Best of 2017

I haven't been inspired to do a yearly favourites in a couple of years, but felt motivated to put together something this year. Maybe because it dawned on me I've now been blogging for 6 years (craaaayyy, even with the significant drop in posts from 2016), maybe after reducing my exposure to a relentless reel of influencers' monthly favourites, hearing about what people have been enjoying and reaching for is genuinely interesting again, maybe because at the end of the day, I still just really like makeup, skin care, candles, fragrances, the whole shebang. I had a look through my blog posts, Instagram, and stuff lying around at home, and picked up the following 11 products as my standouts of 2017.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Abu Dhabi
Might as well say it. This is my favourite lip colour. The shade is perfection to me for a natural, beautifying, effortless pout. I even bought a backup because when you've found the one, you don't ever want to be without.

Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lipcolor in Seduction
A close second to Abu Dhabi, Seduction is a touch pinker and darker. Very similar texture, application and feel on the lips, which is to say it's soft, velvety, and gives the polish and relative longevity of a matte without sucking all the moisture from the lips. Full review here.

Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer in Bronzer
Haven't stopped using this since it came into my life. I went from skipping/total disinterest in bronzer for at least half a year (only using blush or a bronzer/blush hybrid like NARS Madly or Max Factor Creme Puff Blush in Nude Mauve) to using this with my Charlotte Tilbury Powder & Sculpt brush daily. It's so smooth, virtually blends itself, the shade isn't too dark so it's tricky to work with but pigmented enough that definition is easy to achieve. The colour is just the right mix of warmth for that summery, healthy glow and shadow for a believable contour.

Clinique Cheek Pop in Nude Pop
Just the perfect, everyday, neutral peachy-nude blush. The cheek equivalent of NYX Abu Dhabi. Goes with everything, instantly lifts a dull, tired complexion and makes you look fresh and alive. Creamy, non-powdery, satin texture that looks lit-from-within. Works a treat with the Morphe E4 patted up and down the cheekbones and onto the apples of the cheeks.

Nudestix Magnetic Eye Color in Night
This is one of those somewhat boring, unsexy products that I use all the time and haven't encountered a better version of. A fat, jet black, matte crayon like this is a great tool for monolids since it can draw a thick line quickly. I first do a winged liner with a fine, felt tip/brush eyeliner like Maybelline HyperSharp Wing Liquid Liner, then use this when I want to thicken and even out the shape my eyeliner from the inner corner to the beginning of the wing, giving the appearance of more rounded, larger eyes. The staying power is absolutely phenomenal. On the couple of times I've been naughty and slept in my makeup, pretty much everything is gone the morning after but this.

Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow/Liner in My Two Cents
I've been eyeing Charlotte Tilbury Eyes To Mesmerise in Bette for forever, but why would I spend $44 (not even including shipping) on it when I have My Two Cents? This is the perfect shimmering goldy-bronze on light-to-medium skin tones. On days I wear contacts, this is my go-to cream shadow paired with Rimmel ScandalEyes Shadow Stick in Bad Girl Bronze. I even picked this My Two Cents/Bad Girl Bronze combo for my eye makeup to an interstate wedding. Never fails.

l-r: NYX Abu Dhabi, Revlon Seduction, Clinique Nude Pop, Benefit My Two Cents, Physicians Formula Bronzer, Nudestix Night

Laura Mercier Fall in Love Illuminator Collection
I've been meaning to do a review of this for ages, but since it was limited edition from late last year, I felt there was kind of no point. I thank my lucky stars every time I use this that I took the plunge and purchased it, because usually I shy away from expensive items. This houses 4 of their highlighters in the shades Indiscretion (rose gold), Addiction (more conventional yellow gold), Devotion (an icy purplish shade) and Seduction (bronze). I usually go for Indiscretion or Devotion, as Addiction is a bit boring to me (still beautiful though) and Seduction is way too dark for a highlighter (great for eyeshadow/workable as shimmery bronzer). They are a drier, more gelée type formula (what I recall/imagine ABH So Hollywood to be like), and don't emphasise skin texture or pores. They don't go on extremely blinding at first instance, so can be built up to desired intensity. Best of all, I really do like that there's a bit of glitter in the mix. I just think it makes the shades that touch more interesting and eye-catching.

