Affordable Makeup You'll Want To Buy Over And Over Again

Last week, Louis Vuitton launched its first makeup line, which it describes as being 'curated by creative director Dame Pat McGrath'. An eyeshadow palette from La Beauté Louis Vuitton is Dh960, lipsticks and lip balms are Dh615. I am sure it's heavenly, but at those prices I'll be expecting a Kris Jenner-level glow-up. Or at least a damehood.

When I was the editor-in-chief (EIC) of Harper's Bazaar Arabia, we'd be sent every makeup and skincare product on the market to test and trial in the hope that the editorial team would deem it worthy of a place in our print pages. I'm not exaggerating when I say that my bathroom was overflowing with lipsticks, blushers and moisturisers. Six years on, no longer an EIC, my skincare and makeup routine has been pared down to the essentials, and I can honestly say that both my bathroom and I look better. Which is good news for beauty-obsessed students faced with the UAE's Ministry of Education ban on pupils wearing makeup and nail polish in schools from this term.

For me, first to go was the pricey skincare. Now, all I use is a SPF in the morning and Bioderma micellar water to remove makeup at the end of the day. No eye cream, no face cream, no neck cream, no night cream. And absolutely no multi-step Korean skincare regimen. When it comes to makeup, I haven't gone the full Pamela Anderson – the former Baywatch star relinquished cosmetics two years ago and hasn't looked back – but I keep it simple, and only buy products that I actually finish. Read on for the repeat buys that have stayed the course in my makeup bag (one has been with me a quarter of a century). Beyond trends, hype and gimmickry, these are the beauty heroes I pay for (albeit not at Vuitton prices) time and time again, because nothing does the job better.

Foundation wardrobe

I was at uni when L'Oréal's Giorgio Armani beauty brand launched its Luminous Silk Foundation in 2000‭. ‬My friend Emma and I used our student loans to buy‭ ‬our first bottles‭. ‬Core memory right there‭. ‬In the intervening quarter-decade‭, ‬I've tried more alternatives than I can count‭ (‬including Armani's own variants‭) ‬but nothing has come close to taking its place‭. ‬This is the makeup item I have bought more of than anything else‭. ‬It looks great in person‭, ‬it looks great in pictures‭. ‬I could feed you some beauty spiel about lit-from-within skin‭, ‬but honestly‭, ‬it just makes me look my best‭. ‬I use shade 5.5‭, ‬which I source overseas as it's not always available locally‭. ‬This is my ride or die‭ (‬it also comes in a travel size‭, ‬which is genius for trips‭). ‬Coming a close second‭, ‬for long days when I want to look put together from morning to night‭, ‬with no touch-ups‭, ‬I'll switch things up to Laura Mercier's Real Flawless Foundation‭. ‬Going on liquid and drying to a non-budge waterproof finish‭, ‬this is your best tool against September's humidity‭. ‬A genuine breakfast-to-dinner workhorse‭. ‬Finally‭, ‬for non-makeup days‭, ‬I cheat with Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF30‭. ‬It's light‭, ‬glowy‭, ‬gives self-care‭, ‬and you can wear it in the gym‭.‬

Easy eyes

Yes‭, ‬that Vuitton eye palette looks gorgeous‭. ‬No‭, ‬it won't convince me to wear eyeshadow‭. ‬I'd love to master a Taylor Swift cat eye‭, ‬but alas‭, ‬a combination of lack of artistic talent and crepey eyelids takes that off the agenda‭. ‬Instead‭, ‬I stick to a speedy swipe of Make Up Forever's Artist Color Pencil in 612‭ ‬–‭ ‬Dimensional Dark Brown on the inner lash line‭, ‬with maybe an extra smudge underneath at night‭. ‬Eyelash extensions do away with‭ ‬the need for mascara‭; ‬brows get a quick boost with Kosas's Air Brow gel in Medium Brown‭.‬

Complexion add-ons

I don't have the time‭, ‬inclination or skill for long‭, ‬multi-step makeup routines‭. ‬And post-40‭, ‬less looks better‭. ‬I'll start with Hourglass's Vanish Airbrush Concealer in Cedar‭. ‬You only need the teensiest amount‭, ‬and it works best with the brand's Seamless Finish Concealer Brush‭. ‬A quick sweep of contouring powder under the cheekbones‭, ‬round the hair line and jaw line and‭ ‬either side of the nose using the darkest shade in Hourglass's Ambient Lighting Palette in Volume II‭, ‬switching to the lightest shade down the centre of the nose‭ (‬again‭, ‬invest in the brand's matching brush‭). ‬After the age of 40‭, ‬blusher needs to stay high on the cheekbones and draw back into the hair line‭. ‬I like Kosas Blush is Life in Blissed‭.‬

Lips by day and night

By day‭, ‬Chanel's Rouge Coco Baume in Tender Peach is the prettiest wash of lightweight colour‭. ‬My favourite shade in this formulation was a limited-edition orange-beige from a couple of years ago called Anemone‭, ‬which I have stockpiled‭. ‬For night‭, ‬the best red I have found was recommended by my glamorous friend Elizabeth‭, ‬and it's Tom Ford's lipstick in Wild‭ ‬Ginger‭.‬

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