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. 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 chatting to blogger Emma Farrell and you can check out her blog here.

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Like most girls my own age, I want to have nice makeup but don’t want to shell out a boatload of money on it. Over the years, I’ve learned what works for me and what doesn't. I've also learned where spending that extra bit of money is worth it and where it’s not. For me, foundation is something that I'm willing to shell out a bit more money as, for me, it's the main focus of my makeup. My personal favourite is Revlon ColourStay. It lasts all day and it gives pretty full coverage. I’m not that picky about powder as I don’t get oily and foundation tends to last well on me. I really like Maybelline Matte Maker as it gives a little coverage without caking. Glowing, highlighted skin always looks great in my opinion and 17 Wow! 3 way highlighter is amazing. I love using it as a primer for a more subtle effect or blended onto my cheekbones and cupids bow for a more noticeable effect. Essence is a great brand if you're on a budget. Their eyeshadow quattro’s are amazing quality for a low budget brand. My favourite is in the shade ‘To Die For' (pictured) as its great for everyday wear and you can make it darker if you wanted to wear it on a night out. As for a liquid eyeliner, I love this one by NYC. You can get it in Penneys, and it’s one of the best ones I’ve ever used. It rarely runs on me. One of the only times was when I got caught in the rain and even at that, it only ran a little. This one has a little glitter in it and I quite like that about it as it’s very subtle but you can get one without too. I'm currently loving W7 as they do some palettes similar to the popular Naked palettes. I’m only trying it out but I have the one ‘In The Nude’ which is very similar to Naked 3. These are great if you wanted to try out the shade range to see if you’d like them before committing to the real deal. Finally, I love Natural Collection blusher. It's a budget brand and the product quality is impressive. Sure the packaging isn't anything like Charlotte Tilbury, but for the bargain prices (usually under €3) you can’t complain. Their eyeshadows are great too with the right amount of pigment pay-off. They're also easily blended and aren't the slightest bit chalky. They also have a pretty decent liquid liner, I sometimes alternate between it and my beloved NYC one. If you're a beauty blogger and want to tell us all about your beauty dos and dont's, drop a line to our girl Cathy at cathy.donohue@her.ie