l-r: Indiscretion, Addiction, Devotion, Seduction

Tarte Tartelette in Bloom
At the beginning of the year, I was debating between Tartelette in Bloom and Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance. The latter was sold out, so deciding which to buy came down to the one that wasn't out of stock. I ended up buying Modern Renaissance at the tail end of the year thinking I *needed* it, and now I can definitively say I prefer Tartelette in Bloom. Why? Simply, the colours. In the mornings when I'm doing my makeup for work, I don't really gravitate toward bright/dark pinks, reds and vibrant oranges. The rest of Modern Renaissance is also cool-toned (read: muddy and dull on my lids). But almost every shade in Tartelette in Bloom is flattering, office-friendly and foolproof. It's a complete palette with smooth, pigmented shadows that are a breeze to blend. Full review here.

Too Faced Hangover Primer
A fairly recent find given I only bought this in September, but I think I've finally found the primer for me. I don't think it does much in terms of oil control or improving longevity of your base, but it does create a more moisturised, plump, soothed canvas for your foundation to go on. On good skin days, coupled with this primer, my skin looks positively glowing and baby smooth. The coconut scent is delish, it's a pleasure to use and feels like a treat on the skin.

Crabtree & Evelyn Spiced Earl Grey Hand Therapy
Truly one of my favourite discoveries of 2017. The travel size lives in my makeup bag. I loved the tester so much in the shop I also bought the 100ml, but gifted that my mother. I'll have to resort to eBay to replenish my stock since this was sadly limited edition from last Christmas. I wish they would bottle the scent in a perfume. The smell is exactly as the name suggests. I didn't think earl grey in a hand cream could be done this right, but I'm happy to be proven wrong.

Gucci Bloom EDP
My current scent obsession. I can't even remember the last time I purchased a 100ml bottle of perfume (from a department store at that, not even Priceline/Chemist Warehouse/online), but it's a testament to how much I lurrrvee it. I also have the body lotion and rollerball, so I can live out my dreams and douse myself in the stuff. It's a somewhat old fashioned white floral that's been reimagined in a modern way. I like that it's not too dry or green on my skin, with a certain sweetness and creaminess that's been missing in other white florals I own (Estee Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia, Kai perfume oil). The dreamy ad campaign with Dakota Johnson, the millennial pink bottle, I'm a sucker for it all.

Budget to Luxe: Contouring

I recently saw a video where someone contoured their nose and cheekbones with Milani Shadow Eyez Eyeshadow Pencil in Brown Deluxe, using the remnant product left on their finger after first blending the cream shadow onto their eyelids. After seeing that, it occurred to me that so long as you find what works for you — anything can be used to contour. (Of course, having an enviable underlying bone structure doesn't hurt.) Still, for the rest of us that might not be so resourceful or genetically blessed, a dedicated contouring product (cream or powder) usually does the trick. I've rummaged through my collection and dug out four products I've bought, from cheap and cheerful to hideously expensive, in my quest to cheat some dimension and shape to my plump, flat face.

NYX Blush in Taupe
One of the very first contouring powders I'd heard about back in the day. Taupe was famed and coveted due to its reputation as a "drugstore" product that was distinctly cool-toned and grey, in contrast to the usual warmer, orangey bronzers out there. I bought it for $10 from a trade-only event over 3 years ago when NYX wasn't yet stocked at Target in Australia. Since then, I've only reached for it maybe 5 times? It's just too grey and too cool-toned for me. It might be a winner on paler skin tones (I imagine being in possession of actual cheekbones also goes a long way in liking/using the product), but it's never appeared effective or natural on me. It has a unique pinkish undertone when swatched, but it veers dangerously close to muddy and ashy on my skin. It looks more like I'm applying a dark grey eyeshadow to my face than anything else. Probably desirable if you're looking for a noticeable effect in photos, but otherwise a little jarring and odd in "real life".

