MUST HAVES: MAKE-UP

I had to continue my 'must-haves' because I've been on a roll lately. Next up is my must have make up products. If you guys have been following me on Instagram for a while you'll know that I love make up that feels extremely light weight on the skin, does not clog the pores/cause breakouts (duh) or look cake-y and heavy in ANY way. It has to look effortless & as if "I just woke up like this, really!" 

I do love to use the classic make up brands for certain products like eyeshadow palettes, lipsticks, highlighters etc. This list will be a combination of all brands - it isn't FULLY "clean beauty" because well I'm not perfect and I have an addiction to beauty products and love to experiment.

FOUNDATION 

ILIA TRUE SERUM FOUNDATION

Shade: Chios 

Ever since I got this foundation I have worn it every single day without fail. I cannot say that about any other foundation/tinted moisturiser and trust me I've tried SO MANY. I would hate putting foundation on and avoid it unless I absolutely had to for some social reason. This stuff has been a GAME changer for me and I actually look forward to putting it on even if its just to run errands! 

It has a serum texture and you can use your fingers to blend it into your skin with just a few rubbing-in motions. You need a small amount for an even complexion, it is light weight but buildable. You don't need a brush and a beauty blender to sit there correcting it for 10 minutes making sure it's blended in. It has a dewy texture and gives you a radiant glow. If you have oily or combination skin I recommend setting this foundation with their translucent setting powder. 

If I was in a warmer climate, I would need to set this foundation with their finishing powder - more on this product later. 

Ilia is a clean beauty brand, their products are infused with ingredients that are amazing for the skin and I feel comfortable using this foundation even if I have a breakout. 

CLARINS SKIN ILLUSION

Shade: Auburn 

I really like this foundation, I got it a few weeks before getting the Ilia one and sadly nothing can compare to Ilia for me at this point. However, it is actually quite similar in texture to Ilia's, almost like a serum. This one took slightly longer for me to blend in and I needed the help of a brush. It gave me more coverage than the Ilia one using the same small amount that I use (pea size). It is a great option if you don't have access to Ilia. 

SISLEY TINTED MOISTURIZER 

Shade: Beige Dore 2 

I used to love tinted moisturisers and tried about 7 different brands. I eventually stopped liking them simply because they felt so thick on the skin as they have the same texture as a moisturiser would, so I would get home and couldn't wait to get it off!

This is my favourite tinted moisturiser of the lot, it is infused with botanical extracts and acts as a day cream as well leaving your skin hydrated throughout the day without feeling too heavy like other brands. It has a slight mattifying/blur effect on the skin which is great if you're more oily. You can use this all year round in the colder and warmer months - it works well for both. 

Oxygenetix Oxygenating Foundation 

Shade: Almond 

This is my go-to foundation for summer time and warmer weather. I discovered it after watching Kourtney Kardashians skincare video on Youtube, she always looks flawless and quite natural which is the look I love. It has a matte texture which I normally don't like at all, I'm all about dewy skin, but in warmer weather you're dewy anyway because of the heat so this texture works perfectly. It does not dry you out or make you look too matte. It has medium coverage and is buildable. 

What I love about this product is that it is actually used to TREAT your skin, as well as tint. It has an aloe vera base and actually heals your skin as you wear it, in LA they use this foundation on you right after a facial, that's how good it is. It is cruelty free and vegan, has SPF 30, allows your skin to breathe and works for both oily, combination and sensitive skin. I have pretty dry sensitive skin and it works great for me. 

Kosas Face Oil Tint 

Shade: 6

This is my latest discovery, when I was endlessly scrolling on revolve's website one night I came across this product and was excited to try it. Since we are currently on lockdown, I have not been wearing a drop of make up because there really is no point? But sometimes its nice to freshen up and put something lightweight on your face to brighten it up and make you feel good. Enter this skin tint. 

This is an actual face oil with a tint, it is runny like an oil is and it's so velvety. It is made with 6 botanical oils to moisturize and improve skin tone. It only has 15 super clean ingredients in it and is a sheer, light weight 'foundation'. You literally need 2-3 drops for your whole face and if you want more coverage you use 4-6 drops. 

