Most days, I barely have a chance to run a brush through my hair before bolting out the door, so it goes without saying my makeup routine needs to be quick and easy.

For me, a small collection of smart products gets big results when I don’t have the luxury of time. These are my five-minute-face-must-haves!

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm

I’ve been using this product for 20 years (why yes, I WAS in preschool when I became a Clarins devotee, thanks for asking…)

Clarins claims it “promotes a radiant complexion and longlasting, incredibly luminous makeup” and I have to agree. Even if I’m too busy to bother with foundation, this is a step I never miss. Retails for around $60.

NIVEA Visage Anti-Wrinkle Q10 Plus Tinted Day Cream

I’m all for multipurpose products…why use two or three separate products when you get do it all in one step! That’s the beauty of the Q10 Tinted Day Cream which is a moisturiser, sheer colour and sunscreen all in one.

This tinted moisturiser is designed to suit all skin tones, thanks to its sheer finish formula, which means you can give the foundation a swerve. It also contains UVA and UVB filters with an SPF of 15 to protect against sun-induced ageing. The best thing? It costs less than $20 and you can get it from Coles, Woolies, or major pharmacies.

Yves St Laurent’s Touche Eclat

I have major dark circles under my eyes, even when I’ve had oodles of sleep, so a good concealer is a must for me.

Personally, I can’t go past YSL’s Touche Eclat. Not only is it incredibly easy to apply (not to mention easy on the eye, with its sleek gold case) but its illuminating qualities really do make a difference to dark circles, fine lines and pigmentation.

It’s not cheap, but if you look around you can find a bargain or two.  Try Woden’s Chemist Warehouse (they have it listed online for $34.99 but it’s only available instore, which makes me think it may be hard to find) or buy online for $44 at the always reliable and cheap Strawberrynet.

Benefit Benetint

Quite possibly my favourite beauty product ever, and responsible for me starting to wear ‘blush’ again, Benetint ($28 from Benefit in Myer Canberra Centre) is another double-duty product.

Its rose-tinted ‘stain’ gives a natural, see-through color for lips and cheeks that’s perfect for day. All you have to do is apply three dots to the apples of your cheeks and blend quickly with your fingertips…adding more dots for deeper color. For lips, simply dab on you’re done!

And if you’re an addict like me, you can have your “rosy glow on the go,” by popping a Bentint pocket pal, a portable double-ended benetint and clear lip gloss ($20), in your handbag.

Napoleon Perdis’ Neo Noir Liquid Liner (Black)

For years, I shied away from liquid eyeliners, thinking I didn’t have the skill to pull it off. But Napoleon’s precision pen makes it as easy as drawing with a felt tip marker, and it truly makes your eyes ‘pop’!

For day, I stick really close to the lash line and keep it fine; at night, I go a little bit more glam, increasing the line width and perhaps sweeping out into a slight ‘wing’ at the corners. For just $28, at one of the numerous Napoleon stores around Canberra, you just can’t go wrong.

Maybelline Great Lash

My first ‘real’ job was with a publicity company who had Maybelline as a client, so I got to try about a billion mascaras over the course of a year.

More than 15 years later, Great Lash (around $16 from major supermarkets and pharmacies) is still my favourite. The brush makes it so easy to get a full lash look without clumps or globs and the colour (I use Very Black) is exactly that. So black. Love it.

There you have it! My five-minute-face-must-haves. What are yours?