There's nothing more juicy than taking a peep into someone else's beauty routine and finding out what they like to slap on their face, comb through their hair and slather on their bodies. It's pervy, interesting and — *gasp* — maybe even a little bit helpful?!
Because if you're anything like us (funny, intelligent, very good at puzzles), you'll know just how disappointing it can be when you're constantly spending your money on beauty products that don't live up to the hype. It sucks!
So! If you're looking to cut through the noise (all of us) and find some great tried and tested beauty recommendations, Mamamia Out Loud hosts Mia, Holly and Elfy opened their beauty cupboards and dished out their favourite products they loved most in the last year.
Let's get into it.
Elfy Scott's recommendations.
1. Emma Lewisham Supernatural Sleeping Face Mask, $125.
Emma Lewisham Supernatural Sleeping Mask. Image: Mecca/Canva.
"I love it. It makes your skin look incredible and I've been wearing it a lot recently because my skin has been so dehydrated over summer. You know when you go to the beach and you come back and you look like a Cryptkeeper because your skin has dried out? It's the perfect sort of thing for that."
2. Lanolips Jellybalm, $14.95.
Lanolips Jellybalm. Image: Mecca/Canva.
"I feel like Lanolips is one of the cornerstones of my life at the moment. It's kind of like a thick lip gloss. It's not sticky. It's like a balm but it's like it's very moisturising, but it has this like jelly-ish quality to it."
3. Mecca Whiplash Tubing Mascara, $25.
Mecca Max Whiplash Tubing Mascara. Image: Mecca/Canva.
"I've never used a tubing mascara, and I only just got into this. But it's so nice. If you haven't used a tubing mascara before — it basically forms a little tube over your eyelashes and then when you're washing it off, it pulls off really easily. It's so good."
4. Kosas Air Brow Fluff & Hold Treatment Gel, $38.
Kosas Air Brow Gel. Image: Mecca/Canva.
"When I was a kid, I plucked my eyebrows into little rat tails, and they were so tiny and then a gap in one of them never grew back. But I use the Kosas Air Brow Gel from Mecca, and it gives you both hold and the tint, so you don't have to fill them in as well."
Holly Wainwright's recommendations.
1. Gucci Rouge A Levres Voile, $72 and Revlon Colorstay Matte Lite Crayon, $24.95.
Gucci Rouge A Levres Voile and Revlon Colorstay Matte Lite Crayon. Image: Myer/Canva.
"I actually did a whole post this year about my favourite red lipsticks. I have about 25 in my bag, but one of my favourites is the Gucci lipstick — it's just so gorgeous and light. It's like a classic old-fashioned shade that smells like my Nana's lipstick. I also love everybody's favourite Revlon Colorstay Matte Lite Crayon. They are so great. They stay on, they don't get all over your face (which a lot of red lipsticks do) and they are cheap."
2. MCoBeauty XTENDLASH Mascara, $27.99.
MCoBeauty XTendLash Mascara. Image: Chemist Warehouse/Canva.
"I never go anywhere without my MCoBeauty XtendLash Tubing Mascara. It is good, it is cheap and you can buy it in Woolies, so you don't have to go on a special mission to get it. And it works, in my opinion, just as good as the expensive ones."
3. Westman Atelier Vital Skincare Complexion Drops, $109.
Westman Atelier Complexion Drops. Image: Mecca/Canva.
"I'm obsessed with things that are not-quite-foundation — like skin tints. My expensive spendy favourite is the Westman Atelier Complexion Drops. In case you haven't heard of the brand, Westman Atelier is a really fancy brand bought in Mecca, by Gucci Westman. And she does these complexion drops, which are like a slippery shiny serum. I love it because it's super glowy and one of Leigh Campbell's favourites. It evens out skin tone, it gives you lots of radiance and it's just a really top-notch product."
4. IT Cosmetics CC+ Nude Glow Lightweight Foundation + Glow Serum with SPF 40, $47.
IT Cosmetics CC+ Nude Glow Lightweight Foundation + Glow Serum with SPF 40. Image: Sephora/Canva.
"This is a different version of the classic IT Cosmetics CC Cream. A few years ago Leigh Campbell made the original IT Cosmetics CC Cream pretty much sell out everywhere — and it's quite thick coverage. This version is called IT CC Nude Glow, and it's glowier and lighter. I found it in Sephora when I was in Malaysia. It is so great because it still has coverage but not as thick as the original — and it's really glowy."
5. Emma Lewisham Supernatural Face Crème Riche, $150.
Emma Lewisham Supernatural Face Creme. Image: Mecca/Canva.
