I have to admit my passion for skincare and makeup (foundation and powders especially) dates back to my 25th birthday. I always sort of liked it but my first official grown-up cream was from – it does not exist anymore but it was conceived as skincare to counteract the first signs of aging. From then, it was a learning curve – while I don’t obsess over makeup I do like it and still know exactly what works and what doesn’t for my look… result! My favourites products are mostly the same all the time, yet I do have some new entries from time to time which I’m eager to share with you. Below you’ll see a list of my 20 products of now – covering hair, skincare, perfume, suncare, lips and nails.
I’m still trialling some, others (marked *) are a staple of mine.
1 – Foundation in 100, by Rihanna Fenty Beauty – Regrettably, possessed by the eagerness of preordering, I guesstimated the shade for me and failed. 100 is way too light and I probably would need two tones up. Shame that it’s sold out everywhere so I’ll have to wait before I can properly be matched. What I can say though is the foundation is very quick to dry so accurate application is everything. Coverage is appropriate even though not as full as initially expected or advertised – at least in this shade but I cannot really say before trying out my real shade. This one gets slightly streaky and reapplying on certain areas highlights the pores by mildly clogging them. But I dig the matte effect and the texture. I will keep you posted!
2 – Victoria Beckham x Estee Lauder lipstick in Victoria* – You may know I’m slightly allergic to lipsticks. Not allergic as in ‘oh-my-god-take-me-to-A&E-now’ allergic but enough to immediately feel uncomfortable (even though not itchy) with overly matte, overly pigmented lippies. This forces me to remove the colour and stick to glosses until the dryness is gone. My search for the non-harmful lipstick is never over but over time I’ve settled for some brand who are safer. The allowed ones are: Burberry, Tom Ford, Louboutin, Victoria Beckham, Armani and all the glosses. This collaboration with Estee Lauder is nice and classy and the nudes are the best I’ve tried on so far.
3 – Rodial Dragon’s Blood Mask – This is a surprising product. You can either apply and wash off or leave to sink in. Ideal when you’re in a rush and don’t have time to remove the mask, it allows deep hydration – at least, this is what I feel when I use it – therefore, so far so good.
4 – Dynaspot by Eve Lom* – Eve Lom has a fantastic range that not many outside the UK know of. My favourite two products are the Kiss Mix – one of the few lip balms that really works on me – and Dynaspot, a cute little tube for blemishes that you can leave on even under makeup, helping your redness to go unnoticed underneath the foundation. Super staple of mine for years now.
5 – Gabrielle Chanel perfume* – New entry but already a beloved fragrance, this new perfume from Chanel (the first in 15 years, read it all on my blog on #espacegabriellechanel) is versatile and sweet without being overpowering. Needless to say the 50ml bottle is cute AND practical. Wicked.
6 – Rodin lip balm – Lip balms pose the same threat as lipstick most of the time – and from a balm you really don’t want dryness, do you? Too early to say, but this promises. And the glass-like packaging is a total eye pleaser.
7 – Dior Bronze SPF 30 by Dior – Yes, I do wear SPF all year round because hey, pollution and radiations and pigmentation. This one smells divine and it’s light and easy to sink in while giving a glow. Highly recommended and portable.
8 – LaNeige lip mask – This is one of my Asian finds. Airport and in-flight duty free shopping is an addiction and this little pot had to be mine. With its creamy texture as a mask, it can be used overnight or just as a lip balm (my option). And it’s pink.
9 – Louboutin nail polish in Very Privé* – Louboutin never fails me. From shoes to makeup, Christian is the master of everything. This polish range has lovely reds and nudes, and this is a cherry dark red that comes with an iconic spiky bottle and a large brush to please even the most demanding manicurists – I asked!
10 – Le Lift Masque de nuit – I’ve used this product only once as it just came out but I have to say that leaving it on overnight was amazing. In the morning, the layer was entirely absorbed and my skin felt amazingly smooth. Recommended one-to-two times a week as it’s antiwrinkle. 3.5-DA*, the anti-aging active ingredient is said to provide targeted action on the skin’s loss of firmness. It has silk proteins to moisturise the skin all night long and leave it softer and re-plumped. Sounds about legit for me.
11 – KKWBeauty contouring kit in Light* – I’ve been using contouring powder kits for a year now – and I have to say it’s true what they say: it’s all about practice. When you get the hang of it and if you like the matte finish, powders are very nice and pleasant to use. A huge fan of the best by far for me, by Anastasia BH, this KKW quad is actually a close competitor. With only 4 shades vs. the 6 in the ABH’s one, the dark contour colour is otherwise perfect for me – and the brush is surprisingly soft and angled to perfection. It comes in three shades – Light, Medium and Dark. Bravo, Kim.
12 – Erasing pen by Cheeky* – The girls at Cowshed Carnaby, my favourite manicure place, gifted me this super handy pen to remove stains after applying polish. Very helpful – and it comes with 3 extra cartridges.
13 – Hydra Life pores away pink clay mask, by Dior – This mask is one of 3 in the range of new Hydralife masks from Dior, each one targeting a different concern. I chose the pore minimising clay mask and I’m happy so far. This is classic style product that needs washing off after about 10 minutes – or when your skin starts crinkling as a mummy (!). Silky and smooth effect, for at least temporarily minimised pores.
14 – Gisou Hair oil* – I adore Negin (@negin_mirsalehi), Dutch blogger star of IG because she really is genuine, a beauty and has scandalous hair. While the smell and the product values are divine (as the packaging it came in, with a leaflet and a spot-on design and identity) the pump in this bottle is not so practical. Little product comes up and it gets very around the neck of the glass. Having said that, you don’t need much more than a nut-sized quantity as it’s very rich and if your hair is combination, you don’t want to grease it up. Also: a travel size would be super appreciated, Negin!
15 – Marc Jacobs (Under)Cover Coconut Primer – I’ve only used this once so it’s early to say, but as I’m always on the look for a primer that works for me, this is promising. Not too greasy, not too perfumed and comes in a super cute oval bottle. Marc Jacobs is overdoing himself with this beauty line – I am a big fan of everything I’ve tried, especially the eye palettes.
16 – Micellar water by Dior – They say wet wipes are not good for you as they strip the layers too strongly while removing makeup. That’s why at home I try to stick to cotton pads and water-based tonics. I heard good things about this micellar water by Dior – also for eyes – but it may be a bit drying for me. Will keep you posted.
17 – Invisimatte blotting powder, by Rihanna Fenty Beauty – This packaging is so nice and compact I cannot wait to carry it around in my bag. The sponge is very cute but the powder is very thick and it’s not easy to lift; I recommend a brush. Yet, as for the result, the matifying effect is almost immediate so I look forward to tell you how long the effect lasts in the T-zone area.
18 – Killawatt freestyle highlighter duo, by Rihanna Fenty Beauty – This one is still untouched, will report soon!
19 – Sensai liquid eyeliner – I don’t like changing mascaras so often as my Shu Uemura Tokyo Lash is simply the best (SH was pulled out of the UK so I have to stock up in Paris) but I was convinced to try this one and I gave it a go. It’s easy to remove under warm water but don’t try with anything else as it’s impossible! Nice definition, but works best on long lashes.
20 – Airflash foundation by Dior – This was quite a spur of the moment. I thought it would be nice to use this on my legs over the summer and eventually got carried away and did use it on my face. Lovely shade (mine is 200), surprisingly nice coverage for a spray and decent longevity. Only thing: this aerosol bottle is a bit bulky and messy – make sure you don’t spread it all over your bathroom!
