And that, my friends and fellow beauty junkies, is what we call a bold-faced lie.
Rarely am I able to log onto one of these sites without getting the uncontrollable urge to hit ‘Add To Basket’ a few times.
But what am I supposed to do when Charlotte Tilbury exists in the world?
Aaaanyway, I bought things and I feel pretty good about them, so let’s talk about it.
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder
My biggest weakness is likely for Charlotte Tilbury products at the moment.
From the super glamorous art deco packaging to the beautiful formulas, the brand has bewitched me since it launched. Each new product seems to be better than the last as well, so if I want to treat myself then that’s where I head.
I’m slowly replacing more and more of my staple products with items from the brand. It is pricey, but it makes me feel good and everything is a pleasure to use. So I decided to try their pressed powder out, and I haven’t been disappointed.
It’s a featherlight formula that works really well for setting concealer and doesn't pile into fine lines around the eyes. Because the powder is so finely milled, you can use it for making lipstick matte and it doesn’t give that odd whitish cast to your skin.
It’s another gorgeous product that is well worth the spend - and that ultra-glam gold packaging? Staaaahp. Just bill my debit card already.
Hot Lips 2 | Enchanting Edward
The Hot Lips 2 range is absolutely delicious - beautiful, highly pigmented lipsticks that come in these devastatingly fabulous refillable containers. Be still my beating heart!
I’ll be honest, I’d probably buy these for the packaging alone, but luckily the contents are also pretty good. I first bought the shade 'Glowing Jen', which has become a staple in my rotation of nude lipsticks.
This one is actually a clear balm with a slight shimmer finish, and because I often choose to wear just a very natural lip during the day, I thought it would be pretty perfect paired with just a touch of lipliner.
The formula is loaded with Shea Butter, Aloe Vera and Hyaluronic Acid, so it gives that smoothed out, plumped up and very kissable look. Perfection.
An indulgent treat that will make you feel better each time you apply it, lockdown or not.
Lip Cheat | Pillow Talk
There’s no doubt that Pillow Talk fever gripped the beauty world after the legendary lipliner first launched, and there’s now a whole product range capitalizing on the pinky nude shade plus a million pale imitations from other brands out there.
This is the OG though - the ground zero lipliner where it all began. The Lip Cheat liner has long since achieved cult status, and it's definitely my favourite, although I’ve always used the shade ‘Iconic Nude’ which is more brown-toned.
This pink-toned nude glides on and really does give a naturally fuller look. It’s obvious why it’s a must have as soon as you try it, and I don’t think I’d be without it now.
K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick | Velvet Underground
Lipsticks are what first drew me into the Charlotte Tilbury universe. And apparently there is no escape in sight!
The formula of these is just beautiful - creamy, flattering, perfect. Light diffusing pigments work to give a naturally full appearance, while it also screens out UV damage and leaves lips nice and smooth.
This shade 'Velvet Underground' (love the name, suspect Lou Reed wouldn't!) is a beautiful, silky amped up fuschia that I’ve been eyeing for a while. It's not a shade I'll wear everyday, but it was one I wanted in my collection. Sometimes, you’re just in the mood to go a bit bolder, and a slash of bright lipstick can have that mood lifting effect we all need so badly right now.
The Feline Flick Quick Liner Pen | Panther
This is waterproof, ultra-matte and black as my cold little heart, so it's just right. It has a very precise, slim tapered tip that allows you to get a really fine line - this is important for me as I don’t have a lot of lid space and a thinner line is way more flattering on my almond shaped eyes.
I like a liner that doesn’t budge, and this one has even managed to survive a sweaty 5k so it definitely gets my vote!
Pantene Cheat Day Dry Shampoo Foam and Mist Behaving Dry Conditioner Mist
I’m the queen of dry shampoo, and I’m pretty sure my existence as a working mum of two children under five wouldn’t operate without it.
In general, I’m pretty loyal to CoLab, as it's one of the only dry shampoos I’ve found that absolutely doesn’t make your roots look grey if you’re a brunette like me. But since I saw these two offerings from Pantene lauch, I have been wanting to try them. They were actually hard to get hold of!
This is a little different because it’s not a spray powder like most dry shampoos. Instead, it's a waterless foam that freshens your strands and removes oil and dirt.
It doesn’t leave any visible residue behind and it does give you that freshly washed bouncy feeling.
My hair is fine but there’s lots of it and it's very long at the moment, which makes it a complete pain to wash and dry, so I have a feeling I’m going to be relying on this a lot!
It's lightly scented with Vanilla and Jasmine and basically lets you cheat a good hair day. I’m also loving the matching mist conditioner. My locks are quite dry so it's nice to be able to give them a moisture boost between wet washes and leave them looking silky.
These products are a really great way to go an extra day without having to wash and style hair, so they’ll always be a bathroom cabinet essential for me.
Winky Lux Mini Lip Pill Kit
This is something that I’ve looked at for a couple of years and never bought, and it finally made it into my basket. I must really have been in the mood for a treat!
