Fashion Week Essentials #1: Beauty Bits

Hello all

As you probably know, today kicks off the start of Fashion Week SS14. As usual, New York hosts the first week of new season fashion offerings, particularly for sportswear, London follows for edgy, avant-garde design; then Milan for its over-the-top yet stylish looks; & finally Paris for haute couture. Although each city brings a different climate, culture & catwalk, I thought I would put together a series of 'Fashion Week Essentials'; items that you should carry with you regardless of season or city.

As I'm a bit of a beauty obsessive, I decided to kick off with some beauty bits that I think you need over fashion week, all small & light enough to carry with you should you be lucky enough to attend the shows, or if you go along to do a spot of style or celebrity spotting!

Top Row (l-r): MAC Fix+ Travel Sized | Superdrug Antibacterial Hand Gel Travel Sized | Nivea Roll On Deodrant Travel Size | Kleenex Pocket Tissues

Middle Row (l-r): Kirby Grips | Seamless Hair Bands | Compact Mirror and Brush | Batiste Dry Shampoo Travel Sized

Bottom Row (l-r): Collection Sheer Loose Powder | Cosmopolitan Retractable Powder Brush | Carmex Cherry Lip Balm | Topshop Lip Bullet in 'Rockabilly'

Because September fashion week follows straight on from  the summer break, travel sizes are still available, which are the perfect size & weight to pop into your bag.

M.A.C Fix+ is a great makeup fixer, but also a quick spritz will refresh your face. Traveling from venue to venue, often on public transport will expose you to germs aplenty, so I would always pack some antibacterial hand gel, again in a travel size, & on hot subways / underground, deodorant is a must! Roll on is, supposedly, much better for you than spray, so I chose that. Tissues are handy too.

Hair must haves include clips & hair bands (make sure you opt for bands without a metal join as these damage your hair) to transform & tame your tresses. This Denman compact hair brush & mirror is small but useful. Finally, travel size dry shampoo is great to refresh your hair & give you some volume.

Choosing only a couple of makeup bits were hard, but I managed to whittle it down to only the pieces you will actually use. It's all well & good bringing eyeshadow palettes & full makeup bags with you every day, but when I thought about what I actually ever use when I'm out & about, these were the most obvious. Even though it'll be September or February, running from show to show & sitting close together in the catwalks will no doubt make you a little shiny! Collections loose powder is lightweight but will take away the shine. Use with this retractable powder brush, that's compact & clean. As both September & February fashion weeks occur in Autumn or Winter, looking after chapped lips is essential; I love Carmex lip balm & find tubes or stick lip products a lot more hygienic than pots, like Vaseline. Finally, having a red lip crayon in your bag means you can instantly add some glamour to your look, or take you from daytime shows to late night after show parties. Topshop lip crayons aren't too drying & are hugely pigmented.

Next time I'll be putting together some fashion essentials, followed by tech essentials! 

Is anyone attending any shows this Fashion Week?