April Antoinette Beauty: What's in My Kit?????

I get a lot of questions on what's in my makeup kit and how to stock a professional makeup kit so I've decided to give you a taste of my kit. These pictures are broken up into sections. These are fairly old photos. My skincare and primers have grown since i've taken these pictures but i didnt feel like un-packing my kit for new pictures. So, i will do an update this week, but this is just to show you how my kit somewhat looks.
YOU NEED:
Foundations (different formulas and brands: ie; cream, liquid, powders)
*you will more than likely want to condense these so get travel sized containers and palettes for easier travel. There are also some pre-made foundation palettes like cinema secrets, graftobian, kryolan, ben nye, and mehron that take the guess work out of buying all different shades!Some great brands: Makeup Forever, MAC, Fashion Fair, IMAN, Bobbi Brown, Face Atelier, Nars, Smashbox and Black Opal
Concealers (you also want different formulas and coverages for these and color correctors as well ie; liquid, cream, and gel based) You can buy pre-made palettes or depot and make your own. You can also use your more opaque foundations as concealer when needing heavier coverage or your more sheer foundations when needing lighter coverage.Favorite Brands: Eve Pearl, Ben Nye, Bobbi Brown, MAC and many more
Eyeshadows Dont by single shadows unless you plan to depot. Your kit can become heavy and messy. Buy pan form shadows, MAC Bobbi Brown, Cinema Secrets,La Femme,Makeup Forever, etc have pan form eyeshadows that fit into most empty palettes. They are easier to travel with
Some companies make pre-filled palettes: Yaby, Ben Nye, Coastal Scents, BH Cosmetics, NYX Black Radiance, etc
*you want to get different textures. Matte, Shimmer, Velvet, etc.Brow Pencils and Powders Again, lots of companies make great brow powders and pencils. My favorite pencils are made by MAC, Kevyn Aucoin, and Maybelline. Very precise and not too waxy. My favorite brow powders are either an eyeshadow in a natural brow shade or Ardell, Anatasia, Makeup Forever brow products.
Blushes These also are great in palette form. MANY companies have the pan form of blushes that you can pop into an empty palette. La Femme, Ben Nye, MAC, Makeup Forever, etc.
Powders You will need pressed and loose powders. Makeup Forever and other companies sell loose powder stacks but companies like Alconeco.com and Naimes.com have loose powder sifters for you to put your own brands in them. I love Ben Nye Loose Powders, MAC, Makeup Forever, RCMA,and Black Opal. These companies also have great PRESSED powders. That are good for setting makeup, contouring, highlighting, etc. Some more brands that I love are IMAN, Cover Girl Queen Collection, & Inglot
Lip Products Lipsticks/Glosses/Stains/Lip Conditioners/Lip Pencils you need them all. So many brands from drugstore to highend. I buy lip products from everywhere. NYC, NYX, Nicka K, MAC, Revlon, CoverGirl, CocoaButter Formula, Wet N Wild, Makeup Forever, Stila, Lancome, Estee Lauder, Nars, and much much more!!! Test and try various lipsticks. I de-tube mine for easier travel and its more sanitary. Check your local crafts store for great containers
Mascara Different formulas and colors, What can I say. I use a wide variety. Loreal, DIOR, MAC, Maybelline, Lancome. Mascara is up to your personal choice.
Eyeliner Start with black and brown and buy different formulas. Pencil, Gel/Cream, and Liquid. And test them out to see what formulas work for you. ELF has a great cream liner thats inexpensive. So does Wet N Wild, Maybelline and Sonia Kashuk. Mostly every makeup brand has all of these formulas of liner. (My favorite pencils are Urban Decay 24/7 glide on, Milani, and MAC EyeKohl's)

Skincare This portion is very important. You need good moisturizers, primers, cleansers, and exfoliators. My advice is research the best brands and see if they sell sample sizes. I always get whats new at Sephora and most of the time i get them free with a purchase. I also buy the travel sizes versus the full sized because they are less expensive and easier to take with me. My favorite brands are olay, nivea, embroyolisse, MAC, Clairins, Kiehls, Dermologica, and Philosophy.

Disposibles Mascara Wands, Lashes, Sponges, Lip wands, Baby Wipes, Tissues, Paper Towels, Sanitizers, Alcohol, Q-tips, Makeup Wipes, Brush Cleaner, Lash Adhesive and BEAUTY SO CLEAN MAKEUP SANITATION SPRAY AND WIPES (beauty so clean is a must to sanitize all your makeup products. These are all things that you need handy

Tools BRUSHES:You need a complete brush set. Atleast one to begin but continue to build with buying one or two brushes at a time. I love love love SIGMA Brushes. They are super durable and work like a charm. As you know I love them so much, I'm an affiliate. (contact me if you want to purchase). Other brands that I own and love are RoyalLang & Nickel, Sonia Kashuk, MAC, Smashbox, Roque Cozette, Crown Brushes, & A-Design. All have affordable Brush Sets and individual brushes.
BRUSH BELT: You need something to put those brushes in. Sigma has great brush belts, Inglots, MAC, Makeup Forever and Yazmo do also.Sharperners, Scissor, Metal Mixing Palettes, Eyelash Curlers, Brow Blades, Brow Combs, are all essentials.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST! A MAKEUP BAG. I use luggage because it works for me. But their are many makeup bags and cases out there on the market. Yazmo.com, Naimes.com, Makeup Forever, Sephora, Caboodles, MAC, Zuca.com and many other locations have makeup bags and train cases
I'm sure I'm definitely forgetting lots of stuff. Luckily KJ Bennett has got you covered. Check out www.whatsinmykit.com for more in depth product recommnedations.

So now we get to the meat and potatoes!!! The pictures! YAY!