What’s In My Beauty Bag – Caroline of CC Hearts Shares Her Secrets

Pretty packaging, hero products, must-have purchases…make-up is a subject we could spend hours chatting about. Everyone has their tried and tested buys and in a bid to find out more about the best way to get bang for your buck, we decided it was time to call in a little expertise. Beauty bloggers make it their business to trial run products and are up to date with the latest releases before they even hit the shelves. In a new weekly feature, we’re going to quiz beauty bloggers on their make-up essentials and why these are the products they return to time and time again. This week, we're quizzing Caroline of CC Hearts on her make-up must haves.

On the constant quest to find those life changing makeup products, I have acquired quite the selection of beauty bits. While I love splashing the cash, I also love finding those gems that are super affordable because sometimes you don't need to spend a fortune on makeup and when it is half the price you can buy twice as much. This makes perfect sense really. Here are some of my current high and lower end favourites: Mascara: Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara So many people rave about this product and with the name alone making such a big claim, it has been on my wish list for quite some time. It has a fantastic hourglass shaped brush which is great for getting lots of volume in the lashes, it is also really high quality and performs just like any good mascara should, giving the lashes both amazing length and full volume. L'Oréal Telescopic Mascara This has been one of my favourites for quite some time and I would not like to count how many tubes of this stuff I have went through. It makes the lashes really, really long and the brush is thin so you can reach every single lash, fantastic for coating the lower lash line too. It literally never clumps which is always a bonus but if you prefer volume over length I would recommend the Too Faced mascara instead.

Concealer: Benefit Boi-ing Concealer I was deliberating between the Boi-ing and Erase Paste concealers and when I went along to the Benefit counter I was informed that the Boi-ing concealer is less likely to crease and it lasts much longer, so I dutifully picked it up in shade no. 2. It has a lovely consistency and is great for covering up those pesky under eye bags. This is best worked in with a little concealer brush. Maybelline Better Skin Concealer This has quickly become a “can't live without” product, the consistency is incredible and the coverage is unlike most other concealers, it is strong enough to give that airbrushed look but doesn't feel heavy on the face. I use this as my main under eye concealer and blend it in with my ring finger, it is best to blend with your finger as the heat from your hand makes the product much easier to work into the skin, always be gentle though when working with your under eye area because the skin is super delicate. To lock it in I apply a translucent powder over the top - currently I’m loving Maybelline's Matte Maker.

Highlight: Benefit High Beam Highlighters are quickly becoming a little bit of an obsession, I mean seriously who doesn’t want dewy glowing skin that makes your face look like it’s got its very own spotlight on it but just in the right places – cheekbones, bridge of the nose, bow of the lips – they all deserve to have a little limelight so I picked up this product in order to do just that. It is a lovely product and is really easy to apply, with a gorgeous consistency it goes on as a liquid and dries as a powder. It is soft and subtle and I really love using it but it’s certainly not as impactful as the Betty Lou Manizer by The Balm (next up on my wish-list!) Makeup Revolution Vivid Baked Highlighter I absolutely love this stuff and I have it in two shades, Golden Lights and Pink Lights. They are gorgeous for applying in the inner corner of the eyes to make them pop and just above the cheekbones for that envy-inducing glow. These beauties are only about €4 and are a must have as they are really versatile and can be used in so many different ways. To make your lips appear fuller, just pop a little on the bow, to highlight your nose, just dab a little on your finger and run it down the centre.

Bronzer: MAC Global Glow MAC packaging makes me weak and MAC Global Glow adds a gorgeous glow. It helps take your makeup up a level by adding some extra dimension and colour to the face. Makeup Revolution Vivid Baked Bronzer in Golden Days This is so pretty and works a treat. I love using this one to set my cream contour and add a little dimension and bronze loveliness to my face. It goes on effortlessly and is not overly glittery. It is also really cost effective so this is a product I plan to load up on.

Lip Liner: MAC Subculture This is one of MAC’s most popular liners and a shade that any makeup fan should have in their kit as it’s the perfect nude. You can use it with so many different lip colours and it has great staying power. It is the ideal shade for overdrawing your lips slightly should you wish them to make them appear a little fuller. Just don’t go too crazy, that clown look works for no one. Rimmel Exaggerate in East End Snob This is one of my favourite drug store lip liners, its rich and creamy, goes on effortlessly and comes in some gorgeous colours. This one is East End Snob and is a gorgeous rosy pink, it is supposed to be an exact dupe for the Charlotte Tilbury pillow talk which is much more expensive. Another great thing about these liners is you don't have to run around looking for your sharpener as you just twist when you need more product.

Lipstick: MAC MAC lipstick is one of my favourite things to buy, the colour selection, the smell, the fantastic staying power and the lovely packaging. I’m currently loving Pink Pearl Pop, Candy Yum Yum and the limited edition Pretty Natural. Maybelline Colour Sensational These lipsticks are one of my favourites, the pigment is insane, they are super easy to apply and they are really long lasting. There is a fantastic selection of vivid, dark and nude shades and I always find myself buying more. Right now I am in love with shades Coral Tonic, Plum Passion and Summer Pink.

If you're a beauty blogger and want to tell us all about your make-up bag, drop a line to Cathy at cathy.donohue@her.ie