The 50 best beauty buys - in pictures

Bioderma Crealine H20 – available in the UK from April. An extremely gentle, hydrating and softening cleansing water that removes makeup instantly with no irritation and no need for rinsing. Perfect for quick face changes and correcting mistakes.

Palmolive shower cream, £1.99, superdrug.com. My personal rule is bath = expensive, shower = cheap. This great shower cream is thoroughly cleansing (unlike many more expensive products), moisturising and subtly fragrant. Photograph: PR

Lanolips Lemon Aid, £9.18, boots.com The best everyday lipbalm. Gives good moisture and just the right level of sheen without mineral oils. Real lemon oil exfoliates flaky skin and gives the balm a lovely, fresh smell and taste. Photograph: PR

Neutrogena Deep Moisture Body Lotion, £3.49, superdrug.com If, like me, you have very dry, sometimes painfully dehydrated skin, this is the best there is (and I include prescription lotions in that). Slather over the entire body post-shower for comfortable, moist skin.

Batiste Dry Shampoo, £1.49, superdrug.com Batiste makes everyone’s hair look as if it’s on day two after washing, when it is at its best and most manageable. Spray into roots and massage in as you would a normal shampoo, then brush out. Adds volume, banishes grease and odours, and makes hair much easier to style. Photograph: PR

L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream, from £8, uk.loccitane.com The perfect hand cream – moisturising but not claggy, fragrant but not perfumed, heavy-duty but not greasy. Plus a lovely, soft, newborn baby smell, no parabens or mineral oils. And all in a practical, pleasingly old-school metal tube.

Evening Primrose Oil capsules, £10 for 2 x 60, hollandandbarrett.com The cheapest hangover cure bar a bacon sandwich and a can of full-fat Coke. Pierce one or two capsules with a pin and smear oil over a cleansed face before bed. Wake up to plumper, pinker skin with no pillowcase creases. Photograph: PR

Rimmel Glam’Eyes liquid eyeliner, £5.29, superdrug.com Spot any woman wearing perfectly sharp, flicky black eyeliner, and there’s a good chance she’ll tell you it’s Rimmel. This has a perfectly shaped brush for great control and a dense, blackest black liquid (rare in cheaper liners).

Simple Eye Makeup Remover, £3.39, boots.com Our humble Simple is currently causing a frenzy in the US, where it recently launched. I love the entire range, but I am never without this. It removes all makeup gently and without irritation, and doubles as the best stain remover for delicate fabrics and carpet. Photograph: PR

Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré, £10, lovemakeup.co.uk You’d be hard pushed to find a makeup artist without this in their kit. A brilliant, rich, multipurpose cream that acts as a cleanser, moisturiser and makeup primer. Has the incredibly rare quality of providing lots of comforting moisture without grease or breakout. Apply day or night for smooth, soft, plumped-up skin.

Miss Sporty Brow Gel, £2.99, boots.com There is zero point in splashing out on brow gel – it is just hair gel in a mascara wand that gets disgustingly dirty within a month. Buy as cheap as you can. This is my favourite and gives a good, firm hold without hardness or flakiness. Photograph: PR

Sudocrem, £2.55, boots.com We all know how effective this bargain ointment is on nappy rash, bites and burns, but it’s also the best treatment for big, painful spots and snogging rash. Dab on the area at night-time or whenever you needn’t be seen – this thick, white, unctuous cream is not an invisible cure.

Rubis tweezers, from £9.14, cultbeauty.co.uk The best that money can buy. Ultra-sharp Swiss tweezers with a superb grip that plucks even the tiniest ingrown clean from its bed. Slanted are best for general brow grooming, but they have a shape for every tweezing task. Photograph: PR

Elizabeth Arden Smoky Eye Pencils, £16, johnlewis.com People forget about Elizabeth Arden, but the brand carries some of the most cleverly formulated makeup staples a woman can buy. These pencils are my all-time favourites. Made from powder, not wax, for a perfectly smudgy, professional-looking line – even in the hands of a novice.

