It would be fair to say that my time is very limited these days! Having a 4 1/2 year old and a newborn leaves very little time for beautifying but I’m the kind of girl who just doesn’t feel herself without a bit of make-up on. There are a handful of essential products in my make-up collection which I can fling together in a hurry to make myself look presentable.

Chanel Teint Innocence Compact Foundation – Chanel’s liquid foundations have received a lot of love within the beauty blogging community but I haven’t read much about this compact. I have a bit of a soft spot for compact foundations, there’s something a bit retro about them which I love. As with all Chanel products, the packaging for this product is gorgeous. I find this quick and easy to apply (I use a sponge which I clean as regularly as my brushes to avoid spreading bacteria), the coverage is good enough for my less than perfect skin and it lasts really well. I find foundations like this can sometimes be a bit pore-clogging so I try not to wear this everyday (I alternate with Lily Lolo mineral foundation).

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-place Shadowcreme in 06 Ivory – This cream eyeshadow, which is incredibly similar to MAC paintpots, makes a fantastic eye shadow base. However, when time is limited I wear it alone, applying it with my fingers, to even out the skin tone on my eyelids and generally brighten the entire eye area. These shadows do really ‘stay in place’ as well.

Mascara – I feel naked without my two coats of mascara! I think it’s essential for opening up my eyes and making me look less tired. My HG mascara is Max Factor Masterpiece but being the product junkie that I am I have also sampled many other wands! Chanel’s mascaras are fantastic and Estee Lauder do a volumisng one which I really rate.

Lip Gloss – I love lipstick but as I tend to favour quite bold shades which require good application I’m finding myself reaching for gloss more at the moment. I’m particularly drawn to my recently purchased Chanel gloss in no. 131 (Mica) and Lancome’s Colour Fever Gloss in no.208. These are both relatively neutral shades (a pale pink and golden honey respectively) with gorgeous, yet subtle, sparkle. Wearing these glosses makes me feel much more polished and I find myself reapplying them even when I’m not leaving the house!

NARS blush in Orgasm – In an ideal world I would apply a bronzer, blush and highlight. NARS Orgasm imparts a beautiful pinky/peach to my cheeks with just enough shimmer to make me feel better about not having time to apply the perfect cheek combo everyday. This shade makes me look instantly healthier and more awake. I consider this blush (and NARS blush generally) an absolute essential for any make-up collection.

These products (plus a bit of concealer and defining my brows a little) is basically my FOTD, everyday, at the moment. I can apply all this in less than ten minutes and, while it’s nothing spectacular, it makes me feel more human and able to face the world.

Loveaudrey xxx