Not even I, as a beauty editor, can resist the temptation of 50% off at Cult Beauty - here are the 12 products I will be shopping
Look, I know that I get sent a lot of products as part of my job. But I never know what I'm going to receive from one day to the next. Whilst the thrill of unboxing has never left me, there is a special type of excitement reserved for opening up a package knowing that the item inside is one that you really wanted and have been looking forward to receiving.
Enter the online beauty sale. I'm not immune to the pleasure of bagging a bargain my friends. No, there's nothing I love more than perusing the beauty retailer sites in search of a discount.
So, when I saw that Cult Beauty was having a sale (with some products up to 50% off), I did what any self-respecting woman in her mid-30s does. I tossed aside every other task of the day and went shopping.
Here's what made it into my basket...
- Hourglass Voyeur Eyeshadow Stick in Solstice | 31% off now £23.74
- Anastasia Beverley Hills Natural And Polished Deluxe Kit | 30% off now £28.49
- Decree PM Mini Essentials Kit | 25% off now £56.99
- Omorovicza Rose Quartz Roller | 30% off now £39.18
- Sisley Facial Suncare SPF30 | 50% off now £112.20
- Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Lip Blur in Flame Blur | 25% off now £22.60
- Briogeo Colour Me Brilliant Mushroom and Bamboo Colour Protect Primer | 30% off now £17.09
- Milk Makeup Bionic Blush in Fly | 50% off now £12.53
- R+Co Dreamhouse Cold-Pressed Watermelon Wave Spray | 31% off now £18.99
- Hair by Sam McKnight Sundaze Sea Spray | 35% off now £17.09
- Act + Acre Cold Processed Hair Conditioner | 55% off now £8.54
- about-face Fractal 2-Piece Brush Set | 30% off now £16.38
Be sure to bag yourself a bargain, by applying the code: AFFPICKS at checkout to get 5% extra off.
Things I Have Already Tried
1. Hourglass Voyeur Eyeshadow Stick in Solstice
I love a cream eyeshadow for its versatility and ease. If you wanted to, you could just swipe, blend with your finger and be done with it. Which is exactly what I tend to do. I particularly like a cream shadow in stick form and they don't get much better than the Hourglass one. Solstice is a really beautiful metallic bronze that helps me create the a simple smokey eye in seconds. I apply it to my eyelid, blend with my ringfinger and then use it as a eyeliner on my bottom lash line.
2. Anastasia Beverley Hills Natural And Polished Deluxe Kit in Taupe
The brand to rely on for good brow game. This kit contains three products - a skinny and a wide pencil and a clear brow gel. I rely heavily on Anastasia and her tools to tame my unruly brows and getting all three products in one is a no brainer in my opinion. Three of the best brow products on the market for under £30?! Come on. My only complaint? I wish the kit also included Brow Freeze, arguably the best product for the brow lamination look.
3. Decree PM Mini Essentials Kit
Decree is a brand that I always return to whenever my skin needs a reset following a long spell of new skincare testing. I know which products work well for my skin - having met with the founder, Dr Anita Sturnham and chatted through my needs - and within a couple of days my skin is looking and feeling good. I can't resist a travel mini - there's something about a tiny bottle that gets me going - so this quartet from the brand's evening range is going straight in my basket.
4. Omorovicza Rose Quartz Roller
Well this is great timing, my roller just broke and I need a new one. Whilst I love using a gua sha for sculpting my face, a super cool face roller straight out of the fridge is ideal for waking up a really sleepy face. Plus, rose quartz is known for helping to depuff, so ideal for tired eyes. PSA: it works wonders on a hangover too.
5. Milk Makeup Bionic Blush in Fly
These blushes from Milk Makeup give me that "I just jogged here" flush, which I will never actually achieve naturally as I don't jog. They're so brilliant - lightweight and buildable. You don't need a brush to blend them, just dot where you want it and then use your fingers to warm it into your cheeks. I normally go for the petal pink Infinity shade, but TikTok keeps telling me I need to be bolder with my blush, so I'm opting for Fly - a bright red. Because of how sheer they start out, I'm not afraid to give it a try.
6. Sisley Facial Suncare SPF30
The trouble with working in my industry is that I have become accustomed to luxury brands. Believe me when I say, my pay at the end of every month wouldn't allow me to keep up with this habit if I wasn't fortunate enough to receive samples from the brands. Which leads me onto this amazing SPF moisturiser from Sisley. I absolutely love this stuff. It's from the brand's suncare line, which is downright heavenly with nourishing and fast absorbing formulas. I pack this for every single holiday I go on, because it provides the perfect amount of moisturise for my dry skin. However, it is by no means cheap. I've never actually seen this at 50% off so I'm jumping at the chance.
7. Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Lip Blur in Flame Blur
I have so many Charlotte Tilbury products in my make-up kit, you'd think I work for the brand. But the thing is, the products are just that good. I don't often wear a bright lipstick , I normally stick to the brand's iconic pink-nude Pillow Talk shade, but this Flame Blur is calling to me. I'm already a huge fan, as you can imagine, of the Lip Blurs as they are one of the only matte lipsticks that I've found that don't feel dry on the lips.
Things I Want To Try
1. Briogeo Colour Me Brilliant Mushroom and Bamboo Colour Protect Primer
My haircare routine is pretty minimal - which I am trying to change - the one thing though that I am religious about is the appointment that I have with my colourist every six weeks. Therefore, I want to do as much as possible to keep my colour in check. So I really like the look of this primer, which is said to enhance shine and prevent fade. Sold.
2. R+Co Dreamhouse Cold-Pressed Watermelon Wave Spray
As I said above, I am trying to up improve my at-home styling routine. Currently, after washing my hair I pop some oil on my ends to deal with the thirsty and dry ends and that's pretty much it. However, I've noticed that when I test wavy hair styling products my natural texture is taken to a whole new level. I have been dabbling with a cream, but I really like the look of this spray. Not only is it said to define the waves, but it also helps with colour protection, hydration and adds shine. Oh, and the watermelon scent will do just nicely for spring/summer. Yes please, thank you very much
3. Act + Acre Cold Processed Hair Conditioner
Again - I cannot resist a travel mini. I've tried a few things from Act + Acre and have loved it so would be very happy to pack this in my suitcase this summer.
4. Hair by Sam McKnight Sundaze Sea Spray
I can't believe I've found a Hair by Sam McKnight product that I've never used. I used to go through bottles and bottles of cheap sea salt spray in my early twenties. Now I'm in my thirties I'm still game for adding beachy texture to my lengths, especially as we head into the summer, but I think it's time I did it in a more sophisticated way.
5. About-Face Fractal 2-Piece Brush Set
If you came to my house, you would see that I am a hoarder of make-up brushes. I can't help myself. Whenever a new brush lands on my desk, I pop it straight into my bag. I rarely look at what it's for - it's a compulsion. Apparently, I have the same problem when online beauty shopping, as I added these straight to the basket. I love sitting in front of my mirror at home, applying make-up with a variety of brushes.
