Best of beauty

So I realised it's been a while since I've done a make up blog post (other than in a 'get ready with me' style on night out posts) so I thought it was time to have a catch up on all things beauty, with my top recommendations.

Best mascara

I've used this mascara for so long now and it's literally the best. Perfectly separated but thick, dark lashes that stay curled all day. Plus the fact that it has a high street price tag of only £8.99 makes it even better!
Maybelline lash sensational mascara £8.99

Best bronzer

You will notice that this is just the first of the products that I LOVE from Revolution. Super cheap and yet usually better than high end stuff, this bronzer is ideal because it's completely matte, just the right colour and is in a nice big compact so it's easy to swirl your brush around.
Revolution ultra bronze powder £3.00

Best lipstick

I have mentioned this one so many times that I'd be surprised if you couldn't have guessed which would win top spot. Taupe by MAC is my all-time favourite; it's matte but it's not drying and still has a creamy finish and it's the perfect nude-brown for my skin tone.
MAC matte lipstick in Taupe £17.50

Best neutral eyeshadow palette

It's an oldie-but-goodie and this palette was one of the first higher end ones that I ever bought and yet it still remains the best. For any neutral look, it has a nice mix of light shimmers and brown mattes, as well as a couple of cooler toned shades. Plus I bought mine nearly 4 years ago, I use it all the time and yet I've only hit pan on one of the shadows so that's pretty good going!
Urban decay Naked palette £39.50

Best liquid highlighter

When I'm doing a night out look, I always start off with a liquid highlighter because it just makes it pop so much better when you add a powder one on top. This one is my favourite because I tend to wear pink or champagne tones more than gold and this was has a lovely pearly quality, as well as applying nicely.
Benefit high beam highlighter £21.50

Best lipstick-that-doesn't-look-like-you're-wearing-lipstick

I'm not really a fan of lipgloss because it requires a lot of reapplying, it feels sticky all the time and it is not your hairs friend when it's windy outside. However, you don't always want a full colour and matte lipsticks can be drying so sometimes it's nicer to go with something more neutral. This lipstick by YSL is perfect for that. It's super glossy and shiny but without being sticky, it has a nice application because it's an actual lipstick rather than a liquid and wand and even when the shine wears off, the subtle colour lasts forever more.
Yves Saint Laurent rouge volupte in shade 3 £28

Best eyebrow product

I know that most people prefer dip pots or waxes and powders to fill in their brows these days but I'm still an advocate for pencils because I prefer a more natural look, and also I'm lazy and a pencil is quicker. This benefit pencil is great because it has a unique shape for the different widths in your brows and shade 6 (which I use) is perfect because it's completely ash - I can't stand an eyebrow product with even a trace of warmth in it.
Benefit goof proof brow pencil £20

Best coloured eyeshadow palette

This is actually the category which is more up my street because I love experimenting with colours and bright eyeshadow looks. It was a hard one to call because I have so many great eyeshadow palettes filled with brights and darks and shimmers but when it comes to quality, nothing can match up to Lorac. I have a few different Lorac palettes now and they are the best of the best; the quality is so good and the eyeshadows are as soft as butter and blend amazingly. The Lorac pro 2 has some great colours like purples, blues, pinks and khakis, making it a great palette for both those who love colours (like me) as well as those who just want to start experimenting.
Lorac pro 2 palettes £32

Best nail varnish

I have a LOT of nail varnishes but I don't think anything compares to the quality (or shade range) of Essie. Granted, it is super expensive as far as nail varnish goes, but you do notice compared to wearing a cheap one. You only need one coat, it dries fairly quickly and literally takes about a week to chip. My favourite shade is Exotic Liras.
Essie nail colour 32 exotic liras £7.99

Best false lashes

I very much go through phases with lashes. I find a pair that I love and then wear them to death, until I find a pair I fall in love with harder and then repeat. My current love affair is with the blooming lashes by Kiss in the Peony style. I love a textured, multi-layered look and this pair are the perfect thickness for a night out. For a more casual style, I go with the style Daisy which are slightly smaller.
KISS Blooming lashes in Peony £5.99

Best concealer

I don't wear concealer very often but it's something you need to have in your makeup bag, just in case. I bought this ABH one in America and it is amazing. It has such a high coverage - it covers blemishes, spots and even 2 black eyes (which I got when I got hit on the bridge of my nose on a night out - long story). Also, a little goes a long way because I've had it ages and have barely even made a dent.
Anastasia beverly hills concealer in 3.0 £20

Best liquid lipstick

I do actually prefer a traditional lipstick above a liquid lipstick, however they are better for staying put longer and there's so many brands making them that there's such a great range of colours to choose from. I have ones by Kylie cosmetics, Colourpop, Gerard cosmetics, Limecrime, Anastasia beverly hills and Jeffree star, but for me the best ones have to be the ones by Kat Von D. It's a really nice formula that's not too thick or drying but it lasts all day and the colours are great; my favourite shade is Lolita.
Kat Von D everlasting liquid lipstick in Lolita £17

Best powder highlighter

I had plenty of these to choose from too but Revolution takes the crown yet again. I have about 6 Revolution highlighters but the Golden sugar 2 palette is the perfect go-to. The shades in the bottom left and second in, top right are the best by far. They're so iridescent that you can pretty much see your reflection in them but they're not too glittery or shimmery, which is a trap a lot of highlighters fall in to in my opinion. And at a bargain price too - what more could you want?
Revolution golden sugar 2 highlighter palette £6.00

Best brushes

I kept this to eyeshadow brushes really because I don't use face brushes enough to have bought many, but these Zoeva eye brushes are the best. Not only are they super pretty, but they blend really well, there's a great range in the collection to achieve any look and they work just as well after every cleaning session. They're high end I suppose but they're not ridiculously expensive and I've had mine 2 or 3 years now and they're still good as new so it's an investment worth making.
Zoeva rose gold vol. 2 eye brush set £65

Best makeup remover

Obviously though, it's no good having loads of great makeup products unless you have an equally good product to take them all off again with. For me, that remains the cleansing facial wipes by Simple. They get all your makeup off easily, they're kind to skin, they're easier and quicker than messing around with a liquid makeup remover and they're nice and cheap!
Simple cleansing facial wipes £3.30