A Basic Makeup Kit

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My Emily Ring

I share *a lot* of products with you through this site and I can totally see how overwhelming it may be to sort through what could work best for you! I absolutely love the hunt for the best of the best, and I also enjoy using a variety of beauty products, but I can appreciate that some of you would just like to be told the 5-8 makeup essentials for an easy, daily look so I’m doing that for you today.

So, we’ll start with the basics. I’m focusing on just providing a product recommendation in each category for you, so don’t feel locked into the exact products pictured if you’ve tried them and they don’t work for you.

A good basic makeup kit includes foundation, concealer, eyebrow product, blush, bronzer, mascara, eyeliner, and eyeshadow.

Georgio Armani Luminous Silk Perfect Glow Flawless Oil-Free Foundation, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, Benefit Goof Proof Waterproof Easy Shape & Fill Eyebrow Pencil, Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eyeshadow, Patrick Ta Major Beauty Headlines Cream and Powder Blush, Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer, Ilia Fullest Volumizing Mascara, Charlotte Tillbury Rock n’ Kohl Eyeliner Pencil.

I love a medium coverage foundation for versatility. You can wear a thin layer for just a bit of coverage, or wear two layers if you need something a bit more full coverage. It seems to work better when I “thin” out medium coverage foundations with a moisturizer as opposed to trying to do that trick with a full coverage foundation.

A creamy, easy-to-blend concealer is essential for brightening under the eyes or covering blemishes.

A skinny brow pencil is the easiest tool to work with if you’re new or apprehensive about filling in or shaping your brows with products.

I love cream eyeshadow and Au Natural is one of the easiest shades to wear.

Blush and bronzer add life and color to the face. A good rule of thumb is if you apply foundation, you *must* apply blush and/or bronzer to add dimension back into your face.

Brown eyeliner and a nice volumizing mascara round out this “basics” kit!


If you’re looking to grow your makeup kit, or have some options for more glam looks, here are a few other products I would add to the basics kit.

Tartlette in Bloom Clay Eyeshadow Palette, Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder for Under Eyes, Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow Palette, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette, Tarte Liquid Eyeliner, Makeup Forever Full Cover Concealer, Clinique Lower Lash Mascara, Lancome Lash Idol Mascara.

I added under eye setting powder (an absolute essential for making my under eye concealer stay put all day long), liquid liner for lining the base of my lashes, contour & highlight palette, an all-over highlighting palette, an eyeshadow palette with lots of easy to wear colors, a stronger concealer for blemishes, a lower lash mascara, and another favorite mascara.

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Rachael Rudd says · 01.06.22

Thanks for this great blog! I love wearing makeup but needed this smaller kit to get me going! Enjoying your content so much! Thank you!

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Sara says · 01.06.22

I am so excited about this. I was on my way to Ulta last night to FINALY splurge on some Teint Idole. Then you tease this kit and I’m all like… AHHHH, I must wait. Even though I could have called out your favorites. Liking it so far, but the Laura Mercier Caviar. Now, that was a game changer.

I have to tell you ladies that are all behind the fabulous K8. You gals have such a healthy look on life. I will buy just about anything ya’ll have researched. Keep hitting us with the well researched products, life lessons, and all around positivity.

If it’s good for Kate, it’s good for me.

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Kate says · 01.07.22

Appreciate this Sara! And I LOVE Teint idole for a full coverage option!

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Meg says · 01.06.22

Absolutely love the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk! Thanks for sharing that on your stories!

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Kate says · 01.07.22

I’m so glad you love it!

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Wendy says · 01.06.22

Hi. Which Hourglass palette do you use? Volume I or II?

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Kate says · 01.07.22

volume 1!

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Julie says · 01.06.22

Hi Kate can you tell me what shade in the makeup forever concealer you use?

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michelle says · 01.06.22

Would you mind telling me what shade you use in the Georgio Armani foundation. I feel like your coloring is similar to mine so it may work well for me. Thank you!!!!

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Kate says · 01.07.22

Right now I’m at a 5.1, in the summer I’ll wear 5.25 !

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Kate says · 01.07.22

I hope you love it!

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Amy Cash says · 01.07.22

Link to fluid sheer?

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Megan Schiele says · 01.08.22

What color brow pencil and Nars concealer do you use?

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Cindy says · 01.09.22

You are my favorite influencer and I love “almost” every item you recommend. I appreciate that you don’t endorse every product that comes along.
Thank you

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Keri McGinnis says · 01.09.22

I notice you don’t have a loose powder or setting powder on your list, just an under eye setting powder. I tend to like a powder over top my foundation. Do you have a favorite?

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Kate says · 01.09.22

I switch it up a lot, but I’ve been using the pressed powders from the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette for all over my face!

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Danelle Kiser says · 01.24.22

Which volume of the hourglass pallet are you using? Thank you

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