Painfully Hip just got the exhilerating (!) news that we are to be included in a book about the 500 Most Interesting Blogs on the Web!! We are extremely excited to be included in such an endeavor and were even more stoked to have the author offer to guest blog on Painfully Hip. A really truly author! Here’s her extremely useful post on how to stay easily beautified. Vicky Zhou of GotACrush.com:

It seems like every day there is a new cosmetic product that’s out on the market and it can become very difficult to keep up on the latest styles, little own deciphering which one looks best on you.

Luckily, there are 10 key cosmetic products that every woman should own, as these are what will really enhance your natural beauty and get you looking your best.

While it’s fine to try out a variety of different colours and effects with your make-up, try and keep these ten pieces relatively constant to ensure you always look great.

A Lengthening Black Mascara

When you ask the vast majority of men what the one thing they notice when they look at a woman is, you’ll often receive ‘her eyes’ as your response.

Using a good lengthening black mascara will help enhance the look of your eyelashes, which creates that eye opening appearance that will get you noticed.

A White Eye Liner

White eye liner can really work wonders for your eyes if you use it at the very inner corner. By placing a small white line there, regardless of whether you carry it around to the outer corner, you can again make your eyes appear larger and give you a more awake look.

Since white will work well with almost any colour of eye shadow, you can use it with all the looks you are trying to create. Don’t be afraid to use another eye liner colour as well, just keep the white liner area limited to the very innermost part of the eye.

Some Shine-Free Powder

Having some shine-free powder that you can carry around with you when your face starts to get shiny is a great way to keep your look matte, preventing an oily appearance.

Do make sure you don’t overdo the shadow though, otherwise you’ll get a ‘caked’ on look. Just gently dab it with a puff over the areas that cause problems (usually the T-zone).

Lightly Coloured Lip Gloss

Gone are the days when you want to sport deep, matte lips. Now, the definition of kissable lips is a slightly wetter look, giving a full and supple appearance.

If you prefer to wear a lipstick, place just a dab of gloss in the very centre of the lips. This will give your pout a hint of shine, while still allowing the stronger lipstick colour to show through.

If you’d prefer to just go with a gloss, rub it all across the length of your lips, being sure it’s evenly distributed.

A Good Make-Up Remover

Next, just as important as creating the right make-up look is removing that make-up look from your face. Having a good quality make-up remover is essential for keeping your skin clear from blemishes and for preventing fine lines.

Be sure to use it every day without fail and you should soon start to notice a real improvement in your appearance.

Long-Lasting Blush

Finding a good long-lasting blush is a must for every woman. What you don’t want is a blush that will end up fading as the day goes on, or worse yet, smearing across your cheeks when you start to sweat (since we all sweat a small amount throughout the day).

It is worth your money to invest in a higher quality blush, as often the duration that it will last will be the predominant difference between higher priced and cheaper varieties.

Crease-Free Cream Eye Shadow

When it comes to applying eye shadow, you’ll likely find that the colours you choose to use will go on a lot smoother and stay on longer if you use a base first. A nice creamy colour works well for most skin types and won’t really change the colour that you choose to use all that much.

Try and find one that does not crease however, as if it starts creasing it will begin to affect the look of any other shadow you place on top of it.

Moisturizing Lip Balm

Regardless of what type of lipstick or gloss you use, it’s not going to look good if your lips are all dry and chapped. Finding a really moisturizing lip balm that you can use right before bed and first thing upon waking can help retain the soft condition of your lips so you never have to experience this problem.

Clear Mascara

Every woman should have a clear mascara in her make-up bag because it works great as a way to maintain a good shape to the eyebrow. Simply swipe the wand across the brow, making sure all hairs are lying in place.

Alternatively, clear mascara can also be used for unruly hair around the hairline, so consider this benefit as well.

Q-Tips

Finally, the last essential cosmetic piece you should always have in your cosmetic bag is Q-tips. Q-tips are terrific for fixing any small errors you make during application. This could be things such as mascara that has smeared under the eye, lipstick that is starting to run, eye shadow that got a little too out of hand, or for touching up nail polish mistakes before they dry.

Another great use for a Q-tip is to smudge some dark eye shadow – ever so slightly – so as to create a really great smokey image.

So, next time you’re trying at the beauty department purchasing some new cosmetic products, double check and be sure that you have all of these 10 base products covered.