Beauty — Notes on a Wardrobe

Back in the day, I used to write about beauty. The rush I would get when new deliveries would arrive at my desk, often accompanied by extravagant gifts, and always tied up with a generous bow (my ribbon drawer is still full to bursting, all these years later) is etched in my memory. But I have sensitive skin. Acneic and eczema-prone it was often confounding for the experts – the treatment for the former was drying gels, and the latter thick unctures. Instead, the plethora of products at my fingertips were more often than not distributed to grateful guinea pigs in the form of friends, family and colleagues.

There were some products that I grew to love though. Estee Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair Eye Concentrate (£42.50), Le Labo’s Thé Noir 29 Eau de Parfum, (£130), By Terry Crayon Kohl Terrybly By Terry, (£24), anything from the Oribe haircare and styling collection, but especially the Swept Up Volume Powder Spray (£42.50) and don’t get me started on my addiction to a Diptyque candle (£49), especially over the last year.

Having well and truly worked through my stash of favoured beauty products though, I’m now in a position of buying my own. Not only do I want to be confident that they work, my budget is not unlimited. Tapping into my beauty editor pals’ knowledge and some of the classics I’ve used for years, I wanted to share my top 10 products under £15*. After all, the joy that comes from discovering a gem of a beauty product I can afford is immense.

*See number 10.

Screenshot 2021-03-29 at 13.29.03.png — THE BLUSH

Cloud Paint, £15, Glossier, glossier.com

In styling consultations, I press my clients to think of texture as well as colour. Sequins, silks, leather – anything with a sheen – next to our face, are going to be more flattering than truly matt textures that absorb the light rather than reflect it. The same can be said of make-up. As we age creamy formulas, or those with a sheen – and that needn’t mean glitter – are vastly more flattering on our skin. Glossier’s Cloud Paint is ideal for adding lift to a face. Start at the apple of your cheeks and blend the stain out over the cheekbone to really add life.

THE FACIAL CLEANSER

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser, £9.50, lookfantastic.com

CeraVe is an American brand that flew off the shelves when it finally arrived in the UK in 2018. It has skincare at its heart and is beloved of all the best beauty editors - Sali Hughes and Caroline Hirons included – and choosing just one of their products to recommend is tricky. I’m currently using their Eye Repair Cream (£12), SA Smoothing Cream (£12) (great for that chicken skin on my thighs) and their Foaming Cleanser. The cleanser gives a good lather and a thorough clean – great for my acneic skin – without irritating my eczema. That being said, this is no milky cleanser. If you’re looking for a gentler product, try their Hydrating Cleanser.

THE BODY LOTION

Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturising Lotion, 500ml, £11.99, lookfantastic.com

I discovered Aveeno years ago on a visit to Duane Reade in Texas (I love a foreign pharmacy. The array of products that solve problems I never knew I had is mesmerising.). Their Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturising Lotion is my absolute must-have. It is so light that it sinks straight into my skin allowing me to get dressed almost immediately afterwards, but still provides relief to my intensely dry skin.

ord037_theordinary_retinol0.2insqualane_1560x1960-9l6yw.jpg — THE ULTIMATE ANTI-AGEING INGREDIENT

The Ordinary Retinol 0.2% in Squalane, £4.20, cultbeauty.co.uk

The Ordinary revolutionised the skincare industry when it launched in 2016. Instead of catchy taglines or confounding descriptions promising the extraordinary, The Ordinary focuses on singular key ingredients. Playing to the fact that beauty customers are increasingly knowledgeable about what goes into their skincare products, The Ordinary don’t complicate their offering. Their products prioritise ‘treatment’ over ‘treat’. Experts hail Retinol as the singular most effective anti-ageing ingredient in any skincare regime. It can cause redness, irritation and sensitivity though. The Ordinary have three strengths of Retinol products: this, the lowest at 0.2%, a 0.5% and a 1%. I recommend starting with the lowest strength, used every second day and build up your tolerance. It’s imperative that you couple it with a high factor SPF for everyday use though.