Maybelline Master Sculpt Contour Palette in Medium/Dark
My favourite of the bunch, and the cheapest one to boot (I bought it on sale for $9.97). Like I said in my original review, it reminds me of a slightly more ashy Benefit Hoola. I wasn't expecting anything from a more affordable contouring powder, but was pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up liking it. It's more of a darker matte brown (mimicking the colour of a tan) than an artificial shadow painted in grey. It doesn't look murky or bruised on my face, but defining and natural. It's easy to blend but hard to overdo while still remaining nicely pigmented.

Illasmaqua Cream Pigment in Hollow
I'd seen the Pixiwoo girls use this a few times in their earlier videos, so while in a contouring craze a few months ago, I purchased it from Myer for just under $30. I was curious about how a cream contour would perform compared with a powder, and Hollow seemed to enjoy near cult status. I really had high expectations and wanted to love it, but the colour let me down. Firstly, it's a bit too light to be truly effective at sculpting my face. Secondly, it applies like a subtle, putty/concrete grey on me, almost like a shadowy, milky mink, which both clashes with and disappears into my yellow-toned skin. It does blend effortlessly and isn't too opaque so it can be gradually built up with the fingers, but I need something darker and more brown.

Kevyn Aucoin The Sculpting Powder in Medium
I held off buying this for ages because the price tag made me uncomfortable. But seeing it used in this Lisa Eldridge video was the final straw. (It also popped up in a few of Tanya Burr's videos and always looked utterly transformative on her.) I couldn't wait to slap some of this on myself, hopeful it'd work the same miracles on me. Sadly, as is a recurring theme in this post, the colour wasn't right. This time, while it's not overly grey (it's definitely more brown), it's too dark and cool-toned for my liking. If you put too little on, there isn't much of an effect, but if you put enough that you can see it doing something, it looks unattractively muddy and dirty. Maybe my technique and placement isn't right, or maybe the bark brown just doesn't mesh with my skin tone. Either way, this was an expensive fail.

l-r: Illamasqua Hollow, NYX Taupe, Maybelline Contour (Medium/Dark), Kevyn Aucoin Medium

l-r: Illamasqua Hollow, NYX Taupe, Maybelline Contour (Medium/Dark), Kevyn Aucoin Medium

After my experience with various contour powders/creams from every point of the price spectrum, I've concluded the best out there for me is a tie between two bronzers: Benefit Hoola and the Sculpt shade in Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow. Warmer medium brown shades work better for me than cool grey or taupes. Oh, and the tools you use are equally, if not more important. My picks: Charlotte Tilbury Powder & Sculpt or Models Prefer Mystique Blush Brush. Both made of soft natural hairs, they pick up pigment well and make the task of placement and blending easy.

Shop My Stash #3

Whenever I reach a point of makeup saturation, I'm always encouraged to have a good rummage through my storage in an attempt to bring back to my attention products I've neglected or have long forgotten about. There's nothing quite like methodically working your way through the contents of each drawer (yes, including those decade-old eyeshadows, barely used palettes and that random blush from ALDI) to confront the reality of one's addiction and excesses. At the same time, I often rediscover items that deserve either a second chance, or the opportunity to shine and be loved once more. Here, I've pulled out seven things I hope to reignite my enthusiasm about and use more frequently in the coming weeks.

Benefit Ultra Plush Lip Gloss in Dallas
Out of the whole High Flyin' Glosses set, I remember Dallas surprised me the most. Named after the plummy-leaning blush, I didn't think the colour in the tube was anything inspiring. On the lips however, it's a different story. Firstly, there's no sparkle or shimmer, so it's more a tinted lip cream with a thin, glide-on consistency. The shade is a medium rosy nude with just the right mix of red and brown to remain flattering and sophisticated, rather than dated and mature-looking. The sheerness and the soft sheen that it leaves also make it super easy to throw on casually and reapply.

