Happy New Year everyone! This is my first blog post of 2021 and since we ended last year with my fave skincare products of 2020 (you can read HERE), we should begin this year with my fave makeup products of 2020.

Before I begin I want to wish you all well, I know the world is upside down right now and we all have our good and bad days. I hope you can come here for a distraction, some reading and a positive few minutes. You can always DM me on Insta (HERE) if you ever need a friendly face to speak to, some beauty advice or someone to confide in. Always confidential of course. I love to hear from you all.

Now back to makeup. I really channeled my purchases into makeup last year which is hilarious considering for the majority of the year I was sitting at home in my loungewear with a bare face, exactly how I look now. Though despite my lack of need, I felt this is where I wanted to throw my money and made investment purchases. Products that will get used a lot or last a long time. So this here is a collection of my most loved purchases of them all along with a couple of PR products.

Nars After Glow Lip Balms

OMG these are lush and perfect for no makeup days as well as a lipstick alternative. Obviously I couldn’t have just one so I chose two of the eight shades available (Torrid a peach tint & Deep Throat a pink tint). These balms are super nourishing and leave the lips with a high shine and hint of colour. Perfect handbag friend, no makeup days or a subtle day look whilst also taking care of your smackers!

RRP £23.00 each Available HERE

Natasha Denona Bronze Palette

When it comes to eye shadows I think Natasha Denona has hit the nail on the head with all the tick boxes of the perfect shadow. Highly pigmented, no fall out, blendable, buttery and beautiful colours. I have lusted over these shadows for a long time, always being mindful that you shouldn’t necessarily buy something because you read the hype and got serious FOMO. So, I hadn’t yet made the plunge to part with the cash as these are on the high-end budget when it comes to price. Then over November/ December a beauty retailer was selling them at 30% off. Now was the time if I was ever going to experience them for myself. I was not disappointed and have since gone on to purchase the Glam palette too.  They really are every bit of luxury and just beautiful to use, they also last on my oily lids without creasing which is not a common occurrence for me. The glitter shades are just so sparkly and so gorgeous. I am so in love and so happy I finally decided to grab a palette or two.

RRP £60.00 Availiable HERE

Hourglass Ambient Unlocked Quad Palette

Hourglass are forever my favourites when it comes to powders. Each year they release new palettes during the Christmas Holiday season and they are hot on my to buy lists. This was my first quad palette. It features a finishing powder, bronzer, blush and highlighting powder. All are absolutely beautiful and perfect for my medium skin tone. I like that the quad is compact compared to the 6 pan palettes so easy to transport for on the go touch ups. It has everything needed in one palette.

RRP £57.00 - Available at SpaceNK, Cult Beauty & John Lewis

Gade Selfie Lipstick

This brand was introduced to me this year as a new release here in the UK exclusive to QVC and MMCL London. I have been lucky to work with the brand throughout 2020 but also made some purchases myself beforehand. One of my favourites being the Selfie Lipstick. It is the creamiest most comfortable to wear formula ever! So highly pigmented and the magnetic close packaging makes it every bit of luxury without the high price of its competitors. This is my favourite shade (Rio) it is every bit the perfect nude.

For a further review and swatches of the two shades I have click HERE

RRP £16.50 available at MMCL LONDON for 20% off use code GADEICONNL

Fenty Cream Blushes*

Fenty are killing it recently with new launches. I haven’t managed to get my hands on them all but the brand did kindly sent me three of their new cream blushes. Let me tell you they are beautiful and work on my oily skin which is not always the case for me when it comes to creamy products. These blushes are available in 10 shades and there is something for every skin tone. I have shades Rose Latte (I like to use this as a bronzer), Strawberry Drip and Petal Poppin. They are well pigmented and melt and blend out on the skin. I love to wear mine over a tinted moisturiser for a flush of colour and a barely there look. Fenty also launched in Boots last year which is just an amazing addition to their brand catalogue and more Boots points for us when we shop!

RRP £19.00 each Avalable HERE

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Bronzer

If like me you are a fan of the Airbrush Flawless powder then you will also adore this bronzer to. Made from the same finely milled powder that blends and blurs for a flawless finish. The compact is huge so it will last ages and also refillable to. Charlotte launched loads of new products last year but this was by far one of my favourites.

