julia steines and norbert her dog

What’s in Julie Steines’ Makeup Bag?

An award-winning children’s book author, philanthropist, and new mom, Julie Steines and Norbert—her seven-inch-tall, three-pound sidekick with fluffy gray ears and a tiny tongue that’s always sticking out—are best known for bringing love and comfort to people in need at places like hospitals, nursing homes, homeless shelters, and disaster areas. A modern Cinderella, she believes that beauty is being the best possible version of yourself inside and out.  “I would tell my daughter [Parker] that less is more and that the most beautiful thing she can wear is her smile,” Steines told Beyond Words. “When wearing makeup, I would advise her to choose natural products that enhance her features.”

From earth-toned eyeshadow to organic coconut oil,  we’re digging through Julie Steines’ makeup bag to discover her favorite beauty brands and products.

 

Julie Steines’ Makeup Bag Must-Haves

“I store my makeup products in a simple bag made by Sephora called The Weekender,” Steines said. Vegan and cruelty-free, it features a built-in hanger, a seven-piece brush holder, and zippered compartments. Available in Frosted Light, License to Leopard, Sweet Perspective, and Sparkle & Shine, this nylon, quilted bag also has dividers that keep compartments organized. “That’s important because as a new mom, for me, simplicity is a priority.”

weekender pephora license to leopard

“I don’t wear lipstick, just gloss or shimmer,” Steines said. “I like neutral shades or light pink, mainly so I don’t have to worry about it smearing on my teeth!”  If she could only wear one brand of lip gloss for the rest of her life, she’d choose Burt’s Bees lip products. One-hundred percent natural, they’re made with soothing shea butter and nourishing beeswax that’ll leave your lips looking shiny, soft, smooth, and irresistibly smoochable.

“I don’t use concealer unless I have a red carpet or television appearance,” she said. “On a daily basis, I love Juice Beauty CC cream because it has subtle mineral-tinted coverage, mineral SPF, and moisturizer.” Not tested on animals, it comes in Natural Glow, Desert Glow, Warm Glow, Sun-kissed Glow, and Deep Glow. A blend of fruit stem cells, it erases fine lines and wrinkles while making your skin glow like a goddess.

stem-cellular-cc-cream-desert-prd
Image courtesy of Juice Beauty

If ever there were a beauty cure-all, it’s coconut oil. “Instead of lotion, I generally use organic coconut oil in the shower,” she said. A hot topic from the tropics, it has an unusually long shelf life—two to three years.  A jack-of-all-trades beauty staple, it also has a natural SPF 4. It even reduces under eye bags, irons out fine lines, heals chapped lips, and gives your skin a glowy, dewy look. “It works great as a makeup remover and in lieu of shaving cream,” Steines said.

Lipsticks may get all the love for being multitaskers, but the title truly belongs to your eyeshadows: your makeup bag’s secret double agents. Makeup artists use neutral and earthy color palettes for everything from touching up hair color to concealing tattoos. So it no wonder she’s obsessed with Urban Decay’s Naked Ultimate Basic Eyeshadow Palette—whether she’s strolling the red carpet with her husband, Home & Family-host Mark Steines, at Children Hospital Los Angeles’ ‘Once Upon a Time Gala, or popping in for a Today Show segment.

“I’m open to trying new things as long as they are safe,” Steines said. “I did try those magnetic lashes, and they were a bit too clumsy for me.” While she usually dresses up her eyes with Mineral Fusion’s waterproof mascara and eyeliner, her makeup bag has at least one daring item: Greensparkly Eyeliner by Urban Decay.  Completely vegan, this dreamy and creamy formula dries in 30 seconds and has a metallic, tropical hue that’ll have everyone batting their eyelashes at you. (Pun totally intended.)

Green Sparkly Eyeliner Urban Decay
Image courtesy of Urban Decay

To make her perfume last all day, she sprays her ankles, knees, elbows,  collarbone, hair, and hands with Philosophy’s “Falling in Love” or “Fresh Cream”. One smells like blackberries. The other smells like vanilla. “They are subtle, clean, and fresh,” Steines said.

When it comes to shopping, Steines is just like the rest of us: she loves affordable makeup finds.  She recently purchased Yves St. Lauren’s Touche Eclat Neutralizers:  one-click highlighters that instantly cancel color imperfections.

She also bought a variety of skin care items by MyChelle. “I love their line and I believe a fresh face starts with good skin care,” she said. The brand is an essential part of her daily beauty regimen. In the morning, she cleanses her face with Creamy Pumpkin Cleanser. Then she follows that with Supreme Polypeptide Cream. “In the evening, I always…wash my face and neck before bed,” she said. “Then I apply either Remarkable Retinal Night Cream or Remarkable Retinal Serum. I also dab Vitamin E oil all around my eyes and put Alba Un-Petroleum Jelly on my lips.”

Image courtesy of Mychelle

Julie Steines keeps  it simple and stylish with vegan and cruelty-free makeup that reduces her beauty carbon footprint. Which natural beauty brands do you use on the regular basis? Tell us in the comments section below!