Top 10 Make Up Must Haves

Bonjour!

I'm always one for trying out new products, brands, colours and formulas (especially when there's a good deal around!) but there are a few staple products I constantly go back to and would always repurchase. Here's my top 10:


MAC Mineralise Skin Finish - Soft and Gentle

A make up must have in the blogging world I feel! I love this product, I find it very wearable both day and night and can is very build able , just giving you a feint glow during the day, or could create extreme Kim K-esq cheek bones. At just £21.50 I think it is very reasonable priced, considering only a tiny bit is needed most days and so I'm hoping it will last me a good many months/years and if not I'll just have to go out and buy another, shame. Also a great option for people of all skin tones as it just gives a nice highlight and lift to the face without giving any colour. Go out and give it a try!

NARS Bronzer - Laguna

A new addition to my ever expanding collection, but a blooming good one at that! I finally caved after hearing about it non-stop on the beauty blogosphere. I initially hesitated because of a £26 price tag, which seems quite a lot to me for a Bronzer, but wowzas it was worth it! In a moment of selfindulgence I pottered over to the NARS counter to give it a try and was won over straight away. It is mostly matte which is great for contouring, but I mostly like to apply it with a fluffy blush all over the high points of my face for that sun kissed (I wish) look. A little bit goes a long way and so I have pretty quickly forgotten about the slightly high price tag, shame the credit card hasn't though...

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder

Another product purchased because of blogger recommendation

(I'm looking at you Tanya Burr). I the past I have struggled to find a powder that does the things I want to to do - mainly set my make up and stop my face from looking like so shiny I've smeared Vaseline all over my self. I'm not that bothered about any form of coverage from a powder and so chose the colour 'transparent'. I think this is a great powder and stay in place and doing its job all day and the best bit, it's only £3.99!

Urban Decay - Naked 2

Best. Thing. Ever. I got this as a birthday present over a year ago now and I couldn't be without it. If you're like me and are all about the neutrals then this is for you. I find i can create every look I would ever need with these 12 colours from a bight, fresh eye to a deep, smokey night time look. the colours are so highly pigmented and rich that they last forever, I have not hit pan on any colour (other than 'blackout' which my boyfriend smashed - sore point) and I use this pallet almost every day. My top shades are 'bootycall', 'chopper', 'snakebite', 'suspect', 'busted' and 'blackout'. Literally just listed half of them, who am I kidding, I love them all! Although some do get more use that others. This pallet has a great range of textures, from total matte to high glitter which really aids its versatility. I think this is an absolute must have for any make up lover, although the Naked pallet and Naked Basics are also great options depending on your preference as all very slightly. The Naked 2 pallet is priced at £36.00, which is an absolute bargain in my eyes considering the quality and the number of colours you get - any one of these eyeshadows purchased individually cost £14.00. I implore you all to go out and treat yourself - you wont regret it!

Maybelline - The Falsies Flared Mascara

Another relatively new discovery. I struggle with mascaras, they never seem quite right but I think this one is almost there. Most mascaras aim at either length or volume, but I want both! I find this mascara if a great blend of the two, making my lashes not too thick and not too long, however it is definitely build able if you're after a bit more lash-ness. The applicator of this mascara is great, with synthetic bristles to pack on the product, and a 'spooned' side to build volume, then switch to the flat side for length and shape. Priced at £7.99 its a pretty good drugstore buy and more often than not there's an offer on anyway. I bought this a month or two ago now and so far have not noticed it drying at all or starting to run out so so far, so good!

Soleil Tan De Chanel - Bronze Universal Makeup Base

As you can tell by the fact this is the second bronzer to feature, I love me some bronzer. I find this product totally unique and have so far not seen any other brand offer anything anywhere near similar - for this reason alone I would repurchase, there is no other choice! This is a totally different bronzer to the NARS Laguna, it is a cream product and so can really be worked into the skin and other make up. It can also be worn under or over foundation, on its own, all over the face, as a contour, or as a bronzer - so versatile! My favourite way to wear this is over foundation to contour my cheekbones, or occasionally under a thin layer of foundation for a more subtle look. I use a Real Techniques Contour or Stippling brush (more on these later) to apply and find this allows me to really blend the product in and achieve a totally natural look. This bronzer only comes in one shade and perhaps if you were super pale it you might find it slightly too orange for your skin, however because it is so versatile and build able it should work for all skin tones. The big drawback of this is the price tag, at £31.00 it is definitely investment. I actually got mine at a reduced price of eBay but would definitely pay full price for this, a teeny tiny bit goes a long way so I can't imagine it running out any time soon!

Urban Decay 27/7 Eyeliner - Zero, and, Avon Super Shock Gel Eyeliner

So I know this is a little bit of a cheat having two products but I just couldn't choose between them and actually, I think they're pretty similar. The Avon pencil is slightly softer but other that that I find them pretty much the same in terms of durability, blendability, colour and formula. I find they both work well on both the waterline and around the outside of the eye. My favourite way to wear these eyeliners is to line my upper lash line by applying a small amount to the outside half of the eyelid and blending it along the lash line with a thin Real Techniques brush. I would definitely repurchase these two again, although may sway slightly toward the Avon as it is around £6 as opposed to £14 for the Urban Decay. However maybe I don't really mean that as the Urban Decay is a lot more waterproof and for me that is a big plus!

Collection Lasting Perfection Conealer

This is fast becoming a highly sought after cult product in the beauty world. I love this concealer, I find it works well for all areas of the face which is a huge bonus as I often find my self chopping and changing between several with other products. I reach for this concealer every single day, choosing it over concealers by Clinique, Benefit and Urban Decay, mostly because it is so versatile, has a very thick liquid formula which provides great coverage and has great staying power throughout the day. I will repurchase this product over and over again in favour of the higher end products and at only £4.19 for me this concealer cannot put a foot wrong

Real Techniques

Every girl with even a quarter of an interest in make up deserves a full set of these brushes. My collection is almost complete and I don't think I will ever need to buy another make up brush again. The synthetic fibers make them super soft as well as easy to clean and the quality of each brush is amazing. Priced at between about £8-12 for an individual brush or £21.99 for a set Real Techniques are an absolute bargain, compared to brushes from brands such as MAC who charge from around £20 upwards for a single brush. Each brush named with a specific use (eg. 'expert face brush') but each one is perfect for so many uses, for example I often choose eye shadow brushes to blend my concealer. I could not say one bad thing about any one of the Real Techniques brushes and think they are an absolute must!

MAC Lipstick - Russian Red, and, Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick - 107

Another slight cheat picking two products, but who can have too many red lipsticks to choose from?! Both these products are matte finish which is perfect for me as i find shiny sticky lips a bit ewwy. The Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick is a slightly darker, bluey-toned colour compared to the bright Russian Red but I find it the perfect choice for night time or all throughout winter. The staying power is excellent and I think it is a tone that would suit any skin colour. Russian Red is a top choice all year round for both day and night. I find this lipstick looks best and lasts the longest when applied with MAC lip liner in Cherry Red underneath. Everyone needs a great red lip as a staple in their collection and these two would be my top high end and drug store choices!

So there you have it my Top Ten must have products

I hope you have enjoyed this post and thanks for stopping by

H x

PS Sorry for the slightly questionable photography its something else I havent quite mastered yet!