This week's blog looks at how to get the best out of your make-up when time is short

The dilemma:

I am always caught short of time in the morning, sometimes having to apply make-up on my commute. What can I do with minimum products in my handbag and 10 minutes on the clock?

Beauty Counsel says:

I admire Ariana Huffington's ethics on beauty. She's a sleep evangalist who often only has 10 minutes to do her make-up, and has spoken of how as we get older we may have more pressing issues to attend to, meaning time-saving make-up is essential.

While we may not all be founder and editor-in-chief of an international media group, we all have lives that can restrict how long we allocate for ourselves to get ready to face the world.

When the going gets tough, the products get multi-tasking.

Base: choose a foundation that will glide onto skin easily with fingers, providing coverage and luminosit,y such as Yves Saint Laurent Le teint Touche Eclat foundation, £29.

Concealer: warm a dab between fingers and use to cover any blemishes. Lightly blend on the area around nostrils and chin if you have any redness, which is common. Take a little, again warmed on fingers, over the eyelid like a cream shadow and into the corners of eyes especially the outer corner where dark shadows can pull the appearance of the eye down, making you look tired. A little on the top of your cheek bones from nose swept outwards will instantly brighten your face. Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage, £24, will stay put.

Eyes: matt neutral brown eye shadow, used as a brow filler, eye shadow and dampened or layered as a liner. Mac do excellent tones to suit all.

Lips: double your lipstick as a blush that you can dab sparingly and blend with fingers. Try Bobby Brown Pot Rouge for Lips & Cheeks, £19, but any lipstick can be used.

Highlighter pen: dab up centre of nose and between brow, top of cheek bones, cupids bow, centre of your chin and outward along the jaw line. Tom Ford Illuminating Highlighter pen, £35, does what it says on the tin. If you only have a pot of Vaseline handy, dab a little on outer cheek bones - if it's the Rose one even better!

Got a beauty dilemma you'd like Beauty Counsel to address? Leave a comment below...