At the end of the month I will be turning 22! The age sounds too serious, I am aware! Does anyone else love the thought of their birthday, but when it come round to the day get upset because you feel you're getting older? The 'Birthday blues' are a real thing. This year, I am determined to remember that I will never be this young again, I am still in my early twenties and I have loads of time to complete my bucket list.
As I am getting older, I have noticed my skin has started to change. It is breaking out easier, looking dull and the dreaded fine lines have started to make an appearance on my forehead. It is a total nightmare. (If my mother sees this, yes , I am drinking enough water) .This is a list of my overall top 22 products that I love wholeheartedly.
1-Elemis Pro Collagen Cleansing Balm - £46.00
The Elemis Pro Collagen Cleansing Balm is definitely one of my holy grail skincare products. I have very sensitive skin. A tub of this cleansing balm lasts months and is worth every single penny. As I tell the customers who come in looking for the right products for their skin, your skincare is an investment that will help you out in the long run.
2. Clarins Lotus Facial Oil £43.00 Okay...This facial oil...omg! Imagine you are lying on a massage bed, that robe around you, that tranquil music. Think of what you would smell in that spa. This is what this facial oil smells like. Being one of the original products made by Jacques Courtin-Clarins himself, the formulae has stayed untouched for over 70 years! Again, this oil will last you months, the tiniest drop and your skin is feeling nourished and hydrated like never before.
3- Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream £86.00 Drunk Elephant is not for children. It's not. Despite the fun, vibrant colours of the packaging, it is not child-friendly. I wish I could say I was joking when I say I can't count how many 10 year olds or younger cry because I have told them and their parents that they are too young to buy a £57 retinol eye cream. Back when I was that age, I didn't know what an eye cream was. However, the Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide cream is exceptional. It instantly hydrates and boosts your skins collagen. This cream is great for my sensitive skin as it is 100% free of essential oils, silicones and there is no fragrance to it. Also, it reduces the signs of sun damage. Who wouldn't want that? It would be fair to note that the packaging of this cream is designed to mix a few products and make what the company call 'a smoothie'. However, if you are like me and during the week you wear little to no makeup, mixing the Drunk Elephant, 'Bronzi Drops' or their highlighting drops to this cream to give your skin that effortless glow and healthy shine.
4-Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads £46.00 Elemis' skincare is on a different level. I always am so impressed by every single product that I have tried. Late last year, I got my hands on their facial dynamic resurfacing pads. Personally, I thought they would be just like the No7 glycolic acid pads that came out in 2019. (My No7 Beauty Advisor Era). I was told that these pads are a two week treatment that will reduce the look of dark spots, pores and uneven skin texture. Using them twice daily, I have noticed that my skin is now looking a lot smoother and brighter, despite not being able to use vitamin C that i would rely on to give my skin that healthy glow.
5-Fenty Beauty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint £32.00
The first makeup item on my list is a new product that I have only fairly recently tried, but I am absolutely loving. Rhianna knows what she is doing when it comes to makeup. As I haven mentioned before, I have been really into that no makeup, really looking after my skin recently. This blurring skin tint is the definition of flawless skin. Have you ever put a foundation on and you feel like your face is suffocating? Yeah, me too. (Huda Beauty) … This blurring face tint is buildable coverage and this over an illuminating moisturiser or highlighting drops, you will look like you have the most perfect skin. Also, this product has great longevity unlike most tints. I definitely recommend this product.
6-Too Faced Plumping Lip Liner 'In Big Truffle' £20.00
Being totally honest! I want lip fillers. I have quite small lips that just need enhanced but I am terrified of getting botched. Too Faced have came out with a plumping lip liner. How inventive? This lip liner really gives you that lip filler look but in a more natural way. They had the lip gloss version but this lip liner is great because you don't have to wear a gloss to give you that plump look. Since I have tried and tested this new range of lip liners, I can not go back to normal lip liners.
7-Mac Blusher 'Burnt Pepper' £28.00
Being a makeup artist, I have tried a whole load of different products. This blusher is a must have in your makeup kit. It is a beautiful warm pink that is what it says on the tin, it's a burnt pink. This blusher can be paired with most skin tones. What I adore about this blusher is that it is buildable. You can wear it on your natural days, but can use it dramatically for nights out. Mac products last months, but when you hit pan it will hurt because I guarantee you will love this blusher too.
8-Chanel N05 The Body Oil £102.00 This next product, I will not lie, I have never had this product myself. I wish that I have though because it is so versatile when it comes to beauty. It is a skin oil, which can be mixed with body shimmers to create the most beautiful, radiant glow. The price is scary, I know but it is beautiful.
Trust me, I wouldn't lie to you.
9-Dior Lip Oil- £32.00
Dior lip oil went viral a few months ago. There are eight different shades. Personally, I love the universal 000 shade. This can be paired with any lipstick or lip liner and gives that translucent shine. It is infused with cherry oil that moisturises your lips. It’s a two for one deal, moisturises and makes your lips look great.
10-Sol De Janeiro Body Mist 62 £35.00
has taken the beauty world by storm. Christmas of 2022 I was gifted the 62 which smells like warm vanilla. I got another one for my 21st birthday. It is a timeless light body spray that smells so delicious.
11- Sol De Janeiro Shower Gel 62 £22.00
The same range has the best shower gel. The number 62 shower gel is creamy, moisturising and smells divine. It is a bit pricey for a shower gel, but I prefer it over the famous ‘Bum Bum Cream’. The smell of the shower gel lingers on your body for hours and keeps your skin so silky smooth.
