9 beauty buys so good that our team squeezed, spritzed and scraped them dry in September
From French pharmacy favourites to under-£8 finds, we're letting you in on some of our most-loved formulas
Collectively, the woman&home beauty team boasts decades of experience testing a variety of beauty buys, meaning we're well-versed in knowing how to pick out a genuinely good formula from the rest.
Seeing a beauty product to the very end is one of the biggest compliments our team can give – a rare achievement that these 9 buys earned in September. We're talking one of the best foundations from Merit Beauty that offers seamless coverage in seconds to a bubble bath that fills your bathroom with a moreishly sweet aroma.
But it doesn't stop there; we've also scribbled our way through a micro brow pencil that mimics natural hairs and squeezed a tube of glow-boosting liquid highlighter dry. All this and more when you carry on reading...
The 9 products our beauty team have used every last drop of this month
Warning: A handful of images showing our well-loved beauty products ahead! From an affordable K-beauty calming serum to a smoothing body wash that banishes KP bumps, the following 9 buys are so impressive that our beauty team has used every last drop of them this month.
"To say I treat my body with less care than my face would be an understatement. Washing and self-tanning aside, my limbs are neglected for shamefully large chunks of the year, but I strive to be better - and products like this help. It sits in the ‘washing’ category, therefore requires zero additional effort, but includes lactic acid to very gently smooth my skin texture, and can work on KP bumps too if you suffer from those. Affordable, easy and effective - as all beauty should be, really."
~ Fiona McKim, Digital Beauty Editor at woman&home
"This is hands-down my favourite complexion product - I'm already on my third stick; that's how much I use and love it. The Merit Beauty Minimalist Complexion Stick covers both my concealer and foundation steps, offering buildable coverage that lasts while also delivering a lovely glow to my skin. It blends like a dream, and I've never noticed any pilling or separating, even when layering it under other cream or liquid formulas. It's one of those products that you can apply at any time of the day, and it doesn't go cakey or disturb whatever makeup you have underneath. A true, everyday staple."
~ Naomi Jamieson, Digital Beauty Writer at woman&home
"If you're looking to channel a spa-like experience from the comfort of your own home, L'Occitane's cult classic Almond Shower Oil deserves a spot in your basket. This rich formula allows me to incorporate a touch of luxury into my bodycare routine. Its silky smooth oil transforms into an indulgent milk texture that works to gently cleanse the skin, while simultaneously hydrating as it goes. Not only does it leave my complexion feeling softer, supple and with a natural radiance, but it also fills the air with a comforting, warm almond and vanilla aroma – delicious!"
~ Sennen Prickett, Digital Beauty Writer at woman&home
"This was a disastrous empty because I took it on holiday, not realising it was 100% drained. Which, looking at the tube, is quite obvious - but I live by the ‘always toothpaste left in the tube’ philosophy, and this mini has travelled with me for more years than you’d believe. On some level, I thought it was magically replenishing. As the OG highlighter, launched 25+ years ago, Strobe Cream is still unbeatable for adding gleam. Not sparkles, not a silver tin man patina, but realistic light-catching radiance. Believe you me, the emergency replacement I bought from the local supermercado did not come close."
~ Fiona McKim, Digital Beauty Channel Editor at woman&home
"I love a bubble bath, and this Laura Mercier Honey Bath melt is one of my favourites for a really indulgent, cosy soak. The ambre vanille scent is so warm and sweet, and I just love the honey dipper, which you use to swirl the product under the running water. It foams up so well, creates a soft plume of bubbles, and that lovely brown-sugar and vanilla scent really clings in the steamy air and on the skin. It's my go-to in the autumn/winter, and as you can see, I'm in desperate need of a restock before the cold weather really sets in."
~ Naomi Jamieson, Digital Beauty Writer at woman&home
"This stick is one of those unsexy staples that might not earn a place on your dressing table, but it sure does work wonders. I've raved (and will continue to rave) about this exfoliating stick to anyone and everyone who will listen. Enriched with 7% glycolic acid (AHA) and salicylic acid (BHA), this multipurpose stick can be used in a number of ways, whether targeting body breakouts, rough and flaky skin, or ingrown hairs. It's as easy as sweeping it onto your desired area 2-3 times a week (gradually increasing as you go). My body blemishes are noticeably fewer and my skin is smoother and softer – what's not to love?"
~ Sennen Prickett, Digital Beauty Writer at woman&home
"I'm a sucker for an under-£10 beauty product, and this Maybelline brow gel is such a good find. It's a great match for my brow colour and boasts a double-sided brush that catches every hair, evenly coating them in tint. It offers great hold that lasts all day, and I never have any flaking."
~ Naomi Jamieson, Digital Beauty Writer at woman&home
"My combination skin is prone to experiencing hormonal breakouts, so I'm always in the market for a serum that works to calm, soothe and minimise redness. Enter Eqqualberry's Aloe PDRN Calming Serum. This gentle formula does it all, thanks to being enriched with Aloe-derived PDRN, Cica and five ceramides. It is cooling upon application, while allowing my complexion to repair, regenerate and lock in moisture for stronger, more resilient skin. The result? A clearer, calmer and hydrated complexion."
~ Sennen Prickett, Digital Beauty Writer at woman&home
"I've always been someone who isn't too fussy about which brow pencil I use, but this one from VIEVE has changed that for me – so much so that I've already restocked it. It boasts an ultra-fine tip that glides on, boasting the right medium formula between not-too-creamy and one that drags. It delivers rich colour that can easily be diffused using the spoolie on the other end. All in all, it leaves my brows looking naturally fuller in just a few strokes."
~ Sennen Prickett, Digital Beauty Writer at woman&home
