For smoky eyes without the hassle, beauty addicts can’t beat Benefit’s long-running BADgal eye liner. The consistency is fabulously powdery, making it easy to smudge, blend and line for a sultry, made-up look.
The best thing about Bobbi Brown’s products is that, without fail, they really do work. This cream formula is one of the best around – for shades and texture – and can be built up with a foundation sponge until you get the desired result.
Although the price tag of this Nars product might be enough to put you off initially, chances are you won’t be able to live without it once you’ve seen how useful they can be. The cream to powder ‘Multiple’ can be used on eyes, cheeks, lips or anywhere else you can think of for highlighting and a wash of translucent colour.
We like to think of Chanel’s Automatic Eyeliner as liner for dummies, if you will, and that includes us. Unless you’ve been blessed with a make-up artist-style steady hand, you’ve probably experienced the frustration of trying to get that perfect line. This pen makes it a squillion times easier – no messy blobs or mistakes, it’s just like drawing it on with a felt tip.
If there’s one name synonymous with concealer, it’s got to be Touche Eclat. Yves Saint Laurent’s top-selling beauty must have has become almost as famous as the brand itself over the years, although it’s not hard to see why. Just click the base of the pen and special light reflecting pigments instantly disguise baggy, dark circles and spots like magic.
When Dior came up with their Diorshow mascara a few years back, we thought we’d officially found the best mascara in the world. Fast forward to 2008, and although the brand have since launched a new curling version of our old favourite, we’re still dedicated followers of the original. One sweep and your peepers are transformed to the kind of doe-eyes you’ve been dreaming of – or you can build up the product for a dramatic ‘straight from the catwalk’ look.
Every girl should have at least one all-purpose eye shadow that can go from day to night and back again. Our hardworking best friend is Urban Decay’s Midnight Cowboy Rides Again shade; a glittery pale gold that is even better with a tan.
Foundation is such a personal thing, it’s hard to pick one out that can be all things to all (wo)men. Clinique’s Perfectly Real make-up sits between a foundation and a powder compact, with a silky matte finish that soaks up oil and – unlike most powders – provides a light coverage on the face.
We’re suckers for a bit of science here in the Style office, so it’s no surprise that we’ve been won over by Soap & Glory’s newest addition to the (dare we say it, almost saturated) lip gloss market. The ironically monickered ‘Mother Pucker’ gloss is filled with tiny microspheres that expand when they come into contact with the moisture on your lips – giving you a tingly sensation and giving your pout some much needed oomph.
For those amongst us who aren’t naturally blessed with rosebud lips (and can’t be bothered with the constant hassle of lipstick re-application), tinted stains are a godsend. This particular lip stain from Revlon comes with a super-useful rollerball to guard against annoying spillages – and is scented with real fruit extracts too.