Compiled by PHYL CLARKE

Clever compact a Shu-in

As you read this, I hope to be saying “Yes” to my second martini in some übercool Manhattan bar. It’s always a challenge for me to pack minimally, except when it comes to my make-up bag. While I revel in the daily task of cherry-picking the best of the new products, when I am away I like to have very little choice as I don’t want to waste precious holiday time deciding which lipstick to wear.

I recently spotted the dinkiest little compact containing a blush and two eye shades at the Shu Uemura space in Brown Thomas. So sleek, so neat, so minimalist, I thought. Well, the Japanese are masters of organisation: it would be perfect for my upcoming trip, as I’d have the eyes and cheeks sorted and just bring the lippy in the handbag.

My luck was in as its creative director was in town and no one knows the brand like Uchiide-San, who has been with the brand for more than 20 years and worked with the great Shu Uemura himself.

The compacts are customised for each client, so my brief was a combination that wouldn’t require too much time or dexterity to apply. I have to admit my heart sank a little when he selected a bright lavender shade as my neutral shadow, but on the skin it had a barely perceptible hue that immediately neutralised the red undertone in my complexion. Genius.

Completely won over, I saw that the next shadow was just the perfectly accented partner for the first. I was to apply them in different ways depending on which shade of lipstick I was planning to wear: Uchiide-San advises choosing lip shade first. A red lip would demand the eye shades to be applied only to the outer part of the lid, whereas a nude lip would be complemented by the deeper shade used as a liner close to the lash line. A medium peach blush rounded off my compact, which had me skipping home with excitement.

I can't live without . . . Pamela Flood, TV presenter

Ken Boylan Makeup/Play cream foundation

I think as you get older, and particularly if your skin is a little on the dry side, you need a foundation that won’t require much setting. This one dries to a powder finish, so it’s ideal. It also lasts really well without being a long-lasting formulation, which can feel a little cakey.

Clarins Santal face treatment oil When your skin needs an extra boost of TLC, there is nothing in the world like this. Put it on before going to bed and your skin will soak it in all night and look really plumped-up in the morning.

Clinique mascara My eyes are extremely sensitive and can’t tolerate a lot of mascaras, but I’ve never had any trouble with Clinique. The one I am loving at the moment is High Definition Lashes. It has the brush and comb combination wand which delivers natural lashes or can up the ante for dramatic ones. It’s smudge-resistant too.

Dylan Bradshaw (DB) primer I am not usually a fan of primers but this one really locks my make-up in place for the day. Sometimes if I’m in a mad dash to get out I just pop this on to my T-zone to take away the shine and hide the pores.

Tangle Teezer Anyone with baby-fine hair like mine will have spent their life cursing knots, especially after washing their barnet, and in particular if they have highlights. This brilliant little brush takes them out painlessly and faster than any wide-toothed comb I’ve ever used.

NeoStrata exfoliating wash I’ve been a fan of a few of these products for some time, but this one is relatively new to me and has become my favourite of all it offers. It’s perfect for older skin, as it doesn’t strip the natural oils away but still leaves skin scrupulously clean.