Team IMAGE are emptying out their makeup bags and picking out the absolute essentials they can't live without. Here are our holy grail products...
Amber O’Shea, Social Media Manager
The got2b eyebrow gel is just so handy. It gels my eyebrows back and gives them a nice shape — I can’t leave the house without it. I need a good lip balm at all times so this Weleda one is essential. It’s hydrating and makes my lips feel great. I love this Sculpted by Aimee Brighten Up concealer. I constantly have dark circles under my eyes so this really helps vanish them away. The Sculpted by Aimee Cream Luxe Blush in Peach Pop is another essential, it always gets me compliments when I wear it. I have a really pale complexion and this blush really adds colour to make me look alive.
Sarah Finnan, Deputy Editor, IMAGE.ie
SPF is a non-negotiable for me—I put mine on first thing every morning—and I’ve tried quite a few in the pursuit of The One. POCO Beauty’s Universal Glow Treatment is my current favourite. I love the consistency of the formula, it goes on like a dream, and has the added bonus of making my skin feel firm and lifted – as if I’ve just done a cooling sheet mask. It looks great as is or under makeup and my god, the glow! I mean it’s right there in the name but honestly, if it’s glazed doughnut skin you’re after, then add this to your morning routine and thank me later.
The second product that’s an absolute must-have for me is Brow Aid’s Tinted Brow Mascara. This is by far the BEST brow product I’ve ever tried (and I’ve trialled almost all of them!). I’m extremely precious about my brows, I don’t let anyone else touch them… I rarely even pluck them myself if I’m honest and I hate products that leave too much residue or worse, don’t keep the hairs in place. The Brow Aid one gives just the right amount of coverage and my brows never move when I have that on. Too good to gatekeep!
Emily O’Neill, Marketing Account Executive
It is well known that I am a makeup fanatic so choosing two makeup bag essentials is like asking me to choose my favourite child or dog in my case! However, at the moment there are two clear winners in my makeup bag and I find myself using them every single day. The first product is of course SPF but in particular, See The Light SPF 50+ Moisturiser from Trinny London. This particular SPF has UVA and UVB filters meaning it protects against premature aging and sun damage!
The second product I have constantly been reaching for since late last year has been KASH Beauty’s Blush Duo in the shade Pink Soda. It was originally launched as part of their Boots Star Gift at Christmas but it is here to stay and also comes in the shade Coral Flush. I have been popping it on my cheeks with or without my base makeup and it gives that perfect flushed look!
Katie Brady, Marketing & Memberships Executive
For Christmas, I received the BROWTOX Lift & Lock by BROW AID and I think it is the best brow product I have ever used. I don’t really wear makeup day to day, but never leave the house without my brows done. This product is great because it gives you the laminated brow look in seconds and lasts all day.
Sarah Gill, Features Editor, IMAGE.ie
As someone who lives on public transport and valiantly attempts to pack lightly for such excursions, my makeup bag is where I’ve learned to save on space. Like every Irish girly worth their salt, I am a Sculpted by Aimee fanatic — the Second Skin Dewy Foundation is unmatched, and their Complexion Duo Brush is a really handy space saver because I use it for foundation, blusher, contour and concealer. The blend is so smooth, and it makes my base look like my real skin, but on a very good day in my wildest dreams.
When it comes to my beloved winged eyeliner, there’s just no beating the KVD Tattoo Liner Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Rich Chocolate Brown. I have tried just about every felt-tipped liner over the years, and this one stays sharp and precise the longest and it’s very easy to use, which works to my advantage when I decide that I want to level up my look three drinks deep. Clinique’s Almost Lipstick in Black Honey deserves honourable mention, and I genuinely never leave the house without at least one Yogandha Wellness Roller. I add them to my pulse points if I’m feeling anxious or stressed out, and it’s nice to have a spare to hand to pass on to someone who might need a little rescue remedy when you’re out and about. Random acts of kindness and all that jazz.
Susan Vickers, Account Manager
One of my all-time favourite products and one I use daily is the Flormar Double Radiance Primer and Highlighter. I love wearing it on its own for a gorgeous luminous glow, and when I want extra coverage, I mix it with my tinted moisturiser. It’s also stunning as a body illuminator and even has SPF 10!
