When you accumulate so many cosmetics (sadly like myself) it can be hard to see the wood for the trees and which products you love by which brands. So to cleanse my makeup palette I thought I'd rummage through my makeup and pick out my personal favourites and then show you by brand!
Bourjois
Myself and Bourjois have a love/hate relationship. I love a lot of their products but sadly their prices are a bit steep for the high street. However it is nice to know their products are of great quality and do last a long time!
Bronzing Powder shade 51 (16g/£6.99)
This IS the best high street bronzer you will find, fact! This really is what a bronzer should be, it's so smooth, non-orangy, blends well, no shimmer, perfect for contouring, perfect for bronzing, smells heavenly and if that isn't enough... for just under £7 it contains a huge 16g of product which will last you literally forever!
Now this is more my love of Bourjois foundations in general as they are such good quality. My personal favourite is the Bio Detox as I like to use natural ingredients on my skin whenever I can but as it is so natural it doesn't feel as smooth and definitely don't blend as easy as other foundation (which is due to it not containing silicone) but I love that Bourjois have given me a high street organic foundation. But the best all round foundation by Bourjois has to be Healthy Mix (30ml/£9.99) which is amazing for oily/combination/sensitive or normal skin, just such a good quality foundation that is comparable to a lot of high end foundations.
Little Round Pot Blusher (2.5g/£7.49)
These are just lovely blushers for the high street. They come in such a good range of shades and seem to compliment every skin tone. As for pigmentation the baked blushers allow you to just have a sweep of colour or you can build up the colour for a more contoured look. Just really nice and very good quality.
ELF Studio line
Elf is another brand that I have a love/hate relationship with... but I do feel I am a little harsh with e.l.f as when they are good they are very good! But I can't forgot that when they are bad they are basically crap! So it's definitely a brand that you need to know what you want to purchase and then have a look at a few blog reviews before hitting 'checkout'. Which is exactly how I came across all their amazing quality products.
Cream Eyeliner (4.7g/£3.50)
Other than Maybelline's quite new gel liner the high street doesn't really do potted cream/gel eyeliners, so these fill the gap perfectly coming in 8 different shades! I have quite a few of these and have to say they apply well (even though on the soft side) and stay put all day. The brown is a favourite of mine as who else does a good brown not glittery cream liner for under £5! Just really great and they don't dry up!
Blush & Bronzer Compact (8g/£3.50)
Love, love, love this duo compact which is amazing value for the quality and amount you get! Just two pretty shades that will suit a wide range of skin tones - one being a pretty pink/peach with golden shimmer and the other a great bronzer with no noticeable shimmer or glitter on the skin, which even though is slightly too dark for very pale skin does make a great contour shade.
Powder Brush (£3.50)
This is my favourite brush from the ELF studio line which I have two of, one for using with setting powder and the other for sometimes applying my liquid foundation with. This just seems the most perfect brush for patting on translucent powder and then sweeping it off with the side of the brush. I've have minimal shedding with this and it has kept it's shape though washing it every week for the last year! Again, just a great quality product for such a low price. You really can't go wrong with this brush or even the studio line of brushes.
Lip Stain (12ml/£3.50)
Lip stains are known for being drying and this really is no different but what I love is that ELF have realized this and included a gloss with the product which make the stains a lot more lip friendly. Also I love the shade range with 'Birthday Suit' being my favourite shade. Just a great line for people that love stains but don't want to be spending £7+. Here are some great swatches from xsparkage.
Rimmel
Rimmel have been a brand that I've used for many years but I've never noticed how many products I rely on daily until now really! They are just there with their reliable products that just do the job which is what I love about them. Also it's one of the few brand that have good quality products but haven't increased their prices in recent years.
Colour Mousse Eye shadow (5ml/£4.99)
These mousse eye shadows seem to get no attention at all and I haven't a clue why as they are pretty damn amazing! These are the most beautiful shimmery, pigmented, long lasting eye shadows you will find on the high street and they will last you forever and a day! I literally have only good things to say about the eye shadows which I have to say are more liquid than mousse in texture, they feel so nice to apply with a lovely cooling effect and last on the eye all day (unless you have a problem with oily eyelids). If you don't trust me on anything else trust me on this and swatch a few when you next spot a Rimmel stand!
Stay Matte Foundation (30ml/£5.99)
This is my go-to foundation on really hot days as I know this will keep the shine at bay and will last all day on my skin however hot it gets! It is light on the skin but gives a nice medium to full coverage and just blends like no other foundation with no cakey-ness. A really good quality feeling foundation for Rimmel.
Stay Matte Pressed Powder (14g/£3.99)
I have been using this for many, many years now and cannot be without it! I use this daily down my t-zone and it keeps oily pores at bay all day long. Really finely milled and not at all heavy looking on the skin. Another really great product from Rimmel.
Of course these are just my own stand out products from each brand and I'm sure you all have your own favourites, so please do tell me if you don't agree/love something I haven't mentioned.
Also make sure to keep your eyes peeled for part 2 containing Maybelline, Natural Collection and 17!
