Lifestyle: 3 Beauty Products I Couldn’t Live Without

It’s no secret that I’m a tad of a beauty fiend, which becomes very apparent whenever I walk past the beauty counters in my local John Lewis store and find myself having to physically hold myself  back from spending all my money (I really wish I was exaggerating).

Over my few years of experimenting with different makeup and beauty products, I’ve accumulated a number of items I just really don’t think I’d be be able to survive day without (again, I really wish I was exaggerating).

The Dior Lip Maximiser
With an obsession with big lips, it wasn’t a coincidence that I found myself walking out the Dior shop in Covent Garden with a lip maximising lipgloss in a very instagrammable white bag back in 2014. Yet, It’s safe to say after purchasing it, I went through that lipgloss tube like a hungry kid going through a tube of Pringles – very fast – and I’ve now gone through around six of them (it’s a problem, I know!) it even became a bit of a running joke that I’m never seen without it! The thing is, it’s just so damn good! The lipgloss is described as a product that “moisturises lips and gives an incredible instant-volume effect for a glossy smile and full, plump lips” and I can’t disagree! There are many products on the market that claim to ‘plump your lips’ however this is one of the only ones that I can actually call legit. Immediately after applying the gloss, you feel a tingling sensation (which means its working), and after a few minutes you will have gorgeously plumped lips – no injection needed!

Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream
This product needs no introduction… behold the mighty eight hour cream by Elizabeth Arden! This red and white packaged product has been on the market for many decades and yet is still loved by so many, and has become a bit of a cult classic. However, for those who haven’t yet tried it, I have to say it’s not actually a cream but rather a ‘balm’! The apricot coloured balm, with a citronella scent, can be used for just about anything; cuticles, burns, lips, dry hands etc, you name it. Personally I use it mainly for my lips, as I have a bit of a pet peeve for dry lips, and so my trusty eight hour cream always comes to the rescue (especially during the cold winter months).

Chanel, Soleil De Tan Chanel
Back when I was first getting into makeup, this cream bronzer was introduced to me by my grandma (who I trust dearly when it comes to makeup  – and who’s makeup drawers I used to raid as a little girl) and since then I haven’t looked back. It has a creamy consistency, and is definitely a bronzer used to give you a healthy glow rather than a contoured look due to the orange undertone making it perfect for both the summer but also the winter if you’re looking a little on the pale side and want to fake a bronzed face. I’ve been using this product for around four years now, and always go back to it because it’s just so trusty – I even got my mum obsessed with it as well! In the summer, more often than not I tend to skip the foundation stage completely and just use this bronzer to give me a natural and healthy summer glow.

So, these are just three of the products that I would put at the same level of my need for oxygen to survive – yeah pretty high up you could say!

It’s like when you get asked that question “If you were stranded on a deserted island what are three things you’d take with you” and well, the three products above would definitely be coming with me – forget inflatable boats or flares, the Dior lip maximiser, eight hour cream and Chanel bronzer are the real survival kit necessities!

What are three beauty products you couldn’t live without?

Words by Maija Lily
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