I have used this everyday since getting it while we've been on complete lock down at home, it's breathable and I actually don't feel like I'm wearing anything. This is the perfect product to use daily if you have no plans and are just sitting at home but want to look fresh and bright. 

CONCEALER

Because I have dry skin, specifically in the cheek/under eye areas, concealers have always been really difficult for me to find. They start off great when I apply but then throughout the day dry out leaving this tinted flakiness which looks awful. I tried all the most popular and famous concealers that people swear by (such as the Nars radiant concealer and Tarte shape tape concealer) but unfortunately none of them worked for my dry skin. 

ILIA TRUE SERUM CONCEALER

Shade: Kava 

This concealer is the first Ilia product that I ever bought. I felt like a concealer was a great product to test out the brand before buying other items because it's one of those very difficult products to get right! I fell in love with it immediately and I actually would use it all over my face, which is why I got a shade to match my skin tone rather than a lighter shade for brightening. 

It has a similar texture to the foundation (same true serum range) but is a bit thicker to conceal marks and under eye circles. This concealer is a light weight one, more creamy and blends in very easily which I love. If I want high coverage under my eyes, I would use the Pixi concealer which I'm coming to. 

This concealer is amazing, does not dry out throughout the day what so ever or crease - especially when you bake under your eyes with Ilias finishing powder (keep reading). 

BECCA AQUA LUMINOUS CONCEALER

Shade: Beige

I used this for about a year before discovering the Ilia one. They have similar textures - more on the lighter coverage side which I usually opt for because it looks very natural and gives your under eyes a bit of brightening, not too much where it looks like you have make up on which is my preference for day-time make up. 

It is a water based concealer and buildable, best blended in with a damp beauty blender and pat it into the skin - don't rub. 

PIXI by PETRA PAT AWAY CONCEALER 

Shade: Nude

This is my heavy duty concealer. As I said other heavy duty concealers like Tarte's shape tape just did not work for me and made me look like I had a tonne of make up on when I actually didn't. This one is the perfect balance between concealing but also not making you look like a barbie doll.

You only need a few dabs of this under your eye and using a damp beauty blender to pat it into the skin, it really conceals dark circles properly and brightens up that area. 

I tend to use this one anytime I'm doing my make up for night time because it is thicker and I use a lighter shade to help brighten my under eye area, I only go for that look at night - never in daylight. 

BRONZER

I'm not big on bronzers unless I'm doing my own make up for a formal event or fancy dinner of some sort where I would want a heavier make up look. These two are my go-to's. 

BARE MINERALS INVISIBLE BRONZER

This is definitely the one I would use if I needed a 'light bronzing' because as you can tell from the name it is an invisible bronzer, meaning its SO light weight. Using a buffer brush I'll contour my cheeks with this and it is so subtle but gives that hint of bronze that you'd want! 

SOLEIL TAN DE CHANEL

I discovered this product through my make up artist who did my pre-wedding party & wedding make up. I fell in love with this stuff and theres a reason it's always sold out everywhere. I like that you can kind of dab this all over your face for an overall bronzing effect and also love that it is not a powder but rather like a butter-y wet bronzer. I much prefer this to powder especially because I have dry skin. 

BLUSH

Again not something I was ever into, I always MUCH preferred a bronzer to a blush. My best friend would always force me to put a bit of pink blush on my cheeks when we were growing up and I'd always go over it with a bronzer to cover it up! When I started playing around with make up I discovered my favourite blush stick ever and since then I've figured out that I love a stick over a powdered blush. It looks a lot more natural and like you naturally have rosy cheeks which I don't think you get from powder. 

MILK MAKE UP BLUSH STICK

Shade: Perk

Love this blush stick, I also lean towards coral tones because I have olive skin - but all of their shades are incredible I tried them all in store. I apply directly to my cheeks (while smiling always) and use a buffer blush to blend upwards into the temples. 

