Best Lip Balm

This 100% natural balm is a beauty bag staple. Made from pure medical-grade lanolin, it’s the best thing we’ve found to hydrate and heal chapped lips. It can also be used to nourish hands, nails and cuticles, soothe insect bites and soften dry skin, and it’s safe to use on kids. 

Best Red Lipstick

We may be a little biased, but this lipstick is the ultimate timeless red. Inspired by the tomatoes in the Sicilian town of Pachino, it has a flattering and versatile orange-red tone that works all year round. The hydrating formula has a subtle matte texture and comfortable, cushioned feel, and the colour lasts for hours. 

Best Mascara

Volume, length and staying power are all essentials when it comes to mascara – and this delivers on all three. Plant-derived polymers create flexible volume and impressive length that doesn’t flake during the day. Lashes are kept soft and fluttery, thanks to shea butter and vitamin E. The best bit? It comes off with warm water, so no need to rub at eyes after a long day. 

Best Eyeliner

If you’re after a pristine feline flick, this is the eyeliner to try. The soft nib releases a solid black line, which is easy to draw on and dries quickly without any bleeding or smudging. We like how precise you can be thanks to the ultra-fine tip – perfect for getting close to the lash line. 

Best Eyeshadow

Pat McGrath is the queen of eyeshadow palettes. Not only are these colours highly pigmented, easy to blend and long-lasting, the shade range has been specifically picked to flatter every skin tone. Go subtle with creamy neutrals or take it high-glamour with statement metallics. A million beauty looks in one, sleek palette. 

Best Neutral Lipstick

Gucci Westman’s clean formulas continue to impress us and this lip palette is a clever addition to your everyday kit. It contains four neutral shades to enhance your lips, as well as antioxidants and hydrators to keep them plump and nourished. Pick one colour or blend a couple for your own bespoke tone. 

Best Bronzer

For a bronzed look without a hint of tangerine, this little stick is a go-to. The creamy formula melts onto the skin, imparting a subtle, sun-kissed glow with a natural, matte finish. Hydrating ingredients, including mango butter and avocado oils, boost luminosity and give a dewy effect. Simply sweep on then blend.  

Best Blusher

Staying true to founder Bobbi Brown’s ethos of make-up that effortlessly enhances, this blush stick is the easiest way to add a healthy flush. The sheer cream creates a subtle pop of colour that can be blended with a brush or fingers. Castor oil nourishes the skin for extra glow. Apply to apples of cheeks and lips. 

Best Brow Pencil

This pencil is so easy to use, you can’t help but create brilliant brows. Creamier than a traditional pencil, the colour glides on in soft strokes and has a natural-looking, hair-like effect. While the slanted tip gives precision, the spoolie brush blends the pigment for a groomed, your-brows-but-better look. 

Best Foundation

The smart thing about this foundation is that it gives a good amount of coverage yet feels practically weightless. The liquid formula blends over blemishes, dark patches and redness, leaving skin smooth and even. It also uses optically corrective powders to blur fine lines, while light-diffusing spheres give a soft-focus glow. Add to this a hydrating dose of hyaluronic acid and you have a best-in-class foundation for everyday use. 

Best Tinted Moisturiser

When you’re seeking just a hint of coverage, this is the product to reach for. The lightweight tint has a blurring effect, which smooths out blemishes and marks while feeling flexible and skin-like. Hydrating ingredients boost glow and the formula can be swiftly blended with fingers or a brush. The ultimate no-make-up base. 

Best Concealer 

Think of this as a concealer with added benefits. As well as disguising blemishes, it corrects discolouration – from dark circles to redness – and smooths skin. The result is a natural yet polished complexion. We like the creamy pencil format which allows you to pinpoint exactly where you want to apply it. 

Best Highlighter

The holy grail of highlighters is one that leaves a luminous glow with no sparkle – and this one is it. The velvety cream has a soft sheen, which enhances the high points of your face and gives an all-round juicy glow. We’re impressed with how easily it blends into the skin and leaves our complexions looking fresh and radiant. The range of shades means you can pick your desired look, from pearly shine to bronzed. 

Best Brush Set

Having the right tools for the job is essential. In terms of make-up brushes, we’re sold on Vieve’s capsule edit. The five super-soft synthetic brushes span the basics and then some, from a chubby base and bronzer to a sharp angled brush for eyeliner and brows. Designed by make-up artist Jamie Genevieve, they’re light to handle and easy to use, whatever your level of make-up expertise.