"It's In The Bag": A Look Inside Actress Demetria McKinney's Makeup Bag

We recently caught up with Demetria McKinney, one of the stars of the wildly popular TBS sitcom Tyler Perry's House Of Payne, and talked with the natural beauty about some of her beauty faves. The singer, actress and model had a lot to say about her beauty regimen, and she was nice enough to let me get a glimpse inside her beauty bag favorites. Although the actress prefers a fresh face everyday, she still had some great product preferences and all around advice to boot. Read on.

A SOLID FOUNDATION/FRESH FACE

When asked what was the one product that she cannot live without Demetria didn't hesitate to answer. "I am a natural girl. So I try to keep everything as natural as possible and before I start my makeup regimen I have to use Prime Time by Bare Escentuals. It's an amazing primer so anything that's not even, or as smooth as I would like it to be is diminished by that before I even apply makeup."

SHINE ON

Like many of us, Demetria has a staple go to product that has been with her through thick and thin. Something many of us will not give up for anything. Take a wild guess. "[I Cannot live without] my lip gloss. Like I said I like to keep it as natural as possible, because my thoughts on makeup is that it's supposed to kind of enchance instead of create a whole different person. So if I have nothing else, I have lip gloss." Her favorite Brand? "I love Express's lip glosses. They have some really tasty ones. They taste like pina Colada, bubble gum and stuff. They're great!"

BATTER UP

As women there is always that one thing that makes you feel your best. It might be your favorite pair of skinny jeans, it might be that brand new red lipstick. Whatever it is, you should rock it as often as possible. Mckinney says, "[I feel most beautiful] when my eyes are done. Eyes are supposed to be the windows to the soul so if my lashes are perked up with some good mascara, I [have a] little bit of liner on maybe a hint of color, I feel like, okay, I can bat my eyes and everything will be okay."

TREND SPOTTER

There are so many great beauty trends to be excited about when the seasons change. The trick is to know which ones work for you and which ones to pass on. Clearly, Demetria knows what works for her. "When I want to have a glammed up look, I'm really still loving the smokey eye, but with a little bit of umph, with some glitter. The [beauty] trends lately that I've heard about anyway has been the rocker kind of thing. So I'm really feeling that."

WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE

Demetria's one piece of advice to all of you fashionable ladies can be found right in your kitchen. No need to make a trip to the beauty counter. "WATER! Lots and lots of water. I didn't drink a lot of it before and i had problem after problem not just with pimplesor dry skin, but it affects your hair, it affects your mood, just everything. Water and rest you have to have it. If It's not starting from the inside it's never going to look as beautiful as it can." I'll certainly drink to that.

ME, MYSELF AND I

"My sister and I take these days called Forgetum Days. We do it at least twice a month, and what it is, is you put everything aside, you designate at least three hours to do whatever you want to do. Whether it's go to the movie, go to the spa or sit down and do nothing. It's that three hour window that you just take to yourself at least two times a month to regroup; [because] if you don't, you're going to drive everybody else around you as crazy as you're going. No bills, no kids, no men, no business!"

YOU LOOKIN' AT ME?

Many of us have a signature look, something that screams YOU over and over again and Mckinney is no different. "I would like to be considered the Earth Child kind of," she says as she lets out a hearty laugh. "Just really natural. I'm natural with my hair except for the color, I try to keep my make-up minimal. I would like to be considered just a naturally cute chick."

STAY TUNED

I hope you didn't mistakenly think that Demetria was sitting idle with nothing exciting going on around her. She made it very clear that there is more going on for her professionally than just House Of Payne. "So, House Of Payne is on its way back in." she told me with a very enthusiastic YAY. "We start filming at the top of the year again, I just wrapped with Church Girl, another theatrical play that I was doing and I've got a couple of scripts that I'm looking at, so it's going nicely. I am also starting with my music, working with a couple of producers and really push towards that now." something to look forward to.

Written by: TOUSSAINT R. BLUE