RRP £39.00 Available at Charlotte Tilbury, Space NK & Cult Beauty

Nars Climax Extreme Mascara

Finding the perfect mascara is a mission. So whenever I find a good one its like a “eureka” moment. This new one from Nars is amazing for big volumpsious lashes. Its jet black colour gives the drama lash look. Full impact of big, curvaceous lashes. The large brush helps with this and also catches the smallest of lashes in just one sweep. I was so impressed with this and it’s a non smudger too.

RRP £22.00 Available HERE

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Mascara

From one mascara to another. Charlotte expanded her Pillow Talk family last year with this gorgeous mascara. As with all of Charlottes products the packaging is every bit of stunning and the mascara gives volume, length and lift. The only one questionable thing was the product claims to be smudge and humidity proof. This is a real smudger on me and I had to play around with it to find how it worked without smudging as I loved the results so much. My winning way was to not use any concealer or eye creams and set the under eye with a powder to absorb oils then I was good to go. Beautiful lashes and no panda eyes.

RRP £23.00 Available from Charlotte Tilbury, Cult Beauty & Space NK

‍

Gade Velveteen Eyeshadow Palette (Spice Rack)

A beauty of an eyeshadow palette which comes in five different colour stories. In sleek black compact with mirror making this easy to transport. My favourite is Spice Rack featuring 9 highly pigmented warm shades that I adore. The colours in each palette all work together beautifully and the colour pay off is perfect with no fall out. As with my Selfie Lipsticks as featured above you can see I have been won over by this luxurious brand and it is so affordable to.

For a further review HERE

RRP £122.00 available at MMCL LONDON for 20% off use code GADEICONNL

Nars Laguna Matte Bronzer

I went on a bit of a bronzer spree last year as I noted my collection lacked variety. Nars has become one of my favourite go to brands for makeup so when they released the matte version of their bestselling Laguna bronzer I had to have it. This new matte formula comes in three shades. Laguna being the middle shade in depth perfect for my mid skin tone. Bronzers are amazing for adding, colour, depth and contour to your face making for a versatile product that is a must have in anyones collection. Also a great way to fake a week in the Caribbean while travelling is not possible.  

RRP £31.00 Available HERE

IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation

I am a huge fan of their CC Base so when this new base launched I was all ears. Personally as a daily wear I like anything with a naked feel and little coverage as my skin isn’t too bad and other than insomnia I have little to cover up. This foundation gives a medium coverage with a naked skin feel. Its literally so light you barely realise you are wearing anything. It comes in 40 inclusive shades and it has so many super powers. Infused with skincare ingredients to improve your skins visibility and tone, infused with pearl powder to enhance skins radiance, medium buildable coverage, suitable for all skin types.

I am super impressed with this as an alternative to my tinted moisturiser on days when I need a little bit more.

RRP £32.00 Available HERE

Nars Tinted Glow Booster

Another Nars product to make it on my 2020 wall of makeup fame. This time we have the glow booster available in 4 shades. This is a multi use product that is oh so gorgeous. It adds glow and blurrs imperfections while you can use it on its own for no makeup and good skin days, mixed with base products, under base products or over your base for a gorgeous illumination on the high points of your face. The colour blend creates an illuminating golden glow and its hydrating formula gives your skin a hydration boost and a dewy finish.

I also absolutely adore the glass packaging in Nars Signature look with black logo.

RRP £28.00 Available HERE

Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks*

Oh my word, these are the absolute dogs you know whats! They do not budge for anything. Once this is on your lids you have a few seconds to blend then the colour is stuck until its time to remove. They are amazing. I have used the shade cocoa for years as a waterline eyeliner but never tried them as shadows before. Game changing! I was lucky to attend a zoom masterclass with the brands MUAs who taught us how to use them and I am obessed. Available in so many shades too.

RRP £25.00 each Available HERE

‍

Nudestix Magnetic Luminous Eye Colour

Nudestix is a new brand to me I have only recently purchased products from them and you know what I love most about Nudestix products? They are all quick and easy to use. All you need is your fingers, no tools necessary. These waterproof eye colours available in a capsule collection of shades are inclusive beauties that suit all skin tones. They blend together well and create gorgeous looks. I use with a primer for my oily lids and they pass the staying power test. If like me you are not amazing at makeup but still like to play these are perfect as are the rest of the nudestix products.

RRP £20 each or available HERE or in sets (how I purchased mine)

‍

I hope you found some Londors approved makeup must haves here and would love to chat to you more about them in the comments below.

*PR Samples

** All links in this blog post are affiliated.

Kisses

Nicola XXX

‍