When you're travelling, it doesn't make sense to pack your whole make-up bag. Here's how the experts travel light

When it comes to packing up a beauty bag for a few days or a week away, no one does it better than a make-up artist. These experts are always on the go and can be found on desert islands with just a tube of gloss and still manage to make someone look gorgeous. How do they do it? 'By travelling light,' says Terry, MAC's leading make-up artist and Head of Make-up Training. 'You'll need a few basics such as mascara, lip gloss and a base for the skin, then everything else should be dual-purpose,' he states. Needless to say, he's a great fan of MAC's Cream Colour Base in Tint (£11), a great pinky beige colour which suits virtually all skins and can be worn on the eyes, lips and cheeks. 'A good moisturiser is essential, so choose one that you can wear a little or a lot of depending on what your skin needs at any given time,' he says. You can also mix moisturiser with your usual foundation or concealer to create a lightweight base that's more comfortable and beats the parched, dry air of an airplane. Prescriptives In Flight Cream (£35) and Guerlain Blue Voyage In Flight Serum (£39.50 for 3 mini jars) are both designed to combat excessive dehydration caused by cabin pressure. For lips, Terry loves mixing lip balm with lip colour to create a variety of textures from ultra sheer for day to more intense for the evening.

UK make-up artist Roxanne New spends half her year working on photographic shoots abroad. 'Whether I'm in the heat or skiing, I always take waterproof mascara with me,' she says. Lancome Eternicils (£15) is her favourite. 'It's perfect in all climes, and if there's one item of make-up I'd never be without it's a mascara,' she says. Like Terry, New is a fan of creamy blushers. 'They make great three-in-one travel products,' she says. 'Nars Multiple in Palm Beach (£26) is a fabulous bronzing shade that's fashionable in warmer weather, and Bobbi Brown Essentials Art Stick in Pink Mocha gives skin a beautiful radiance (£16.50).'

New also loves tinted moisturisers 'because they add a subtle glow to the complexion and can help even out skin that's been caught by the wind while sailing or skiing.' Her favourite for the face is Guerlain's Terracotta Tinted Daycream (£19.50). 'I love using the matching Terracotta Teint Creole Nacre (£17.50) too - it's a shimmering moisturising body gel that makes bare skin look beautiful,' she says. New's other must-have when traveling is Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Cream (£17). 'It's not only great for chapped lips and dehydrated skin, but it also doubles up as a great make-up tool. Simply smear a little across the eyelids to refresh eyeshadow that's creased in the heat, use it to groom unruly eyebrows into place or to smooth down the ends of your hair.'

No matter what you choose to go in your travel make-up bag, don't forget the basics. First and foremost is a handy brow kit. Never underestimate the difference a quick pluck and bit of fill-in colour can make - and how much your brows can grow over just a weekend. Lancome's Kit Sourcils (£ 27.50) contains mini tweezers, a good brow colour, a short angled brush that you can actually use, plus a spiral brush to groom them into place. Mascara too is important. 'You can wear brown or even transparent mascara,' says make-up artist Tom Pecheux. 'No matter how subtle it looks, it will always help give your face a final polish.' For eye colour that will withstand the heat, try a cream-to-powder formulation that has more staying power, such as Estee Lauder's Go Wink Eyeshadow (£9.50, ring 0800 525 501 for stockists) or Ultima II Extraordinaire Cream to Powder Shadow (£11). Vaseline is, without doubt, another great beauty stand-by. Use as a lip balm, brow gel, eye gloss, cheek gloss, emergency eye make-up remover for waterproof mascara and a great skin conditioner for dry chapped cheeks, hands and feet. And when you don't want to shine all over, Lancome's T-Controle (£20.50) is a fabulous gel that contains tiny powder particles that absorb excess oil. Wear it in place of powder either under or over make-up, or on bare skin - you'll need one of these in your hand luggage and evening purse.

What happens if you slept awkwardly on the plane or need to restyle in a hurry? For those occasions when your hairstyle flops and you haven't time for a quick blow-dry, try Charles Worthington's Results Hair Makeover Spray (£3.95). Spritz on some (preferably with your head tipped upside down) and your hair will feel immediately revived and volumised from the roots.

If you're a one-stop-shopping kind of person, invest in Le Weekend Compact by Laura Mercier, (£39.50, available at Harrods 020 7730 1234) for the ultimate make-up kit. Almost worth it for the mirror alone, this kit is perfect for those who love their make-up but can't take it all with them. It contains three eye shadows - fair, medium and dark, two soft cheek colours and a bronzer in easy-wear, everyday colours that suit pretty much everyone.