My Favourite Skincare and Makeup Products 2023

As the year draws to a close, it’s time to share my favourite skincare, makeup and haircare items with you all. Those who know me, know my love of makeup, and so, I’m often asked for recommendations of products. What better time to share these than the Nykaa Pink Friday Sale which offers huge savings on products?! Without further ado, here is my round-up of my favourite skincare and makeup products 2023, along with why I love them (just click on the picture of any of the products to buy them):

SKINCARE:

• Pixi Glow Tonic: I’ve only recently introduced the Pixi Glow Tonic into my morning skincare routine, and it’s doing admirably well in keeping my skin clear, even and adding a glow.

• Personal Touch Skincare: This indie brand has really blown me away with the quality of its products (full disclosure: they were originally sent to me in PR but I’m buying seconds and thirds!). Their sun protection cream and oil-free moisturiser are great for sensitive skin and their eye cream is also lightweight and has helped reduce the appearance of my dark circles.

• Neutrogena Sun Block: Good ol’ Neutrogena is truly excellent when it comes to treating acne-prone skin. I particularly love their SPF 50+ sunblock because it doesn’t feel greasy or leave a white cast, even as it protects my skin. If you shop for Neutrogena products between 10am and 2pm, be prepared to get flat 30% off!

• Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream: I don’t know how this works equally well on all skin types – it truly is magic!! If you buy nothing else from my recommendations, get this. This heavy duty yet lightweight (see, I told you it’s magic!) moisturiser has worked equally well when my skin was super dry (in London, over the summer), oily-normal combination skin (during Delhi’s monsoon) and now normal-dry combination skin (Delhi winter). Plus, if you shop between 6pm and 2pm, you get flat 25% + a free gift.

• Garnier Micellar Water: Since I wear makeup almost every day, I’m very particular about doing a double cleanse in order to remove my makeup thoroughly (on some days, even a triple cleanse where the first step is removing heavy eye makeup and liquid lipsticks with a makeup wipe). On double cleanse days, I begin with this amazing and gentle product. There are many different types of micellar waters that Garnier offers, but the ones that suit me best are the oil-based removers. Another fantastic one from this line (which I bought in London), is the Garnier Vitamin C infused micellar water.

• My second cleanse is with my Neutrogena Face Wash at night. In the morning, I use my dermatologist approved Fash Foam face wash (not available on Nykaa) and for night-time I keep alternating between face washes. The Neutrogena one suits me well.

MAKEUP:

• Foundations: I have so many foundations because I love switching things up and trying new formulas. However, there are two that I keep repurchasing because they look so good on my skin. Estee Lauder Double Wear has been my go-to product for over six years because of how astonishingly long it lasts on the skin. I wear it on days when I need to need to wear my makeup for over 12 hours. Seriously, on some days I’ve put it on at 6:30 a.m. and had it last beyond midnight! A drugstore option that has the same or even better lasting power is the Maybelline New York Super Stay Active Wear. This foundation looks heavier on the skin than the one from Estee Lauder does, but its price is definitely a lot easier on the pocket! Another favourite foundation of mine (for regular daily wear) is the NARS Natural Radiance Foundation, which sadly isn’t available on Nykaa as yet.

• Concealers: My favourite concealer hands down is the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer – it looks so natural while also covering my dark circles. However, the Maybelline New York concealers are also very good – both the Fit Me line and the Age Rewind line.

• Powder: The softest and best powder on the market, in my opinion, is the Maybelline New York Fit Me Loose Powder. It doesn’t leave a white cast or make you look cakey, and it mattifies the skin in a very natural way.

• Cream Contour: The Huda Beauty Tantour is my go-to product in this category. I do also like the Rare Beauty one but that isn’t on Nykaa!

• Powder Contour / Bronzer: The prize goes to… the Benefit Hoola bronzer! Not sure how but this product works so well on Indian skin tones. It doesn’t look grey or streaky at all and still chisels my cheekbones.

• Cream Blush: There are a lot of cream blush formulas I own and use because their colours differ from each other. But if I was asked to pick a single formula, it would most certainly be the Benefit Benetint blushes. They offer great colour pay-off without looking overpowering, and they last really long! (Bonus tip: if you don’t like to wear lipsticks but want to improve your natural lip colour, this is a great product to wear on your lips).

• Powder Blush: My three favourite powder blush formulas at the moment are Benefit Cosmetics Blush in Dandelion, Flower Beauty Flower Pots powder blush and Lakme 9 to 5 Pure Rouge Blusher.

• Highlighter: I no longer wear highlighter on a daily basis, but I do enjoy wearing it on special occasions. For this purpose, my absolute favourite highlighter which looks like actual molten gold (as per its name) on the skin is Maybelline New York Face Studio Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter.

• Eyeshadow Palettes: This is tough! I own an entire drawer full of eyeshadow palettes. However my absolute favourite multipurpose palette (and preferred choice for travel) is the Huda Beauty Rose Gold Remastered Palette. This palette isn’t for sale but you can’t go wrong with any of Huda Beauty’s eyeshadow palettes. Another favourite for neutral looks is Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam palette. A recent favourite that I’m really enjoying for its bright colours is Pat McGrath Mothership Mega Celestial Nirvana palette. I apologise that all my recommendations are super expensive (I can’t help it guys! Good eyeshadow is expensive!). For a more affordable option, try Milani shadows – their neutral colours and shimmers are very good even if they falter in some of the matte shades.

• Eyeliner: The best liquid liner for price, formula, and longevity is hands down the Nyx Epic Ink Liner Pen. Another very similar pen is the Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real! Extreme Precision Liner. Faces Canada does THE BEST kajals – both its gel formula and regular twist-up pencil. However, for daily use, even the Maybelline kajal is a good, cheap option.

• Mascara: This is such an important makeup item for me! My all-time favourite mascara for the fake lash look is L’Oreal Lash Paradise. However, the Maybelline New York Lash Sensational is pretty good too.

• Setting Spray: If you want your makeup to last through heat, rain, tears, and the general wear and tear of a long day, you must must must invest in a good setting spray. The best one out there, in my opinion, is Urban Decay All Nighter setting spray. For my dry skin ladies, the Too Faced Hangover 3 in 1 Replenishing Primer and Setting spray works very well. The MAC Prep and Prime Fix+ is another good product – not for longevity – but for making your makeup look more natural on your skin.

• Tools: This often overlooked category is extremely important for a wholesome makeup collection. I feel Real Techniques does beauty sponges and face brushes really well, and my favourite brushes for eyeshadows are from Sigma.

HAIRCARE:

• I don’t have a long and elaborate haircare routine, but there are some general rules I follow int aking care of my hair. I avoid colouring my hair and the use of heat-related tools and products because I’m hoping to keep them damage-free for as long as possible!
• I use conditioner only on the ends so that it doesn’t weigh down my hair.
• I use hair serum right after I’ve washed my hair to prevent knotting and make it easier to comb through.
• I alternate my shampoos between washes – it’s a great trick I read in a magazine years ago and it really works in keeping the hair healthy and shiny.
• Whatever I alternate it with however, the one staple product that I’ve used for years is the Pantene Lively Clean shampoo. It really cleans out my hair, leaving it soft and shiny!

So, that’s it. Here’s my list of my favourite skincare and makeup products 2023. Do we have any products in common? Do share your recommendations too, in the comments section below!

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This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Dr. Preeti Chauhan.

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