ILIA COLOR HAZE 

Shade: Temptation

This is a matte pigment, it comes out in liquid form and once you blend it turns to a more matte look - great if you don't want any shine or dewiness or if you already have oily skin. I do love to use this for evening when I don't want as much of a dewy look. 

ILIA MULTISTICK

Shade: All of Me

This and the milk blush stick are equal for me, I alternate between them for the day time - the shades are very different so it depends on my mood. 

HIGHLIGHTER

I LOVE a good highlighter. I think it makes all the difference especially when you're going for that dewy look which I am 100% of the time. I apply to my cheekbones and underneath my brow bone and use a damp beauty blender to blend it in. Below are some of my favourites. 

ILIA HIGHLIGHTER

Shade: Astrid

BENEFIT HIGH BEAM

MASCARA

I actually only started wearing mascara when I discovered the Ilia one. I used to only wear mascara if I was going for dinner/had an event because I couldn't stand taking it off and having to vigorously rub my eyes so many times to remove it. For day time I used to stick to a clear mascara.

ILIA MASCARA

Because I have straight lashes, I never use mascara unless I curl my lashes first. This is the Dior Lash Curler that I use. 

This stuff is magical. Firstly, it comes with 2 sides to the brush. One side to apply the mascara and then the other side to 'fan out' the lashes so they don't clump together. It is genius! I prefer lengthening my lashes to thickening them. I also couldn't believe how easy it was to remove when I first tried it, a few swipes using my regular make up wipes and it was gone. I also use my face cleanser afterwards and gently rub my eyes and rinse with water to make sure any excess is gone and after that there's never a dot of black mascara left over. I have used this during the day time every single day since getting it. SO impressed and will NEVER use any other mascara, ever.

BROW'S

I never used to fill in my brows, simply because I never felt the need to. I would often get eyebrow tints when I was living in Dubai and that did the job for me. I randomly decided to try filling them in one time because I do have gaps that need some filling in and I loved the effect it had! I've tried about 5 different eye brow pencils and these two are by far my favourites. 

ANASTASIA Beverly Hills BROW WIZ

Shade: Medium Brown

This was the first pencil I ever tried and loved, it's very easy to use and looks great when you apply! The only downside is a few weeks after I bought it, the brush side broke which was disappointing and put me off repurchasing it. 

BENEFIT GOOF PROOF PENCIL 

Shade: 5 Warm Black/Brown

Once my Anastasia pencil broke I realised I needed another and decided to try the benefit pencil which has rave reviews. I love it. I would give both of these pencils an A+ but I think I'll continue using the benefit one simply because its sturdier and won't break on me...

CLEAR BROW GEL

I love a good brow gel, mine are bushy because I'm growing them out so I need a gel to hold them in place. The one I'm currently using is by Tarte Cosmetics which I got last year in the US, but it seems to be discontinued. The one I was using prior was this Bobbi Brown one which was also great. 

LIPS

My lips naturally have a blue-ish/purple tint to them which makes finding lip colours a little more difficult. They look great on my hand but then awful on my lips (lol). So over the years I collected dozens of different liners and lipsticks that I didn't even like on, because I either get them online or don't try them on my lips in store... 

Lately I've had to be more proactive with trying on in store to make sure I'm getting the right shades and these are the ones that are my holy grail shades! 

CLARINS LIP OIL

Shade: Honey

The perfect gloss. Also super hydrating so it's a 2-in-1. 

CLARINS NATURAL LIP PERFECTOR

Shade 19 

Obsessed with this gloss that has a slight tint. I would get every single colour but they're ALWAYS sold out. Apparently Kate Middleton wears this stuff and so it's sold out in the UK constantly. 

BARE MINERALS GEN NUDE LIP LINER

Shades: Borderline, Vibe

Borderline shade matches my lips so well and looks very subtle. I often use this under a nude or pink lipstick.

Vibe is slightly darker, I use all over my lips then top with chapstick! 

KKW BEAUTY LIP LINER

I usually blend 2 or 3 of these lip liners all together all over the lips then use chapstick on top. The colours are amazing! 

