I have skin that leans dry – not dramatic, not problematic, just the kind that will absolutely complain if I neglect it. These are the beauty products I love and have stuck with over the last few years.

A couple of years ago, my Botox lady looked at my face and said,
“What’s wrong with your face?”
Then followed it up with,
“Oof… your skin is awful.”

(It isn’t. She was just being wildly bold.)

Since then, I’ve been on a very intentional skincare and haircare journey, and in my 30s it’s become a genuine priority – and honestly, something I really enjoy. I love researching products, testing them properly, and keeping what actually works.

Which is why I’m picky. If something doesn’t hydrate properly, sit well, or noticeably improve my skin or hair, I’m not interested – no matter how nice the packaging is.

This is a roundup of the beauty products I genuinely love – the ones I use daily, rebuy constantly, and trust with my face and hair.

Some product images link to Amazon where available. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases – it never costs you extra, and I only link things I genuinely rate.

#1. Moroccan Hair Oil

Forever number one.

No competition.

I have tried everything. High-end, salon-recommended, “this will change your hair” oils. And yet… I always come back to this.

I put Moroccan hair oil on the ends of my hair every single day and my hair is honestly in the best condition it’s ever been. Silky, smooth, shiny, healthy – all the buzzwords, but genuinely true.

I’ve been using Kerastase for the last couple of months while away working, which I do also like… but if I had to choose? Moroccan oil wins.

Every time.

This is my desert-island hair product. If I could only keep one thing, it would be this.

#2. E45 Cream

My face will never cheat on this.

I’ve tried loads of face creams.
Expensive ones. “Skin barrier” ones.
Fancy glass-jar ones that look great on a shelf.

And yet… E45 is the one.

It’s incredible for dry skin, sinks in properly, and doesn’t leave me with that greasy, shiny face that so many creams do. Simple, effective, boring packaging – exactly how I like my skincare.

I will always be loyal to E45.

#3. Lilash Lash Serum

Actual witchcraft. I will not be taking questions.

This is genuinely one of the best beauty products I’ve ever used in my life.

My eyelashes are so long because of this. Like, properly long.

When I get lash lifts, they use the largest roller, and they look insane. (I naturally have really short eyelashes!)

My local beauty salon in the UK actually started stocking it because they kept asking what I was using. (I should have asked for commission – rookie error.)
My mum had to stop using it because her lashes got so long they were touching her glasses.

Yes, it’s pricey.
Yes, it’s absolutely worth it.

If you want longer lashes and you want something that actually works – this is it.

#4. Rimmel 60 Second Gel Nail Polish

Gel-look nails without the drama.

This is technically just normal nail polish… but it dries insanely fast and does not chip.

I get a full 8-10 days out of it easily, and the only reason I redo them is because of grow-out or because they start looking a bit dull – not because they’re wrecked.

I love gel nails, but I electric-filed them off myself earlier this year and they were pretty much flapping in the wind like paper after, so since then, I’ve not had gels on and have let my nails recover.

They’re so strong and healthy now, and this is so much easier to maintain myself, especially when I can’t always get to a salon.

And honestly?

Compared to OPI, Essie, and all the usual suspects – this wins.

And it’s cheap. Big fan.

#5. Hyaluronic Acid

Step one. Always.

This is the first step of my skincare routine and it goes on damp skin every time.

I like the Skin Functional brand from South Africa, but truthfully? Hyaluronic acid is one of those things where most formulas do the same job.

A good drugstore version is absolutely fine.

Hydration = happy skin. No drama.

#6. Niacinamide, Peptides, Vitamin C, Vitamin A & Friends

Supportive cast members who deserve credit.

I also love niacinamide, Peptides and vitamin C as part of my routine, plus a few other bits depending on what my skin needs.

I’m obsessed with the Skin Functional (SF) brand and have most of their products. They’re cruelty-free, vegan, alcohol, paraben and fragrance-free, which is fabulous. It’s only available in South Africa.

#7. Retinol

Evening routine royalty.

I loooooove retinol.

Since adding it into my evening routine, my skin has genuinely improved – texture, glow, all of it. I also use it on my neck and chest, because future-me would like those areas to remain youthful for as long as possible.

