You can tell a great deal from a person’s make-up bag. Whether their daily look is thickly applied or more natural. What sort of budget they’re on. Are they a follower of fashion or an old-school brand devotee?
All of which leads you to the ultimate beauty reveal: is their make-up bag one big middle class cliche?
We are talking about the grooming equivalent of a Barbour jacket – cosmetics that are reliable, practical and not too fussy. They provide an end result that’s as much at home in the town as the country.
No, your teenage daughter won’t want to borrow this make-up bag, but its contents will make you feel comfy and, well, just a tiny bit superior.
Trusty concealer
YSL Touche Eclat, £31, yslbeauty.co.uk
As reliable as a Hunter welly, but capable of making you feel special, too. This light-reflecting concealer has been a classic since 1992. The gold pen is practical, but using it always feels glamorous.
A middle class make-up bag contains products that are reliable, practical and not too fussy 9stock image)
Kate’s favourite
Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge For Lip And Cheeks, £32, bobbibrown.co.uk
The Princess of Wales reportedly loves this brand. The whole range is perfect for the subtle school-run look that’s the essence of a no-fuss, middle-class aesthetic. Check out its Shimmer Brick blush compact (£42) and Weightless Skin Foundation (£43).
Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge For Lip And Cheeks (pictured), £32, bobbibrown.co.uk
Malone ranger
Zara fragrance, from £12, zara.com
Surprisingly good – and you can boast about the (low) price you paid at your next dinner party. The Jo Malone Loves collab range is especially sought after.
Look for the likes of Tubereuse Noir and Waterlily Tea (£29.99). For extra points, your make-up bag will include a fragrance straight from the source. Jo Malone London Lime Basil and Mandarin is a middle-class status symbol (from £55; jomalone.co.uk).
Team Trinny
Trinny London, For pretty much anything… trinnylondon.com
She calls her followers ‘ladies’ and crafts empowering messages for them. Best of all, Trinny Woodall’s make-up is excellent, giving seamless coverage that can easily be upped from daytime barely there to evening vamp.
Try her Eye-2-Eye cream shadows (£20), Just A Touch concealer (£29) and her BFF All Day Foundation (£41).
Magic lipstick
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk lipstick, £29, charlottetilbury.com
The Tilbury magic means this suits everyone (there are four shades so we can all find our nude), and with the accompanying range of Lip Cheat liners (£22) it never looks overdone. Her Hollywood Flawless Filter (£39) has a similar fairy-dust effect, making you look effortlessly better.
Heritage brands
Clarins Double Serum (pictured) is a piece of skincare glory (from £65)
Clarins and Elizabeth Arden (clarins.co.uk, elizabetharden.co.uk)
Every middle-class make-up bag has one of these two. Clarins is still family-owned and, of course, French, which adds class. Its Double Serum is a piece of skincare glory (from £65).
Or you’ll have the Prevage City Smart Broad Spectrum SPF50 (£61) by Elizabeth Arden or its multi-balm Eight Hour Cream (£31).
Becks appeal
Victoria Beckham kajal liner, £32, victoriabeckhambeauty.com
A standard liner isn’t enough these days, plus a kajal uses natural ingredients and is easy to smudge into a smoky eye. Middle class doesn’t mean sticking to black – Victoria Beckham’s gold lamé shade is a joy to behold.
Essential gem
Bare Minerals Original Loose Powder Foundation, £36.50 johnlewis.com
The original ‘swirl, tap, buff’ mineral make-up, this is a gem that simply does what it says and does it well. Nothing pretentious here, but absolutely essential to your bag.
Dash of luxury
Go Dior Le Baume for hands (£52, dior.com) or Chanel La Crème Main (£52, chanel.com)
Never be without a fancy hand cream. These two are practical, keep-in-your-handbag jobs but lend a dash of luxury to proceedings. They’ll provide a talking point every time you take them out.
But don’t be seen dead with…
Hermes Rouge Hermes lipstick. Not that it isn’t great, but a £63 price tag is for Notting Hill ladies who lunch or fashion folk with expense accounts. Remember, middle-class territory is more Hobbs than Hermes.
Gel nail polish. It’s a no-no and considered very Footballer’s Wives. Bold polish of any kind can be contentious; remember when Princess Di seemed like a rebel for sporting red nails? Opt for Essie’s palest of pinks Ballet Slippers (£8.99; boots.com)
