This Is What Happens When A Beauty Writer Loses Her Make-Up Bag

Above eye-grabbing finishes and impactful pigmentation, all I really want for everyday is a reliable, natural-looking blush. This buttery buildable powder has a believable healthy hue, melting into the kind of seamless finish you would only usually expect from a cream. It's basically impossible to be heavy-handed here. On my skin tone, this subdued coral reads like a true lit-from-within flush; those with a darker complexions have six other versatile shades to choose from.

As with many of Rare Beauty's cult favourite products, I'm convinced that losing this highlighter is the only way to actually finish it. A single light-handed tap will coat your brush with enough to cover your cheeks, nose and lids and the finish is ethereal yet seamless. No glitter or heavy metallic shine: just a believable high-shine lustre in carefully curated shades (Exhilarate is my personal go-to).

This user-friendly blush stick is a shortcut to dewy, post-sunshine skin. Threaded with gold reflects and a subtly glossy finish, this is the natural flush I reach for in a rush. With a smudge-resistant dry texture and buildable pink hue, it layers over existing make-up effortlessly without lifting any products you've applied beneath.

The newest addition to my person beauty edit, this rosy, cool-toned nude is everything I want in a your-lips-but-better shade. Long-lasting and pigmented, it's perfect for that naturally contoured, Kendall Jenner lip, sitting in the comfortable middle between neutral pink and a natural shadow. You’ll also find a classic Spice in my collection for days that I fancy a 90s nude.

Pillow Talk has transcended from a humble lipstick to a make-up phenomenon in recent years, so you're probably already familiar with at least one of Tilbury's romantic rose-toned formulas. While I'm a fan of the classic lipstick, the blush, the eyeliner... for me, the eyeshadow palette will always reign supreme. It's softly pigmented, easily blended and leaves me with a gentle blushed haze that looks coquettish and elegant without taking more than a couple of minutes.

Having roped many a writer and senior editor into the Lash Clash fan club, it's safe to say it's now a favourite of the ELLE UK beauty team. Despite having a rich, mousse-like formula, this mascara can last through tears, rubbing and inept smudging, never once veering to your upper lid or lower lash line. Both thickening and lengthening, this one will really speak to fans of an XL fluffy brush.

Of the ten lipsticks you'll find scaling the trenches of my tote bag, this is is the formula I'm usually rummaging to find. Intensely nourishing, it's Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's answer to skincare for your lips, harnessing a trio of plumping ingredients to deliver genuinely smoother-looking skin. I personally love it for its shades. Here, you'll fine truly cool-toned nudes, interesting autumn mauves, and traceless your-lips-but-better tones, like Poetic, a blush for your mouth.

Chunky packaging and too-warm pigments can make applying contour an unreasonably risky feat, especially when it comes to your nose. Sleek and narrow, this chic pencil is the perfect size for subtle sculpting, hugging your cheekbones and jawline alike without ever leaving that dreaded muddy trace. It's buildable, effortless and comes in four carefully curated shades that cater to all skin tones.

Like hairspray for your brows, this lightweight gel is unwavering. One swift comb delivers enough product to keep your brow hairs in check all-day long and somehow, you'd never know it was there. Completely transparent, I like to layer this over my tinted brow gel for a thickened, fluffy appearance that I can trust to stay put all day long.

I keep this subtly golden dew balm on the bench for my occasional (so called) make-up free days. Like a post-workout glow without the extra steps, it gives my cheeks a glassy, hydrated look without ever looking glittery and detectably pigmented. Layer on top of skincare or even a full face of make-up for an ethereal shine that doesn't look fake.

Of all the products in my make-up bag, my go-to eyeliner is the hardest to replace. I’ve tried gels, pencils and felt tips galore, but am yet to be strayed from this opaque black treasure. Tattoo Liner glides on without tug, is packed with blackest, densest pigment and it stays entirely smudge-proof whether I'm playing with glitter or layering on the lashes.

My first glimpse of this delicate shade was on Daisy Edgar-Jones at this year's Golden Globes, sparingly applied by make-up artist Nina Park. In sheer disbelief that she was even wearing lipstick, I knew I had to have it. Since then, Intemporelle has been a staple in my everyday make-up bag. The formula is nourishing and comfortable, but never too glossy or detectable. The best part? Whether you're looking for a similarly traceless romantic nude or an electric poppy pigment, there's 20 different tones to swatch and swipe.