NYX Eye/Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown (903)
I originally bought this thinking it would be an excellent eyebrow pencil. And it very well could be, except I rarely ever fill in my brows. Hence this pencil is almost in a brand new condition despite purchasing it probably a couple of years ago. It seems like such a waste of a perfectly good product, so I've decided to give its other function a whirl and use it to define my lower lash line. It's a bit warmer than my usual brown/taupe picks and slightly red-toned on me, but it'll do the job just fine.

Bourjois Blush in Rose Coup de Foudre (16)
In retrospect, I probably could have stopped at 2-3 of these round pot blushes from Bourjois when I saw them on sale at Target, rather than madly grabbing 5. I find some of them to be virtually indistinguishable from each other when blended onto the cheek. Having said that, I remember getting home after hauling them, trying on each of the shades and feeling Rose Coup de Foudre was the definite standout. I loved the glow that it gave me and how I suddenly looked fresher, healthier, more radiant. Annoyingly, these blushes do seal and I have to comb the surface with a toothpick to release any pigment. I've effectively scratched off the top layer in anticipation of some proper wear very soon.

Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré
This French moisturiser has such a cult reputation that I was compelled to fork out $28 for a 75ml tube from Scotty's Makeup at the Spa & Beauty Expo. I found myself preferring to use it as a primer rather than moisturiser, or layering it over other moisturisers in winter, but I ended up abandoning it after a while mostly due to concerns about its mineral oil content. After experimenting with more "natural" products and not being entirely convinced about their superiority, I'm now a lot less bothered by mineral oil in my skin care. I want to give this moisturiser another go, if only to finish the tube since it's fairly old. Plus, the allure of a product purportedly used by models, makeup artists and celebrities can't be denied.

Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF 15 in Real Sand
My sole glaring issue with this mineral powder is the shade. Too light for me. Which might not even be that big of an issue for a liquid foundation, but a powder one? That's tricky. I'm determined to make this work though, because it's too good of a product to rarely ever use. Perhaps a light dusting of this all over using a soft stippling brush (Ecotools by Alicia Silverstone Finishing Brush comes to mind) as a final perfecting powder.

Rimmel Match Perfection Cream Gel Foundation in Soft Beige (200)
I know this is a favourite of Emma's and I can see why. If your skin is cooperating, this provides good coverage, blends easily, feels lightweight and cooling on the skin, sets quickly and dries to an almost matte finish. My main problems with it are the colour match (Soft Beige is a touch too dark for me), the fiddly jar it's contained in (I have to scoop out the product each time with fingers which seems unsanitary, even if they've been freshly washed) and the mostly matte, drier finish which at times looks quite flat on the skin. I also had a particularly bad skin reaction after using this foundation not long after I first bought it which put me off using it again. I did recently give it another go and felt it was a solid performing base. It does have better coverage than most of my other everyday foundations which are sheerer, dewier and more liquid in consistency, so I might also try spot concealing with it using a small brush like the Real Techniques Accent Brush.

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Birthday Suit
Ahhh, Birthday Suit. I wanted to love you bad. But it just didn't work out the way I hoped. I'm not ready to give up entirely though. Maybe I can find a way to accept you for who you are and work with it. In a nutshell, Birthday Suit is a light chrome base with gold shimmer. Honestly, not the best on sallow, yellow-toned complexions, especially those with an olive tinge. While it might not be my dream eyeshadow, I think it works well for quick, casual and fuss-free makeup, like on weekend coffee dates with friends. Something similar in function to my beloved Essence Eye Soufflé in Pas des Copper, which I rarely wear on weekdays while I'm at the office, but I frequently reach for at all other times (weekends, days off, holidays) for the speediest one-wash look that adds sparkle and definition without ever going overboard.

