This season, Nancy Buckland Kirk has been refreshing her make-up bag, keeping what sparks joy, editing her old-favourites, and adding a few new essentials into the mix for 2019 to avoid falling into a make-up rut…

It’s that time of year when you start looking in your make-up bag and feel like a refresh. One thing I have been thinking about recently is that even though I love the ease of shopping online, I so think beauty shopping in store has such a feelgood factor. I’ve also been going a bit Marie Kondo recently, and have decided I need less of everything. But Ms. Kondo has hit a nerve with me, in that what you have should bring you joy. So it’s time for a pared down approach that still makes my heart sing.

Beauty classics don’t quite have the same longevity as they used to. If you have read any of my other pieces, you will know that while I love the beauty world and its new innovations, I do tend to fall back on the same products. So I thought I would find a compromise, and go hunting for some new classics, because they have all of the properties of permanent beauty features but with 2019 formulations.

It’s quite a daunting task to go beauty shopping at times. If you are anything like me, you will often wonder if the beauty staff you approach are inwardly judging you, and pinning you as a lost cause. However, the very best stores have wonderful personal beauty shoppers, and they aren’t just for the rich and famous. If you are after some new pieces, they are so well informed, and save you a fortune in terms of time and money wasted on impulse purchases that don’t suit you. Beauty Bazaar Harvey Nichols make the experience a positive and uplifting one, and most stores have key staff to help you make those prized decisions. It’s the ultimate beauty treat to have someone look at your face, talk to you, understand your lifestyle and then magic up a collection that feels exclusive to you.

So, I put my money where my pout is and went shopping. Always a pleasure, and simply never a chore.

Pat McGrath Labs Matte Trance Lipstick in Candy Flip (£35)

Do you need an excuse to go to Selfridges? You now have one, as the Mothership has now docked in the UK. Considered the world’s most directional make-up artist, Pat’s new collection screams decadence and is packed full of colour. This pink shade is an instant classic if you want something a bit more wearable, and it has a lightweight finish which is ideal for wearing matt when summer approaches. It’s also a unique shopping experience, as I managed to treat myself to one of the ranges cult t-shirts. I’m not sure my new Sex Pistols emblazoned T is all about being classic, but never mind, as they say.

Chanel Les Beiges Eau De Teint (£48)

You can’t talk about new classics without referring to Chanel, and if you want to have luminous skin, then it’s time to pack away foundation. I am super impressed with this product, as it is so light, and as I am learning more about beauty, I have realised you need a great concealer to cover imperfections, and not foundation. Whatever you put on top should show off your skin and not hide it. It also gives your skin a real moisture boost, and never before have I encountered a brush this good at putting on a product. A sure-fire hit.

Charlotte Tilbury Face Palette in Lovegasm (£60)

When the Queen awards you for services to beauty, you’ve made it. Charlotte never rests on her beauty laurels and her new Glowgasm collection does what it says on the tin. This palette is the more subtle of the two available, featuring bronzers, a blush and a highlighter that’s actually designed for daylight and not for Instagram. The finish is translucent and just what’s needed to warm skin tones up. For darker skin tones, the next shade up is a winner. Glowgasm? I’ll have what Charlotte is having, thanks!

Nars Summer Lights Face Palette (£56)

It’s quite obvious I love a palette, and in a world where I am trying to edit everything, the best ones take up less space. Nars are simply legendary when it comes to a great palette and, again, I’ve chosen the more dialled down version – the next version up is definitely more for night time or if you love to go for a statement look all day long. This one has four cult-classic matte and shimmer-finish eyeshadows, all featuring the level of pigment and depth that Nars are famous for. The bronzer and highlighter have quite a matt finish, too, which I adore for hotter days, which hopefully are on their way.

Hourglass Film Noir Spectrum Mascara (£25)

I’m going to admit that I am only in possession of one set of homegrown lashes, and they are not one of my best features. I’ve never really taken to any semi-permanent lash, although they look gorgeous. So I am always on the hunt for the do-everything-in-one go product. Hourglass tend to be more noted for palettes and foundations but I went for a mascara, and I am so glad I did. This really does multi-task as it turned my short, stubby, barely-there leashes into something else entirely, with no clumping involved. Plus it’s packed full of conditioning benefits, which I badly need. It’s all in the brush, which makes it my new best friend, eye-wise. I would wrestle this off Marie Kondo in a heartbeat.

I know if you add up the cost of all the above your eyes water, so I’ll be back with more budget-friendly new classics soon. But I have realised that I simply need less make-up, and I need to use what I have before I binge-buy more. This is a new concept for me. When I buy a new classic, I want a return on my investment. I still possess my famous Mac Spice Lipliner but one of Pat McGrath’s new lip shades is called 1995, so it’s classic status means it stays put.

Instead of sitting at home, trying to pick shades online, get dressed up, show up and let someone bring the goodies to you. You don’t have to buy all of them, but it will give you a fresh mindset, new ideas, and if you come home with a treat, then my work here is done.

For now.

Hourglass and Nars at Beauty Bazaar Harvey Nichols

Chanel and Charlotte Tilbury at John Lewis Beauty

Pat McGrath Labs at Selfridges

About the author: Nancy Buckland Kirk is a writer with a keen interest in fashion and beauty and a career which has spanned modelling, teaching and spreading the word about leading beauty brands. You may also enjoy: Nancy Buckland Kirk road-tests squalane oil and Nancy’s skincare highs and lows.