Instep Desk

If you’re an avid Instep reader, you know we’re serious about our beauty arsenal. We spend time talking to makeup artists about their holy grail concealers, dermatologists about which products they throw their weight behind and the many merits of volumising spray with hairstylists. We listen to everyone but always make sure we try all the products as and when we can get our hands on them. We also feel that the best part about beauty is sharing your finds with fellow obsessives. Therefore, after trying and testing countless products, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best in the market so you don’t have to.

Nails

Essie Gel Couture

We love gel manicures because they last for a long time without chipping. The downside is, if it doesn’t come on right it stays like that for a long time before you can make an effort to go to the salon and get it removed. Enter Essie’s Gel Couture that has a wide, rounded brush for perfect application that fits the contours of your cuticle and shape of your nail. The design is meant to dispense exactly the right amount of polish so you get a smooth application of color the first time.

Foundation

Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation

You tapped, you swiped and you found a keeper - a rare foundation that checks all the right boxes. It’s not too heavy, it blends in well and gives good overall coverage. The product also comes in a wide range of shades and works so well it needs no fancy maneuvering to blend which basically makes half our foundation woes disappear.

Hair Dryer

Dyson Supersonic

Four minutes, 17 seconds. That’s how long they claim it takes to go from wet to dry hair. We tested this claim and found that the dryer passed. We’re also fans of this particular hair dryer because it not only looks good, but unlike other hair dryers it’s also super quiet so one can actually have a conversation without struggling to hear. The dryer also gives a kind of control on temperature that is unique.

Eyebrows

Luscious Brow Luxe Tool Kit + brow luxe tinted eyebrow gel

The eyebrow kit has a wax and two soft powders that work together to give you the perfect brow colour and shape. The kit also comes with an angled brush, a tweezer and a comb to ensure your arches look totally flawless. What more do you need? To permanently lock down those unruly hairs without being sticky or crispy, use the tinted eyebrow gel.

Highlighter

Huda Beauty 3D Highlighter Palette

The Middle Eastern beauty blogger, Huda Kattan just launched two beach-inspired highlighter palettes for lighter and darker skin tones that are wreaking havoc in the beauty world. Having worked on the formula for 18 months, she’s created a unique mixture that creates an iridescent three dimensional glow when layered on in a certain order. Plus, the palette even includes a bronzer and a blush which makes it the perfect all-in-one product for both highlighter and contouring fans.

Moisturizer

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream

Buying this moisturizer will set you a back a significant amount but we find it to be a great investment for your beauty look. Imagine wrapping yourself in a down duvet with the highest possible thread count. That’s what this thick moisturizer feels like on skin – soft, comfortable, basically like heaven. This is the first cream to make our skin dewy without feeling like it’s going to clog our pores and is a dream for the summer!