Cream of the Crop

Along with matte eyeshadows, my other obsession lately has been cream blushes. This isn't anything new, in that cream anything (eyeshadows, blushes, highlighters) have always appealed to me, but the other night I suddenly felt like I absolutely needed one of those Stila Convertible Colours. In a feeble attempt to resist the urge to buy, I pulled out and swatched all the cream blushes and multipurpose products I had, trying to convince myself that I could do without Gerbera or Lillium.

It's no secret that I'm partial to pinks and peaches and any combination of the two, but I was a little surprised at the overall lack of colour variation in my collection and how similar a couple of the shades were (namely Australis Crème Colour in Flirtatious Pink and Bloom Sheer Colour Cream in Coy). Just goes to show that when it comes to cosmetic purchases, most of the time we're drawn to the same things over and over again.

My favourite is NYX Rouge Cream Blush in Natural (CB02). I bought this from a stall at the Chinatown night markets in the middle of last year. It's a medium, warm pink with a creamy, strongly pigmented formulation that's neither too thick nor greasy and slippery. Because of its excellent colour payoff, you only need a very small amount to blend onto the cheeks. I like to use this with my fingers, an Ecotools Baby Kabuki (for a more airbrushed flush) or a Real Techniques Expert Face Brush for slightly more precision.

I also really love Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Zygomatic, an impulse buy that I haven't regretted. It's thinner in consistency and more emollient than the NYX, which makes it easier to blend with the fingers, however it's also less pigmented. It's the most muted and neutral of the blushes I have, and the one I reach for when I want a more nude, dusty pink colour to the cheeks and to add soft definition to my non-existent cheekbones.

On the other side of the spectrum, I have the most vibrant cream blush in my collection, a bright orange from the Revlon Multi-Use Palette. This one distinguishes itself from the other five in that the colour isn't dusty, pastel or otherwise muted. It actually goes on relatively sheer but with 2-3 layers, provides more of an enlivening, summery pep to the cheeks close to Benefit Cha Cha Tint. It's much drier in texture and almost matte. However, it comes in such a tiny, inaccessible square that I almost never find myself reaching for it.

Bloom Sheer Colour Cream in Coy was on my wishlist for a few months before I finally caved. The pastel peachy pink colour was the main attraction, along with the packaging and lavender scent. This one is closest in texture and pigmentation to the NYX Rouge Cream Blush, if a tad drier. On my cheeks, I've always found the colour to be too strong and not that flattering with my skin tone, so I kind of gave up on it. Coy fares better on my lips as a warm, nude-leaning pink.

Australis Crème Colour in Flirtatious Pink was the first cream blush I ever purchased over a year ago. While swatching my blushes, I didn't anticipate it would look almost identical to Coy, as Coy always seemed distinctly more peachy to me. I find Flirtatious Pink to be much more wearable, perhaps because it's a touch more pink and rosy. Funnily enough, it's also scented with lavender like the Bloom and more or less identical in shape and size. It's a little bit drier than the Sheer Colour Cream but about the same pigmentation.

I bought Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blush in Pinched (100) from Rite Aid on my New York holiday as I wasn't prepared to spend $26.95 on it in Australia. The other two colours (a bright coral and fuchsia) seemed a bit too intimidating for everyday wear, so I opted for the safe choice — a light peach with fine gold shimmer. The texture with this one was more air-whipped/mousse-like than the thicker, creamier, emollient formulations of the other cream blushes I have. It required several layers to be built up to decent pigmentation, but the major problem with Pinched is that the staying power is close to zero. There's almost no point in wearing it unless you only want it to show up for 2 hours, so in that respect it was a major disappointment.

