Every once in a while I like to share my list of things I (currently) couldn't live without. Here are a few of my go-to fashion and beauty items...

1) Geisha Ink Liquid Eyeliner

I’m not great with putting on eye makeup, but one thing I’ve perfected is the black liquid eyeliner. I moved from a waxy pencil eyeliner to a liquid one because it’s more likely to stay put. (Anyone with oily eyelids will know what I’m talking about.)

I find this made-in-Japan product the best of the bunch. It comes with a brush that tapers to a very fine point, making it easy to create a thin line. Go over it a few times and the line can become thicker and more inky. Plus, it comes in a tube, which means it stays ‘fresher’ longer. (I find liquid liners that come in a pot tend to dry out and crack over time.)

At $30 a pop, it is a bit of an investment, but I’ve had this one eyeliner for over two years and I use it a few times a week. (Check their website for info on where to buy.)

2) Mario Badescu’s Glycolic Eye Cream

Some people will tell you that you don’t need to buy a specific cream just for the eye area. But since I have very sensitive skin that’s prone to rashes and break-outs, I rarely use a night cream on my entire face. An eye cream is pretty much the only thing I do use regularly.

This cream is rich in emollients and I feel like I’m really moisturizing those fine lines around my eyes. And after applying it, I put whatever is left on my finger tips onto my lips, for a perfect before-bed lip balm. The best part about this cream is that it doesn’t cost a fortune. (It’s around $24 at Vancouver’s Beautymark.)

3) Bobbi Brown’s Sheer Color Cheek Tint

If there is one thing I don’t leave the house without makeup-wise, it’s blush. I tend to look a little sallow and sickly without it. I’ve recently migrated to cream blush, after testing Bobby Brown’s product in Sheer Raspberry, a nice youthful plum colour.

I love the texture and the colour, it gives me that healthy, moist, just-been-to-the-gym glow. The only downside is that you don’t get very much in the small tube. (Though this does make it good for traveling.) I bought it earlier this year and I’m almost finished!

4) Hanky Panky underwear

Okay, now I’m really letting you in on my deepest darkest secrets. When it comes to underwear, I hardly ever wear anything else. I have about 20 pairs of these g-string panties, both low rise and regular, in a rainbow of colours.

They’re not cheap, usually about $25 a pair. (Though I have found them on sale here and there, and I often buy them when I’m in the States and even on eBay, as they tend to be more affordable there.) That said, they’re uber comfortable, cute/sexy depending on the colour and they last for years.

I even chuck them in the washing machine and just hang to dry. I’ve yet to throw out a pair. (Available online at Bare Necessities)   

5) J Brand Houlihan Cargo Pants

You’ve seen them in the magazines, you’ve seen them on celebrities and now I’ve seen them on practically half of the city’s women. Cargo pants were getting dangerously close to the un-cool list until J Brand single-handedly reinvented them this past spring. Now every denim company and clothier on the planet, from Current Elliot to Le Chateau, are coming up with their own versions.

J Brand Houlihan cargo pants

I think the original is still the best. The Houlihan’s are slightly fitted, slightly stretchy, slightly cropped, wearable with everything from cool sneakers, to rocker heels or tucked into boots. I can’t wait to get my hands on a satiny black pair for the holiday season.

Your Favourite Things?

Have you got products you just can’t live without? We’d love to hear about them and test them out!