The Golden Ten...

Everyone has their own beauty essentials; the products which you'd prefer to swap a slice of your soul for rather than forfeit. Each personal cosmetic-treasure-chest will be different, filled with secrets gleaned from friends, family, favourite magazines, through years of trial and error... like little golden nuggets of beauty knowledge.

My Golden Top Ten is an ever-changing feat depending on the season, trends and new discoveries. But here's what's floating my beauty boat right now...

1. Foundation Brush (QVS Foundation Brush, available from Superdrug £4.99)

A decent brush makes all the difference when it comes to foundation, helping to achieve even, flawless coverage. I apply Maybelline's Dream Matt Mousse for a soft coverage which can be scaled up or down depending on needs.

2. Fine Line Liquid Eyeliner (Rimmel London's Glam Eyes, 9g, available from FeelUnique.com, £5.29)

The best liquid liner I have used, as the applicator has a really precise tip and is quite rigid, perfect for achieving a tidy line on those lush lids. Avoid eyeliners which have the liquid actually in the pen - like Max Factor's Glide and Define - as in my experience they loose their fluidity much faster.

3. Tigi Bed Head: Ego Boost (200ml, available from FeelUnique.com, £10.85)

I love Tigi products, but this is my all-time fave for hair-TLC. If you're trying to grow your locks then this is a cosmetic cupboard must-have. It smells amazing and doesn't leave your hair greasy or weighed down. You can apply it to wet or dry hair and it really does work to stop those ends splitting.

4. Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm (4g, available from Boots, £3.69)

A staple handbag must. Of all the lip balms to have graced my person (hundreds, perhaps thousands) this is the one that works the best. For an instant drench of moisture which lasts for hours, invest in some of Burt's magic.

5. Benefit's High Beam Luminescent Complexion Enhancer (13ml, available from FeelUnique.com, £18.50)

This is actually drops of heaven in a beautiful little pot. A small amount of this pearlescent lotion blended into your cheek and brow bones and your face will be transformed. The dewy pink is perfect for enhancing fair skin, for warmer skin tones try the new Benefit Complexion Highlighter Sun Beam, which has a golden bronze shimmer.

6. Maybelline Colossal Mascara Volum' Express (10ml, available from Superdrug, £7.19)

Of all the mascaras I have gone through (Bobbi Brown, Estee Lauder, Max Factor, countless other brands...) The one which has achieved the thickest, longest, clump-free lashes is Maybelline's Colossal Mascara Volum' Express. The Cat Eyes and the Falsies range are good too, but I personally find Colossal the most effective for lush lashes.

7. Hair Lightener (Smooth Care, 2x25ml, available from Boots, £3.99)

I'll let you into a little (and slightly embarrassing) secret... I cannot live without this little hair lightener kit. Once a month I use it to banish unsightly dark hairs from my top lip. After ten easy mins, VOILA! Top-lip freshness. No prickly rashes or stubble, phew.

8. Fake Tanning Mousse (with application mitt) (St Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse, 120ml, available from FeelUnique.com, £17.35, and Soltan Beautiful Bronze Self-Tan Applicator Mitt, available from Boots £3.99)

Goodbye drained, pasty skin. For an instantly toning, healthy glow I apply St Tropez's Bronzing Mousse with a tanning mitt. It really is easy, you can see exactly where it has already been applied and you can blend away streaks in seconds. If you're a fake tan-phobe I'd recommend the mousse as a starting point, it's almost fool-proof. For a cheaper alternative (admittedly the smell is not as pleasant) I'd recommend St Moriz's Instant Self Tanning Mousse,  and for the face I use Rimmel's Sun Shimmer Instant Wash-Off Self Tan, it's easy to apply lightly, sits nicely and doesn't dry out your skin.

9. Brow Pencil (Rimmel Professional Eye Brow Pencil, available from Boots, £2.99)

A poorly shaped brow means and undefined face. Always keep your pencil sharpened to a neat point to avoid smudgy looking brows, and choose a shade which compliments your skin tone. For £2.99 there is just no excuse for skimpy brows... invest in a good pencil.

10. Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion (For Dry/Combination skin, 50ml, available from Debenhams, £16.50)


It's a more expensive option for moisturiser, but boy oh boy is it good. Skin feels silky soft and perfectly primed (not oily or sticky - yack!) it genuinely is dramatically different. I use the lotion for combination skin, and it really does cater for the oily t-zone and the occasional dry patch with equally good results.