From a new Elemis cleanser and Charlotte Tilbury’s glow-boosting foundation stick to the best SPF for no white cast, our beauty writers share the products they’ve used up
As beauty writers, we’re lucky enough to test hundreds of skincare, makeup, haircare and fragrance launches every year. But with a constant stream of new products landing on our desks, actually finishing something before moving on to the next viral sensation is surprisingly rare.
An empty bottle, scraped-out tub or squeezed-flat tube is often one of the biggest compliments we can give a beauty product. Repurchasing it is another.
Now halfway through 2026, our team of experts have shared the products they’ve recently finished, from glow-boosting foundations and hardworking SPFs to cult cleansers and handbag heroes.
Bethan:
Elemis Pro-Collagen Hydrating Cleansing Mousse – £48
This might be a record for the fastest I’ve ever finished a full-sized product, but this Elemis Pro-Collagen Hydrating Cleansing Mousse launched in January, and I finished it a couple of weeks ago. The brand’s iconic Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm is one of my all-time favourites and while I initially had my reservations that this new cream formula was a bit of a gimmick to piggyback off the success of its predecessor, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
The new format is suitable for all skin types, including dry skin, and is reportedly clinically proven to increase hydration by 125% after one use. It uses fermented Padina pavonica, which is a particularly good antioxidant and hydrator, while Earth Marine Water works to refresh the skin with inulin, known to improve the skin barrier.
For those who love the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish , Elemis’ version is rather similar. Liz Earle’s award-winning formula is a little more affordable at £30, starring naturally active ingredients like cocoa butter, rosemary, and chamomile. Elemis features the immediately recognisable spa-like fragrance, created using their signature blend of essential oils like lavender, geranium, and eucalyptus, which gives it a really premium feel.
Personally, I find it’s best for a second cleanse or as a first morning cleanse. While it does remove makeup and SPF, I do think the cleansing balm is still best for melting away a full face of makeup. That said, it’s a fantastic companion to the original formula, creating the ultimate double-cleanse routine.
Jada:
Thank You Farmer’s Water Sun Cream SPF50+ PA+++ – £10.80
I find it can be quite tricky to get to the bottom of any product, as I have a seemingly endless rotation of skincare products. More often than not, I end up giving my friends ‘gently used’ products so that they don’t go bad before their expiration date.
There are a few products I’ve found myself constantly reaching for though. I have the type of complexion where I often worry that sun creams will leave a white cast and make me look a little like Caspar the Friendly Ghost. Thank You Farmer’s Water Sun Cream SPF50+ PA+++ (now reduced to £10.80 at Sephora) has quickly become my favourite product in the world of SPF.
The ‘moisturiser-meets-sunscreen hybrid’ is hydrating without leaving my skin feeling oily, leaves a slightly dewy look with no white cast and better yet, works as a great base for makeup. It uses bamboo water for its conditioning qualities and centella asiatica extract to soothe skin. I’m yet to try something that knocks this from the number one spot, and I’ve been trying a new SPF at least once every two weeks.
Lush Oat Cleansing Balm – £16
When it comes to cleansing my face, I think less is sometimes more. I’ve had countless different face washes but the one I keep coming back to is the Lush Oat cleansing balm, £16. This is made for ‘needy, sensitive skin’ and that’s a pretty solid description of mine.
It has very simple ingredients of oats, sunflower oil (for vitamin E), almond oil, honey and beeswax alongside a few essential oils that make it smell lovely. I’ve flown through one tub and immediately dove into the next.
It is a little greasy which means I have to rub it off with a flannel but my skin feels so moisturised after that I don’t mind. It’s even held up well overnight when I’ve forgotten to moisturise after washing my face.
Kayali Eden Juicy Apple – £28
I have more than 200 perfumes in my personal collection, so it’s hard for me to make a dent in them. When it happens, it’s a sign that I really love it.
I have all of my favourite Kayali scents in 100ml bottles, but I pop the 10ml versions, £28, in my bag for top-ups when I’m out and about, and more often than not, I end up spraying my friend’s wrists. Recently, I got to the bottom of my travel-size Eden Juicy Apple, while my sister has flown through the Eden Sparkling Lychee, which I got for her birthday in April.
The Eden range is sweet and fruity with a floral heart that balances it perfectly. Juicy Apple was the first Kayali scent that I ever bought, and I’ve since been completely hooked on the brand. I always get compliments when I wear it, which is probably why I’ve finished it so fast, as I’m always spraying people when they say they like it.
