In the beauty industry, new products are developed constantly, with new formulas, textures and finishes – there always seems to be the best new thing in make-up and skin care. Mostly new products will have something that older ones lacked, so I will never not want to try them. But recently I rediscovered some old favourites and realised that sometimes new doesn’t necessarily mean better. Many of us have a favourite product that has worked for us for a long time – here are my top four:

1 Giorgio Armani’s Luminous Silk foundation has been around for a long time [since 2000]. I used to use it all the time but then changed to other formulas that were newer and shinier. I have returned to Luminous Silk a few times over the past couple of months on a client who does regular TV interviews, and the finish is incredible. The texture of this foundation feels like velvet on the skin, and it has a medium coverage but can be either blended to a sheer coverage, or layered for a fuller finish. I always apply foundation with my fingers, which gives a lighter sheerer effect; apply with a brush if you prefer fuller coverage. Luminous Silk is available in 30 shades and is exclusive to Brown Thomas, €51.

2 Bobbi Brown’s Pot Rouge was always in my kit for years; I adore the way that it blends into skin. It is also a multipurpose product; though designed for cheeks and lips, I have also used it as eyeshadow, as it adds beautiful freshness to skin and really couldn’t be easier to apply. Always use your fingers when applying a cream blusher: use the pad of your ring finger and barely tap it on the product and then onto the desired areas. Never rub it in as this breaks down the consistency of the blush, just keep tapping until it’s beautifully blended. Pot Rouge comes in three shades: Fresh Melon, a beautiful peachy pinky shade perfect for Irish skin that has a red undertone; Pale Pink, which is the perfect shade for really pale skin – I find it gives the perfect flush of youth; and Powder Pink, a stronger brighter pink tone perfect for someone who likes a bolder effect. I really wish that Pot Rouge was available in many more shades. €28, at Arnotts.

3 MAC Cosmetics make the most amazing blotting powder that I used for years. I started using loose powders over the past few years but recently I purchased a blotting powder in shade medium for a job that I was going to be working outside for, since using a loose powder would not have been possible. Using the MAC powder was like going back in time, with its subtle nostalgic scent. It sets make-up without making the skin look dry while also allowing any highlighting products to shine just like you want them to. It’s available in five shades that will cover all skin tones – and it’s honestly still the best blotting powder. I applied it with a large fluffy brush, but it also comes with a blotting pad. My best advice is to roll the pad on to your skin and never rub it. €28.50, at Brown Thomas.

4 YSL’s Rouge Pur Couture lipstick in shade 12 Le Orange is, for me, possibly the most magnificent shade of lipstick that has ever existed. It is an orangey red that is genuinely the perfect shade of red for 98 per cent of Irish people. The finish of this lipstick is almost like satin; it is moisturising while not being very glossy. The Rouge Pur Couture lipstick has been available from YSL since 1976; there have been improvements over that time, like adding an SPF 15, but in essence they still have the same medium to full coverage finish that was popular throughout the seventies and eighties. And the glamorous gold packaging looks great in your make-up bag. €36, at lookfantastic.ie.