What Makeup Artist Tim Quinn Buys at the Drugstore

I’ve been using this since 2001 when I worked under Pat McGrath at Armani Beauty. It was like the secret weapon in Milan back then, and it became one of my staples — even now. It gives this beautiful, supple foundation to the skin, so you don’t have to do a whole lot of prep beforeapplying makeup. You just massage it on, and your skin looks better. It’s the quickest way to boost your skin if it’s not looking great.

Brown mascara is a vital element for so many of my clients, and not a lot of brands make them well anymore. They tend to be more brownish-black, not brown-brown. Maybelline Great Lash in Dark Brown is my go-to. I have two specific actresses who will only wear that. It gives that definition, but it doesn’t deposit too much mascara on the lashes. It’s great for thatclean, healthy-looking lashthat’s not overdone. There are so many differentmascarasout there, but this one seems to stand the test of time.

I’m telling you, this is so good. I have clients that like that glam,high-impact lip, so I keep the coral and fuchsia shades in stock. You put this on and you can party, drink, kiss — it will be on for an entire weekend. And the color payoff is unbelievable. It’s a double-ended wand, so you can put the conditioning balm over it to freshen up the color.

It would be absolutely insane not to talk about Ardell lashes because I go buy them all all the time. In the past 20 years, I’ve probably spent $20,000 on lashes. I’ve tried them all, but still go for the classic, old-school ones. I particularly like to have the individual lashes in medium, short, and long. I find that a lot of clients will say they want the long lashes, but even the medium looks long on them. You have to play with them a little.

I still use Duo lash glue. It’s really for a strip lash, but I like it for individuals too. They have all those wands now that you paint on the lash line, but I don’t think they adhere as well. There’s something about Duo — it just works.

Of all the fancy things I buy, shave gel would be the last thing I’d spend a lot of money on. Because I swim, I shave my legs, too. I’ve tried every expensiveshaveprocess in the world, and Gillette Fusion Ultra Sensitive is the best. It’s always on sale or buy two, get one free. And I always go to CVS or Walgreens to look for the minis because you can’t travel with that big can.

This is another thing that I love and live for. There was a time backstage in Milan when Mr. Armani suddenly wanted a glossy eyebrow andglossy lipand I didn’t have any glosses. I used the Rosebud Salve, and it worked like a dream. It has a nice sheen, but it’s not tacky. You can use it on the cuticles too.

This is one of those products that I buya lot. I can go through a bottle in three days if I’m using it on clients, too. It’s gentle around the eyes and doesn’t irritate anyone. It literallytakes everything off, and your skin doesn’t feel stripped afterward. It’s probably the same as the formulas that come in fancy packaging at the department store.

I keep a lot oflip linerson hand and think NYX Slim Lip Pencils are the best. I think they help with lip shaping and long wear. I like to have all the different tones — nude, mauve, red hot, berry. I buy them whenever I see them in the drugstore because a lot of the time, they’re sold out. It’s also one of those products I like to leave with a bride or a client because if I’ve done their lips, I don’t want them to have to go through the rest of the night without touching up.