good trick under the eyes to freshen up if your concealer is starting to go a little cracked and cakey, and I usually use a tubing mascara to make sure there’s no unintentional smudge or need to reapply throughout the night.
Camilia Moore, model
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My night out makeup essentials consist of my Marc Jacobs Accomplice Instant Blurring Beauty Powder, a great brown lip liner (currently using Rimmel Lasting Finish Lip Liner) and Lucas’ Paw Paw Ointment which I put over Fenty Beauty’s Gloss Bomb for extra shine and moisture. No dry lips over here!
Hannah Furst, podcast host and content creator
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I have oily skin, so my essential beauty products for a night out are Makeup Forever’s Shine Control Primer, Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation and It Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Translucent Powder. This combo is the ultimate sweaty d-floor combo – your makeup will last all night.
Ruby Staley, freelance writer
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For me, this one is easy. Fenty’s Gloss Bomb is my night out ride or die. My friends are always stealing it from me because it’s the absolute best! Not too sticky, stays glossy for ages and is also just as moisturising as a lip balm (a bit of a two in one sitch).
Although the price may seem steep for a lipgloss, I’ve literally had it for so long and haven’t even made a dent, so it’s well and truly worth the investment. Mwah!
Katherine Rose, stylist and photographer
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Lip products are an obsession of mine but for a night out, my go-to is the Two Faced Lip Injection Gloss. It’s the perfect size for my tiny silly bags and it can be layered at any time to plump up my lips – it adds a glassy shine which keeps me feeling hot ’n fresh! It’s not sticky either so it’s super wearable.
Another product glued to me is Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow. It fills and snatches my arches which is so essential over a few hours as a quick and easy fix.
Ayuol Manyok, model
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I recently got put onto this lip gloss, the Kosas Lip Oil Plumping Treatment. I love it so much ’cause it’s the right amount of gloss and comes in such beautiful colours and [its packaging] is compact. I also got it as a gift which I believe always makes things extra special since gift-giving is my secondary love language.
Izzy Wight, Fashion Journal’s Editorial Assistant
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My out-on-the-town essentials need to be easy, compact and replaceable (I lose everything). I tend to sit naked on my bed with a towel wrapped around my head until the very last minute, so most makeup is done in Ubers. The Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Liquid Liner survives hours of sweaty dance floor action – I just pack it for emergency touch-ups.
I also carry gum (the flavours that everyone hates but I love, like strawberry and kiwi-lime), bandaids for blisters and my Fluff bronzer. Applied with a kabuki brush, it keeps me matte and glowy for hours.
Amy Clark, Senior Editor at Adore Beauty
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My number one makeup product I take on a night out is a tinted lip balm or sheer hydrating lipstick. Way more low maintenance than a rich or matte lipstick, and you can swipe it on without a mirror without worrying it’s on your teeth… or chin.
My favourite is the Benefit California Kissin Colorbalm in shades Fuchsia and Poppy. Rather than powder to touch up on a sweaty dance floor, I’d argue a handheld fan or a mini portable fan is better bang for buck and use of handbag real estate!
Rose Letho, makeup artist
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The most important part of my beauty ritual before and after finishing my makeup is the La Mer Treatment Lotion. I spray this to ensure my makeup gets an extra boost of hydration to maintain a natural skin texture appearance all day and in between touch-ups.
Christina Karras, freelance writer
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I’m an oily skin girl and no matter what setting spray I use, I’ll always manage to sweat off my makeup on a night out. Normally, I’m having way too much fun to care, but I always carry my trusty Mecca Max Blur Veil Powder Foundation in my bag with a small brush to help with a touch-up.
It’s a lightweight pressed powder with hyaluronic acid, so it’s perfect for taking away the shine when I eventually catch a glimpse of myself in the bathroom mirror in horror. It works a treat.
Ella Taverner, Fashion Journal’s Account Manager
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I always pride myself on being the friend on a night out armed with a Mary Poppins-esque bag carrying a bottomless pit of beauty products. At the top of this pit is my Makeup Forever Translucent Powder. It’s the best powder I’ve used for combination skin, keeping my makeup set in place while staying light and fresh.
Being translucent, I love that I can apply this with a drunk, liberal hand and I won’t end up looking like a clown. I also love carrying a travel size perfume on me for when I want to avoid smelling like a club sewer rat. My go-to is Byredo Bal D’Afrique. It’s a mix of African spices and French floral notes.
Liss Juratowitch, model
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On a night out, I always find myself reaching for lip balm. My absolute favourite ‘must have’ is Charlotte Tilbury’s Hot Lips 2.0 in Enigmatic Edward, their clear lip conditioner. I love that the lipstick packaging allows you to twist it up for easy application, how hydrating it is, and the ability to buy refills as you run out!
Want to keep your makeup looking fresh all night long? Try these tips.
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