A new addition to my makeup bag is the Hildun Beauty Long-Wearing Lipliners and Melting Moisture Lip Balms. I’ve been loyal to the same lipliner and lipstick for years, but these have finally convinced me to switch things up! Another favourite is the POCO Beauty Lightweight Lipglaze. I was looking for the perfect lipgloss for my wedding day, and my makeup artist recommended this in advance to try. I absolutely adore it, and it will always bring back memories of the best day!
Karen Bell, Head of Branded Content and Operations
First up, my all time favourite foundation is Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation. I’ve tried many other brands, but I always come back to this! I absolutely love the coverage and the healthy/dewy glow it gives my skin. I adore My Mascara from Sculpted by Aimee. I struggled to find a mascara that gives volume and length, without leaving any smudges… until I tried this one! Ayu Lipstick in shade Bare is the perfect everyday shade, which can be darkened with a liner or I love topping with some gloss. Finally, I love a brown liner — my current go-to is MAC, Costa Riche.
Dearbhla Lovett, IMAGE First Activations Freelancer
Being in Ireland, we are always looking to get one thing — sun and a bronzed tan! My makeup bag must-haves are the ultimate ‘fake it ’til you make it’ when it comes to getting that summer glow. KASH Beauty Radiant Canvas Primer was my number one product of 2024 for giving your skin a gorgeous healthy glow while also acting as a base for your makeup or worn alone for the perfect ‘no-makeup makeup’ day.
I love to use blush to fake the rosy red cheeks after spending a day in the sun, Mac Glow Play Blush in shade Heat Index is perfect for this – a little goes a long way! Finally, finishing with a little highlighter on the high points of the cheeks will give the skin that glowy youthful look, KASH Beauty Skin Glazes are the ultimate glow product, the shade Gold Beam will be your go-to highlighter.
Megan Burns, Editor, IMAGE Interiors; Deputy Editor, IMAGE Magazine
I love a lip tint, as you can swipe it on in the morning and forget about it for the rest of the day – anything that needs topping up, I’m not interested in. Continuing in the spirit of low-effort makeup, I always dab it on my cheeks too for a little flush of colour. My lip-tint love has been as long-lasting as its colour – for years I repurchased one from The Body Shop that was the perfect shade, but is sadly discontinued. I’m currently using a Charlotte Tilbury one that has also been discontinued, but Benefit Benetint is always a great fallback until I find my new favourite.
Meghan Killalea, Marketing Account Executive
I personally couldn’t live without three products in my makeup bag, and whenever they run out I feel like my makeup is just a disaster. The first is a good concealer. As a self-proclaimed under eye circle girl, a solid concealer is a must for me. I’m personally loving the Haus Labs concealer, it’s not too heavy so doesn’t crease throughout the day and effectively covers those dark circles.
The second is blush. If you had told teenage me that blush would be such a staple in my makeup bag, I would have laughed out loud. Now, I couldn’t go a day without a pop of colour on my cheeks. My personal favourites are the Sculpted by Aimee Cream Luxe Blush and the Dior Forever Skin Glow.
Finally, the product that I feel makes the most difference to a look, and something I will forever need in my makeup bag, is mascara. I love a no-makeup makeup look, so a brown mascara is always my go-to. The YSL Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara Brown is my current favourite.
Dominique McMullan, Editorial Director
There are two makeup bag must-haves that never fail to pull a tired mum back from the edge. The first is Charlotte Tilbury Unisex Healthy Glow, a tinted moisturiser that magically adapts to your skin tone. It’s like a sun holiday in a bottle, which instantly banishes that dull, grey pallor we’ve all been sporting this winter, and replaces it with hydrated-looking, plump and glowy skin.
My second essential is a good old-fashioned mascara. With naturally light eyelashes, I risk a definite mole-like look without it. Lately, I’ve been loving My Mascara from Sculpted By Aimee in brown. It has just the right texture to deliver real definition, it doesn’t transfer onto my eyebrows throughout the day, and it’s effortless to remove at night.
