My Top 5 Beauty Products

1. Clinique Superbalanced foundation

Since I started wearing makeup at about the age of 14, I had been a constant foundation explorer. That is, until I stumbled across Clinique's Superbalanced foundation. It currently retails at £20, which is expensive when you compare it to other big name brands such as Maybelline and Rimmel but I have been using it constantly for the past 4 years and I can honestly say I've never strayed. For me, it is the holy grail of foundations. It comes in a sophisticated glass bottle which is an absolute bonus for me as there's nothing worse than cheap looking packaging (I want something to show off afterall!).


Pros: This product is wonderful if you like medium coverage with a natural finish. At first I tried this with a normal foundation brush and the end result was very streaky. However, I then used a stippling brush and it gave an amazingly natural, airbrushed-like finish. 


Cons: It doesn't cover up red breakouts at all so concealer is necessary for redness or dark under eye circles.   I have a rather oily T-zone so oil based foundations should be a big no-no for me, however, which a little bit of primer and a touch of powder to set it, it looks fantastic all day. 


8/10


2. MAC lipstick in 'Ruby Woo'

Being incredibly pale skinned, it was difficult for me to work the sexy 'Scarlet Woman' red lipstick look without looking washed out and well...downright scary. I then came across MAC's lipstick in the shade 'Ruby Woo' which was described as a vivid bluish red, as well as a cult classic. After some research I discovered that sunbed shunners such as myself should go for a bluish understone to red lipsticks so soon found myself purchasing my number 2 in my top 5.


Pros: The matte finish to the lipstick gives a stunning vintage feel to the look (think Paloma Faith) and the colour is eye popping!


Cons: It's difficult to 'stay inside the lines' which is probably more to do with my unsteady hand rather than the lipstick itself. 


8/10


3. Barry M Nail Paint

I'm a sucker for a bargain, but Barry M Nail Paints go beyond that. They have the most eye popping array of colours, more than any other brand I've seen, and not only that, the staying power is incredible! At £2.99 a pop, I'm well on my way to a complete Barry M collection.

Pros: Pure staying power, it just doesn't budge! Perfect if you like to play around designing your own (albeit, bad) nail art.

Cons: Absolutely none! You really can't go wrong with this brand.

10/10

4. MAC Fluidline eyeliner in 'Blacktrack'

A-MA-ZING! I think this product is so chic looking I'll never stray from its cute little charm. I bought it along with MAC's 210 eyeliner brush and I have never been so chuffed with a purchase. I have put this on in the morning, gone out that night and then slept with it on (naughty I know) and it still didn't budge. I would recommend buying it with the 210 brush (£14) as it's slim enough to do flicks but is still easy to maneuver. 

Pros: Stays put all day, but still comes off easily with a mild facewash.

Cons: None so far.

9/10

5. Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush in 'Cherub'

When I first bought this I was disappointed with the size of the product, afterall I'd paid £12 for something that fits in the palm of my hand, I also had no idea how to use it! After painstakingly using a brush to try to blend the extremely watery substance I found (rather annoyingly) that using my fingers was the best option, the heat from my hand makes it incredibly easy to blend onto the skin, leaving a fantastic, airbrushed blush. I seriously couldn't live without this! I would also recommend the mascara from the Daniel Sandler range.

Pros: There's something oddly professional looking about this product, which I like, but I can't put my finger on. It gives an incredible airbrushed look which I've never seen before with a blush.

Cons: It has a slightly odd aroma, but it's almost like baby lotion so nothing to cry about there :)

7/10