10 essential makeup must-haves

Like food, air and water, makeup is a basic necessity, although knowing exactly what to buy out of the hundreds of products on offer can make shopping more of a pain than pleasure. Make things a little easier with this list of essential beauty must-haves and a few of my favourite products.

BB cream

Also known as a multi-tasking miracle in a tube, BB cream is a foundation, moisturiser, primer and toner in one. Offering buildable coverage that not only hides blemishes but also treats them, this double-duty dream cream is the ultimate beauty-bag staple.

Try: Garnier Skin Perfector All-In-One BB Cream - £9.99

Red lipstick

Just one swipe of a classic red lippy can transform a look from boardroom to bar creating the ultimate confidence boost. With a shade to match every skin tone and a colour to suit every taste – just like a signature scent, every girl should own one.

Try: L'Oréal Paris Color Riche Collection Pure Reds - £6.99

Bronzer

A good bronzer can contour, define and instantly warm up your face. Use it to add definition by brushing into the hollows of cheeks or add a touch of shimmer by applying to the nose, cheekbones and forehead for that just-back-from-holiday glow.

Try:  Barry M After Glow Bronzer - £5.69

Lengthening mascara

Long, luscious lashes are the desire of every lady therefore investing in a good-quality mascara is key. Just a few coats can make a huge impact and emphasise eyes making them look big, bright and beautiful – just like the person behind them.

Try: Benefit They're Real Mascara - £19.50

Eyebrow kit

Eyebrows frame the face, balance features and define your eyes, so it’s important to get them right. The secret to achieving great brows is to highlight the bone directly underneath before filling in hairs with a pencil or powder which is slightly darker than your natural hair colour.

Try: Sleek Makeup Brow Kit - £8.49

Micellar water

Once a well-kept secret of the French, this cleanser, toner and make-up-remover in-one is the ultimate solution to gorgeous, glowing skin. Using tiny particles to melt away dirt and impurities, micellar water is a much gentler alternative to harsh face wipes and makeup removers.

Try: Garnier Cleansing Micellar Water - £4.99

Moisturiser

Beauty starts at the base and there’s no product more effective than a good face cream. For optimal results use both a day and night cream and choose products that are best suited to your skin-type. For day choose a cream with added SPF which provides that all-important UV protection and at night an ultra-hydrating lotion will see you waking with super-nourished skin each morning.

Try: Vitamin C Daily Moisturiser SPF30 - £14.00

Dry shampoo

For days when you’re short on time this light-weight powder formula is a hair-care saviour. Effectively absorbing excess oil, dirt and odor, dry shampoo is a quick and easy way to clean hair and leave it looking fresh without even getting wet.

Try: Batiste Floral & Flirty Dry Shampoo - £2.99

Concealer
Whether you're looking to hide under-eye circles, small blemishes or that annoying red pimple, concealer is the answer. A true beauty hero when it comes to disguising imperfections and signs of a late night, this little gem is a makeup-bag must.
Try: Seventeen Phwoarr Paint - £4.99

Eyeliner

A simple flick of liner in the corner of each eye can completely transform a look and make you feel 100 times sexier in seconds. Invest in an easy-to-use liquid liner pen to create the perfect cat-eye in seconds.

Try: L'Oréal Paris Super Liner - £6.49

Garnier skincare

I recently decided to step up my skincare routine after having a consultation with a skincare expert and realising that makeup removal wipes just won't cut it anymore.

I've always been a fan of Garnier skincare as it's affordable and seems to work well with my skin.

Here's a few of the key products in my routine...

Garnier Moisture Match Illuminating Lotion Protect & Glow

Although my foundation already contains SPF 15 I like to apply a protective moisturiser to provide as much coverage as possible and keep those pesky dark spots and signs of sun damage at bay.

I find the Moisture Match lotion works as a great base and absorbs quickly so you can apply foundation straight away without having to wait around.

It does seem to brighten a dull complexion and provide moisture without being too greasy which is perfect for normal/dry skin like mine.

Garnier Clean & Soft Complete Cleansing Milk & Garnier Skin Naturals Micellar Cleansing Water

My previous makeup removal routine consisting of face wipes has been replaced by a much skin-friendlier micellar water and cleanser. 

After having my consultation I realised how bad face wipes are for skin and while you may not see the damages now they will definitely become more noticeable in the future.

Micellar water is a much gentler way of removing makeup and doesn't damage the sensitive skin around the eye area like wipes do.

Together with the softening cleansing milk they remove even the most stubborn dirt and makeup and leave skin feeling fresh, clean and super soft. 

I have definitely noticed a difference in my complexion and skin's appearance since switching and despite my makeup removal taking slightly longer, there's definitely no going back.

Garnier Skin Naturals Moisture + Restore Night & Garnier Clean & Soft Cream Pot

I have always used separate day and night creams and no matter how tired I am I moisturise first thing in the morning and last thing at night without fail.

 Every now and again I like to switch up creams as I find when my skin becomes too familiar with one product it stops working so well.

I decided to switch from L'Oreal Paris to Garnier and noticed a difference straight away.

While I love L'Oreal products I found that my skin immediately became softer and blemishes appeared reduced within days of using the Garnier Soft Cream Pot and Moisture Restore Night Cream.

The creams are extremely lightweight and absorb quickly to leave skin soft, dewy  and sporting a healthy glow. They also smell delicious too which is a bonus.

Garnier Summer Body Moisturising Lotion

As someone who likes to sport a healthy glow all year round the Garnier Summer Body Moisturising Lotion is the perfect solution to all-over, subtly sun kissed skin.

The lotion dries quickly meaning you don't have to hang about to get changed and although it can be a little patchy and leave streaks if your'e not careful, 9 times out of 10 it creates a nice even tan and leaves skin moisturised and looking a little less pasty during the colder months.

Have you tried any Garnier products? Which do you recommend?

Holly xx

*Post has not been sponsored by Garnier, all views and opinions are my own.