When it comes to brand crushes, I have quite a few. Many of the brands I review on here, I generally like although I am always on the look out for new, exciting brands. It’s my blogging duty to test things out then report back to you, ain’t it?!
I get obsessed, then I buy everything I want from the range and then get a bit bored….
So you bored of MAC yet? If so……
Here are my current top 5 brand crushes, that I am loving and can’t stop buying things from…
1. Skinfood
Korean brand Skinfood has both skincare and cosmetic items, all with a strong food theme. The fruit or vegetable that has been incorporated into the skincare usually has some kind of benefit that links to that product – check out my various Skinfood Reviews here too see what I mean!
I have about a 85% success rate with products I have used from this range and they are so much fun to seek out and use. My newest purchases are the Banana Face Mask, Coffee Bean Sunscreen, Black Garlic Moisturizer and Chestnut Mascara.
Current product lemming:
Agave (a plant that looks a tiny bit like cactus) BB (blemish balm) cream. Its supposed to be hydrating and is similar to Aloe Vera. Comes with a sponge applicator – however I am quite allergic to BB creams.
The brand is quite affordable I think, in Korea but I have to buy all of mine from eBay but prices are reasonable from about £4 – £12. The most expensive products are never more than £16.
Verdict: You must like this if you like affordable, effective and fun skincare. Their cosmetics are very nice too (the mascara and the all over skin powders) but not essential.
2. BeautyMaker by Kevin
Beautymaker is by Kevin (make up artist) – I have his book, see the review here.
He is Taiwanese but I have noticed that on a few of the products I get from Beautymaker that they are made in Japan. This is not a bad thing….
Anyway, the range is fantastic. There aren’t seasonal collections, from what I can tell, but there are lots of good basics like primers and concealers, foundations, powders, a few shadows and lipsticks.
I buy my Beautymaker products from Beautyeshop which is UK based and they always ship by special delivery which means I get it the next day! Prices are generally from £9-£13 so there is a price mark up but its not bad at all.
The Aqua lipsticks are gorgeous, also the BB mineral concealer, Aqua eye concealers etc.
I have my eye on:
His Aqua Marine skincare range. My skin is so dry at the moment although I have set myself a target to finish some skincare I already own for once.
Here are my reviews on the Beautymaker products I have.
3. Estee Lauder
I know – how old school of me! I bought the Breast Cancer Awareness lip gift set the other day and picked up the compact Creme Foundation too and fell for the Xmas range which is quite old school glamour.
I also got a gift time bag and goodies which contained a Crystal Shine Lipstick – never tried this before but its lush….also I love the scent, almost like champagne – of the lipsticks.
This is the *one* time I will excuse a brand for perfuming their lip products!
Want it:
I want it all….this is the collection for a bond girl, no?
Sometimes it just nice to use a brand that doesn’t try to hard at trying to get my attention. Yes I love glitter, yes I love bright but sometimes, I just want elegant.
4. Trish McEvoy
Speaking of not trying too hard, Trish is my other love at the moment. I got the new All Over Face Powder the other day £28, and it doesn’t come with a palette……..
….You know I love any brand that lets you buy things and stick it all in a palette……their lining shadows look great, are very dark but have sparkly bits in it.
What I want next:
This is a liquid face colour and it only comes in one shade. It swatched as a light sparkly gold peachy pink. Its gorgeous, but I think its about £25 which is a little steep….
Its not the cheapest brand out there, but of what I have used (the Eye primer and a lip gloss) its very nice indeed. I have a massive wish list for this counter now.
5. Shu Uemura
Actually, Shu is one of those brands I screwed and discarded years ago – I went and collected over the space of a few years, every single eyeshadow they had, the skincare, the blushers then got totally bored.
The brand hasn’t released a collection I’ve loved for a long time, plus its a bugger to get hold of in the UK (if Shu PR ever read this please take note).
They stock their products in Shu Uemura stand alone stores (London only), in concessions (like in Harvey Nicks) and Space NK *shudders*.
The last time I tried to hunt down a collection (the one with the hot pink and turquoise painting liners) both the staff at HN and Space NK stared at me, gaped mouthed like I was speaking ancient Hebrew.