"It's been my year of thick AF moisturisers. I went hard on the serums and the retinols, so I've been getting into really properly thick moisturisers and Emma Lewisham Supernatural Face Cream is one of the best. It's very expensive, but it's great. What Emma Lewisham also does very well is refills — so you buy the pot and then you just top it back up with refills."
6. Go-To Very Luxe Face Cream, $79.
Image: Go-To Very Luxe Face Cream. Mecca/Canva.
"The other moisturiser I've really liked this year is Go-To's Very Luxe Face Cream. It's in a little metallic pink pot, and it's just thick and delicious and you can wear it in the day or at night — I really love it."
7. Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush, $77.
Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush. Image: Mecca/Canva.
"My Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks blush — I love it. The thing about these products is that I know they're spendy, but this has lasted me forever. It's iconic, and the pigment is so good."
8. Trinny Lip2Cheek, $49.
Trinny London Lip2Cheek in 'Phoebe'. Image: Pinterest/Canva.
"I do still use a lot of Trinny Lip2Cheek in the shade 'Phoebe'. I use this for a pop of colour on the lips as well as the face."
9. Benefit Cosmetics 24-Hr Brow Setter Invisible Brow Gel, $48.
Benefit Cosmetics 24-Hr Brow Setter Invisible Brow Gel. Image: Myer/Canva.
"My brows are naturally sparse, yellow and very unruly. They're getting sparser as I've gotten older, but they're also wiry and curly. So I use a lot of brow products either to colour them in when the tint starts fading or to keep them in check. And this one from Benefit Cosmetics is great. I'll fill them in and then keep them in place with this."
Mia Freedman's recommendations.
1. L'Oréal Paris True Match Nude Plumping Tinted Serum, $39.95.
L'Oreal Paris True Match Tinted Plumping Serum. Image: Chemist Warehouse/Canva.
"This is a tinted serum. I love a few different ones, but I've long talked about the L'Oréal True Match Plumping Tinted Serum, which you can get at any chemist. I absolutely love it, and it comes in heaps and heaps of different shades."
2. IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream SPF50, $73.
IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream. Image: Sephora/Canva.
"The one foundation that I've fallen in love with this year has been the IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better — and it's basically a tinted serum. It's got some glow in it but it's nice and light and buildable. Like, I'll use more coverage on my cheeks, for example, where I've got quite a lot of pigmentation."
3. Sephora Collection Lip Blush, $22.
Sephora Collection Lip Blush. Image: Sephora/Canva.
"Now, I'm not into lipstick very much at the moment — I also don't like sticky and drying lip glosses. But what I do like is a lip stain — having something tinted that still offers moisture. Lip blush is almost like a long-lasting formula mixed with a tinted lip situation. It comes in some bright colours, but there's something about the texture. I just really love it.
"I've also learned that Sephora and Mecca's in-house brands are amazing."
4. M.A.C Cosmetics Pro Longwear Paint Pot in 'Groundwork', $46.
Image: MAC Cosmetics Pro Longwear Paint Pot in 'Groundwork'. Image: Myer/Canva.
"I stopped using this ages ago, but I was reminded of it and have gone back to it. It's called M.A.C Cosmetics Pro Longwear Paint Pot in 'Groundwork'. It is a neutral brown walnut-coloured cream eyeshadow. It suits any skin tone, you can wear it day or night. It is just like your eyelids but better. You can't f**k it up. It's kind of like the stuff that Trinny London does, but it's sort of the OG. I just love it. I've re-discovered it and I've been wearing it every day."
5. Flavedo and Albedo Dew Tint Cream Blush in 'Toffee', $44.
Flavedo Alebedo Dew Tint Cream Blush. Image: abeautyco/Canva.
"There's a new Australian brand that's called Flavedo and Albedo and they do plastic-free packaging. It's a lip/cheek tint and there's a colour called 'toffee' — it's in a little tin, so it's good for the environment. They do three or four different colours. It's about the size a bit bigger than a 50-cent piece. And it's so lovely. It's just got a beautiful shade."
6. Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour Matte, $51.
Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour Matte. Image: Mecca/Canva.
"I'm always looking for a big, chunky eyeliner crayon because I don't do eyeliner. Mecca does good ones and also Laura Mercier — they do the best ones and in the best shades. I use one called 'Cobblestone', which has been one of my most-used products this year."
Have you tried any of these beauty products? What were some of your favourites for the year? Share with us in the comment section below.
Feature image: Supplied/Canva.
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