Boots in St Peter’s Street, St Albans have had a HUGE makeover in the Beauty Hall. Introducing new brands such as Fenty Beauty, it Cosmetics, Kylie Cosmetics, Urban Decay and my all time make up love MAC Cosmetics they have it all now – no need to day trip to Watford or Brent Cross for makeup and skincare to test shades/coverage.
Existing classic brands have also had a facelift such as Estee Lauder, Boots own No. 7, YSL and Chanel counters to name a few. I have put together my top 6 makeup and skincare basics that I have tried and tested over the years. This covers the basic essentials in my daily go to kit. I use SO many other products to add colour, definition and depth to my face so next I will outline my top colour products for lips, cheeks and brows.
Hopefully I can ‘influence’ you to pop in and try something new for 2023.
Karen x
#1 StylPro Makeup Brush Cleaner & Dryer
Let’s start with the basic essential for your kits – a brush cleaner. Creator of the StylPro, Tom Pellereau actually lives in St Albans so I remember seeing this product years ago when it was in the early stages of development as a prototype. I love the fact that it is compact, can fit the Real Technique Brushes that I love and use, as well as cleaning and drying a brush within seconds! When I used to freelance as a Makeup Artist is was great when there were multiple clients, at a wedding, so I could ensure hygiene was paramount between applications.
At home I clean all of my brushes once a week – I do have a lot so rarely use my foundation brush more than twice. I remember when I was younger, I had one brush for everything and rarely (never) cleaned it. It used to bumble about in my handbag collecting who knows what!
#2 Real Techniques Everyday Essentials Set
Another makeup kit essential is a great brush set. Real Techniques offer quality, value and a huge selection. This set is a perfect starting point and includes:
RT 402 Setting – soft and fluffy bristles for highlighting or setting powders.
RT 200 Expert Face – firm bristles to buff liquid or cream foundation.
RT 400 Blush – tapered, soft and fluffy bristles to blend powder blush evenly.
RT 300 Deluxe Crease – short, dense bristles to layer and blend cream and powder eyeshadows into eye crease.
Miracle Complexion Sponge ® – soft, flexible foam to blend liquid and cream foundation. Use dry for full coverage or damp for dewy glow.
#3 it Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream 60ml
‘it Cosmetics’ hero product and the number 1 seller in the USA. I recently purchased it and thought that it was going to be similar to the Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base and in a couple of ways – consistency and texture on the skin – they are.
It is a heavier cream rather than a fluid/serum that I am used to but it was quick to absorb into my dry skin and left a great base to add foundation/concealer. My skin does feel very plumped and hydrated when I use it which I love. A point to remember though it doesn’t contact SPF so you will need to add that separately.
#4 MAC Studio Moisturizing and Illuminating Silky Primer
MAC Silky Primer had actually sold out in store when I visited last week and it is currently unavailable online at Boots.com. It is the one Primer that I have wanted to try for a while now but I wanted to sample it on my hand first. I tested 4 different brands primers when I went into store and this was, as I expected my favourite. I like a glowy finish as my foundations are usually quite matt.
I shall hold out to buy this when it is in stock and will continue to use the end of the Bare Minerals one that I have been using for 3 years. I am ready for the change!
#5 Benefit Boi-ing Industrial Strength Full Coverage Concealer
This little product lives up to its title! If you are sleep deprived with tired under-eyes then this is the concealer for you. I use it after my Primer and before my foundation to get extra coverage and then again if serious bags after my foundation has dried off.
I also have dark spots and often acne spots and the coverage is brilliant. Make sure you shade test and try to go for 1/2 to one shade lighter than your foundation otherwise it can drag your skin tone down due to the consistency.
#6 IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50
I alternate my face coverage between a CC cream (full coverage in the colder months), fluid foundation (as the weather gets better) and tinted moisturisers with concealer (warmer months).
I have a lot of different foundations because of this and shades that I mix and blend. The ‘it Cosmetics’ CC cream is great at the moment (Winter months), it is very full coverage so I only need a small amount and I find it is fairly matt so needs to go over a luminous primer to get the glowy finish that I like.
Foundation and skin cover is probably the main product that I invest in, I have hormonal breakouts and I find that some of the lower end foundations can make them look worse and clog my pores or completely dry my skin out around my spots during the day.