Eve:
Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Tint Foundation – £37
I don’t think I’ve fallen in love with a makeup or skincare product as fast as I did Charlotte Tilbury’s Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Hydrating Foundation Stick . Now, it’s important to share I’ve never been a fan of full-coverage, runny foundations, so this particular formula, which comes in stick form and has a balmy texture that is so lightweight on the skin, was already onto a winner.
It’s buildable, which is ideal for those who need to cover up a few more spots easily. It blends incredibly seamlessly into the skin with both brush and fingers and leaves behind a smooth, blurred glow that has all my friends asking what my skincare routine is.
Though it’s quite an investment at £37, it lasts such a long time, so it’s worth it, and also nourishes the skin while being worn. It’s packed with hyaluronic acid, collageneer, daikon radish seed oil, and vitamin E.
These skincare ingredients contribute to the skin looking hydrated, plumped and even a little younger – as some people have mentioned in the reviews. Although personally, it leaves me luminous and healthy-looking, whatever condition my skin is in. It also doesn’t cling to dry patches, which I’ve often experienced with certain foundations.
That said, this luminosity has been a little much for some people, who’ve said it leaves them a little ‘too glowy’, making them look oily. A good alternative to this that I’ve found isn’t quite as shimmery is the bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Luminous Skin Tint Stick, £33.50. It offers a light, dewy finish that’s subtle, plus alongside offering buildable coverage, it boosts hydration and strengthens skin’s barrier.
Eve – Sweed Mascara – £22
Finding a good mascara that truly makes our lashes look unbelievably lengthy, voluminous and dramatic can be a bit like searching for golddust. Especially if, like me, you have severely boring, straight and relatively non-existent lashes. While I’ve found some that work wonders – Maybelline’s Sky High for example – none have transformed my lashes quite like Sweed’s Lash Lift mascara .
While its brush looks relatively unassuming, the results are unreal and give me the lashes I’ve always dreamed of having. While it comes in both brown and black, I like getting black just to give my lashes that extra oomph. The brush is thin and ensures my lashes are separated – as opposed to clumpy – every time as well as long and curled (without even touching my eyelash curlers).
It’s great when I’m heading to the gym after a long day or it’s a heatwave as it’s water resistant. While this does mean I don’t get the dreaded panda eyes or flaking,getting it off at night takes a bit of elbow grease, but nothing some soap/cleanser and water can’t fix.
Having got to the end of my tube this week, I am now distraught at needing to wait until a new one arrives at my door.
Lucy – Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tinted Balm – £33
Lip balms are one of those products that seemingly never end, so when you’ve hit pan on one you know it’s a lip balm worth talking about. I’ve gotten through two Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tinted Balms in my time and considering they last around a year of nearly everyday use, that’s saying something.
This lip balm is so much more than just a hydration hero, it has a gorgeous colour pay off that looks really natural. I go for the shade ‘bare pink’, which is a rosey hue on me, but there are 15 in total to choose from.
Available for £33 at a number of retailers including Space NK and Boots , the lip balm can be worn with a full face of glam or on no makeup days and it provides a subtle wash of colour giving a ‘your lips but better’ finish.
It does have to be reapplied throughout the day, especially when eating or drinking, but it leaves my pout smooth and with a little gloss. It’s my absolute favourite lip product and I quite literally can never be without it in my handbag.
Lauren – Rodial Peach Lowlighter – £38
Rodial is one of my favourite beauty brands, and that’s a big statement coming from a beauty writer who has tested countless products over the years. Fans will likely have heard of its Kate Middleton-approved Dragon’s Blood skincare range or the viral Glass Powder that promises a filtered finish, but for me, it’s the Peach Lowlighter that deserves just as much attention.
It’s the first makeup product I reach for every morning. Before bronzer and mascara, I dab the peach-toned liquid under my eyes and across any areas where my complexion looks lacklustre, instantly making me look brighter, fresher, and far more awake than I actually feel.
The lightweight formula and its warm peach tint add subtle radiance to my (occasionally) pasty skin without looking heavy or cakey. It melts seamlessly into my skin and layers beautifully under foundation and powder, giving what goes on top a more natural, illuminated finish.
At £32, it’s certainly not the cheapest concealer-corrector hybrid on the market, but it’s one of the few beauty products I’ve consistently repurchased . I’m currently on my third tube, and I can’t see myself putting it down anytime soon.
