There are two kinds of people in a crisis. Those who grab the passport, and those who grab the makeup bag. I would like to tell you that I am firmly in the first category, but if we are being honest, there would be at least a fleeting internal debate about my vanity drawer.
Over the years, my makeup collection has evolved from chaotic overconsumption to something far more curated. I no longer keep products out of guilt or nostalgia. If it survives in my daily rotation, it has earned its place. So, in a hypothetical blaze, these are the seven products I would rescue without hesitation, followed by three I would gently, and perhaps gratefully, leave behind.
The Seven I’d Save Without Question
The Dior Forever Skin Stick Foundation would be first into the metaphorical handbag. It is everything I want from a base product: seamless, buildable, flattering in every kind of lighting. It gives that polished but not painted finish that makes me feel expensive even when I am wearing loungewear. I don’t want to love this because I spend a fortune using this on a daily basis and keeping a spare in my makeup stash, but it is one of those base products that I don’t want to be without.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream would also be making a dramatic exit with me. I know it is hyped, I know it is talked about endlessly, but it works. My skin looks healthier, smoother, and slightly more awake the moment it touches my face. In moments of stress, apparently, I require both hydration and luxury. I have been using this product consistently now since I was a teeenager when it was first released and I really do credit it for keeping my skin looking so youthful as I enter my thirties.
The Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate Cream Palette would be tucked under my arm like a prized possession. It sculpts, warms, and highlights in a way that feels editorial rather than obvious. Every time I use it, I understand why it costs what it does, even if I resent it slightly at the till. My favourite thing about this product is how easily blendable both sides of the palette are. Whenever I want my makeup in place, looking good and ready to go quickly, this is the item that I find myself reaching for.
RCMA No Colour Powder would absolutely be saved, because nothing sets makeup quite so invisibly. It locks everything in without dulling the glow or adding unnecessary texture. In a world of overly mattifying powders, this one simply understands the assignment. Over the years, I have tried just about every loose and pressed setting powder on the market. Yet it is the RCMA No Colour Powder that I find myself reaching for. Value for money is amazing for this item, but I also adore the way it locks in my base products.
MAC Give Me Sun Bronzer is non-negotiable. It has been in my collection for years, and it is the kind of bronzer that makes you look like you have been somewhere warm even when you absolutely have not. It blends effortlessly and never veers into orange territory, which is a public service. Over the years, I have tried to step away fromt his product and try something else, but time after time, I find myself digging back through my drawers to retreive this item again.
Haus Labs Mascara would also be rescued, because I have finally accepted that not all mascaras are created equal. It lifts, lengthens, and holds without smudging into raccoon territory by midday. Once you find a mascara that behaves, you do not let it go. I will say that a while ago, I think an old tube of this mascara caused me a touch of contact dermatitis along my lashline, but I will hold my hands up and admit that I almost certainly pushed things too far and I should have replaced it long before the irritation happened.
Rhode Peptide Glazing Milk is one that I would run through the flames for. When I first bought this, I seriously didn’t think that it could live up to the hype. And then when it did, it has been a product in my rotation ever since. How this makes my base products look after application is absolutely out of this world and for that reason, I will continue to invest in this item, use it and recommend it to you guys. Truly worth every single penny and I love using it.
And finally, Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Melting Blush would be coming with me. It gives that soft, almost diffused flush that makes you look alive and vaguely romantic. It melts into the skin in a way that feels effortless, and I reach for it constantly without even thinking. This is actually the first cream/liquid blush that I have kept in my collection and that comes down to how easy it is to use. The formula is beautiful and I can always make it work without being intimidated by the intense colour payoff.
The Ones I’d Calmly Leave Behind
Now, for the sacrificial offerings. The Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer can stay exactly where it is. No matter how carefully I apply it, it creases. I have set it, baked it, blended it, whispered affirmations over it, and still, it gathers under my eyes like it has somewhere else to be. I wanted to love this, mainly because all of the internet was head over heels for it, but it is simply a product that hasn’t worked for me and one that I know I would toss into the flames.
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk, both old and new formulas, would also remain untouched. I know this is controversial because it is often described as the foundation. On me, however, it breaks up by the afternoon and leaves me looking like I applied it in a moving vehicle. I have tried to love it, but the relationship is one-sided. When it comes to iconic makeup products like this, I really fight to make them work. I pair them with every different base combination that I have, touch-up regularly through the day and god knows what else. The truth is, this product simply doesn’t love my skin, and that is ok.
And then there is the Merit Flush Balm. I understand the barely there philosophy, truly I do. But when I apply blush, I would quite like to see it. This one disappears so quickly that I begin to question whether I imagined applying it in the first place. I have tried to apply this in so many methods and using so many different tools. No matter what I do, this product either doesn’t show on my skin, or I find that it displaces the base items that I have already laid down underneath.
What This Probably Says About Me
Looking at this list, it is clear I gravitate towards products that perform. I want glow, but I also want longevity. I want softness, but I refuse to compromise on definition. My holy grails are the ones that make me feel polished without feeling heavy.
The ones left behind are not necessarily bad products. They just do not work for me, and that is the thing about beauty. It is deeply personal. What creases on my face might look flawless on yours. But if we are ever faced with flames and five seconds to decide, you now know exactly which products I will be clutching as I make my exit. Hopefully, alongside my passport.
