Aly’s handbag was quite literally bursting at the seams with beauty products. We knew that if these were the products an international makeup artist treasures, we simply had to find out more. We caught up with the lady herself to bring you some expert advice, opinions and tips on ALL of her handbag essentials…you can thank us later!

Aly’s handbag

1. Brushes: Japonesque angled foundation brush (excellent for contouring the face), Dior Powder Brush, Japonesque Eyeshadow Brush, Laura Mercier Concealer Brush (which I actually use as a Lip Brush), Smashbox Eyeliner Brush.
2. Japonesque Eyelash Curler: The Rolls Royce of eyelash curlers. It doesn’t leave a horrible L-shaped kink in your lashes like so many others.
3. Shiseido Perfect Refining Foundation: I normally wear a tinted moisturiser, but in winter my skin can look quite sallow so I sometimes need a bit more coverage. This Shiseido liquid foundation has a lovely light texture (I hate to see foundation on the skin), and contains an essential SPF16. It’s very densely pigmented so gives good coverage, I work a tiny amount of it into my face with circular motions using MAC’s 187 stipple foundation brush, so that it ‘melts’ into the skin rather than sits on top of it. It comes in an impressive 15 shades and is very long-wearing too.
4. Shu Uemura UV Under Base Mousse: This aero-light mousse formula gives skin an incredible glow on it’s own or under foundation and has SPF 30 so it’s perfect to take on trips when I need the additional sun protection.
5. Jurlique Natural Moisturising Hand Sanitiser: Being a make up artist means getting very up close and personal with people. This can leave us susceptible to catching colds so I always carry this natural sanitiser to kill off germs. It’s not as drying as usual sanitisers and has a really pleasant smell.
6. Bespoke wet-look leggings from elnaznicknani: I often carry these in my bag in case I need to make a quick change to go straight out after work. They are super comfy and the oversized studs on the knees glam up an outfit in a hard-edged, Mad Max kind of way. Someone once said my signature style is tomboy meets glam rock!
7. Plum leather gloves from Aspinal of London: I have to carry 2 quite large suitcases of make up and hair equipment to work most days so I usually drive everywhere when I’m in London. These are my driving gloves. I get through quite a few pairs in a year because I’m forever losing one of them!
8. Got2Be Powderful:Sadly I wasn’t blessed with full, lustrous locks, so I pump up the volume with this Schwarzkopf hair powder. Sprinkle tiny amounts onto roots and massage in for instant bed head volume. As soon as roots go flat, a quick ruffle with your fingers activates the powder again. Life changing.
9. MyFace blusher: I’m a new convert to MyFace cosmetics. They are very affordable and perform really well for a high street brand. This blush in Lady Monaco is very highly pigmented, quite similar to NARS Orgasm but less shimmery which I prefer, and has a good size mirror in the case. Gives a really pretty flush to the cheeks.
10. Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream shadow: Everyone should have at least one of these in their bag. This cream shadow is the best I’ve tried and I’ve tried the lot. Goes on like velvet, stays put all day, and does not crease. It evens out the lids and creates the perfect base to apply powder shadows over the top for a more dramatic effect. It even stayed fresh-looking after a long night clubbing in ibiza!
11. Bobbi Brown eyeshadow/blush palette: These interchangeable palettes are brilliant, I have so many Bobbi Brown colours at home so I can swap them out at a moments notice depending on my mood and outfit. They are long-wearing, highly pigmented and very blendable.
12. Bobbi Brown lipgloss: I’m not generally a lipgloss kind of girl, but I keep this in my bag for the odd occasion when I’m out at night and want a more sultry look. Bobbi Brown has such a good range of flattering shades.
13. Lanolips Lip Ointment in Rhubarb: One of the best lip balms on the market. It uses medical grade Lanolin and holds up to 200% of its weight in moisture. I want every single colour!
14. Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Firm: One of my can’t-live-without products in both my handbag and my kit. Used under the eye it creates the perfect base for concealer, it glides on smoothly, prevents concealer looking cakey and over time, really improves the appearance of the under-eye skin.
15. Clinique Lipstick in Black Honey: This was a limited edition lipstick, I love the colour but it’s sadly running out.
16. MyFace lip pencil in Beige: This is the perfect pinky beige for my colouring, during the day I’ll often just wear this lip liner and blend it into the center of my lips for a barely there, yet polished look.
17. Sisley Instant Perfect: This does exactly what it says. Creates a flawless base, blurs pores, reflects light, fills fine lines, and minimises shine. It also contains peptides to stimulate collagen synthesis for a long-term wrinkle filling effect.
18. Alexander Wang Organiser: This calf-hair wallet was a gift from my wonderful boyfriend. I love anything AlexanderWang!
19. Brass necklace with pendant from made: I love this ethical, fair-trade jewellery company. Everything is handmade in Kenya, it’s inexpensive, and they have some fabulous statement pieces from designers such as Pippa Small and Nathalie Sergent. I much prefer to spend money on pieces made by artisans rather than cheap, disposable costume jewellery. It feels good to know you are supporting ‘trade not aid’ in communities in Africa.
20. Handbag: This was from Zara a few seasons ago. I love it because it’s studded and can accommodate all my stuff!
21. iPod earphones: I’m ALWAYS listening to music while travelling. On my playlist at the moment are Little Dragon, Gotye and Kate Bush.
22. Laura Mercier Smooth Focus Shine Control Powder: I have lots of Laura Mercier products in my kit and often use their Tinted Moisturiser on myself in the warmer months when my skin tone is healthier. The pale green tint in this superfine powder is great for reducing redness in the skin and keeping shine at bay.