I Asked Morgan Stewart McGraw for Her Brutally Honest Beauty Takes—Every Life-Changing Item Worth Buying

Welcome to Beauty's Night Out, a series dedicated to the need-to-know beauty conversations dominating the nightlife scene. Expect a first look at the latest trends, behind-the-scenes tutorials, and loads of going-out inspiration as you get all dolled up—all you need is your favorite playlist. This time around, we're getting a glimpse into a night out with Morgan Stewart McGraw, who just launched a new podcast with SiriusXM.

Morgan Stewart McGraw could recite the alphabet, and I'd be on the edge of my seat. The Rich Kids of Beverly Hills alum, Renggli founder, and bona fide tastemaker has the kind of star power that leaves you spellbound yet somehow makes you feel right at ease. Chatting with McGraw on a Monday afternoon truly feels like catching up with a friend (a friend who just so happens to have impeccable recs for The Row bags), and while she reveals she "never thought [she] was going to do a podcast," I can think of no better way to bring her 1.6 million followers further into her orbit. "I feel like I've had all of these different conversations in my head for the last three years, and it's time to put them out," she says, assuredly.

Play The Morgan Stewart Show out loud, ideally as you apply your makeup for a night out, and it's like she's curled up on your couch, sharing product recs and spewing hot takes. "You're going to be getting a lot of different versions of Morgan Stewart," McGraw tells me. There's the interview component, where friends and family members come on as special guests (I'm told her husband and mom will appear within the first handful of episodes, along with Khloé Kardashian and Tinx), but you'll also hear solo conversations consisting of whatever's genuinely running through her head that day. "I have a whole episode dedicated to my icks,'" she adds. "You'll definitely chuckle, especially as you're getting ready, having a glass of wine, all of that stuff. I'm not going to bore you. Could you imagine?"

No, I really couldn't. Even the most mundane of events seem like grand affairs coming from McGraw's expertly glossed mouth. ("I usually hate lip gloss, but for some reason I'm wearing it today," she quips.) Case in point? When we hop on our video call, she announces she has no idea where her wallet is, which leads us to discussing her morning routine and, eventually, our respective star signs. (McGraw's a Gemini, "but May—don't be scared," she jokes.)

As such, she has a story behind every night-out beauty staple. A contour stick isn't just a contour stick; says MGraw, it "will change your fucking life." She also has a secret source for a discontinued bronzer ("I have them send it to me on the low") and, true to her fashion commentator nature, plenty of hot takes on iconic bag trends. "I have been wearing my old The Row Ascot bag to go out in. I don't want to do a mini Kelly anymore. If it's a fun color, sure, but like… we had our moment," she declares. A well-loved Ascot it is—or she'll honestly just stick a few essentials right into her pockets. "I'm very type A and type B combined," she adds. "I've gone out with a powder brush in my back pocket." Powder brushes: the new It accessories. Find the rest of her must-haves below, from the lip liner she buys 30 at a time to the gentle cleanser she won't ever skip.

"I'm huge on lip liner," McGraw says regarding her on-the-go items. "I feel like I need that above any sort of lip balm or lipstick. At this point in my life, my lips have no color in them anymore, so if the lip liner wears off, we're in really bad shape." Her favorite one to apply (and reapply) is Make Up For Ever's Artist Color Pencil, specifically in the shade Anywhere Caffeine. "I buy, like, 30 at a time because it's the best fucking lip liner. It's the perfect shade of nude," she adds.

Another pencil she loves? Anastasia Beverly Hills's Ultra-Slim Eyebrow Pencil in Taupe. "I don't do blonde or dark brown—very important. It's taupe," she adds. I totally align with her on the gray-brown shade; as celebrity makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes once told me, a gray-ish brow product is best suited for those with cooler tones in their hair. At this point, I'm fully convinced McGraw and I have the same makeup M.O. because the next staple in her going-out lineup is a brown mascara—namely, Tower 28's MakeWaves Mascara, a lengthening formula I also swear by (so much so that I wore it on my wedding day). "I've been curling my lashes a lot too lately, which was a fear I had to conquer," McGraw jokes.

Next up, McGraw's aforementioned life-changing contour stick: Anastasia Beverly Hills Smooth Blur Cream Contour Stick. "I dot it around the forehead, [on the] cheekbones... I do a little in the creases of the eyes just to shade them out, and under the chin. It is the best contour stick on the market, oh my god," she gushes. She uses the shade Shadow, a perfectly cool-toned camel hue.

While she doesn't necessarily keep this on her person, McGraw mentions she wears Nars's Natural Matte Longwear Foundation on nights out, praising it for its impressive longevity. "It does not move. I was shocked," she notes. It's a fabulous evening pick as opposed to something more radiant, she says, which she'd rather wear during the day. To touch up her base on the go, "I really like the Ilia concealer," she adds.

McGraw certainly knows her way around a striking face beat ("I've paid attention to my makeup artist and TikTok, and now I really know what's enhancing my features," she shares), but like any well-versed beauty enthusiast, she also knows the getting "unready" routine is just as crucial. In fact, her biggest beauty "ick" is neglecting a nightly face wash. "I know people are trying to downplay that like it's not that big of a deal. It is the biggest deal," she warns. "It's not good for you. It ages you." She's a fan of Image Skincare's cleansers, namely its vitamin C-infused wash that's super gentle on sensitive skin.

After we wax poetic on our favorite places to go out in New York and L.A. and swap restaurant recommendations ("The best smoothie in L.A. is the Beverly Hills Juice Club," she declares), I let her know that we're at the end of our interview slot, knowing she has back-to-back press appointments lined up to promote her new show. "Why did this go so fast?" she gasps, eyes wide in disbelief. I imagine her upcoming episodes will feel just like this: gabbing with a girlfriend and watching the time soar.

Shop Morgan Stewart McGraw's Night-Out Staples