Inside my makeup bag...

These are the beauty items I use on a daily basis for my normal makeup routine. I'll be doing full reviews on the majority of these products soon.

From left to right (kind of!):
- MUA bronze eyeshadow
- 3 x Lily Lolo mineral foundation
- Benefit sunbeam highlighter
- Chanel sunlit powder
- Chanel pressed powder
- HD brows kit, Vamp
- Elizabeth Arden blush

- Face powder brush
- Blush brush
- L'Oreal Telescopic mascara
- 2True concealer
- Rimmel brow pencil
- 2True black eyeliner
- Eyelash curlers
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I'm going to start with the most important parts of my kit first - the powders (foundation, blush, bronzer, brows), because I believe that you should spend the most money on these. Buying good quality base makeup will save you time (and money in the long run), plus they help achieve that flawless skin look. I think that a good brow is essential to frame your face and bring attention to your eyes.

Lily Lolo foundation - I just received these pots today! My Bobbi Brown mineral foundation had just run out so I hopped over to Lily Lolo after reading MANY great reviews. This mineral powder gives a flawless, glowing result that looks completely natural but coverage can also be layered for the night.

Chanel sunlit powder - No. 20 Oasis. This bronzer is perfect, it has no shimmer and gives my face a gorgeous, natural hint of tan.

HD brows kit - in Vamp. My favourite eyebrow kit by far: the powder is easy to use and stays on for absolutely ages. I pair mine with an eyebrow pencil to achieve a cleaner edge, as I like a bold brow.

Chanel natural pressed powder - Translucent 3. This is a few shades darker than my skin tone so I use it for contouring my cheekbones etc. I'm hoping to upgrade to Illamasque cream pigment in Hollow soon!

Elizabeth Arden cheek colour - No. 22 Peach Bisque. This blusher gives a lovely pinky-peach glow to my cheeks that is truly beautiful I've been using this colour for a long time, as you can see from the bare patch in the middle!
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Now for the remaining items:

MUA eyeshadow - I have these little pots in many colours as they're only £1 each and quite good. They stay on for a long time (if you use primer) but they do settle in creases easily. I love this bronze colour for creating an everyday smokey eye, when used with the shadows in the HD brow kit.

Benefit sunbeam - I used to have this in the full size but dropped it *smash* so I was thrilled to find this free in a magazine. I adore this highlighter, the Moonbeam colour is too pale and silvery for me but Sunbeam is perfect for drawing attention to the brow bone, cheekbones and nose.

L'Oreal Telescopic Precision mascara - black. I've been using the Telescopic mascara for years and have tried all the variations that they have created (carbon black, false lash effect etc). As much as I like this one I'll be buying the false lash effect version next time as I find it gives me much longer lashes for some reason.

2True concealer - fair. The skin under my eyes is rather sensitive so I find it difficult to use concealers without having a burning sensation. After trying many expensive brands I thought 'sod it' and went for the cheapest variety available in Superdrug, thinking that if I'm going to be in pain anyway then I might as well save some money! Turns out this doesn't irritate my eyes and actually gives OK coverage - for now it'll do.

Rimmel brow pencil - black/brown. This is the perfect accompaniment to my HD brows kit as it allows me to clearly define and perfect my brows. It can smudge but I always seal my brows with a quick spritz of hairspray.

2True liquid eyeliner - black. Another beauty bargain that doesn't irritate my eyes. It doesn't have that strong staying power but for £1 who can complain. I actually quite like this brand for when I'm low on money and need a quick top-up.

Eyelash curlers - generic curlers from Superdrug. Essential for lifting lashes and helping open up your eyes.

Face powder brush - generic brush from Superdrug. My ferret shredded my kabuki brush *cries* so I had to find a quick and cheap alternative. This little beauty does the job well and is delightfully fluffy/soft. A must-have for applying mineral makeup and powders.

Blush brush - another generic brush from Superdrug. I've had this quite a while now and still enjoy it. I can easily and precisely apply my blush to the apples of my cheeks without overdoing it, even when I'm being quite heavy-handed.

Eyeshadow brush - foam end. Cheap bit of tack to replace my broken brush. Definitely needs upgrading!

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I'm pretty happy with my current kit but obviously have a wish list full of drool-worthy (and cost-worthy) makeup that I would kill to get my hands on. I think the first thing I'm after is definitely a new kabuki brush! What are your beauty essentials?