Coco Chanel famously said, ‘A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.’ Beauty products allow us to feel both classy and fabulous. They’re a wonderful way to treat ourselves, and to express our individuality and creativity.

In my novels, when the heroine is getting ready for a date she’ll dab on a little scent. I imagine each heroine with her own signature scent. In Concerto, the heroine, Catriona, wears a fragrance with notes of orange blossom. The hero tells her: ‘It’s the woman that makes the fragrance romantic, carissima… and you make it sexy and alluring.’

Rather than opting for a signature scent, I have a collection of perfumes and I choose a scent depending on the mood I’d like to create. For summer, I especially like Beyoncé’s Heat Wild Orchid, which is a wonderful combination of scents: top notes of pomegranate, coconut water and boysenberry; middle notes of honeysuckle, butterfly orchid and blooming magnolia; and dry notes of blonde woods, skin musks and gilded amber.

In the evening, I may choose Sangado, which has an Eastern influence, with main notes of vanilla, peach and litchi – sensual and warm.

Sometimes, I prefer a more delicate scent, and in that case rather than dabbing on an eau de parfum, I use a fragranced shower gel. This Pink Bouquet one, by Moschino, is heavenly, with top notes of bergamot and pineapple sorbet and middle notes of gingerbread and peach.

Once I’m wearing a scent and my chosen outfit (fashion is a whole other story), it’s time for makeup. In this aspect, I am very like the heroines of my novels, applying makeup with a light touch.

For lips, I prefer gloss – so easy to keep in my handbag and reapply, and so moisturising. I don’t wear too much, but I do like to have a good selection of colours to match my outfit, like in this set by Handaivan:

A whisper of shadow on the eyelids can really make the eyes sparkle. I tend to opt for quite earthy, natural, smoky colours, as in this Lamora set:

What are your favourite beauty products? What makes you feel fabulous and classy? I would love to hear your thoughts.