Matte Smoke Lipliners: 90's Supermodel, 90's Runway

Nude Lipliners: Nude 0 Muted Beige, Nude 0.5 Light Pinky Nude

KYLIE COSMETICS LIP LINER

Shade: Bare

Matches my lip colour so well which I love for a more natural look! In order to get the bare lipliner you have to buy the lip kit which includes the liquid matte - which looked horrible on me. I don't use the Kylie liquid mattes I find them difficult to apply and they dry my lips out way too much. But worth it to get the lipliner! 

KYLIE COSMETICS LIP BLUSH

Shade: Bikini Bod

I love this lip blush. I'm actually obsessed. I use it during the day (I normally don't use any lip colours during the day). It's almost like a lip stain so its very watery and has a thin texture. It doesn't dry my lips out at all but throughout the day I still top it with chapstick if I'm on the go. I'll definitely be getting more of these in different shades! 

HOURGLASS COSMETICS ULTRA SLIM LIPSTICK

Shade: I Woke Up 

The perfect rosy pink for a daytime look, blends well with the below lipstick. 

Shade: I Crave 

For a BOLD bright red lip. 

HOURGLASS COSMETICS GIRL LIP STYLO 

A little shiny for me so I always dab my lips with a tissue after. 

Shade: Futurist 

LANCOME SHEER SHINE LIPSTICK 

Shade: Shine Bright

I love this for a really sheer tint, I got a coral shade which I usually go for in the summer with a great tan. Need more colours!

CHARLOTTE TILBURY MATTE LIPSTICK

Shade: Pillow talk

I'm pretty sure everyone and their mother has heard of this lipstick in this specific shade. It is SO popular. It literally looks different on every single person I've seen it on! I love the texture of this lipstick, doesn't over dry like most matte lip products. Go try this on in store, you'll love it. 

FINISHING POWDERS

As you can probably tell from this blog post, I prefer liquid to powder products. I'm not huge on finishing powders because I find that they settle into my lines and make me look even drier than I already am. I tend not to use them unless I'm in the heat/summer and want to powder the areas I know get shiny when I'm in the sun. 

Lately I've been 'baking' under my eyes after using concealer and holy moly it has made the biggest difference. I always thought I couldn't bake because of my dryness but I was wrong. 

After I've applied concealer, using a beauty blender I dab a little powder underneath my eyes and leave it there for 5-10 minutes while I finish the rest of my make up. Then after that I use a soft brush to brush away the powder. I love doing this during the day when I know my concealer will crease from getting hot, running around etc. 

Here are my two favourites.

LAURA MERCIER TRANSLUCENT POWDER

I use the lighter shade for my skin tone, great for a bit of brightening. 

ILIA RADIANT SETTING POWDER

Shade: Magic Sands

Amazing and I love Ilia because it's natural and super clean. Great to use if you're oily and need to tone down oiliness after using foundation! 

BEAUTY BLENDER

I have to have one of these on hand when doing my make up, I always use it damp. Run it under cold water and wring it out fully. THEN use it to do make up, it applies so much better and soaks up any excess product. 

BRUSHES 

I absolutely love the Zoeva brushes, they're vegan and cruelty free which is nice, super soft and not too expensive either. Highly recommend! 

SETTING SPRAY

I'm not too fond of using setting sprays because I feel like they have loads of nasty ingredients that 'hold make up' in place. I use this simple rose mist which I'm obsessed with by Kora Organics to prep my skin before make up and also set the make up after. Smells divine. 

WASH CLOTHS

I can't do my make up without these small face/hand towels I always have 4-5 on my make up table to wipe my hands after using my fingers to blend something in. They go straight in the wash after! They're also really soft and made of bamboo. I can't find the direct link on Amazon but any small face towels will do instead of going to wash your hands every time you apply a product. 

MAKE UP MIRROR

This is a MUST if you don't have good light in your bathroom/bedroom which I don't. So good. 

I hope you guys find this helpful! Leave any comments/questions below I love hearing your feedback on these posts <3

Layla x