Top 5 beauty products that are worth the hype

New beauty products are launched on an almost daily basis and touted as ‘must-have’ or ‘the only thing you need’. Many are a great big waste of time and an even bigger waste of money (don’t worry, we’ve all fallen victim to a glossy ad campaign in our time…), but which ones are worthy of the bold claims? Beauty junkie Kay Hardy shares the products that are truly worth the hype.  – Sarah x

With the British weather living up to its reputation and snow flurries every five minutes, my obsession with anything ‘beauty’ has reached a new peak. Like most, cold dreary days do me no good, especially as I am convinced I’m part lizard and should always be in sunny, hot climes.

I have even started to turn food shopping into an opportunity to browse new products, sometimes forgetting the bread and milk in favour of buying a body butter or hair mask. However despite the random buying, there are some products that I will continually re-purchase because they live up to the hype and are simply worth buying.

1. NARS LAGUNA BRONZER

NARS is well known for creating high end, quality, products, and their Laguna Bronzer is my favourite. Reviews pay homage on a regular basis and after reading blog after blog about Laguna’s wonder, I took the plunge and bought my first one last year. I am now a convert and use it daily, and despite this I have only just hit pan and still have plenty more product to go. With a price tag of £26 you want the product to last, which it certainly does and is on par with other high end prices such as Benefit’s Hoola (£23.50) and Bobbi Brown’s Bronzing Powder (£27). Having tried both I can say that NARS Laguna has the edge, as it can be used for a gentle glow or contouring.

Laguna is a dark, golden powder, with a fine shimmer. It appears to have a dirt brown look about it, but is quite the opposite on skin, where a subtle, warm colour appears and the shimmer illuminates. I use it for contouring, and because of its ability to blend with highlighter (liquid, stick or powder) it creates a natural look that allows cheek bones to ‘pop’. Hurrah!

2.  MAC PREP + PRIME HIGHLIGHTER PEN

MAC's Prep + Prime Highlighter Pen is truly one of the best I've tried. I am a devoted fan of YSL's Touche Éclat but MAC's version not only highlights but conceals dark circles beautifully. After Kim Kardashian’s highlighter and contouring secrets were blogged and numerous tutorials made, it was difficult to find. It gained attention left, right and centre, which is wholeheartedly deserved.

The pen style structure and twisty top makes the product easy to dispense and distribute under the eye and on the cheek bone. The brush is soft on application, so it does not drag the delicate eye area. The creamy pink Radiant Rose highlighter covers fatigued circles and brightens the face, and it blends well in all weather conditions. It costs £17.50 and comes in three shades; Light Boost, Radiant Rose and Bright Forecast. They are worth swatching to find the colour that suits you best.

3. REVLON COLORBURST LIP BUTTERS

Every person and their dog have raved about Revlon’s ColorBurst Lip Butters. The moisturising hydrating formula combined with bright colour pay off makes them worth every penny and one of the most talked about lip products of last year.  At £7.99 each they do not do too much damage to the bank balance and come in a variety of colours. For winter Berry Smoothie is my favourite, which is a cranberry colour. Candy Apple is an orangey/red that suits any time of year and gives a pop of colour that isn't terrifying.

The only issue with the product is that because of its moisturising properties, the stick can become a little smooshed in its packaging. Nevertheless I would happily re-purchase any of the colours I already have and according to the Boots website more have been released. Brilliant!

4. URBAN DECAY NAKED PALETTE ORIGINAL AND NAKED PALETTE 2

These palettes have been featured in numerous favourites YouTube videos, blogged to high heaven and have sparked the whole Naked range from Urban Decay. Both palettes have twelve colours and although the Original tends to be favoured for its earthy colours, personally the metallic based Naked 2 is my preference.

The colours are extremely pigmented and have a healthy life span, and if you’re travelling these palettes are a perfect companion. They are compact and between them contain the majority of colours you will need. I've taken them on the last three holidays and not missed any of the sets that I left at home. They are the most useful eye shadow palettes that I have purchased and sit currently at £36. Considering that’s £3 per shadow, that’s a steal.

5. MAYBELLINE MASTER PRECISE INK PEN EYELINER

When purchasing an eyeliner, I think about two things; will it be precise and will it dry out? The Maybelline Eyeliner Pen is a good shape, that enables a thicker line to be drawn with ease and its fine point makes winging and delicate lines easy to do.

Having had so many eyeliners dry out, mostly high end products, I am smug that this liner lasts for quite a while (4 to 5 months) and is only £5.99 at Superdrug. The Maybelline Master Precise Eyeliner pen is proving to be such a little gem. So much so, I have already bought two in reserve. Obsessed? Perhaps.

– Kay Hardy