I recently read a post on the lovely Beautylymins blog about the make up products that she has loved over the years and whether they are still products that she reaches for (you can read it here). And I have to say, I enjoyed the post so much that I have taken inspiration from it for my own version!

It did get me thinking, there were products 10 to 15 years ago in my collection that I couldn’t be without. The products that if they ran out, I would immediately re-purchase without hesitation. Obviously over the years my style has changed, make up has evolved, new brands have hit the market, and sadly some of my holy grail original products have been discontinued. But some products really have stood the test of time and have remained in my collection and have been re-purchased countless times over the years, so what are they?

Back in my late teens and early 20s, Benefit was one of the brands that I couldn’t get enough of. Their boxed blushers, highlighter before highlights were a “thing” and their base products were all highly appealing to me (anybody remember You Rebel tinted moisturiser?). Every time they launched a new product, I had to have it. I still love Benefit as a brand generally and continue to purchase many of their new launches but there is one product that I have re-purchased more times than I can think of, and it’s their Hoola bronzer.

This bronzer is one of the most natural shades that I own, plus it seems to work on my skin both when I’m pale as well as when I’ve got fake tan on. It’s not got any orange undertones, doesn’t look grubby on the skin, blends like a dream and lasts for donkeys! It still comes with the small application brush which is perfect to use for contouring cheekbones. The longevity is impressive and over the years they’ve added both lighter and darker shades as well as a liquid bronzer to the Hoola family. Still one of my favourite products that I reach for often.

Another product that I have re-purchased a few times over the years is the Nars Orgasm blusher. This was a cult product back in the day and it still is and I’ve loved to watch the orgasm family expand over time to include lip and eye products. It’s a beautiful peachy toned blush with a gold sheen that brings the face to life. I think it’s probably the only blush that I’ve repurchased in my whole collection!



When highlighters first became really popular, asides from Benefit’s High Beam, the first one that I remember purchasing was Mac’s Mineralise Skinfinish in the shade Soft and Gentle. I distinctly remember picking this up in the airport on the way to a holiday, and when I arrived at the destination, every single evening make up look saw (a probably too generous) application of this highlight over the majority of my face! Thankfully my heavy-handedness is now well under control and I don’t go quite as HAM with highlight but I still find myself reaching for this one every so often. It is a beautiful champagne gold sheen that just sits beautifully on the skin, and whilst it’s not by any means my favourite highlight product, it’s still one that I want to wear after all these years.

Another gem of a product from Mac that I still use and have bought more then I can count over the years, is the Studio Fix foundation. This product is a great “going out” foundation. It’s full coverage, lasts on the skin throughout anything you can throw at it and comes in an array of diverse shades and tones. It’s a foundation that I automatically replace in my collection when I run out.



Touché Eclat has been around for forever! It has to be almost as old as I am! All the old fashion magazines continually hailed this product back in the day and I remember being absolutely buzzing as a teenager finding this in my Christmas presents one year. And since then it’s been a stayer. Whilst I won’t claim that I continue to reach for this as much as I used to, I still really enjoy it. It’s a sheer coverage concealer so I like this for light/no make up make up days. It subtly brightens the under eyes and gives a lil something to the face. Plus the packaging is still dreamy!

I also remember going bananas for Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks and wanting one in every single colour they came! These pigmented, shimmery powders are a joy to use even after all these years. They can be used as a blush, bronzer or highlight depending on the shade. You can even use each strip separately to use as an eye shadow (I don’t but you can). They give the skin a beautiful “lit from within” look that I can’t get enough of. A cult product with good reason!

The final product that springs to mind for lasting the course is the Urban decay All Nighter Setting Spray. Before this came into my life way back when, I used to set my make up with hair spray over my face. The very thought gives me high blood pressure now. Thank god I’m not an imbecile anymore. This stuff is a revelation and sets my make up like no other. The mist is fine so it doesn’t soak your face and ruin make up. And it truly works. I still use this consistently to keep my make up on at work & after 12 hour days, my make up still looks decent (not perfect, but does any product do that?). Another immediate repurchase the moment it runs out!

What products have stood the test of time for you? Tell me in the comments!

Thanks for reading!

Lynsey xox