Nars Orgasm blusher, £21.50, narscosmetics.co.uk One friend took to saying, “It’s the Nars blusher” whenever she  bumped into a friend, so used was she to being asked what was different about her. It makes every woman look better, giving all skintones a sexy flush of peachy pink. It is especially pretty over a neutral base such as bronze or light brown. Photograph: PR

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butters, £5.99, superdrug.com These practically caused a stampede on launch, and with good reason. A perfect hybrid of balm and lipstick that gives just enough colour to be smart and groomed, without looking too made up. Wonderfully moist finish that isn’t at all jammy, and the colour range is extremely well thought out – Candy Apple is my favourite.

L’Oréal Elnett hairspray, £2.39, boots.com There is only one hairspray – just ask the professionals. Whichever lacquer they may be selling, this is always the one you’ll catch them using on shoots and at fashion shows. There’s a formula for every use: volumising, light-reflecting, super-strong or light. Each one brushes out easily without flakes. Photograph: PR

Space NK brushes, from £14, uk.spacenk.com If you invest in no other premium beauty products, buy some decent brushes. Good-quality tools can make cheap makeup look like Chanel and upscale your entire look, like pinning a diamond brooch on a jumble sale coat. Space NK’s capsule collection of brushes is the best on the high street and, like good kitchen knives, with proper care they’ll last years.

Keromask Camouflage Cream, £14.99, keromask.com Tattoos, scars, vitiligo, birthmarks: whatever you want to hide, this will cover it. A rich, creamy, lasting cover-up in every conceivable shade, Keromask consistently produces results that are nothing short of miraculous, without making wearers seem caked in makeup. Photograph: PR

YSL La Laque Couture, £16.20, debenhams.com Fashion brands give great colour; salon brands apply well and last – and never the twain shall meet. Until this. Stunning, high-fashion colours, the most brilliantly designed, wide, flat brush for effortless, professional-looking application, and a long-lasting finish that sees you through the best part of a week. Mani-perfection.

Smashbox Primer, from £12.50, smashbox.co.uk Some brands dominate an entire category, and Smashbox owns primer. Whether you are dehydrated, oily, sun-damaged, red or sallow, this brand has a primer specifically for you. Apply without massaging over moisturiser to give your makeup a smooth, long-lasting, almost laminated base. Photograph: PR

Poppy King Lipstick Queen in Jean Queen, £15, cultbeauty.co.uk A lipstick to be worn with jeans and T-shirt. A simple idea, executed perfectly by beauty’s foremost lipstick obsessive. A neutral, non-shimmery pink that looks grown-up, pared-down and casual, but as though you’ve still made an effort. Suits practically everyone.

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara, £11, clinique.co.uk Lower lashes look naked against dramatic makeup, so why did no one invent this sooner? A tiny wand containing non-smudging mascara specifically for use on the lower lashline. Does exactly what it claims, and brilliantly. Photograph: PR

Estée Lauder Double Wear mascara, £20, esteelauder.co.uk If your usual mascara smudges under your eyes, this will not. This brilliant solution works by coating the lashes with polymers instead of the usual fibres and dye. It’s easily removed with warm water – your regular remover probably won’t shift it.

Chanel Rouge Coco Hydrating Creme Lip Colour in Gabrielle, £24, boots.com Red lipstick is the ultimate makeup item, and no one does it better than Chanel. This classic true red, named after Mademoiselle Chanel herself, looks chic and elegant on redheads, blondes, Afro-Caribbean and Asian skintones. Lasts very well and doesn’t leave lips feeling dry. And, of course, the packaging is the loveliest there is. Photograph: PR

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, £14.25, uk.lizearle.com A gentle cleanser, rich in plant oils and herbs, that lifts every trace of makeup – including heavy mascara – before being swept away by a damp, hot muslin (included; for extra exfoliation, switch to a hot flannel). I use this twice a day, every day, before applying serum and moisturiser.