They don’t have stock. They don’t always get in new collections. I’ve given up going to a Shu Counter and actually being able to pick up a new collection without any hassle. I have to order my bits from Asia which costs more and takes longer.
Now….how did a brand crush turn into a rant?
Oh yes. I will excuse Shu because they are releasing the cutest make up collection ever known to man for Xmas:
The collection is called Cat Planet and is designed by Tsumori Chisato. You can see the range here on Sephora – I WANT ALL OF IT.
Your turn now – tell me your top 5 (or less) current brand crushes!
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
1. Paul & Joe, mainly for the packaging!
2. By Terry, for the no-make-up make-up wonder products
3. YSL, coveting Top Secrets primer
4. Givenchy – a make-up artist just told me about their Hydra Sparkling Magic Lip and Cheek Balm – I’m a sucker for a balm.
5. The Shu Christmas collection now I’ve seen it here!
laura
Reply
Hey Beauty Edit
by terry is a brand I’ve never tried
Reply
Hey Rowena
I was wondering what products/brands you’d suggest to find the best concealer and mineral powder. I’ve always had problems with dark circles, and I’m looking to complete my makeup haul by actually buying things other than shadows, mascaras, liners, and lipsticks/lipglosses, haha. I don’t own any concealer (until I get the stuff I bought off the blog sale–yay!), but I was wondering if you could suggest to me what you think is the best concealer you’ve discovered and the best mineral powder foundation. I have blue eyes and a fair/light complextion. I normally end up choosing the lightest foundations and I’m actually looking for something that isn’t liquid foundation.
Just let me know if you get a chance and I would be SO appreciative! I hope your computer at least air dries so you don’t have to go buy a new one! Thanks!
Reply
Hi Heather
Hmmm. Well you may have a fairer tone to me BUT here are 4 concealers I really do like (and I buy so many)
1. Cle De Peau – expensive but a real multi tasker
2. Beauty Maker Mineral BB Concealer (review is up this week!)
3. Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer
4. Armani Salmon Corrector (for under the eyes)
Mineral Powder foundations – I am SO fussy about this I buy them all the time but I haven’t found one I truly love yet. My fav so far is Susan Posinicks which is also travel friendly so I whip it on my face and its flawless!
Reply
Giorgio Armani – just fantastic packaging and luxurious products. I’ve only tried the lipstick and lipgloss and sheer fluids, but they were lovely. If only they weren’t ridiculously priced in Japan.
Shu Uemura – the array of colors and the gorgeous collections they put out really draw me in. I love rouge unlimited too; a great formula.
Shiseido – Dick Page! And the lipsticks in most of the ranges are just gorgeous. I adore the metal packaging of the The Makeup Perfecting Lipstick.
Majolica Majorca – I can never remember which order the two words go in, but the packaging is so cute and the eyeshadows are just lovely.
Lunasol – the glittery eyeshadows just draw me in, and the lovely pigmented liquid liners call me. Darn them!
Reply
Hi Kuri
I love Lunasol but its been a bit boring lately. But I cant wait for the new stuff!
Reply
Nars-I know I am slow for this. Last year it was all over the place in a Chinese beauty forum and I was like “pst…I hate that rubber compact” and just recently I started to play with the eyeshadow I have gotten I was like…OMG I want more.
Anna Sui-I kind of got one (many when it comes to eye makeup, powder case and mirrors) of everything and got bored…now I am getting back to the mascara.
Ok, I only have two…
Reply
5 Beauty Brand that was on my wishlist are:
1. Skinfood (creams)
2. Etude House (blushers)
3. E.L.F (brushes)
4. Lunasol (eyeshadows)
5. Prescriptives (lippies)
and i have read great reviews on them.. thanks for posting this =)
Reply
1. tony moly – bb cream
2. pop beauty – neon lid
3. kanebo – kate and lunasol e/s palettes
4. chanel – liquid eyeliner pen
5. kabuki brush (any brand, have not got one before, as never into blush till now!)
xoxo elle
Reply