I think there is barely a collection, besides my clothing, that I have curated quite as meticulously as my make-up. Ever since I was fourteen, YouTube videos have been essential to my daily routines, and a lot of these items were originally picked up because of positive product reviews or make-up routines that I enjoyed. Nowadays, it is becoming more difficult to discern the honest opinion of beauty gurus from brand endorsements, so here are some tried and tested picks that go beyond the fleeting trends and stick to what works. If you would like to know what I slap on my face in the morning, here is the definite list. This is my absolute holy grail!
Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation: This is the most glowy, light, dewy, fresh foundation I have ever tried, and it’s fairly affordable too. I recommend Healthy Mix as a daily foundation, since it has a light coverage and wears really comfortably. Usually, I’m not a fan of perfumed products but this foundation smells oh so subtly fresh and fruity which gives me an instant pick-me-up in the morning. It blends seamlessly, lasts for ages and will leave you looking fresh and healthy for the day.
NYX Matte Lip Cream: Shout-out to my housemates! We all love this long-lasting, matte liquid lipstick, and there are sooo many colours to choose from! These lippies make for really light wearing and don’t dry out your lips. Plus, you can re-apply them without the appearance of that annoying crumbly texture that some liquid lipsticks will develop after time.
Soap and Glory Archery Brow Tint and Pencil: I have really sparse brows, so it’s important for me to use brow products that will emulate a fuller brow very naturally. This brow duo is amazing because it provides two different options for filling in your brows: the retractable pencil is great for shaping and outlining the brow, while the felt-tip tint perfectly creates precise little hairs to ensure a naturalistic look. In my opinion, the colour range available for these is really good too!
Smith’s Rosebud Salve: This rose-scented all-purpose salve is incredible and perfect for travelling. I have used the salve in so many ways for over three years, yet the container is still more than half full! Apply it to lips, cuticles or dry spots for intense moisture, use it as a foot softener over night with socks on top, gloss the ends of your hair if they’re looking coarse, use as a natural, dewy highlight, use to groom brows, apply it to blemishes or rashes to soothe… The options are endless with this nifty little product. The formula is over 120 years old, and the small vintage-esque tin the salve comes in is super adorable.
Mine is particularly battered because of all the love
TooFaced ‘Better than Sex’ Mascara: Who is she? I hear she is the queen of mascaras. She slays me on the daily; if I were a mascara I would aspire to be her. This mascara creates so much volume and glamour, and is definitely the staple product to make you feel and look like a sex kitten. But, let’s be real, if you really think a beauty product is better than sex, you might want to consider switching it up a little. Just saying.
Hey there stunna
MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Indianwood: Hands down the most permanent staple in my make-up collection is this stunning crème eyeshadow. I first got it when I was starting to get into beauty, and it was such a big deal purchasing my first ever MAC product. Fast-forward to six years later and it is still the most pigmented, shimmery, creamy and blendable crème shadow I have ever tried. It is especially difficult to achieve intensity and blendability with golden pigment, but Indianwood does it all so effortlessly. Use as a base underneath other shadows, or swipe onto eyelids and go!
Collection ‘Lasting Perfection’ concealer: This concealer is just one of those irreplaceable cult favourites. To this day, I have not found a better high-coverage concealer than this one. The value for money is absolutely outstanding and there is a reason everybody loves it – it’s just unbeatable!
Topshop Glow in ‘Polish’: When I think of cosmetics, the first thing that comes to mind is certainly not Topshop. Therefore, I was really pleasantly surprised to find this gem while shopping. This is a cream highlighter, which makes it very compact and easy to apply and blend. The opalescence in this highlight reminds me a little of Benefit’s discontinued ‘Moonbeam’ – so if you’re looking for a dupe, this is it! There are some yellow and pink pigments in this so you look like you are bathed in moonlight when wearing it, yet it’s very subtle and looks dewier than glittery because the pigment is so light-reflective. The lasting power on this is also incredible.
Unblended swatch (doesn’t do its complexity justice at all)
MaxFactor Kohl Kajal Eye Pencil in ‘090 Natural Glaze’: This one is a real old-school favourite and my secret weapon to fresh-looking, opened eyes. I love the creaminess and lasting power of this particular nude eyeliner since so many of the others that I have tried were too creamy and thus bunched up, or were too hard, making them difficult to apply. Plus, this one is great value for money!
The Beauty Blender: Now I know that this isn’t strictly speaking a beauty product but, to be honest, if you’re not applying your products rightly, you might as well not bother with investing in any of them. This little egg-shaped buddy blends everything out so flawlessly and can help especially when you’re trying to avoid looking cakey. I’ve tried so many dupes, but there is just no getting around the original beauty blender. Trust, me, it’s worth it!