The Luxe List

When it comes to beauty purchases, brushes aren’t really the most exciting things to purchase. On a daily basis, I only tend to use a few – one for bronzer, perhaps an angled brush for eyeliner, and one for eyeshadow. Since I tend to favour neutral shades, I like a brush which can pack pigment onto lids. My current favourite is the Fenty Beauty All-Over Eyeshadow brush – a dusky pink beauty which is perfect for daily use!

Like all of Fenty’s brushes, the bristles are synthetic (and super soft) so it’s perfect if you’re looking for a vegan or a cruelty-free option. As Fenty say, it’s perfect for picking up shadows, laying them down on lids, and even blending out to a professional looking finish. I’ve been using mine on everything from subtle day looks, to more dramatic effects for evening, and I’m completely smitten. The bristles are soft, but densely packed, so the brush lets you place and control your shadows easily. Thanks to the brush’s shape, you can create a stunning diffused look.

Fenty All-Over Eyeshadow Brush is price at £20 and is available here (UK) and here (US)

As someone with naturally wavy hair and a bit of a bleach habit, I’m constantly trying to find ways to keep my hair looking and feeling as good as possible. Despite my best intentions, as well as a session with my trusty GHDs, the moment I step into wind, rain, or drizzle (of which we get a lot of in Scotland) my hair tends to puff up and look messy instantly. So when Evo’s new Head Mistress popped through the letterbox, the timing couldn’t have been better.

Applied to towel-dried hair, the formula feels weightless, and wouldn’t weigh even fine hair down. I like to apply it from around my ears down, then combing through, so it’s evenly distributed, then get to work with the blow dryer. Unlike other products like this I’ve tried, Evo’s Head Mistress, doesn’t add minutes to my blow dry. Instead, hair dries quickly, and looks and feels smoother than usual. Once it’s dry, I add a little of my regular serum to the lengths and ends and finish with my straighteners. The result is a good hair day you can count on – hair is shinier, it feels softer, and it looks tidier thanks to a split ends binder too!

Evo Head Mistress is priced at £21 and is available here

It’s Sunday night, which inevitably means it’s time for a face mask. The past few weeks have been busy, verging on hectic, so it feels like an absolute dream to be able to turn off my phone, throw on some music and slap on a product. Recently I’ve been reaching for Being by Sanctuary’s Caramel Comforting Cake-On Face Mask. Unlike my usual favourites, this one is a super gloopy option which restores and replenishes tired skin.

Applied to freshly cleansed skin, the mask not only feels like a treat, but smells like one too! It’s gloriously sweet, with vanilla and caramel notes – it’s perfect to pop on, sit back and relax. After 10-15 minutes, I remove everything with a hot flannel, and skin feels amazing afterwards. Super soft, and completely revitalised. It’s the perfect way to prep skin before the craziness of a new week.

Being by Sanctuary Caramel Comforting Cake-On Face Mask is priced at £7 and is available here

When it comes to natural, natural-looking beauty, you could say the brand which started all the hype was RMS and their ‘Un Cover-up’. Coming packaged in an understated glass jar, this is a product which whispers rather than shouts, and after using it for the past month or so, I don’t think I’ll ever be without it!

RMS Un Cover-up was the first beauty product I heard about which used coconut oil as its main base – like all of RMS’ products, it’s made of natural ingredients, free of chemicals you might find in other brands, so it’s perfect if you’re looking for a vegan, cruelty-free option. I’ve been using it almost daily for nigh-on two months now, and it’s fair to say I’m a convert. I love the multipurpose nature of it, how easy it is to use, and most importantly, how it looks on the skin. Thanks to ingredients like the aforementioned coconut oil, and castor oil the Un Cover-up hydrates and calms skin, so over time, you can get away with using even less of it!

After applying a light base (I’m still obsessed with Glossier’s Skin Tint) I swirl a clean finger around the pot to heat it up, then tap anywhere I need a little extra coverage. Usually it’s around my mouth and nose, a little on my cheeks, and some under the eyes. The Un Cover-up melts into the skin, evening everything up, concealing blemishes and turning everything into a healthy canvas, primed for a swipe of bronzer. For a product made from coconut oil, it has a surprisingly satin-finish. It’s not as shiny on the skin as Glossier’s Stretch concealer, instead, it almost disappears, making it look like you’re not wearing any makeup at all. No matter how much of the stuff I dab on, it never looks or feels heavy – it just leaves skin looking perfected, and the effect lasts all day long.

RMS Un Cover-up is priced at £28 and is available here (UK) and here (US)

For the first time in what feels like forever, the heating has been whacked on, and the cashmere sweaters have been unpacked from storage. It can only mean one this – autumn is truly here, and for dry-skinned girls like myself, it’s time to up the hydration stakes! Over the past few months, I’ve been giving some of The Ordinary’s line up a go, and if you’re looking for a quick moisture-boost, their  100% Organic Cold Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil is for you.

Packaged in the brand’s signature low-key bottles, it looks more like something you’d find in a chemist than a department store, but the emphasis is on ingredients with The Ordinary, and their products are significantly cheaper than higher-end alternatives. As someone who suffers from dry skin that’s prone to redness, I’d heard great things about Rose Hip Oil. It’s said it tackles fine lines, deeply hydrates and encourages cell regeneration, so I was super-keen to give it a go.

I’ve been using it nightly, sometimes after dermal rolling, sometimes after cleansing, and I’ve been really pleased with the results. Thanks to it being 100% cold pressed, the oil feels rich, and silky to apply. The slightly heavier consistency is exactly what my skin needs at this time of year, and the mornings after I apply, my skin still feels plump and hydrated with a healthy dose of ‘glow’. It’s also a perfect oil to use if you’re looking to sheer-out a too heavy foundation. A single drop will leave skin glowing as well as feeling amazing!

The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil is priced at £9 and is available here.