What Makeup Artist Leanna McAlpin Buys at the Drugstore

It’s super-cheap, super-pigmented. I got into this blush because I was heading on a trip, got there, and realized there was no blush in my makeup bag. I wasn’t going to go to Sephora and spend $30 on a blush when I have that blush at home. I thought,Let me get something quick and cheap, so I got the Camo Liquid Blush. I love how pigmented it is at that price point. Most times you won’t get that kind of pigment for something that cheap.

This one is a kit staple for me. I use it for glow, not necessarily for sunscreen protection. I actually learned this from an artist I assisted,Juan Jaar. We had a model on set, and the client is like, “We want more glow; we want her body to look shiny.” He pulled out the Banana Boat sunscreen spray, and life was transformed. So now I use it on set, but I also use it personally. This summer is crazy hot. I don’t know how all the other girls are doing it, but I feel sticky. I hate the feeling of all the products on your skin when it’s superhot and you’re already sweating. I love that this can give you that nice shiny, dewy glow without you actually feeling oily and sticky. It’s a dry-oil sunscreen, and it actually smells pretty good, too. It smells like bananas.

I got this spray when I went to Essence Fest in New Orleans. So New Orleans: hot AF. I couldn’t travel with the setting spray I normally use because I had a full size and I only take my kit carry-on, so I needed something small. I was like,I’ll just buy something when I get to New Orleans. I ended up buying the L’Oreal Infallible setting spray, and when I tell you the makeup did not move. I was with my client all day; I was with Terri J. Vaughn, and it was very hot. I didn’t use the spray, so my face did not look as good, but her face did not move. It lasted all day and it looked great, even through all the humidity. We started at eight in the morning and we didn’t finish our day until eight or nine. I was surprised. It’s drugstore, so it might work; it might not. I’m there so I could touch up if necessary, but honestly, I didn’t really have to do much.

The formula is so creamy and so rich and super-pigmented. You could use it as a foundation, you can use it to contour, you can use it to conceal. I love that it’s a multipurpose foundation stick and that it has a great shade range for Black people.

This has three brushes and a sponge, which is great for beginners if you just want to grab some brushes. Out of that set, I really like the makeup setting brush. I use it as a blush brush. It has a pink handle and is a great size to apply blush and powders as well. I’m not about to spend $40 on a brush.

I do not like to do my own makeup. I love to do makeup on people. But on myself? It’s a task. This is one of those pencils that I go to and grab when I need to do something really quick and make it work. You can go with the black or the brown and create a great smoky eye. The black is really good if you want a base for a bold shimmer. Black is actually a great base for shimmers, which a lot of people don’t know.

They’re a great length, and they have this beautiful wisp. They’re kind of layered, which gives you a really beautiful natural look. Full without feeling too full. It almost gives you that lash-extension feel without feeling too heavy or scary. I use these nine times out of ten on a look. I’m throwing them on the client, throwing them on myself.

I need them lashes to stay on, just like I had that setting spray. I don’t need that lash to lift, move, shake — no matter how windy it gets. I’ve been using this lash glue for a really long time. I just love the consistency of the product. And it dries not too fast but fast enough, and it holds like a charm.

You got to have one at home and you got to have one in the kit. You can really transform a look by just making someone’s eye a little brighter. That one step can completely transform your look. Once you’re doing makeup around the eye, you can irritate the eye just a little bit. Or maybe the person’s sleepy. The Lumify eye drops are great for that. It’s a whitening effect for your eye. You think your eyes look fine, but once you put the drops in, you’re like, “Oh, snap.” I’ve even put drops in one eye just to see if maybe they’re pulling my leg. It does make a difference. You can see the difference from eye to eye.