If you could only have five beauty essentials in your purse, what would they be?
—Shirley B., Johnstown, N.Y.

Oooh! Is this like a quizzy quiz? Like the ones I am so often asked to take in my Twitter direct message inbox? Sure. Here you go.

1. Blotting tissue or powder. Some beauty magazines insist on concealer instead. But concealer only conceals. It doesn't suck up excess facial oil and conceal. If you don't use concealer, you can get perfectly serviceable blotting papers at Body Shop, but if you do need a little coverage as well as oil control, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the powders you can get from L'Oréal or Revlon at the drugstore.

2. Bobby pins. A little bit of bobby-pin skill can take you from the boardroom (a twist or chignon) to the nightclub (a whole head full of bobby pins like the models in Vogue).

3. Cuticle oil. I cannot emphasize this one enough. If you're one of the four people on the planet who do not suffer occasional to frequent cuticle dryness, God bless you. Otherwise, nothing can make your hands look newly manicured like a quick brush of almond or some other type of cuticle oil. CND makes SolarOil, a staple in my beauty routine.

4. One lipstick. Just one. Not a gloss, either. Glosses can be easier to wear, but they can't take you from day to evening. Instead invest in a sheer, layerable shade like Camisole from Lancôme or Lovely from Smashbox.

5. A stain pen. It may not sound like a beauty must, but think about it: Nothing sucks all the mojo out of you faster than a stain. Tide's stain pen has saved me countless times.

Runners-up or alternates:

If you have a very large handbag or generously sized tote, I urge you to always have a bottle of Klorane's dry shampoo handy. It literally washes your hair anyplace, anytime, in seconds, instantly eliminating oil and flatness and revving up your hair for your next challenge.

Also consider arming yourself against that most secret of wardrobe destroyers, lint. Lint-On-the-Go Sheets do exactly that.

Now it's your turn. Tell me your absolute beauty essentials in the comments below.

Got a burning question for the StyleSpy? Click here to submit it, then come back to mystyle every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to see if she answers you!