In sunlight

l-r: Revlon Pinched, Illamasqua Zygomatic, Australis Flirtatious Pink, NYX Natural, Bloom Coy, Revlon Multi-Use Palette

In a way, I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with cream blushes. As much as I gravitate towards them for being easier to blend and apply with the fingers, and for a more natural flush that sinks into your skin and gives a touch of dewiness, they can end up being trickier to work with than powder blushes or cheek stains. A good brush goes a long way in diffusing product seamlessly and naturally. I also find that generally, creams don't last as long on the skin as powders. Depending on the texture, it can be difficult to get just the right amount, perfectly blended without any patchiness, and for that reason I often skip cream blush for powder. However, there's something more modern, seemingly effortless and versatile about creams that will always keep me returning to them with renewed interest.

Cool As Taupe

I've been eyeing Max Factor Earth Spirits eyeshadow in Burnt Bark (107) for possibly over a year, but it took Priceline's current Max Factor sale to finally convince me to add it to my collection. The main fascination with Burnt Bark was this post favourably comparing it to a number of taupe eyeshadows, including MAC Satin Taupe. I have no idea whether my refusal to spend $15 on Satin Taupe while in the US last year was a remarkable act of uncharacteristic restraint and sanity, or whether I was ultimately stupid to have resisted it, finding myself still interested in barely cheaper dupes when I could've bought the real thing and have been done with it. This happens a lot (see NARS Orgasm, Urban Decay Naked2).

Burnt Bark is a cool, mushroomy brown with a a touch of purple and grey which gives it a slightly murky quality. It needs about 2-3 layers to be built up to very good pigmentation. It has a soft satin finish with only a hint of frostiness. It's probably a little bit too dark as an all-over lid colour for everyday wear, but can be applied more sheer and blended out around the edges. I had a look at similar shades I had and found three that were all fairly close, but not identical.

l-r: Max Factor Burnt Bark, L'Oréal Bronzed Taupe, NYX Iced Mocha, Savvy by DB Iced Coffee

In direct sunlight

L'Oréal Infallible eyeshadow in Bronzed Taupe (890) is vibrantly metallic, buttery and smooth. Amazing quality eyeshadow — it's a total mystery why this shade isn't available in Australia as I'm sure it'd be popular. Lighter than Burnt Bark and not as grey or purple. More a traditional bronze, but distinctly cool-toned and with a tinge of grey.

NYX Iced Mocha is the lightest of the three, though still taupey and greyish. Revisiting it today after months of neglect, I found it incredibly powdery and relatively weak in pigmentation unless built up in intensity, which was surprising. It's closest to Bronzed Taupe but a bit warmer and a fraction more yellow, not as dark or shimmery.

Savvy by DB in Iced Coffee is more of a chocolate brown with slightly more red than the rest. Like most baked eyeshadows, it's not the best in terms of pigmentation or lasting power. Compared to the other three, it looks flat, fades easily and has a thin, soft texture.

Burnt Bark is my pick over NYX Iced Mocha and Savvy by DB Iced Coffee, though I feel that L'Oréal Bronzed Taupe stands in a league of its own. However, Bronzed Taupe is insanely shimmery and doesn't have as much complexity in its colour as Burnt Bark, with its mix of brown, purple and grey.

Glitter and Hype

I attended the Spa & Beauty Expo as a guest of my friend and took advantage of the trade-only event as best as I could (i.e. spent way too much money). I bought 3 OPIs (Dulce De Leche, Pirouette My Whistle, Nothin' Mousie 'Bout It), 3 Button London nail polishes (Tart With A Heart, No More Waity, Katie, The Black Knight), Orly Rage, Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentrè, Make Up For Ever HD Invisible Cover Foundation (#118) and NYX blush in Taupe. A few of these products are much hyped but difficult to get a hold of (the foundation and Embryolisse in particular), so though they were much more than what I'd usually spend, I willingly handed my credit card over like the chump I am.

l-r: NYX blush in Taupe, Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentrè, MUFE HD Foundation in 118

I have on my thumbnail OPI Nothin' Mousie 'Bout It (over Ulta3 Brandy Wine), index finger is Button London Tart With A Heart, middle finger is Butter London No More Waity, Katie, fourth finger has on Butter London The Black Knight, and pinky is OPI Pirouette My Whistle over OPI Dulce De Leche.