12-Clarins Hydra-Essential Moisturiser HA2 Emulsion £38.00
Back to skincare, my favourite moisturiser at the moment is the Hydra-Essential Moisturiser HA2 Emulsion. (Top Tip! – Put the moisturiser in the fridge) This moisturiser is so lightweight, and you can instantly feel how hydrating the cream is on your face. This cream is filled with hyaluronic acid, organic leaf of life extract and organic Damascus rose water. This moisturises and plumps the skin which reduces the risk of sagging. This moisturiser is aimed for all skin types. Combination, dry, normal and oily skin, this cream is for you. 13-Clarins Hydra-Essential Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm £21.00
Again, from the same range, there is an amazing lip balm. I have never had a nicer feeling lip balm on my lips. The Hydra-Essentiel Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm. This lip balm has everything that the moisturiser that I have just spoke about just with added blue lotus wax which has nourishing properties, giving your lips that softness they deserve.
14-Palmers Cocoa Butter Natural Bronze Gradual Tanner £7.49
Coming into the summer months, everyone is wanting a tan. If you are quite like me and do not tan from the sun and just burn or also terrified of using sunbeds, this product will be your holy grail for those months that you’re wearing clothes that will expose bare skin. This is not just a fake tan; this is a self-tanning body moisturiser. It doesn’t give you that biscuit type smell, you will smell of sweet coconut. It is also beautiful and natural looking and doesn’t streak or go patchy like other fake tans would. It is long lasting and buildable. No more ‘Tanning Thursdays’ when you have this body moisturiser to use after every shower. Tan and soft skin, what else could you want?
15- Mac Macstack Mascara £27.00
As a blonde girl, my lashes are also blonde. They are white and when I am not wearing any mascara it looks like I have hardly any lashes at all. When this Mac mascara came out, I was sceptical like I am with every mascara that comes out. They claim that every mascara that comes out is the best thing since sliced bread. Being as stubborn as I am, I didn’t try it for a while and when I heard everyone raving about it. That is when I decided the time had come. To my surprise, this mascara had done everything that it was claiming it could do. It volumizes and creates that false lash effect. It comes in waterproof now too. The cool thing about this brush is that you can get two different types of brushes, the mega brush or the micro brush which is great for those bottom lashes. Fully recommend.
16= Tan Luxe Facial Tanning Drops £36.00
On to the topic of fake tan again, it is often hard to get an even tan on your face. It can sometimes look almost green when you put in on your face, and when it gets patchy, it is a total nightmare. These facial tanning drops are insane. Two drops into your moisturiser, apply it evenly on the face and neck and that is all it is to it. You will be left with an even, glow, no patch tan on your face. The days of bad tan are gone.
17- Nars Translucent Light Reflecting Powder £34.00
This setting powder under the eyes is a complete and utter game changer when it comes to setting your makeup. It is like silk across your face and leaves your makeup staying on. This powder is meant to blur the look of pores and hides any fine lines and wrinkles you may have or in my case have started to get. Worth every penny.
18-YSL- Touché Eclait Concealer pen £27.00
This is a timeless staple in my makeup kit. Shade 1, which used to be the universal shade. The brand has brought out more shades to be more inclusive. It is 2024, no brand should only have one shade, it is Ludacris but none of the less shade 1 was perfect for me and brightens up my under eyes. YSL come out with limited edition Christmas packing every couple years and I love to see it, it makes the concealer that little bit special.
19- Olaplex No3 £28.00
I haven’t spoken about hair care yet. If my sister reads this, she will roll her eyes. I can talk about makeup and skincare all day long; I know what I am talking about. But see when it comes to hair, I have not got a clue. It is my downfall, but Olaplex No3 is my holy grail for my hair. I dampen my hair and put this pre-shampoo treatment on my hair for ten minutes before washing it. The purpose of this product is for your hair to get stronger. This is great for blondes whose hair can be prone to breakage due to bleaching.
20- Olaplex Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo £28.00
Still on the topic of hair care, the ‘Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo’ is hands down the best toning shampoo that I have ever used on my blonde hair. It takes away any brassy tones that happen when I wash it with other shampoo. I don’t use the purple shampoo every wash because I was told by my hairdresser not to, so I don't. Maybe my fifteen year old sister will teach me how to get hair like hers. (Totally a hint Rebecca!)
21- Dior Forever Glow Maximiser Shade Rosy £36.00
I am not being dramatic when I say that I died and went to Heaven last week when I was introduced to this new Dior range. There is six products and two highlighter, two blusher and two bronzer shades. They are packaged like concealers and the formulae is so creamy, it makes me want to throw away all my powder products. (With the exemption of Burnt Pepper I was raving about earlier in this article) It is a multi- purpose product that can act as an eyeshadow too. Watch this space, this product will be going viral on Tik Tok soon.
22- Elemis Glow Moisturising Primer £46.00
This is beautiful for no makeup days and makes your skin look dewy and flawless when used under foundation or a skin tint. This primer can also act as your daily moisturiser, infused with fermented ginger (sounds gross but is a really good skincare element) it promotes radiance on the skin, leaving you feeling refreshed. It is a wonderful product!
So, there you have it! My Top 22 Products I Have Loved Before Turning 22! Leave a comment below or to talk to me in depth about what you think about this article, submit a form. If you like what you see , please heart this post and sign up to be on our mailing list. It would mean the world to me. Hope you enjoyed!
Much Love,
Amy-Teresa xox
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