Let’s set the scene. You’re in Boots, you’ve gone in for a pack of cotton wool and you’re feeling spendy. You’re at a loose end and you start to browse; you want to rack up some serious dollar on your Advantage Card, but you’re not quite sure where to start. With little help available and a smorgasbord of displays and testers on hand, the drugstore can be quite the jungle at times. So today I’ve put together a little edit of the highlights and best bits that I’d recommend hauling next time you hit up the highstreet for the face, eyes and lips…
FACE: Primer-wise, it’s all about the Rimmel Lasting Finish Primer. It’s hydrating, non-silicone feeling and does what it says on the tin. To put over that I’ve been loving the Max Factor Miracle Match Foundation. It’s bloomin’ fab stuff. There’s a medium coverage finish there, but it’s so light and dewy in finish, making it a great everyday pick. For concealer I’ve been enjoying my new purchase of L’Oreal’s True Match Concealer in Vanilla. It’s blendable and not cakey at all and reminds me a lot of Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Concealer but with just a little less coverage. Then for cheeks I’d recommend the Maybelline Master Sculpt for contour, Soap & Glory’s Solarpowder for bronzer (dur!) and Bourjois’ Cream Blush – all of which have been favourites in my stash for a long while.
EYES: When it comes to primers, I’ve never found anything that trumps my NARS Pro-Prime Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base (comment below if you think you can blow it out of the water on a budget), but for actual colour on the lids I think the Maybelline Colour Tattoos are the best. The shade range is extensive, you just dip your finger in them and wipe ’em on and they’re pretty long-lasting too. The Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajals are nice, but right now I’m into the Max Factor Excess Intensity Eye Liners because they’re just the right balance of smudgeable/stay put (my recommendation would be the brown). For mascaras I love Max Factor too, though that’s a whole different post for another day. Brow-wise the Maybelline Brow Satin in Medium Brown would be my pick. Ignore the sponge-tip end – it’s pants – but the waxy little nib is a fab dupe for the Anastasia Brow Wiz.
LIPS: I feel like here is where the drugstore really excels itself. My formula favourites are just as good, if not better than their high-end counterparts – plus who doesn’t love picking up another lip product? In terms of bold lips, I’m a huge fan of the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvets, with Hot Pepper and Olé Flamingo being my top colour picks, though if traditional bullets are more your thing then the L’Oreal Collection Exclusive Pure Reds collection is a great place to start (I’ve got a real soft spot for Blake’s Red and Julianne’s Red). The Rimmel Lasting Finish Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in 107 is a classic and a really nice shade to pick up at this time of year too. When it comes to nudes though I prefer to whip on a gloss. I LOVE Tanya Burr’s Lip Gloss formula. They pack a punch with pigment and don’t feel tacky at all on the lips, though the Catrice Beautifying Lip Smoothers are a fab texture too and are a pretty spot-on dupe for one of my all-time favourite high-end gloss/balm hybrids…
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