Lets talk make up!

For someone to who hardly wears make up on a day to day basis, I have a lot of it sitting in two draws at home.  Samples? YES.  Gift with purchase? SURE.  Sad thing is I use most of it once, twice and often never.

I do have some Holy Grail products however that I have come to love over the years and repurchase once they run out.  It's not a huge aray or products, but it's worth sharing with you, my readers.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser

I know you're rolling your eyes and thinking "couldn't she be a bit more original" but really this product deserves all the praise it receives.  It's wonderful for us lazy time pressed folk who are rushing out the door in the morning.  Applied with fingers like a moisturiser, it plumps and gives skin a bit of colour and glow.  It's not going to provide full (or even medium) coverage or cover pores if they're large, but it will be be enough for a quick pick up.  It really is fabulous.

Chanel Teint Innocence SPF 12 Foundation

My skin has an olive undertone but on face value (pardon the pun) looks rather pale, so make up counter girls are forever sending me off with really pale foundation that makes me look like a washed out Morticia in photos.  When I broke up with my ex a few years back, my cousin came to stay with me.  She was working at Chanel at the time and had a suitcase of make up with her - and that's when I fell in love with this foundation and found the right colour for myself, by playing with various shades and taking photos of myself to find the right one!  I sometimes alternate with Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, but I still think this is one superior.  It glides on really nicely, blends well, stays put and provides great coverage without looking caked on.  EXACTLY what one expects of foundation!

I do however ALWAYS apply foundation with the Giorgio Armani Foundation Brush.  It's a lot less messy and a lot more hygenic than using fingers.

Diorshow Mascara

Need I say any more?  Only mascara that I've ever used that fattens my lashes and leaves them soft and supple rather than dry and brittle.  It's also easy to remove with cleanser and warm water without scrubbing or washing the face 3 times.

Dior Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen

In my humble opinion, this is so much better than YSL Touche Eclat.  YSL TE goes on really cakey for me and I find it to be really "thin" and "runny" and not really effective at what it's meant to do.  The Dior Booster Pen is great.  It helps diminish shadows and I often it wear it even if I'm not wearing any other make up.  My eye area is very difficult to maintain and this product is a treat.  I'm so glad I found this.

I also love myself a light dusting of MAC Mineralise Skin Finishes.  I have a few.  They will last me 30 years but they're so pretty and versatile!

Smiths Rosebud Salve

You maybe thinking that all of my products are high end.  And yes they are, apart from this Rosebud Salve which costs a grand total of $7 a pot.  It's an amazing lip balm, dry skin saviour, cuticle cream and elbow skin softener.  Do not EVER go anywhere cold without it.

The reason most of my products are high end, is because I have a skin tone that is tricky to match and in Australia at least, Priceline (the 'low end' make up mecca) does not actually have samples of anything bar lipstick.  Things are usually packaged, then sticky taped, then security tagged that I feel like a criminal touching them.  More security than at Tiffany's!  Why would I want to pay $40 for a Rimmel foundation that I cannot try, when I can get my favourite Chanel from a counter like a civilised human being for just a bit more?  And because I don't wear make up every day, most of these products last me 6-12 months. 

Now tell me, what are your HL products?  What can't you live without?  What do you always repurchase?  I would love to know!