LEIGH CAMPBELL: I’ve been reaching for the same five makeup products for the past month. Here’s why.

Hi, I’m Leigh, and I’m addicted to beauty products.

Luckily, it’s also my day job to trial them, so I’m able to satisfy my addiction on the daily. 

I’m one of the hosts of You Beauty, and a big part of creating content for that podcast is trying out new serums, sunscreens, mascaras and foundations every single week.

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I’m often asked to share my skincare routine - or what’s in my makeup bag - but in all honesty I rotate products so frequently that no two weeks (or even days!) are the same when it comes to what I put on my face.

Having said that, amongst the newness in my bathroom, I’ve found myself reaching for the same five makeup products for the past month, maybe more.

Sure, I’m still trying new stuff, but the below products are so good that I’m grabbing them again at any chance I get.

Westman Atelier Vital Skin Care Complexion Drops, $113.

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Okay, so we’re starting with a doozy price-wise, but my face just looooves it. (The rest of the products on the list are more affordable - promise!)

Westman Atelier is the luxury makeup line by world-renowned makeup artist Gucci Westman. She’s been the global artistic director for both Revlon and Lancome, and regularly does the faces of Drew Barrymore, Natalie Portman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cameron Diaz et al. She developed her own makeup collection in 2018, which is available in Australia through Mecca.

Anyway, to the product.

The Vital Skin Care Complexion Drops take the place of my foundation, but are not a foundation. I repeat, THIS IS NOT A FOUNDATION.

It’s a skincare product with pigment and sheer coverage. It’s like a serum and a face oil and a BB cream had a threesome. There’s an impressive bunch of skin-improving ingredients in the bottle, which you need to shake before applying.

A little goes a long way. I use it over my SPF, applying it with my fingers, then blend with a base buffing brush. It’s super dewy, so I set my t-zone (I’m a combo girl) with translucent powder.

I find it stays all day while still offering luminosity. It’s just so flattering on mature/not-perfect skin. But be warned - not everyone is as enamoured with it as me. Mia didn't like it, while Holly loves it. 

Rare Beauty Positive Light Under Eye Brightener, $42.

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Speaking of mature skin, I swear the day I hit 40, all my favourite under-eye concealers suddenly looked heavy and cakey and sat in my lines. It’s like they knew I’d clocked over to a new decade and were laughing at me.

Rare Beauty is the makeup range by Selena Gomez, and while she doesn’t know how it feels to be 40 yet, she does know how to flatter the under-eye area.

This product isn't technically a concealer, but I use it as one. It offers light to medium coverage, and brightens right away. It’s hydrating and while it doesn't fully cover my dark circles, it makes me look more rested and awake. The tube has a metal doe-foot which you swipe under the eye (it’s nice and cooling), then I pat to blend with my finger. The result is very natural. 

LoungeFace Lash Mascara, $37.

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that tubular mascaras are the best beauty invention since micellar water.

And if you have been living under a rock, tubular mascaras are named so because they create teeny tiny tubes around each lash, making them virtually smudge proof. The true joy is how you remove them - just with water and your fingers, ‘pinch’ your lashes and then ‘slide’ them off like little socks. It’s magic, and great for humid weather. 

This one is in my top three mascaras of all time, and is by beauty content creator Lauren Curtis, who has probably tried every mascara on the planet. It makes lashes look long and thick (but not clumpy), never transfers, and removes so easily. No more wiping and tugging at the delicate eye area. 

Flower Beauty Gel Crush Lip and Cheek in Strawberry Crush, $9.99.

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This list is starting to become a fan letter to my favourite female entrepreneurs, though it wasn't intentional.

Flower Beauty is Drew Barrymore’s baby and how she makes such incredible products at such an affordable price point must be some sort of insider secret.

I’m a scaredy-cat when it comes to blush, so this stick is ideal for me. The pigment is sheer but buildable and the finish is a dewy flush - like you’ve just finished a yoga class. I swipe it on my ring finger, then tap it on the high point of my apple, up to my cheekbone. It’s delicious on lips, too.

Revolution Laminate Brow in Medium Brown, $13.99.

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Another fantastic affordable brand, Revolution is available at Priceline and I love everything I’ve tried.

This brow product is perfect because it’s a nifty two-in-one. The angled pencil is great for filling in my patchy bits - the shade isn't too warm, which is a common problem I have with brow pencils. I do hair-like strokes wherever I need them, then use the other end, which is a clear brow gel with a tiny spoolie, to hold it all in place. The gel doesn't dry shiny or crunchy, which is very important.

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