I'll do individual reviews on some of these products separately, but here are some first impressions. I still think OPI is the best nail polish brand. I couldn't decide on which Butter London shades to get and in retrospect, maybe I shouldn't have selected three glitters. It's difficult to fish out the heart-shaped glitter in Nothin' Mousie 'Bout It, but it's an adorable polish regardless. NYX Taupe thankfully isn't too ashy and clashing on my yellow-toned skin (but whether I can pull off contouring still remains to be seen). The Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentrè seems to owe its popularity more to the fact it acts like a makeup primer, rather than being a superior moisturiser. Even though I think I chose a relatively light shade in the Make Up For Ever HD foundation, for some reason it still seems quite dark and yellow. Coverage also seems to be a little higher than what I normally go for. I'm looking forward to trying it out properly and giving a more detailed review.

June Favourites

I skipped May, but here are my favoured products for June. I haven't included any eyeshadow, foundation or make up brushes, because those have remained fairly constant over the past few months. For my foundation, I've been alternating between Missha M Signature Real Complete BB Cream and Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation (applied with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush). I've been largely uninspired when it comes to eyeshadow, sticking to my usual bronze and taupes, mainly from my Urban Decay Naked palettes or Sleek Storm palette. I'm still loving Essence Pas Des Copper, L'Oréal Infallible eyeshadow in Sahara Treasure and HiP Metallic Shadow Duo in Electrified.

l-r: NYX Rouge Cream Blush in Natural, Bloom Sheer Colour Cream in Coy

Sally Hansen Radiant Hands, Nails & Cuticles Creme
Perfect for dry and brittle nails, I slather this on when my hands need instant and deep hydration. I usually concentrate a generous amount on each nail and rub the cream in. My skin drinks it up, leaving my hands softer and moisturised. Smells like orange Tic Tac.

Avène Thermal Spring Water
If you can get over the fact you're paying for water in a can, a misting of this over your face is soothing, calming and refreshing. Spray it bare-faced, after hair removal, or on top of makeup for a dewy finish or quick pick-me-up during the day.

Maybelline EyeStudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Blackest Black
I neglected this for a while in favour of my Essence gel liner in BBC All Night Brown, or Essence Kajal Pencil in Teddy (with a touch of Savvy by DB Luxury Liner in Brilliant Bronze), but came back to it this month. I lightly dip my Ecotools Angled Eyeliner brush into the pot, only picking up the smallest amount, and apply this to my lower lashline for subtle but effective definition.

Bourjois Volume Fast & Perfect Mascara
I hated this mascara when I first tried it because it clumped like crazy and smeared all over the place. I've found the trick is to apply a first coat without turning on the rotating wand, and then a second coat with it on. It doesn't length or curl as well as Maybelline Define-A-Lash, but it thickens and voluminises well, and is very black, which is always a plus.

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat
I don't know how I painted my nails before this. It's an incredible product. You apply it to the nails when they're about 65% dry and within a few minutes, you can more or less go about your business without worrying about denting, smearing or smudging. It also makes nail polish last longer and imparts a super glossy, smooth finish.

Bloom Sheer Colour Cream in Coy
I bought this during Easter, thinking I'd use it primarily as a blush, but surprisingly I've been liking this more as a lip colour. It's not the most moisturising product, so I do have to use balm before and after, but it gives the kind of pastel peachy pink lip I'm always trying to find in the form of a lipstick.

NYX Rouge Cream Blush in Natural
I only have one NYX cream blush, but if my experience with Natural is anything to go by, I need more. This is very pigmented and soft and creamy in texture. It's easily blendable but not greasy when applied. I usually dot a small amount on my cheeks and then use my Ecotools baby kabuki to blend.