Givenchy Phenomen Eyes Mascara, £22, houseoffraser.co.uk All mascara brushes should be like this one. The unique (patented) orb-like brush head leaves every lash coated and separate for a perfect, fan-like flutter. If you are prone to smudging, finish with a single coat of Estée Lauder Double Wear. Photograph: PR

Benefit Benetint, £24.50, benefitcosmetics.co.uk This rose petal-infused cheek stain has millions of fans worldwide. Gives oily and combination skins a perfect flush of health (the kind you get after a run or good sex), and is extremely easy to use. Best avoided on dry skins because the liquid formula sinks in fast.

Ultrasun SPF30 Family Formula, £19, johnlewis.com An extremely reliable broad-spectrum sunscreen for men, women and children. Very rich but non-greasy, sweatproof cream that stays on post-swim and causes no irritation. There’s also a gel formula for invisible coverage. One bottle will last for the duration of the average family holiday. Photograph: PR

Urban Decay Eye Primer Potion, £14.50, beautybay.com You know when your eyeliner transfers on to your socket line? Or when your shadow pools into little creases that need re-smudging constantly? This fixes both. Smooth on to eyelids before shadow and liner, leave for a few moments, then apply makeup as usual.

Shu Uemura eyelash curlers, £20, uk.spacenk.com Curling lashes makes a huge difference to the shape of the eyes and the overall look of your makeup. These are expensive, but simply the best. Extremely well made and sturdy, they can be tightened with a screwdriver and refreshed with new pads. Worth forking out for. Photograph: other

Clinique Superbalm, £12, clinique.co.uk This extremely effective lip treatment succeeds where other balms fail. When lips are cracked, seriously dry, painful, even bleeding, Superbalm will fix them within 24 hours. Few beauty products of any kind can claim such superb efficacy.

Mac Lip Pencil in Spice, £11.50, maccosmetics.co.uk This has probably appeared on more magazine covers and catwalk shows than any other makeup product. A neutral brick-brown that miraculously complements a thousand lipsticks, from caramel to burgundy. Photograph: PR

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eye Shadow in Prelude, £37, boots.com If you ever want to treat yourself to a perfect eyeshadow palette, make it this one. Taupes, cool browns and a perfect ivory make for an infinitely wearable range of looks, from subtle daytime to smoky evening. The shadows don’t fade or smudge and suit everyone.

Sonicare toothbrush, from £33.32, boots.com If you can afford a Phillips Sonicare toothbrush, buy one today. Sonic toothbrushes simply leave teeth looking and feeling cleaner for longer. Excellent on all mouths – children’s baby teeth, sensitive teeth, stained or whitened. Your old electrical or manual model will seem woefully inadequate by comparison. Photograph: PR

Tom Ford Eyeshadow Mousse, around £28, selfridges.com – available from April. Thank goodness Ford is bringing these back for summer. A whipped mousse single shadow that can be applied perfectly by even the least skilled, short-sighted women. Creates a perfect, deceptively polished look and, unlike most creams, doesn’t shift until you cleanse it off.

Clarins Blue Orchid Oil, £30, clarins.co.uk I have never known a dissatisfied user of this wonderful plant oil for dehydrated, weather-beaten skin. Non-greasy and non-aggravating, this oil is slurped up by the face, leaving it plumper, pinker and glowing with health. Lasts ages and smells heavenly. Try the fantastic Lotus formula for oily/combination skin. Photograph: PR

By Terry Touche Veloutée, £35, uk.spacenk.com Most brands now make a highlighting concealer pen, but few can match this one’s performance. Plumping serum smooths out fine lines, while yellow-toned cover-up expertly hides uneven tone and illuminates under-eyes. Pricey, but twice the size of competitors. More dark shades now, please.

