Beauty Week Buyers' Picks: Makeup Must-Haves
Ever wondered what beauty experts add to their own baskets? For this season's Beauty Week, we've asked our buyers to share the products they're most excited about right now. These are the finds they reach for themselves – from everyday essentials to little luxuries that make all the difference at home and on holiday.
When selecting makeup for warmer months, our buyers gravitate toward formulas that feel weightless on the skin while delivering noticeable results. Their summer picks focus on glow, definition, and comfortable wear that stands up to rising temperatures.
For eyes that make an impact, Benefit's Bounce Mascara has become an instant favourite among our beauty team. The innovative hybrid brush combines fibre bristles that deposit formula precisely at the lash line with a fine-tooth comb that ensures perfect separation. The result? Those bouncy, defined lashes you never knew you needed until now—no clumps or spider effect in sight.
Creating that coveted sun-kissed complexion without sun damage is simplified with Benefit's Hoola Wave Bronzer. Our buyers love its buttery-soft balm texture that applies like a dreamy cream but sets to a natural, non-powdery finish. It's essentially a luxury beach vacation in compact form, delivering that "just back from somewhere expensive" glow without getting on a plane.
Lips take center stage in summer makeup routines, with formulas that combine care and colour gaining unanimous approval. MAC's Squirt Plumping Gloss Stick offers that juicy, plumped-up pout with glass-like shine in a convenient stick format. The nourishing formula melts on contact with lips, delivering translucent colour and visible volume without the stickiness we all remember from past gloss trends.
Sun-Kissed Lips
For those preferring a barely-there effect, Bobbi Brown's Extra Plump Lip Serum in Bare Pink bridges skincare and makeup beautifully. Infused with collagen-supporting actives and hydration additives, it reduces the appearance of fine lines while creating silky-smooth, plumper lips with the subtlest pink sheen. Wear it alone as a daily hydrator or layer over lipstick for a nourishing high-shine finish.
Completing the lip lineup, Guerlain's KissKiss Bee Glow Oil and Hourglass Glossy Balm represent the best in multitasking formulas. The honey-infused Guerlain oil contains 92% natural-origin ingredients and delivers 24-hour care with an addictive glassy shine. Meanwhile, the innovative Hourglass 3-in-1 hybrid hydrates like a balm, plumps for fuller-looking lips, and delivers high-shine without feeling sticky or tacky—making it the perfect handbag essential.