These very cute mini lipsticks look exactly like a paracetamol tablet, and yet each houses a tiny bullet of creamy colour.
Not that any of us are going anywhere at the moment, but they would be absolutely ideal for going away on holiday if you want to take a range of colours but are trying to fly hand-luggage only, or just for keeping in your handbag so you can switch it up whenever you feel like it!
You get five shades, from a creamy nude to crimson and a beautiful purple shade. They are all minis of the Winky Lux Lip Velours, which are a next generation matte with a mousse like texture.
The perfect tiny pocket-sized pick me up for you or another beauty lover you know, these are too cute to resist.
Iconsign Lash Lift Kit
How excited was I to try this?
As salons across the globe remain shut in the wake of Covid-19, we’ve all had to get a little more creative about our beauty treatments. One of the things I’ve been really missing is getting a lash lift.
My eyelashes are so straight they’re invisible, so it's a treatment that makes a huge amount of difference for me. The first time I got a lash lift, it really blew me away as they won’t hold a curl by any other means.
This kit meant I could have a go at getting the look at home. You get everything you need for the treatment, including lift pads, perming solution, fixant and conditioner. It is a little tricky to begin with, and I found that I needed to watch a few YouTube tutorials before I could get it right.
It’s also very slow, as you can only do one eye at a time, and each takes around 20 minutes to get the different solutions on and off. I also found that the first step - where you stick your lashes to the lash lift pad - was insanely difficult. Mine just refused to stick at all!
It wasn’t until I switched out the glue in the kit for my Velour lash glue that it worked at all, and even then I didn’t manage to get all my lashes.
So I didn’t get a brilliant result, but I think it's something that you’d get better at with practice. It has made a difference to my lashes - they’re a lot more visible when I just wear mascara, but they also seem to hold a curl better when I use my lash curler.
So it's a lot of faff, and I don’t think I’d choose it over getting them done by a professional, but it's a decent fix while we’re in lockdown.
Too Faced Shadow Insurance Eyeshadow Primer
Eyeshadow primer is a bit of a low-key game changer. I used to be convinced it didn’t actually do much, but when I had some lessons from a professional make-up artist they showed me what a difference it makes to the vibrancy of the colour you apply and how well shadows grip.
Since then it's been a daily part of my kit, especially as I like to use a dark eyeshadow on an angled brush as a eyeliner for a softer, smokier look, and that doesn’t work at all unless you prep your lids with a primer first.
I’ve been pretty loyal to Urban Decay’s Primer Potion for a while, but I decided to give this one a go now.
It promises to lock down shadow for 24 hours and guard against creasing, but it also works against lid discolouration so you can wear it on it's own as well.
Sunday Rain Exfoliating Cubes | Watermelon
Exfoliating regularly is the key to smooth, gorgeous skin and I feel like it makes such a difference to how well moisturiser absorbs as well.
I’m a big fan of the Grounded coffee scrubs, but they do leave an unholy mess behind in the shower and are absolutely impossible to use in the bath unless you fancy a half hour of scrubbing out the tub afterwards.
So I got these ones specifically to use when I’m in the bath - they have a light formula that washes away easily and are done handily like little sugar cubes, so it's easy to grab one and use.
They smell delicious too!
Eylure Enchanted Lashes | Princess of Paradise
Flutter power is something I can’t live without. It's not negotiable to me - even if I have no other makeup on at all, I have to rock my lashes!
Often I do my own eyelash extensions, but if I want to take a break or I’m going for a particular look, I will still sometimes use strip lashes, and I really like Eylure as a brand because the bands on their lashes are so thin and flexible. This means they hold their shape really well rather than straightening out and popping off at the corners.
This pretty style is feathery and light, getting slightly heavier at the outer corners for an elongated cat eye appearance.
These would be super pretty for a girls night out if we ever get the chance this year!
Benefit Easy Smokin Eyes Kit
You can't go wrong with a classic smokey eye, so when I saw this kit on sale I couldn't resist.
I haven't bought anything from Benefit for quite a while - I briefly worked on their counter for a while when I was a student and it's probably scarred me for life - but they are good at the paint-by-numbers approach to makeup, and this kit couldn't be easier to use.
It contains four shadows - two matte and two shimmer - in soft browns and taupes to give a few looks that would work equally well for day or night.
I probably have a million kits like this but I got drawn in again and I know I'll get the use from this.
It looks ideal as a compact edit of shades to take with you if you go away somewhere (if we're ever allowed again!), because it covers everything from a neutral day time look to a heavier smokey eye for evening.
Ciate Magic Pout Potion
This little pretty rose gold tube wonder is definitely something I'll be repurchasing. Its a primer that you pop on before using a colour product on the lips, or it can be worn on its own.
Unlike most lip plumpers I've found (which are glossy and so useless if you want to add lipstick on top) it has a matte finish, so it sits well under all sorts of lipsticks and it has a really great grip to it that gives everything extra staying power.
If it has a plumping effect it's very subtle, but it works really well as a primer.
So that's my lockdown beauty haul, what have you been buying to keep yourself entertained? Do share!
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