Top Three: FJ’s Features Editor (and makeup artist) shares her all-time favourite products

“It’s one of those products that when I use it on a photoshoot, everyone immediately wants to know what it is.”

I’m a notoriously nosy person when it comes to beauty products. I want to know whether you double cleanse at night, how often you wash your hair, and exactly what you’re using. I want to know if there’s some special facial tool or pair of tweezers that have (hyperbole warranted) changed your life. I want to know what curl definer you use and which lip balm you swear by.

Want to snoop inside the beauty regimes of other creatives? Head here.

In short, I adore products. This is why I’ve asked some of our favourite Australian and New Zealand beauty experts to share the ‘top three‘ products they can’t live without. The scope is broad – it can genuinely be anything, as long as they’re the three they value the most.

Joining us this week is Fashion Journal’s Features Editor, Lara Daly. As a long-time beauty lover who also moonlights as a makeup artist, narrowing down her top three products was no easy feat. But after trying so many of the beauty releases that land on the FJ desk (and working for years at various makeup counters), Lara has her routine down to a fine art. Here are the three favourites she swears by.

Product one: Westman Atelier Super Loaded Tinted Highlighter in Peau de Peche

How did you first discover this product?

I must have been working at the Mecca Cosmetica counter in Auckland when this product first came out. I’d followed Gucci Westman, the makeup artist behind the brand, for years so I had high expectations! Gucci is an incredible editorial artist but she always has a natural approach to skin, which I love. She works with all the glowey, ageless celebrities like Anne Hathaway, Nicole Kidman, Demi Moore, Kate Bosworth, etc.

What is it, what does it do and why do you love it?

It’s a highlighter, blush and contour in one, for people who can’t be bothered doing all of those steps. It’s one of those products that when I use it on a photoshoot, everyone immediately wants to know what it is. It’s really such a unique, universally flattering colour that never misses! I tap it on my cheeks like a blush and blend whatever is left on my eyelids. It adds warmth, dimension and a glow to your skin without adding too much colour or shimmer.

Where would you find it and who would you recommend it to?

You can buy it from Mecca – it’s expensive ($125) but it will last you for years. I recommend it to nearly everyone but it will do different things depending on your skin tone. For pale skin, it’s more of a bronzer/contour. For medium skin tones like mine, it’s a bronze-y blush. For deeper skin tones, it can be a gorgeous highlighter. The shade range has also been extended so now there’s four variations to suit everyone.

Product two: Wella Colour Fresh Mask in Cool Espresso

How did you first discover this product?

I had been thinking about buying a hair gloss or toner treatment to use at home, to try cut back on salon visits. I was walking around Collingwood one day and saw this product in the window at Biba Academy. It looked good, so I walked in and bought it for $30.

What is it, what does it do and why do you love it?

It’s basically a hair mask that has a small amount of hair dye in it. The cool espresso colour is great for me because I don’t like it when my hair goes brassy or too red – this turns it a more expensive-looking, glossy brown. I love it because it’s easy to use, I do it every two weeks and leave it in for 5 to 10 minutes in the shower. You do have to wear gloves though, otherwise it can stain your nails.

Where would you find it and who would you recommend it to?

I’d recommend this to any brunettes who want a little refresh. You can get this from Biba salon in Melbourne or online from SSS Hair or My Hair Care.

Product three: Flash Amplifying Eyelash Serum

How did you first discover this product?

My mum started using Revitalash years ago and her eyelashes grew really long. Naturally, I went searching for a cheaper version and found Flash Lash. It works so well, I’ve been using it on and off for about six years and I can nearly (but not quite) compete with my boyfriend’s thick, dark show-stopping lashes.

What is it, what does it do and why do you love it?

It’s magic fertiliser that makes your eyelashes grow insanely long. You only get 2ml in a $65 tube but it lasts three months – use it every day for the first four weeks, then every second or third day once you start seeing results. You apply it like you would a liquid eyeliner. I prefer to do it in the mornings before makeup, so it doesn’t transfer when I’m sleeping and cause hair to grow on my upper cheek. Other than that, I haven’t experienced any unwanted side effects, but it does come with risks, so read up on them first.

Where would you find it and who would you recommend it to?

In New Zealand you can get it at Chemist Warehouse but I haven’t seen it here in Australia. Go directly to the source and order it online, or from Bargain Chemist.

You can follow Lara here.