Top brands for basic cosmetics

[Glenshee]

I'm looking to renew all my basics - mascara, eye liner, eye shadow, lipstick, foundation, blusher, nail varnish.

What are your favourite brands for these? I had a few of these items from Avon and not really loving them. Also had Sante natural lipstick and did like it but choice of colours is so limited!.. Mascara was Chanel and totally perfect.

What are you using, and loving?

Thanks!

I've been really impressed by this eyeliner:

www.soapandglory.com/products/cosmetics/eyes/supercat

Ditto Max Factor 2000 Calorie mascara.

Top Shop lipsticks are worth a try, esp the velvet finish ones.

Barbara Daly at Tesco for nail varnish. I'm currently wearing Coral Reef and it's not chipped after a week. Off to buy some other colours tomorrow!

I love Sleek. It's really well pigmented. I use their eyeshadow palettes and the Face Form contour palette is brilliant.

Another vote for Sleek (Tesco, Superdrug)

I bought the blusher in Rose Gold after reading it was a duplicate of Nars Orgasm.
The Eye Shadow Palette in Au Natural
Lip Palette in Ballet (nude) and Tease (red) - 4 colours in each

Nice black packaging (tricky to open though) with a mirror.

And non animal tested .

Mascara: Estee Lauder Double Wear or any other tubing mascara as normal (waterproof and non-waterproof) mascaras smudge on me. L'Oreal has one that's quite good.

Eyeliner: Maybelline Lasting Drama Eyeliner gel 24H - the one that comes with the brush. I use a Mac 210 brush, but the brush that comes with it works very well too.

Eye shadow: Chanel Illusion d'Ombre in Emerveille (cream), Mac paint pots (cream) and powder shadows. For a cheaper powder shadow alternative: Sleek.

Lipstick: Guerlain (Rouge G, Rouge Automatique), Mac (the Retro Matte ones are nice, the rest seem to dry out my lips), Clinique Chubby Sticks (Glamour magazine has a smaller version as a freebie this month - two different colours available)

Foundation: I like Diorskin Nude for medium coverage, Laura Mercier for a medium/light coverage, Estee Lauder BB cream or Double Wear light for a lighter coverage. Bourjois is great as a cheaper alternative.

Blusher: Mac. Sleek palettes with 3 colours are great for a cheaper alternative - but they are very pigmented, so be careful when applying.

Nail polish: Guerlain (great brush, lasts well, glossy so no top coat needed IMO), Mavala, Chanel (colours are great, but they don't last well on the nail).

I'm looking to renew all my basics - mascara, eye liner, eye shadow, lipstick, foundation, blusher, nail varnish

My faves as follows;

Mascara; Clinique naturally glossy or Max Factor 2000 calorie.

eye liner; Mac pencils

eye shadow; Mac or Laura Mercier single shadows

lipstick; Laura Mercier semi lipsticks

foundation; Bobbi Brown skin spf15

Blusher; Mac sheertones

Nail Varnish; Essie or OPI

Thanks ladies - that's a lot of new discoveries for me :) Will be following your advice and shopping in the next couple of days!