The Best High Street Brands

I'm a loyal high street shopper. As much as I love sauntering around luxe beauty counters in my favourite department stores there is something comforting about browsing at your leisure with no interruption. I've tried & tested most budget brands and whilst none of them are terrible some work better than others for me and here are my favourites.

L'OREAL

A brand that has always stood out to me is L'Oreal. Even though they don't fit into the typical high street price bracket they have an incredible line of products. There isn't a product that I've tried and not liked, their foundations in particular always knock it out of the park. They have arguably the best shade range to be found in the isles of Boots & Superdrug, from really pale shades that suit even the fairest of skins to the complete opposite end of the spectrum. Although their base products are my favourite range their mascaras are pretty awesome too.

Try: True Match Foundation, Lumi Magique Concealer & Foundation, Volume Million Lashes Mascara, Gelmatic Black Liner

RIMMEL

Although the packaging of Rimmel products isn't going to be winning awards anytime soon they are my brand high street brand. For the price, they have some truly incredible products that could warrant a much higher price tag. My love affair began with their nail polishes and since then apart from the cheek products I've tried almost everything. Due to the packaging I think people completely dismiss the brand and head for stands that look a little sleeker.

Try: Match Perfection Foundation & Powder, Wake Me Up Concealer, Kate Moss Lipsticks, Salon Pro Nail Polishes

NATURAL COllection

One of the first brands that I ever started shopping from is Natural Collection. They're super cheap and their products are surprisingly good, cheap plastic packaging aside. It's a brand that I would suggest to anybody who has just started wearing makeup as they cover all the basics and everything is around £2 which means you're not spending too much on something you don't yet know will work for you.

Try: Blushed Cheeks Blush, Clear Mascara, Cream Blusher, Pressed Powder, Sheer Natural Lipstick

SOAP & GLORY

A trip to Boots isn't complete with a trip to the S&G isle, an iconic brand with their kitsch packaging and raunchy names. Their bath and body products have reigned supreme in my daily routine since I was 17 and could afford to buy them. The classic scent is akin to a Dior perfume, but at a fraction of the price. Not only do the have an awesome bath & body range but their makeup is slowly becoming firm favourite of mine.

Try: Archery Brow Pencil*, Butter Yourself Body Butter, Pulp Friction Exfoliator, Smooth Operator Lip Balm*, Heel Genius

BARRY M

Barry M is one of those brands I'm sure most of us discovered in our teenage years, mostly in the form of a Dazzle Dust or 5. I actually never discovered the wonder of those but the products that I always get suckered into are their nail polishes. Over the years they've expanded the range and have a huge choice of shades and finishes that don't pull on the purse strings too much.

Try: 3 in 1 Base Coat, Gelly Hi-Shine Finish Nail Paint, Barry M Lip Paint, Speedy Quick Dry Nail Paint, Nail Paints

BOURJOIS

I still remember the day that I discovered Bourjois, my older sister picked up a little lilac pot eyeshadow and I was in love. Of course, I adore anything that's Parisian but they have some awesome products. Like L'oreal it is a little more expensive that your average high street brand but completely worth it. My only obstacle with them is their shade range, they don't really cater for a lot of skin tones which is a problem with many budget friendly brands.

Try: Java Rice Powder, Happy Light Foundation, Rouge Edition Lipstick, Cream Blush, Volume Glam Mascara

Seventeen

The dark horse of the high street is Seventeen for sure. When I was a poor student their foundations were my go to and I still use their base products now. They have a vast range of products and everything is super affordable so again a brand that is ideal if you're just getting into makeup. I've seen them become more popular in the blogging world in the last couple of years, but they don't get the praise they deserve.

Try: Photo Flawless Foundation, Stay Time Concealer, Doll Eyed Mascara, Mirror Shine Lipstick, Gel Colour

REVLON

In reality, I've only shopped from Revlon in the past couple of years, ever since I started reading beauty blogs really. It wasn't a brand that ever caught my eye before as the products never seemed to be all that exciting. Emma Stone is their campaign girl too so that might have been a slight selling point too. Their lip products are where it's at for me, they have an incredible range with so many different formulations to suit your needs.

Try: ColourBurst Matte Balm, Nearly Naked Foundation, ColourBurst Lip Butter, Grow Lucious Mascara, ColourStay Shadow