Bobbi Brown Foundations, from £27.50, bobbibrown.co.uk Respect to Bobbi Brown and its stable mate Mac for being among the first to have the balls and commercial sense to make multi-race foundations mainstream. Whatever your colour and skin type, you will find the right foundation here. The now legendary stick formula is hard to beat. Photograph: PR

Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser, £33, johnlewis.com If I was forced to choose a top five, this would comfortably make it. Three formulations – classic (for normal to dry skin), oil-free (oily/combination) and illuminating (for dullness) – all provide far more coverage than the average tinted moisturiser, but mix beautifully with most foundations to provide even more. A hero product.

Guerlain Meteorites Pearls, £35.50, selfridges.com These are so much more than pretty pastel pearls of powder. Swirl a fat brush over the lot and buff into cheeks, forehead and chin for a healthy, luminous glow. The original shade is great on pale skin, while the rest of the range has a colourway for every race and skintone. Photograph: PR

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair, £44, esteelauder.co.uk This now iconic multi-purpose anti-ageing serum is hard to beat and a firm favourite with many beauty editors. Contains hyaluronic acid, the wonder treatment for dehydrated skins, plus proven anti-ageing ingredients for sunspots and wrinkles. Suitable for every skin from driest to oily, and tested on women of all ethnicities.

Mason Pearson hairbrush, from £33.50, cultbeauty.co.uk The best hairbrushes in the world bar none. A hand-crafted Mason Pearson leaves hair gleaming, without snag, drag or discomfort. All sorts of size/bristle combos, but the Handy Bristle & Nylon suits most. The pink and blue baby brushes make the perfect christening gift, too. Photograph: PR

Kiehl’s Abyssine Cream SPF23, £40.50, kiehls.co.uk A perfect day cream or lotion (SPF15) for all skin types over 25. Includes good sun protection against both UVA and UVB rays, is non-irritating and provides a great base for makeup – unlike many SPF moisturisers, which can disintegrate on contact with foundation.

Shiseido Urban Environment SPF50, £32, houseoffraser.co.uk A good sunblock is essential. Always choose one that protects against both UVB (the more commonly cancer-causing) and UVA (skin-ageing) rays. This does the job but without the greasiness and breakouts all too common in high-protection creams. Provides an excellent base for makeup, so you can skip the moisturiser. Photograph: PR

Babyliss Big Hair, £45, babyliss.co.uk Gadgets never really work, right? Meet one that actually does what it claims. A blow-drying brush that spins as it dries, to ape the action of a professional blow-dry minus the requisite expert co-ordination. The smaller, barrelled version is best on bobbed or fine hair, the larger on longer, thicker styles. Photograph: PR

Suqqu Cream Foundation, £62, selfridges.com It’s an obscene amount of money for a foundation, but every woman who tries Suqqu comes back for more. Moist but never greasy, full in coverage but absolutely weightless on the skin, this foundation is like no other (not to be confused with Suqqu’s inferior Frame Fix version) and is the one I wear in every Guardian photograph.

Parlux compact dryer, £64.95, parlux.co.uk “Sixty-five quid for a dryer?!” people say to me, and I understand the sentiment. But one dry with a Parlux and you’ll see why it’s worth every penny. Drying time is halved, hair looks fuller, smoother, healthier. Get the Compact, though – the unwieldy full-sized dryer weighs a ton. Photograph: PR

Clarisonic, from £120, clarisonic.co.uk If you have dry or normal skin, you won’t need this, but I’ve seen it work wonders on acne, oiliness and other problem skin. Essentially a sonic toothbrush for your face, it deep-cleanses the skin, leaving it soft and squeaky clean.

Corioliss C2 Digital Straighteners, £69.99 plus VAT, capital­hair­and­beauty.co.uk Great for curling and straightening, these knock other premium straighteners out of the park. They work fast, gently and leave hair feeling silky. The digital temperature control and auto shut-off feature make them a cinch to use.

Coming soon: salihughesbeauty.com

• This article was edited on 8 March 2013, to incorporate more of the original introduction to the print version, and on 11 March 2013 with the correct image of the Clinique Superbalm. Photograph: PR