I also use Retin A (Tretinoïen 0.05%) a few times a week, which was prescribed by a dermatologist – mainly to keep me looking young, let’s be honest. It speeds up skin cell turnover, so I don’t use it on the same nights as my regular retinol.

Slow, steady, consistent. That’s the key.

#8. Vaseline

The best lip product ever made. I will die on this hill.

Forever loyal.

Chapsticks smell nice, but I swear they just make your lips drier so you keep buying more. Vaseline actually works, as literally everyone knows.

Thick layer at night. Soft lips in the morning. We love!!

#9. Working Hands Hand Cream

If you know, you know.

Years of washing dishes constantly and using cleaning products will absolutely destroy your hands.

This is the only hand cream that actually works.

Not “temporarily better.”

Actually fixed.

I don’t care how it looks or smells – this stuff is elite. I will defend it passionately.

#10. Snowfire Ointment

For emergency-level dry skin.

When your skin is cracked, sore, or beyond help – this is what you use.

Hands, feet, elbows, wherever.

It’s like a weird green ointment, but it feels like witchcraft.

I don’t understand it.

I just trust it.

#11. Gisou Honey Infused Lip Oil

Cute, glossy, unnecessary – but I love it.

This is not a “fix your lips” product. This is a looks cute and shiny product.

It’s pretty, slightly shimmery, and makes your lips look great. The bottle is a bit leaky (annoying), but I still love it and keep buying it anyway.

That says everything.

#12. Hair Wax Stick

Slick backs, sorted.

Honestly, one of the best random Amazon finds ever.

Perfect for slicked-back hairstyles, flyaways, and those days when washing your hair simply isn’t happening.

Ideal for busy workdays when time is not on your side, and the brushes that come with it have changed my hair game, oh my word!!

Confession: I do have to wash my hair with Fairy Liquid every couple of months to fully remove the buildup.
Not a hair recommendation – just reality.

#13. YSL All Hours Foundation

The foundation that converted me.

I hadn’t been a foundation girl in about 10 years… until this.

This year I started loving makeup again, especially during long workdays where I’m on my feet for 18+ hours and feel like a gremlin at the end of the dat – and this foundation does not move.

I once did a 24-hour shift, and when one of my colleagues woke up the next morning and saw me still awake, he said:
“I thought you’d look rough by now… but you don’t at all.”

Originally bought to cover my tattoos. Stayed because it’s phenomenal.

#14. Kérastase Leave-in Conditioner/ Serum

Heat protection that actually does something.

This leave-in serum is a dream for my hair.

I use it after washing, and when blow-drying or styling and it makes such a noticeable difference – smoother, shinier, less frizz, and my hair just feels healthier overall. It’s lightweight, doesn’t leave residue, and doesn’t weigh my hair down.

If your hair is colour-treated, a bit sensitised, or prone to frizz, this is one of those products where you notice the difference pretty much immediately.

This + a good hair oil combo?

Elite.

#15. Moroccan Oil Hair Mask

Deep hydration without wrecking your hair.

If the hair oil is my everyday non-negotiable, this is the reset button.

I use the Moroccan oil hair mask once every week or two, when my hair needs extra love – dryness, damage, too much heat styling, or just general neglect. It leaves my hair ridiculously soft and smooth, without that heavy, coated feeling some masks give.

My hair always looks better after using it.

Shinier, healthier, and just… calmer.

Which is exactly what I want from a hair mask.

Anyway, That’s the List

These are the beauty products I genuinely trust – the ones I’ve used long enough to know they work, repurchased without hesitation, and kept in my routine for a reason.

If your skin leans dry, you want things that actually last, or you’re just tired of wasting money on overhyped products, this list is a very solid place to start.

I’ll be sharing more of my favourites – skincare, makeup, low-maintenance beauty, and the things that hold up on long days – because my patience is low and I prefer things that just work.

If you liked this, I share more honest favourites, routines, and recommendations over in the Health & Beauty section of the blog – skincare, haircare, makeup, and the low-maintenance stuff that works in real life.

And if you’ve got products you swear by, tell me in the comments – I’m always curious what other people genuinely stick with.