Written by Annie Whitfield
Here at LiB, if a global pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we are frivolous when it comes to our beauty spending habits. One minute, we’re ordering enough beauty products to last a life-time, hitting a crescendo in May 2020 when the bathroom cabinet door would close no more – the next we’re thrust into a way of living that somewhat resembles 2019, and suddenly, our beauty bank accounts run dry. It’s led us to question, does beauty always have to break the bank? Can we rely on a haul of beauty that we can actually afford to replenish once the empties pile up? Or can we start to shop smarter with our luxury beauty choices?
Our answer is: yes, yes you can, and we have just the right haul of beauty for you to put to the test. Not only is this collection bustling with a huge 16 brands, but it’s a carefully curated ensemble of affordable, hard-working products with a mix of luxury, high-street and award-winning formulas. A perfect haul of beauty that won’t break the bank, but will make our beauty-craving hearts sing with delight with the multitude of goodies there is to try (c’mon, it’s size that counts)…
SWAPPING FORMULAS
First up, we have some formula swaps. We know it’s tempting to always strive for big names in the beauty world, but ask yourself, have you really explored all avenues? Is there a hidden high-street hero you could try out first? If your answer is yes then you’re in luck, for we have some formula fortunes in store. From a suits-all-skin-tones shadow stick from Revlon that glides on with ease and always stays put, to a micellar water so purifying our skin almost sings when applied. Not to mention a high-street hero in the form of a silver nail polish from Wet n Wild and multi-tasking brush that can be used for just about anything from Look Good Feel Better. Savvy beauty swaps we wish we’d made earlier.
WIDENING YOUR HORIZONS
Trying and testing is how we expand our horizons and feed our addiction of being true beauty arbiters, so an ultimate beauty haul should include some innovative formulas. That doesn’t mean that every innovation has to cost you an arm and a leg – there’s a slurry of affordable products waiting to be explored that have unique ways of working. For example, the Milky Moisture Enzyme Peeling from Skincity – a gentle mask that uses the power of natural ingredients to slough away dead skin cells and leaves your skin bright and glowing with ultimate caution towards sensitivity. Or the ever-famous Wonder Balm from Percy and Reed that has earned a solid reputation for taming frizz and nourishing your hair. That’s not all that’s on offer, you can expect to see offerings from brands such as Faith In Nature and Neqi that are packed full of hand-loving ingredients that open your eyes to the world of hand-care.
BATHROOM CABINET STAPLES
When it comes to staples, there’s three things to consider. Reliability, duration and loyalty. If you’ve found a nude lip that you go back to every single time, chances are, it could be earning a spot in your makeup bag forever *cough cough* Bobbi Brown Luxe Lip in shade Neutral Rose. However, reliability isn’t always the only quality to search for in a staple product. If a beauty purchase is a little more costly but lasts for a long duration and you love the formulation, then stick with it. The Elizabeth Arden Superstart Skin Renewal Booster that promises to restore a healthy glow to your skin’s surface layer is a prime example of this. Lastly, loyalty is always a key factor in earning kudos of becoming a bathroom cabinet essential and quite often comes hand in hand with brand affinity. Take brands like Keihl’s, Smashbox and Eyelure – instantly you think, moisturiser, primer and lashes. That’s because these brands are loyal to the formulation of their products and in turn, they’ve earnt a legendary status for what they do best. Legendary = LiB staple product.
WHY NOT TRY
A worth-it haul is nothing without a few discovery products, maybe beauty or brands that you’ve definitely heard of, but never got around to trying? Left to tempt you: a hair-clip from the innovative haircare experts at Invisibobble that offers a subtle but super-strong hold, a hand-cream so nourishing you’ll never look back and the reinvigorating smell of summer, bottled in a foaming shower gel from Rituals.
SWEETEN THE DEAL
Now, if that’s not an amalgamation of beauty to get your heart racing then we don’t know what will. What we do know is that on top of this ultimate beauty haul, comes an extra kiss from our friends at Lipsmaker, with a lemon and lime lip balm that is perfect to pop in your handbag for summer. Most importantly, our Do Good Feel Good Beauty Haul has been put together in collaboration with our charity partner Look Good Feel Better in celebration of Feel Good Month. LGFB UK provides essential support to those suffering with cancer and up to £5 of every box purchased will be donated to the charity. A box of beauty that makes everyone feel good from the inside out.
