Just because you wear make-up most days, doesn't mean you have to have a make-up bag bulging with different shades of eyeshadow or ancient mascara wands. Applying make-up needn’t be an onerous task nor should it be cripplingly expensive. Just by following a few essential tips, anybody can achieve a great look from a minimum of cosmetics, in a short space of time.

The first rule of looking great is a good skin care routine. For maximum benefit you should cleanse, tone and moisturise morning and evening without fail. Leaving stale make-up on overnight can cause premature ageing. During the day it is important to protect your face from the sun even in the winter. If you want to save time, buy a moisturiser that contains an SPF of at least 15.

Once you have a clean face, apply skin adjuster to areas that need attention, for example under the eyes with a neutral adjuster or red cheeks can be "calmed" with a mint adjuster. Use a very small amount of concealer to cover any blemishes. It may also be an idea to put an eye base on your eyelids to even up skin tone and moisturise this delicate area.

Now your face is ready for foundation. For a natural look, choose a foundation as close to your skin colour as possible and apply with a damp sponge, paying particular attention to the "T zone" in the middle of your face. Set with loose powder and apply blusher on your cheeks. Depending on the shape of your face, you can use blusher to make the most of your features.

Next apply eyeliner in a colour that suits you, under your lash line from the outside in as far as roughly two thirds along, towards your nose. Apply a light colour eye shadow to the whole of your eye lid and then accentuate the outside corner with a darker shade and blend. Apply mascara carefully in a suitable colour.

Finally apply a lip base to your lips to moisturise and give your lipstick more staying power, outline with a pencil and fill in with your favourite lipstick, ensuring it suits your colouring.

For the evening go a shade darker with the lips, eyes and blusher.

To summarise your make-up bag should contain: one foundation, one loose powder, skin adjuster, eye base, two eye pencils, four eye shadows, one mascara, two blushers, one lips base, one lip pencil and two lipsticks.

As long as the colours you use are suited to your colouring, it will not matter what you are wearing, you will still look great. It shouldn’t take you more than ten minutes to apply your make-up but if you are in rush why not try using a tinted moisturiser, an eyeliner in a flattering colour, mascara and a sweep of lipstick or gloss, all of which will take you less than five minutes.

One final bit of advice. Remember to check the "sell by" date on your cosmetics. Anything you apply to your eye area usually has a lifespan of 6 months and most other cosmetics have a sell by date of 12 months. If in doubt, just smell it! You will know if it is passed its best.