THE MASCARA

Maybelline Colossal Go Extreme! Volume Mascara in Black, £7.99, lookfantastic.com

Don’t get me wrong, I love a luxe mascara. Especially Dior’s DiorShow Pump ‘N’ Volume Mascara, but at £29, I eke every last drop out of that tube until it’s dry and crusty. And sadly, no matter how expensive a mascara is, they all dry up at the same rate. Yes, you can refrain from pumping the wand unnecessarily (thrusting air into the tube will only expedite the process), but inevitably just using a mascara will dry it out. In turn, I’m much happier buying a (significantly) cheaper one and replacing it twice as often with serious savings. After all, there’s nothing like the slick gloss of a fresh mascara. Maybelline’s Colossal Go Extreme Mascara does what it says on the tin – big, black lashes – gorgeous for opening eyes.

lan001_lanolips_101ointmentmultipurposesuperbalm_1560x1960-t6enx.jpg — THE LIP BALM

Lanolips 101 Ointment, £10.99, cultbeauty.co.uk

I have been through my fair share of lipbalm: Vaseline increases my dependency on moisture rather than curing it; Elizabeth Arden’s 8-Hour Cream is effective, but the fragrance is intense and it’s expensive (I love the hand cream though); and the Original PawPaw Ointment from Australia (my ultimate favourite) isn’t available here. The fragrance-free Lanolips 101 Ointment (always go for the original - who wants an artificial banana perfume plastered right under their nose?) is made from medical grade lanolin that echoes the skin’s natural oils to really heal and nourish. I also use it on my knuckles which are increasingly raw from all that hand sanitiser we’re using.

THE FACE CREAM FOR SENSITIVE SKIN

Avène Tolérance Extrême Cream Moisturiser for Intolerant Skin, £15, lookfantastic.com

Avene is a fantastic brand for sensitive or intolerant skin. Fragrance and paraben free, their products are exceedingly simple – this has just seven ingredients – to really focus on healing the skin, rather than complicating it. This rich moisturiser is great on days when I’m feeling a little more sensitive or my eczema is flaring. It’s not an every day one for me, but good to keep any dryness in check.

Screenshot 2021-03-29 at 14.05.29.png — THE EYELINER

Kiko Milano Ultimate Pen Eyeliner in Black, £6.99, feelunique.com

Kiko Milano is one of those brands that sits well under the radar but is beloved by beauty experts. Liquid eyeliners are worth replacing regularly so that you can get that clean application without the need to stretch the skin causing wrinkles. To that end, you don’t want to be spending too much on anything fancy. This pen eyeliner makes application super simple on the go. I like to blend a brown eyeshadow over the top to soften the line: as the wrinkles around my eye get increasingly deep, I find a solid line is too harsh.

nyxxxx_nyx_csws_contourconcealer_vanilla_2_1560x1960-2mtb2.jpg — THE CONCEALER

NYX Professional Make-up Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Contour Concealer, £8, cultbeauty.co.uk

American brand NYX, is the high street’s answer to MAC. This concealer comes in 24 shades and provides really good coverage. A little goes a long way, so I recommend starting with a light application and then building up where necessary. It can be a bit drying, though, so better on normal to oily skin types.

Screenshot 2021-03-29 at 14.09.06.png — THE OOPS, IT’S NOT UNDER £15 PRODUCT

Trinny London BFF Eye Serum-Concealer, £26, trinnylondon.com

OK. This is not under £15. I can’t not include it, though.

I’ve never gotten on very well with under eye concealer. YSL’s Touche Eclat (£21.60) was too drying on me, and the thick consistency of Laura Mercier’s Secret Camouflage (£30) (a favourite of many make-up artists) dragged on my fragile skin. I loved the Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit (£26) but unless I’m wearing a full face of foundation - which I’m rarely wont to do - I find it can be a little on the heavy side. As I age (eugh), the shadows are darkening and the circles are starting to look like they’ve been drawn on with a stencil: an almost perfect moon under each eye. Whilst foundation remains reserved for special occasions, under eye concealer has become a daily must-have. Trinny London’s BFF Eye Serum Concealer is perfect for combating those dark circles, without gathering in the fine lines that are forming around my eye area. Not just make-up, it’s combined with skincare ingredients in the form of Vitamin C and hyalauronic acid and comes with a handy metal applicator to cools and reduce puffiness. Winner.

If you have any products under £15 that you love, drop them in the comments section below and share the love / intel!

And do check out my updated Lust List with the best of what’s New In this week. I’m updating it every Sunday with a rundown of my favourite pieces, so do check it out.

ADMIN: Everything I’ve included here, I’ve included solely because I really rate it. I may though, if you purchase some of the products mentioned, earn a small commission from that sale.

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