PEEK: My current base products...

Just FYI... SHAKEY HAND + IPHONE = SHIT PICTURE.

Clockwise from left (ish):

1. Make Up Forever Face and Body – Controversial granted, but I seriously rate this over the much used MAC version. The MUFE version is more gel-like, and perfect for light (buildable) coverage that retains the texture of skin. So it’s ideal for edgier looks like a very dark or bright lipstick to keep the make-up looking fresh.

2. Bourjois Intense Little Round Pots - Best black ever, FACT. You've got a goth verdict on that! In fact all these little pots are unbelievably pigmented.

3. Clarins Double Fix Mascara, Clear - Keeps my brows in place after I've drawn them in with the above black (yeah, I like my brows bold!)

4. Ilamasqua Gleam Cream - I didn't rate this initially, the online hype made me rebel against it. But it’s fast become a daily staple used to bright light to my cheekbones. Light is SO important with darker skins – keep the base too flat (unless it’s a deliberately retro look) and it can risk looking dated.

5.NARS Blush/ Bronzer Trio Orgasm / Albatross / Laguna - I only use Albatross (if I’m honest) which is a BEAUTIFUL gold highlighter that I'd say is actually more suited to darker skin tones. So it's odd that Orgasm and Laguna are included, as they don't even show on my skin. As in NOT AT ALL. I'm still always a little disappointed when products are too light for me. I think it's loaded memories of going to Howells department store as a teen in Cardiff and never being able to get make-up to suit my skin tone.

6. Bare Minerals Flawless Volume Mascara- GREAT.BIG.BRUSH.FOR.GREAT.BIG.LASHES. I wear 3 coats and purposely smudge it a bit underneath. I think it looks kinda art-school. In reality, it probably looks a bit dishevelled Dalston-girl (there I said it!) And, it reminds me of a STP lyric: "I got a girl, she went to art school, I got an art school girlfriend yeah...")

7. Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer and Corrector - The peachy shade combats any blue-toned darkness (that blessed colour wheel, it makes sense) and the creamy concealer then evens out skin tone. I think it works best with a small light synthetic brush (maybe Illamasqua’s Eye Shadow Brush) rather than a flat brush. I’d never bothered with under-eye concealer before one of the ladies from BB showed me how to use this. Now je suis hooked and conversely je suis shit at French!

8. Clinique Gel Liner - The bonus is that this liner doesn't dry out if you leave it open (like the Bobbi Brown one does, I’m beauty negligent) the minus is that I still feel like the pigment could be much stronger. I use this liner with a Screenface liner brush, followed by a slick of the Bourjois Black Intense pot to get the blackest black liner ever.

9. ByTerry Blush Terribly - This is an incredible product and deposits just the right amount of blusher for a natural but radiant (there is finely milled shimmer in there) hint of colour. I was expecting to hate this blusher as ByTerry aren't great for darker skins, but I'd truly recommend this. It's a pricey £51 mind and although the case is fairly sexual, it's still freaking heavy!