Over the last 6-9 months I’ve made a conscious decision to spend less on beauty and mainly my aim has been to buy a lot less make-up and use more of what I have. I do still buy make-up, but mostly this is to replace something which has run out. There have been a couple of little treats over the last few months, but so much less than I would have usually bought. Everything below apart from the MAC lipstick I have bought with my own money. I know so many of us are trying to buy less and reduce waste, so I thought it might be useful to share my thoughts on what I’ve bought and whether they have been worth the spend based on my experience, but of course something I haven’t got on with you might love.
Terry Sun Designer Palette – Happy Sun
This is such a handy palette which I reach for everyday. I’ve thrown it in my makeup bag and carry it around with me all the time and it’s remained perfectly in tact. The quality is incredible as the powder is so finely milled, I guess you wouldn’t expect anything less from By Terry. The finish is always so smooth and makes my skin look healthy and like I’ve come back from a restful holiday. I use the palette for eyeshadow, easy contouring, blusher, bronzer and for highlighting! It’s a great all rounder so ideal for travelling. I got this in the sale after Christmas and it’s currently reduced from £47 to £23.50 at Space NK. Totally worth the spend.
Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue – Spice
I adore this tinted moisturiser and it’s been a staple in my make-up collection for a couple of years now. I think I’m on my 3rd repurchase and I recommend this to everyone whenever I get the chance. For me, coverage wise, this is halfway between a tinted-moisturiser and a foundation. The formula is really hydrating, contains SPF 30 and creates the most amazing glow and even finish on the skin. I get told I have amazing skin when I wear this and I’m like that’ll be the Complexion Rescue.
Kester Black polish – The Future is Female
I spied this in Liberty recently as I’ve been looking for exactly this shade. I was intrigued that the formula is water-permeable and better the environment. The colour is perfect, not Tipex nails, but more a subtle pink shade which I think would be suitable for all skin tones. Kester Black polishes are £15 in Liberty which is more than I would usually pay, but I’ve stopped going to get my nails done at the nail shop as gels have weakened my nails, so I’ll be saving money there and the water-permeable formula is meant to be kinder on nails. This brand is part of the Liberty Vegan beauty collection and I saw it mentioned on The Anna Edit on a post about the Liberty Beauty Clean & Conscious collection so I’m in good company with my choice of polish.
Pat McGrath Labs Perma Precision Liquid Eyeliner
If I could only have one piece of makeup, eyeliner would be it. The winged eyeliner look has been my thing since I was a teenager and in the last 20 years I have tried so many liquid and pen eyeliners. I’d been wanting to try the Pat McGrath collection for ages so of course I thought it best to start with the eyeliner. I’d heard so many rave reviews online, from Vogue etc. but for me, while I like it, I agreed with Sali Hughes on this one. I don’t see anything different to other pen eyeliners to warrant the £26 price tag. Sadly I won’t be repurchasing this one.
Aldi Naturals Intense Eyeshadow Palette
I love Aldi and I missed out on getting to try this when it first came out, so when I spied it in the specialbuys recently I ordered it straight away (you can order the Aldi specialbuys for online delivery, but usually you have to be super quick) Yes, it’s basically a copy of Urban Decay’s Naked Heat palette, but at a fraction of the price at £5.99. I love the original Naked palette, but as I’m consciously trying to buy less makeup I haven’t snapped up any of their other palettes, so I was keen to try this more budget-friendly dupe. The range of shades in the Aldi palette are gorgeous, ranging from warm browns, burnt oranges and rose gold tones with the pigmentation being more impressive than I was expecting. The eyeshadows have strong staying power and there’s no need for a primer, but I’ve found this also means the shades don’t blend that easily which has been the only downside for me. These are sold out online but I’ve seen them in store.
To celebrate the new Aladdin movie, MAC released a new Aladdin inspired Princess Jasmine collection and as soon as I saw this lipstick I knew I’d have to add it to my lipstick collection and yes I was also swayed by the Princess Jasmine factor. I received a Harvey Nichols voucher at a yoga event and I decided to treat myself to this lipstick. So although it was free, I would definitely spend my own money on it. On me the shade is quite a purple-pink and different to the shades I already own. I love it! The staying power is incredible and lasts for hours. I went for a pub lunch and the lipstick didn’t budge. The collection is limited addition and I’m not sure if the lipstick is still available online, but have seen them in store.
Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder
If you’re after a luxury powder or you’re as obsessed with makeup as me then you’re going to love this. The powder does give a healthy glow, it’s subtle and doesn’t leave you looking cakey. The Les Beiges line is devoted fully to simple, natural, healthy-looking skin, a step away from the traditional polished and more dramatic Chanel aesthetic. Chanel has also switched up the iconic black lacquer and white monogrammed compact, replacing it with a pale beige embossed with black. This powder has been around for ages, but Chanel have released this special edition packaging and more shades for this summer. There is matching embossing on the powder and whole thing is beautiful. The special edition packaging did catch my eye I have to admit, but so did the fact the powder comes in more shade ranges than previously. This is a hugely positive step for Chanel, which I haven’t usually found to be that inclusive with it colour ranges. There is a still a way to go in my opinion and this powder whilst being more exclusive still only comes in 5 shades. I got this as I’d saved up my Boots points and I wanted to spend them on something luxurious that I wouldn’t normally buy. If you asked me whether you need to have this powder, I would honestly say no. It’s priced at £42 and you don’t need to spend that amount, you can achieve the same glow and finish for much, much less, but I can’t deny it’s a beautiful product.
Boots No. 7 The Full 360 Mascara
I got this mascara when it first came out earlier in the year and while I know some haven’t really rated it highly, it has been a game changer for me. My lashes are full with volume and length but never spidery or clumpy and you can build it up. The brush really works well with my almond shaped eyes which can be tricky sometimes and gives me a perfect, natural looking curl. It’s often on offer or you can use the No. 7 vouchers to make it even better value. A really great drug store mascara.
Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer
I’ve always been a bit divided when it comes to foundation primer. On the one hand I want the finish of my make-up to be on point and long lasting, but on the hand can I be bothered with an extra product and an extra step in my morning routine? This primer from Milk Makeup has had a lot of hype and I was curious to try it after comments on how hydrated it left skin. When I ordered it, the travel sized version wasn’t available, so I would recommend giving that a go to see it’s works for you, before committing to the full priced size. The formula is boosted with aloe water, cherry blossom, hyaluronic acid and B vitamins. This primer makes my skin feel so good! It plumps up and hydrates the skin, providing a great base for foundation and you only need a little amount, so it’ll last ages. My make-up genuinely lasts and looks good all through the day.
What beauty buys have you been loving lately?