It’s easy for our bathroom cabinets and make-up bags to become overloaded with bottles, tubes, pots and palettes that sit there for months (or sometimes years) gathering dust.
Not only do they take up valuable space, these rarely-used products are more likely to go to waste – and with prices on the rise in so many consumer categories at the moment, replacing them might cost you an arm and a leg.
By choosing multi-purpose beauty essentials you’ll get more bang for your buck, use every last drop of product and streamline your cosmetics collection.
Here are seven of the best skincare, hair and make-up multitaskers – according to experts…
1. Weleda All Purpose Balm, £7.95
From Swiss beauty pioneers Weleda, this little round pot will help you combat the effects of the winter chill.
“It provides super weather protection for cheeks, while also giving them a highlighted glow,” says Elizabeth King, holistic facialist and skincare expert at Weleda (weleda.co.uk).
“Thanks to the regenerative power of organic calendula, this balm conditions and restores cuticles, brings relief to sore and dry knuckles, and instantly soothes sore red noses when suffering with a cold.”
Plus, it doubles as a make-up and hair perfector: “Use as a gloss for lips or eyes, or for taming unruly brows and flyaway hairs.”
2. ILIA Multi-Stick in All Of Me, £33, Sephora
A fan favourite from cult American brand ILIA – which recently landed on this side of the pond at Sephora – this cream crayon is available in 10 shades, from pale pink to ruby red.
“[The] Multi-Stick is perfect for creating a seamless, uniform look, as it can be used on your cheek or lips,” says Katie Yarbrough, product expert at ILIA (iliabeauty.com).
“Its creamy, lightweight formula also makes it easy to mix, match or layer it with other shades for a customised look. Simply swipe and blend for that naturally fresh, all-over glow.”
3. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant, £29, Boots
A true cult classic, Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream has been flying off the shelves since 1930, beloved by celebs, make-up artists and skincare junkies alike.
“It’s no surprise this product is so iconic, you truly can use it from head to toe,” says Boots (boots.com) beauty trainer Hannah Stern.
“You can use it to moisturise and repair dry skin and chapped lips, but it can also be used to tame hair and eyebrows or hydrate nails and cuticles.”
4. 3INA The No-Rules Stick 503, £15, Superdrug
A best-seller from 3INA (pronounced ‘mee-nah’), which has recently launched at Superdrug, The No-Rules Stick is infused with moisturising hyaluronic acid.
“It’s make-up that meets skincare,” says Jasmine de Souza, education manager at 3INA (3ina.com), who shares her top three ways to wear it.
“Dot or swipe the stick on the cheeks, use the warmth of your fingertips to blend and melt the product seamlessly into the skin,” she says.
“As a lipstick – these creamy formulas can be intensified with a few swipes across the lips for a stained lip effect; or as eyeshadow – take your ring finger to the stick and tap onto the eyelids to blend and layer the colour exactly where you want it.”
5. Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips & Cheeks, £20.80 (was £26), Boots
Monochrome make-up – meaning the same shade on eyes, lips and cheeks – is a great way to save time and create a chic, pulled-together look.
“I use Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge to add a soft, stained look to my lips and a subtle blush to the apple of my cheeks and the bridge of my nose,” says Stern.
“Lipsticks, glosses and even tinted balms can all be used as a blush alternative. The key is to choose a shade that is close to your actual lip colour, as this will give you a more natural flush.”
6. Johnson’s Baby Shampoo Eco Refill Pack, £2.83 (was £4.25), Boots
YouTube beauty guru and journalist Nadine Baggott (nadinebaggott.com) is a big fan of Johnson’s Baby Shampoo, which you can use for much more than just infant hair washing.
“The formula works like magic to remove all that product build-up found in your make-up brushes, and doubles up as a shaving cream thanks to the silky formula that glides over your skin, leaving the ‘slip’ you need for a smooth shave,” Baggott says.
7. 17 Powder Pigment, £3, Boots
Available in seven shimmery shades, these bargain pigments from make-up brand 17 will add a bit of glam to your look.
“These versatile little pots offer endless possibilities,” Stern says.
“Mix and match to create your own unique shade of eyeshadow, add to a clear lip gloss for a pop of colour, dust over your collarbones or cheekbones for a subtle shimmer, or apply to your nails with a clear top coat for a doughnut-glazed finish.”
