In keeping with last week’s theme of fall and winter must-haves, today we bring you skincare and makeup essentials. Originally, my idea was for Madison Blake and I to each present our faves, but we quickly realized we have such an overlap in our essential products that it really didn’t make sense to report on them separately. I’ve been makeup obsessed from a very young age (my earliest memories of product-play occur around age 3) and throughout the years have found what are now the basics of life. The winter months can be a bit of a challenge, what with the severe cold wreaking all sorts of skin and hair havoc, but with the right army you stay glam all winter long. Of course, our makeup bags and product pantries are over-flowing with favorites, but these basics make up our cosmetic SWAT team. So without further ramble, let’s have a looksie:
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I am bronzer obsessed and hands-down
NARS bronzer in “Laguna” is the
best. ever (Make-Up Forever and MAC are also notable options). NARS bronzer has this magical ability to just sort of blend into your skin and give you a natural looking golden glow. My worst fear in life is those bronzers that look so …
bronzer-y, you know? But this one gives you a sort of innate tan. Like a JLo glow (minus the $500 dollar La Mer face creame). Dust it all over with the MAC #150 angled powder brush (
available here) for a sun-kissed golden tone all year long.
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Dark wine lips have been a hit for a couple of seasons now and show no signs of slowing down. I love doing a dark lip, a swipe of eyeliner along my upper lash line, a ton of mascara and bronzer for a somewhat minimalistic , yet also fashion-forward look. Re-introducting wine lips into my life are one of the things I’m excited most about when it comes to the changing of seasons.
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Madison Blake and I used Givenchy Hot Couture eau de parfum for years before it became extinct (or you know, until the eau de parfume became really hard to find). We were equally devastated until discovering this life-changing scent. I wore it the entire winter of 2010/2011 and the floral explosion, which is described as “a profusion of flowers that has the power to make everything seem more positive..” is truly the best compliment to the winter months. A potion strong enough to make the dreaded cold seem like a better place? Now that’s a winner.
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I first discovered Ole Henriksen products during a California summer vacay a few years ago and haven’t looked back. This is basically a “face freeze” in a jar … meaning it’s anti-aging and essentially freezes your face into place. That might sound creepy, but I swear it’s a good thing. Notable quotes include “I can feel it giving me a face-lift!” Plus his products are free of parabens, sulfates, synthetic dyes, petrochemicals, phthalates, GMO’s, and triclosa. So, uh, translation … a whole bunch of bad things we should avoid with our beauty products.
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I recently received this product in a swag bag at an event and I was instantly obsessed. It doesn’t have SPF so I decided to try it out as a night cream. It is super thick, so it’s great if you battle dry skin. It’s also basically a face-lift in a jar and I swear after only a week of using it my skin is more youthful. I wouldn’t recommend it as a day cream as, like I said, it’s really thick, but it’s perfect for face freezing your skin into place while you snooze away.
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Self-tanning is a lifestyle and one that I am fully committed to. I’m super fussy about both scent and colour (I loathe self-tanner smell and I loathe a tell-tale orange glow) and St Tropez is absolutely the best. Always golden, never orange and while there’s definitely a scent involved it’s not that usual smell associated with the majority of self tanners. Plus it rarely transfers to clothes and if it does, washes out without hassle. This lotion goes on super smoothe and streak-free. It’s virtually impossible to mess up. I recommend using at night-time, letting dry for about 15 minutes and then showering in the AM to rid you of any residual scent.
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A dark wine mani is classic and oh-so chic. Butter London’s
La Moss is one of the best. MAC also makes a great option (
Vintage Vamp – available here). ![]()
Ole Henriksen Walnut Complexion Scrub – Available here
Exfoliating is an essential part of skincare. This option is great if you have sensitive skin. Kate Somerville also makes a phenomenal exfoliator (available here … I know it’s expensive but I swear it’s worth it), but it’s a lot more intense so if you’re new to exfoliating I suggest starting with Ole Henriksen’s version first. MB avoided exfoliating for years because of her sensitive skin, but now swears by this. I alternate between this and Kate Somerville depending how hardcore I’m feeling.
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MAC Fluidline in “Black Track” – Available here
While a smudged-out smokey eye definitely has it’s place (you know, like everyday), there’s something really great about a perfectly painted sweep of black liner for winter. When paired with a burgundy lip, this eyeliner is great for a somewhat minimalist-chic make-up look. Try it along your upper lash line and then pump up the drama with an explosion of mascara along your bottom lashes.
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Recently brought to my attention by my hair guru Donald, this oil leaves your hair ridiculously soft and super shiny. He used it on my hair after bleaching it out (in pursuit of the Versace Dream) for 4 hours and I actually had someone tell me how “soft” my hair looked. If that’s not a miracle, I don’t know what is. Plus, unlike some other hair oils, it won’t tarnish your hair if it’s blonde.
And with that, you now know all of our secrets. Just kidding. But you know a lot! We definitely can’t tackle the next nine months without this army of products. What about YOU? What must-have basics top your beauty lists??
Stay stylish, xxMegan West
PS. Are we friends on Twitter yet? Come chat with me @MeganWestStyle … I’d love to hear from you!
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