I was really reluctant to write this post. I’m a student, I’m broke, and I don’t really want to advocate ‘spending all the money on makeup’ – however the vast majority of these bits were gifts, or bought using loyalty points. The main point, though, is that all of these are used, and used pretty regularly. I don’t see the point in ‘leaving makeup for best’ (I would never use it if I did!), so I tend to use a mix of high-end and drugstore bits whenever I wear makeup. And despite their high prices, I would repurchase every one of the products in this post…
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette
Ah, so predictable! By far the most expensive piece of makeup I own (full review here), but by far the one used most often. It’s quite rare that I head out without a light dusting of this, and it’s also an essential for during-the-day top ups. It adds the perfect amount of coverage and glow, without being glittery or cakey. It sets foundation, adds a subtle highlight. My only complaint is the darkest shade is slightly too warm-toned for me, but making sure I use a light-hand fixes that. I’m so surprised I’ve not yet got near to hitting pan!
Nars Douceur
The only one I can’t repurchase, I managed to get hold of this lusted-after blush just as it was discontinued. The perfect blend between rosy and brown, this adds a really natural looking flush and contour. It blends beautifully, lasts all day and is the perfect tone for my skin.
Real Techniques Bold Metals Tapered Blush Brush
And to go with the blush, what else other than my favorite ever brush?! The Bold Metals collection didn’t initially tempt me, the reviews aren’t great, but every brush I have (which is a fair few of them!) I’ve loved. This one is by far and away my favourite, it makes blending anything effortless, never sheds, stays in shape and is oh-so instagrammable. I keep one for blushes and one for foundation blending.
Naked 2 Palette
It can’t be a high-end round up without a Naked palette, and the one I’ve gone for is Naked 2. I do love Naked 3, it being the first (and only!) bit of makeup W bought me, but I doubt I’d repurchase simply because I don’t use it quite often enough. Naked 2, however, almost wins the award for most-used palette. The combination of nude matte shades with slightly bolder, slightly shimmery shades is a winner, and combined with the buttery texture makes this palette a firm favorite – and for good reason!
Charlotte Tilbury Sophisticate Palette
Now this is my all-time favorite palette. From the beautiful rose-gold packaging to the perfect shade selection, this quad is always in my makeup bag. The finish is somewhere between matte and satin, making them perfect for a natural look, they blend seamlessly and are the only shadows not to fade or crease throughout the day. To make my point: I recently had a busy day which involved getting ready at 5:30am. I adulted all day, rushed across Zurich, caught a flight, spent 3 hours on the UK rail network and still had to spend time removing this stuff just before midnight…If you want to spend all your pennies on just one eyeshadow palette, I’d go with this one. Vintage Vamp is next on my list…
MAC Lipsticks
My lipstick of choice, I very rarely wear non-MAC lipsticks these days (I find quite a few other brands now irritate my lips?!). I wouldn’t say MAC are the highest quality I’ve ever used, but what I have found is the shade selection is miles better than anywhere else, particularly for warm-tones. The majority of my shades are the slightly less-popular ones, with my all-time favourites being Creme In Your Coffee and Diva.
Are you are high-end makeup fan, or more of a budget girl? I like to think I’m a mix of both – I’ll be posting my drugstore favourites very soon!