In last week’s column, I shared with you some of my favourite face masks, Aesop’s Parsley Seed Cleansing Mask and Aveda’s Deep Cleansing Herbal Clay Masque, that will have hopefully left you refreshed and cleansed – even if the rest of you isn’t feeling quite so invigorated. But what next!?

Well, if like me you’ve given your make-up bag an early spring clean, including washing the make-up bag itself at a nice high temperature, it’s time to think about its contents.

Please note that sorting out your lotions and potions isn’t an option anymore, as using expired make-up is just asking for an infection. Don’t hesitate – out with the old.

Nothing lasts forever, especially the contents of your beauty bag.

In fact, the more advanced creams and serums will contain active ingredients which will lose their potency and strength after around a year or so. More pertinently, if you’re lucky enough to be heading off to warmer climes soon, remember that SPF’s get slowly weaker over time.

Therefore any sun creams over a year old won’t give as much protection as the bottle promises. Check your jars and be ruthless.

One new-ish addition to my make-up bag, and beauty routine that I only made a year or so ago, was finally getting a decent primer.

Make-up primer is basically a base for foundation that allows for a smoother and more long-lasting application. So if you find some areas of your face turn greasy, patchy or dry after you’ve carefully applied your macquillage, you might want to try putting on a primer first – be it a gel, cream or powder – after you’ve bathed, cleansed and moisturised.

To bring you the very best advice possible, as you now peruse the numerous options available on the primer market, I consulted my dear friend and award-winning make-up artist Lynsey C Reilly - Studio LCR on FB, i_am_lcr on Insta - for the best of the bunch.

The Estee Lauder Matte Perfecting Primer (around £25) is one of Lynsey’s favourites.

Discover the power of a primer with this targeted formula which controls oil and reduces shine, so makeup looks smooth, even and flawless.

The skin-calming green tea and vitamin E ingredients rebalance the skin, and it’s oil-free formula is ideal for normal/combination and oily skin.

My own primer of choice is Benefit’s Porefessional (£24.50). It quickly minimises the appearance of pores and fine lines for smoother-than-smooth skin.

You can apply this silky, lightweight balm alone, under or over makeup.