6 Beauty Items You’re Not Sure You Need

I think we all know what it feels like to constantly hear about beauty products we can’t live without. We could spend an absolute fortune on the latest must-haves and beauty trends, and that’s on top of our old faithful products that we already use on a daily basis. So we really want to know whether a product is really worth having – does it even make a difference?! Here are my thoughts on 5 beauty items that I’ve wondered if I even need.

Toner

This is the age old one – do I really need this additional step between cleansing and moisturising? What does a toner even do? Well apparently a good toner removes excess impurities (you’d be surprised what cleansers miss!), shrinks pores and helps with oily skin. Cult favourite Pixi Glow Tonic goes even further – it’s an exfoliating and conditioning toner which clarifies the skin to leave brighter, glowing skin. I’ve just started using this product and I do really love it. A lot of people really swear by it and say it’s transformed their skin.

My verdict: I don’t have problem skin so I have never seen toner as totally necessary, but I do think that if you choose the right toner it can make a noticeable difference.

Charcoal face masks

There are all sorts of face masks out there claiming to do various different things, and charcoal masks have been seen everywhere lately. I have to admit I love applying a face mask and relaxing in the bath, but apart from being a nice way to relax, do they really do anything? Well I haven’t tried any of the peel-off charcoal masks that you see everywhere, but I am a big fan of The Body Shop®’s Himalayan Charcoal Mask. This mask really detoxes the skin and thanks to the purifying charcoal and the addition of tea tree oil it puts an end to spots quickly if I see any starting to appear.

My verdict: I swear by my charcoal mask for sorting out breakouts fast!

Makeup primer

The point of a primer is creating a smooth base to improve your makeup finish, and it should also help your makeup last longer. People swear by primers and if you find your makeup doesn’t stay put then it’s probably worth investing in, but I’ve never noticed a difference to be honest. That’s why I use Illamasqua Radiance Veil, which is part primer, part illuminator, because at least I get to see a visible difference (see my review of Illamasqua Radiance Veil here).

My Verdict: It totally depends on your skin, but I don’t see it as an essential addition to my collection.

Body scrub

I always have a body scrub in my bathroom, and I have various favourites. I have even made my own in the past using sugar and carrier oils. Regularly using scrubs is recommended for buffing away dead skin cells and increasing circulation, and the result should be smooth glowing skin. You might not see a noticeable difference but its good skin maintenance to use a body scrub once a week.

My verdict: It’s not an essential daily use product, but it’s good to “scrub” every now and again.

Lip scrub

If you love matte lipsticks you’ll know that if your lips aren’t perfectly smooth, your lip colour will highlight every imperfection! I bought a lip scrub to make sure I’m regularly buffing off any dry skin on my lips, and it works perfectly! But I am also perfectly aware that I could have sorted this problem by gently brushing my lips with a toothbrush…

My verdict: You can certainly achieve the same results in a different way, so really you don’t need this product. But £6 for a lovely Lush one is worth it in my opinion.

Base coat

The point of a base coat is to provide a smooth base for nail polish and give it something to bond to so that it doesn’t chip as easily. I never used to use a base coat, and used to moan about how soon my polish chipped – even though I applied top coat! I have totally seen a difference since I start using one – a good one will really make your nail polish last longer!

My verdict: I actually swear by base coat now and I never apply nail polish without it!