What’s in My Makeup Bag Right Now — And Why We Made Vega
After 17 years of traveling with Urban Decay, I got very used to getting ready wherever I happened to be — in Ubers and cabs, airports and airplanes, hotel rooms and lobbies, backstage at trainings, before presentations, walking into stores, or touching up somewhere between one thing and the next.
The one thing those situations almost never had in common was good lighting.
That experience is a big part of where the idea for our lighted makeup bags came from. I wanted the essentials I actually use to stay close, organized and easy to see, no matter where I was getting ready.
These days, most of those essentials live in my Luna makeup bag. So in the spirit of keeping it real, here’s what is actually in my Luna right now.
Le Labo Rose 31
I am a major fragrance person, and I love woody, spicy florals. Le Labo Rose 31 hits exactly that sweet spot for me.
It’s warm, woody, a little spicy and incredibly transitional from day to night, which makes it an easy travel fragrance and an easy choice for my bag.
Dior Addict Lip Glow — 063 Pink Lilac
These are some of the easiest, most comfortable sheer lip balms out there.
They smell and feel fantastic and somehow make your lips look a little fuller and more pillowy without looking like you’re wearing much at all.
Pink Lilac is perfect for everyday when I want moisture and polish without a lot of color.
Urban Decay 24/7 Lip Pencil
For daytime, I usually have OG Backtalk with me. For night, Gash.
I love the 24/7 lip liners because they’re creamy going on and then set to a budge-proof finish. No bleeding — which is exactly what I want from a lip liner.
Urban Decay Lip Bond
For daytime, I’ll usually reach for Backtalk or Cuff ’Em. At night, Unbreakable is an easy choice.
Lip Bond is pretty much my ideal long-wear liquid lip: comfortable, transfer-proof and it actually stays put.
After spending so many years in beauty, I’ve tried more long-wear lip products than I could ever count. The ones that earn a permanent spot are the ones that don’t make you choose between comfort and staying power.
Our Darling — Be My Valentine
If I want a true red, I also love Be My Valentine by Our Darling.
It’s a super-matte, long-wear liquid lipstick and one of those smaller-brand finds that deserves a spot next to the big names.
Saie Slip Tint Concealer
This one has become a favorite because it checks all the boxes I care about: creamy, great coverage, doesn’t crease, stays put and still keeps the skin looking dewy instead of dry.
Exactly what I want from a concealer I’m carrying around for touch-ups.
Benefit Mighty Fine Brow Pen
Anyone remember She-Laq by Benefit?
It basically locked your brows in place so you never had to worry about them smearing off.
Until someone invents that kind of security again, I keep a brow product with me at all times.
Because I cannot go without brows.
Right now, it’s the Benefit Mighty Fine Brow Pen.
The Practical Stuff
A nail file and a hair tie.
Nothing exciting. Just two things I am always glad I have when I need them.
And that’s pretty much it. I don’t fill my makeup bag with every possible just-in-case item. I’d rather carry the things I actually use.
And Then There’s Vega
I typically carry a powder compact in my Luna, but right now Vega has taken its place.
And really, Vega came from a pretty obvious thought.
If it’s dark enough that you need Luna’s built-in LED lights to find your makeup, there’s a pretty good chance it’s also too dark to actually reapply that makeup.
Luna solves the first problem: I can’t see what’s in my bag.
Vega solves the next one: Okay, I found it. Now I need to see my face.
Vega is our rechargeable LED compact mirror with three light temperatures and 2× magnification.
Whether you’re touching up lipstick in a dim restaurant bathroom, fixing your brows in the car, getting ready in a hotel room or doing a quick concealer check before walking into something important, sometimes you just need better light.
Vega is USB-C rechargeable and uses the same type of charging cord as Luna. Both come with their own cord, which means one less random charger to keep track of while traveling.
And because we apparently can’t leave well enough alone, every Vega comes with a crystal gem sheet if you feel like bedazzling it.
Totally optional.
Highly encouraged.
Consider it a tiny preview of where our heads are for Spring ’27 — apparently subtle had a good run.
Prepared, Not Perfect
That’s really what all of this comes back to for me.
Years of traveling, working in beauty and getting ready in every imaginable type of lighting taught me that feeling prepared makes a difference.
You don’t need to carry everything. You just need the things you trust, close by, where you can actually find them and use them.
That thinking is part of why we created Luna in the first place — a makeup bag with built-in lighting designed for real life, not just sitting beautifully on a vanity.
And now Vega fills in the next piece.
This is only the beginning of this series because after 23 years in beauty, I have a lot more opinions.
Longtime favorites. Current obsessions. Skincare. Fragrance. Products I keep repurchasing. Smaller brands I think deserve more attention. And probably a few categories where I still haven’t found the perfect one.
For now, these are the things that have earned a spot in my Luna.