The first thing in our kit is sleep: a good night’s worth. You can throw out of it any hangovers or grumpiness. You must be fresh and happy, whether the shoot is at midnight or dawn.

If your agency has a voucher book, make sure it’s easy to get at in your kit. In fact, organize your kit so everything can be found quickly. It’s very annoying for others – and embarrassing for yourself – to be throwing the contents of your kit all over the shoot just to find a hair pin.

You’ll also need a diary to keep track of all your commitments (appointments, go-sees and shoots), to record the contact details of people you meet (everyone could be useful) and to note useful things you learned and observed.

Your kit must contain, as a minimum, the following:

• One mirror
• One nail file
• One pair of tweezers
• One brow brush
• Two bases or tinted moisturizers
• One concealer
• Two blushers (one red, one pink)
• One moisture stick
• Two eyeliner pencils
• Two eyebrow pencils
• One mascara
• Three eye shadows
• Two lipsticks (one pink/mauve, one coral/red)
• One colorless gloss
• One compact powder

Hair products

• Hair pins
• Hair bands
• Comb
• Brush
• Hot rollers
• Curling iron
• Hair drier
• Styling gel or mousse
• Hair spray

Other necessities

• Panty hose (several pairs in a few different colors)
• Underwear (light- and dark-colored, and perhaps a push-up bra)
• Clothes pins (in case you need to adjust the client’s clothing)
• Safety pins (to hold the world together)
• Business cards or composites (you might meet someone)
• First aid kit (something small, especially with sunblock cream and sticking plaster)
• Music (just in case you get a chance to listen)