The One and Only Tag

The lovely Rachel from Beauty Queen UK tagged me in The One and Only tag that the equally lovely Kat from Tales of a Pale Face started this month. The challenge sounds simple… name your favourite beauty products of all time. For mere mortals this is simple I’m guessing, for beauty bloggers this is a feat that sends shivers through our spines. With the amount of mascaras we try, how are we going to pick just one? If we could only use one lip colour product for the rest of our life what would we go for? Here is my list; I have to say this is TODAY’S list. There is every chance if you ask me next week this will have changed…

Primer
The first primer I used is still the one I go back to time and time again. I was first encouraged to try Laura Mercier oil free foundation primer (£28) at a beauty counter in Saks 5^th Avenue, New York. They recommended I could get a dewy and flawless complexion by using this and the oil free tinted moisturiser. They were right and I never looked back. It is expensive but you get a large tube and a little goes a very long way.

Base Product
I’ve used some ridiculously pricey foundation products in my time assuming, rather naively, that they would make my skin look perfect and last longer than cheaper products. How wrong I was! The product I return to is Maybelline New York dream matte mousse foundation (£6.50). I use the shade 026 honey beige that is ever so slightly too light for my skin tone but reacts well with my bronzer. The mousse is wonderfully light and blends well into my skin for an airbrushed look that really does last the day.

Concealer
I don’t use a concealer at the moment. I’ve tried some but they always look really obviously light on my skin. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as my cocktail antics around Town are leading to some serious eye bags!

Powder
I don’t find my base product needs a powder to set it but if I am using a tinted moisturiser I always dust over it with Rimmel stay matte pressed powder in warm beige (£3.99). I find it sets the moisturiser and prevents my skin looking too greasy by the middle of the day.

Blush
I still use the blusher my Gran recommended to me when I first started using make up. Bourjois little round pot in rose d’or (£7.99) has a beautifully soft consistency and a gentle gold shimmer that is so flattering on my cheeks, I rarely venture away from it.

Bronzer
This one I really struggled with as I have 2 ‘hero’ products for different reasons. One has a shimmer so I use it on my cheek bones, end of my nose and my temples… the other is fairly matte so I use it all over rather than as a contouring product. Because I would use the latter if I could have only one it has to be Bourjois delice de poudre bronzing powder (£6.99). Not only is the colour natural and flattering, it has an amazing chocolate smell that makes me hungry for sweet things every morning. I’m blaming this for my expanding waistline.

Highlighter
Another product I use because it compliments my base product so well is Bobbi Brown shimmer brick in bronze (£32). Another pricey product but this compact, not only lasts forever, the individual shimmery stripes can also be used as an eye shadow or a way of highlighting the cupids bow on your lips. Multipurpose means value for money, no?

Make Up Brush

I’ve always been a MAC brush girl. They don’t shed, the mini ones fit in my bag perfectly without compromising on the brush head size and I used to know a MAC girl who got them for me at cost price. This was before I discovered the amazing product that is Real Techniques. My Real Techniques foundation brush (£9.99) has a brilliant angled head meaning I can buff my foundation into those pesky areas I can’t get to with my fingers and also gives the most amazing airbrushed look. Foundation application now takes me seconds in the morning.

Eyebrow Product
Eyebrow definition is a new thing for me. So new that I said to my Mum a few weeks ago, “I really need to try an eyebrow definer” and she disappeared upstairs before returning with Chanel le sourcil de Chanel perfect brows (£43) saying I could have it as she didn’t like it. £43 for a little pot to do my eyebrows! I love that there are 3 different shades to get the perfect colour for my eyebrows though and the mini tweezers are ideal. I only use this if I am going on a big night out so I’m hoping it lasts forever as the thought of paying £43 just for my eyebrows makes me feel slightly nauseous.

Eye shadow Single
The first time I have to cheat on this tag… I don’t buy single eye shadows, ever. I am a sucker for a pretty palette and Urban Decay are my shadow of choice. They are long lasting and their palettes give me a wonderful selection of matte, shimmer and colour without standing swatching for hours in Boots. My palette of choice is Ammo 10 and the single eye shadow colour in that palette that I wear more than anything else is Smog. It’s a wonderfully golden dark bronze with a slight shimmer that is super quick to apply and lasts for hours. I absolutely adore it and, if it runs out, I’ll be buying it as a single pot. If it is available to buy that is.

Eyeliner
My eyeliner of choice will always be a felt tip pen style liner. The one that I have found lasts the longest on my eyes is MAC penultimate liner in rapid black (£17). I love the fine pen tip and how quickly my shaky hands can line my eyes. My only complaint about this product is that it goes dry quite quickly; I’ve just not found a tip like this anywhere else. Any recommendations?

Mascara
Without a doubt the best mascara I have found is Benefit They’re Real! (£19.50). Yes it is expensive but I don’t care. I am totally in love with this mascara and, trust me; I’ve tried most of the ones on the market at the moment. I am a mascara geek… if I have time for nothing else in the morning, I always put mascara on. This one lengthens my lashes without any clumping or flaking. It also stays put all day and is buildable come the evening when I’m off out again. It isn’t the easiest to remove but I see that as a sign of a long lasting product, I’d rather battle with my cleanser than have mascara down my cheeks after a busy day/night.

Lip Colour

I’m not much of a lip person I have to say. I’ll put a gloss on before going out but always forget to re-apply as the evening develops. It is something I’ve tried to remedy on more than one occasion but always end up forgetting. I’ve recently discovered Too Faced la crème colour drenched lip cream (£18) and my favourite shade is honey bear. As the description states it is rich and creamy whilst sliding effortlessly onto my lips. There is little room for error and the texture is wonderfully soft. Although it is described as being ‘colour drenched’ I find this product builds really well. Perfect for a lipstick phobic like me.

Lip Liner
I’m just getting to grips with lipstick at the ripe old age of 31… I’ve not progressed to liners yet!

Lip Balm

I love Fairypants cake and cocktails lip balms (£3.99) that I reviewed recently HERE. They are vegan, handmade, not tested on animals and smell AMAZING! They moisturise the lips so well without leaving a greasy slick that so many others do.

Nail Polish
Another tough one as I tend to buy nail polishes more than anything else. I love colour and it really does depend what outfit I am wearing as to what colour I go for. My absolute favourite brand is Jessica and the colour I always go back to, and would buy over and over again, is Pharaoh (£8). It’s a bright pink perfect for toes and looks amazing with a tan. I love everything about Jessica; the colour is striking with just 2 coats needed for perfect coverage. All the shades have a great shine without the need for top coat and last for ages. I can easily wear it for over a week with no chipping.

And I tag…

Lunae at www.becausebeautyisrawandwild.blogspot.com
Autumn at www.auttyw.com
Stacey at www.madefromsugarandspice.blogspot.com