I love watching and reading ‘what’s in my make-up bag?’ videos and posts, but knowing that a lot of products are often gifted or #ad does put me off a bit. I don’t believe you can be truly impartial when you’re being paid, so I’ve made sure that nothing I talk about has been gifted to me in my role as a journalist.
If I’m willing to part with my money for it, that’s the only way I feel comfortable telling you to, too.
At the moment I have the Cult Beauty Travel Make-up Bag, £20, which I wouldn’t recommend. It’s too small and the fact that it opens around the top means that it’s hard to quickly open it on the go. I would say, though, that it’s great for travelling and does get through security without needing to use a plastic bag.
I’ll write my up-to-date skincare routine soon, but I wrote about my gym skincare routine back in 2020 and it hasn’t really changed all that much.
Glossier Futuredew, £23
After my skincare routine, I start by putting Glossier Futuredew all over my face with a focus on the tops of my cheekbones and middle of my nose. Although this is marketed as an oil/serum hybrid, I would describe it as more of a serum-based highlighter. It’s a bonus that it nourishes the skin as well as giving your face a dewy finish. I’m not exaggerating when I say that it lasts all day.
The one downside to this product is that it doesn’t smell very nice. I’ve also noticed that Glossier is pushing Futuredew as a set with the Milk Jelly Cleanser. I don’t rate the cleanser, it’s too watery, so I would pick Kiehl’s Ultra-Facial Cleanser over the Glossier one if you’re looking for a mild foaming effect.

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation, £34
I probably wear foundation once every couple of weeks because if I wear it too often it dries out my skin. This foundation is the perfect mixture of dewy and light-coverage, and I’ve been through a lot of foundations to get to this point.
It doesn’t look like you’re wearing foundation and it doesn’t dry out the skin. It also genuinely does stay on all day.
If I’m going out but don’t want to wear foundation, I go for Unisex Healthy Glow instead, just so the world can’t see how little sleep I’ve had. Charlotte Tilbury’s Healthy Glow, £35, is a hydrating tinted moisturiser and I think I’ve been through 3 or 4 of these now, so it’s a testament to its greatness.

Givenchy Prisme Libre Powder, £45
Since I’m quite a dewy-look lover, I need some powder to hold it all in place otherwise my make-up slides off my face. I use this powder in the areas that I don’t want to look dewy like the t-zone and sides of the nose, because these areas don’t look highlighted by Glossier Futuredew, they look sweaty.
Givenchy’s Prisme Libre Powder is such a cult product with a huge celebrity following, namely my skin idol, Margot Robbie. It’s simple and long-lasting, both on the face and in the tub – it lasts forever!
Urban Decay Double Down Brow, £22
I come from a generation of over-pluckers, so when I say I’ve tried every single brow product, please believe me. None of them are perfect (I’m considering micro blading) but this Urban Decay palette works fine.
Urban Decay says that it lasts up to 16 hours, and I do believe that. It doesn’t budge easily, which I’m grateful for. I tend to only use the powder on the left, but the little brush is really great. If you’d like something a little bigger to put it on with, the Mac 266 brush has the perfect brow angle on it.

Chanel Ombre Première in Scintillance, £28
This may be my favourite eye product ever. I don’t use mascara because I have individual lashes put on. I have blonde hair and even blonder lashes, so without individual lashes my eyes look bald. If you’re local to Chelmsford, Essex, then Kelly Waller Lashes is your girl for lash extensions.
I do, however, make my eyes stand out a bit more by using Mac colours like All That Glitters, Omega and Naked Lunch on my creases and then Chanel Ombre Première on my lids. This long-wear cream eyeshadow is SO beautiful but it is hard to get hold of. I find it easier to get it in the shops.

NARS Bronzing Powder, £30
If you’re into make-up, I doubt I’m telling you anything you don’t already know, but this is the best bronzer in existence. The shade Laguna is absolutely iconic amongst beauty journalists and with good reason.
I use this everyday and have bought it so many times I should really have shares in NARS. It’s light-weight, long lasting and subtle. There’s nothing worse than a bronzer that cakes your face in make-up and makes you look gloopy. That’s right, gloopy.
Charlotte Tilbury The Retoucher Concealer, £25
This has big YSL Touche Éclat vibes, the packaging is even the same, but I think The Retoucher has the edge, just. I find YSL’s version (which has been around for longer, in fairness to it) a little bit creamier, which means it cakes under the eyes easier.
This one fills in the grooves and lines rather than highlighting them and because it’s so light-weight, even if you then go over it with something like Givenchy’s Prisme Libre, you’re not left with caked up eyes.
Tom Ford Lip Colour in Casablanca, £44
Admittedly, I do spend a lot of money on beauty products, but even I draw the line at spending £44 on a lipstick. Luckily, John Lewis quite often do discounts on these lipsticks, so I just bide my time until I can get one for half price.
They are very good. I say this as somebody who doesn’t love wearing lipstick. From Chanel to Mac, I’ve tried all of the lipsticks and most of them give me the worst line around my lips. It’s like I decided to wear lip liner with no lipstick on. This lipstick doesn’t do that. When it does wear off, it wears off evenly, so it gets my approval.
It’s also worth adding that the shade range is excellent.

Chanel Powder Blush, £37
This blusher gives such a lovely rosy cheeked look. It goes well over a bronzed face in the summer and then makes you look slightly windswept (but in a good way) in the winter. I haven’t come across many bad blushers. Perhaps I’ve just been lucky but I think blusher is a hard one to get wrong.
One piece of advice I would give about this product, though, is that you really don’t need a lot of it. Overdoing it will make you look like you’ve been in a sauna, and that’s not really the look anybody is going for.
I hope this helps to give you an idea of what’s in my make-up bag. These product sit nicely along decade old bobby pins and hairbands I never use as well as a comb which I purchased in 2008.
Is there anything you think I should add?
What do you think?
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