Courtesy of Ambermag.com

While we would all admit that it does take a village to keep us looking fly, sometimes when you can't get an appointment in the village, it's equally as fabulous to keep a few top products at-home. Over the years, I've come to rely on these five essentials.

1. Exfoliators
If you're like me and are prone to breakouts, then exfoliators are your skin's best friend. Since our skin has bigger pores than someone who has dry or normal skin, our pores need more frequent deep cleaning. But not just any exfoliator, mind you. We need something that is gentle, yet still do the job. For more than seven years, I've relied on Origins Never A Dull Moment to do just that and more. It's made with papaya enzymes that gently remove dead skin cells and perks up my face as if I had just gotten a facial. That's why I never go to an important meeting, go out after work, or a night out without it.

2. At-home facial
Now don't get me wrong. I love getting a microdermabrasion at Mamie's Skincare, like everyone else. But when time has slipped away and I haven't had an appointment, a Saturday morning quick fix can be had with Clarisonic's ($195) skin care system. In less than 20 minutes, I can deep cleanse, strip away debris, and massage and revive my skin as if I just went to the spa. There are plenty of electronic facial tools on the market, some a lot cheaper, but Clarisonic's is truly head and shoulders above the rest and worth every penny.

3. Gold eyeshadow
The concept of one-size or one-color fits all has never faired well with me. But gold eyeshadow is a shade that I can truly say works on all complexions-especially light and darker shades of brown. Perfect as a highlight for the brow bone (don't forget to blend, blend, blend), and as an accent for inner and outer eyelids, it brightens up the eye area giving it a royal touch that transcends seasonal trends. I never leave home without it.

4. Mini-mes
When Warren Tricomi's six-inch flat iron ($90) came across my desk, I nearly squealed! Finally, someone decided to create beauty on the go in the form of a flat iron. Small enough to fit in your pocketbook, it's perfect for smoothing bangs and touching up short hairstyles like mine.

5. Bronzer
Whenever I wear bronzer, I always get the most glowing compliments. "You have great skin." Or "Have you gone away? Your skin is glowing." Ha! it's not my skin, it's what I'm wearing on my skin and then I share: "Girl, that's Iman's bronzer." Since she came out with this bronzer under her I-Iman line, which is no longer on store shelves as it was done exclusively for Sephora, I have been hooked. Granted, I've worn her makeup since it first debuted, back in the early nineties. But the two-in-one bronzer and foundation took my makeup routine to a whole other level of pretty. And it will do the same for you. I've found hers to work the best on all shades of brown (most bronzers have too much pink in them to work on women of color), but CoverGirl's Queen Collection, as well as Bobbi Brown, have shades that really do the trick so beautifully you'd think you had a personal makeup guru in your back pocket. This is one you should never leave home without.

For more fabulous beauty tips visit Ambermag.com