My ultimate beauty buys

In her final column after 14 years, ELSA McALONAN reveals...

After 14 wonderful years writing a beauty column for the Daily Mail, alas, this will be my last one. I have loved bringing you the latest beauty news and I’ve enjoyed the ultimate privilege of the beauty columnist; a postbag bulging with free products to test each week.

I hope you’ll agree that I’ve honed my expertise in that time. When I first started, I was in my 40s and needed fast-working products that fitted into my busy lifestyle. I wore more make-up in those days, too. Now I’m in my 60s, I need serious skincare

To tackle fine lines and pigmentation, while my hair, which has been highlighted for decades, craves proper TLC.

So, out of the thousands of goods I’ve tried, which will I now part with cash for? Here is an ultimate guide to the best beauty products, from one who’s spent the past decade abreast of every make-up trend and skincare innovation.

Thank you for reading.

SPF FOR FACE & BODY

Shiseido Expert Sun Protector Face & Body Lotion SPF50+ (£34, shiseido.co.uk) SUNSCREEN is the most important product in your beauty armoury. It doesn’t matter how much you spend on it, just that you put it on. for everyday life, this is my favourite.

It won’t leave behind any sticky residue, and as the name suggests, it can be used on your body and face. It’s also an excellent primer for make-up.

ANTI-AGEING SERUM

No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum (£33.95 for 50ml, boots.com) IN My first column for the Daily Mail in april 2007, I wrote about No 7’s protect & perfect Beauty Serum, after a BBC Horizon documentary revealed its remarkable wrinkle-busting abilities and caused queues outside Boots stores across the nation.

There have been many variations since then — the packaging has changed and the formulas have become more powerful — but I still love it.

This version was introduced in 2014 and is designed for the over 35s. alongside the usual key antiageing ingredients (pro-retinol, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and a blend of peptides known as Matrixyl 3000 plus) this includes acetyl-dipeptide, which combats sagging skin.

I’m a big fan of the consistency — it’s light rather than thick or gloopy, so it’s easy to mix with foundation or tinted moisturiser.

NIGHT CAPSULES

Elizabeth Arden Retinol Ceramide Line Erasing Night Serum Capsules (£45 for 30 capsules, johnlewis.com) THOUGH I’ve been tempted, I’m still too scared of needles to have Botox or fillers. So what I put on my face has to work miracles.

It’s tricky picking just one favourite, but my skin always looks and feels better when I use this as part of my nightly regime. one capsule is enough to moisturise my whole face.

PICK-ME-UP BLUSH

Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear Blush Stick in Ambitious Pink (£29.50, boots.com) for blusher, you’re better off with a creamy texture that can be smoothed into your skin — it’s far more flattering than powder, which has a tendency to sit in fine lines. this one is new this year, and it revitalises the complexion if you’re looking peaky. I apply it straight after my morning walk to naturally flushed cheeks. It keeps the healthy glow going all day.

ILLUMINATING PEN

Touche Eclat Illuminating Pen (£27, yslbeauty.co.uk) WHEN it comes to disguising dark circles, I’ve never found anything to beat this iconic pen. I have been using it since 1992 and can only guess at the number I’ve bought. I’d be lost without it.

DAY CREAM

Clarins ExtraFirming Energy (£59, clarins.co.uk) THIS is the one product that gives you that cliche of the beauty press release — ‘glowy skin’ — thanks to paprika extract and pearlescent pigments that reflect light. It’s especially helpful for more mature skin, and is one of my absolute go-tos.

BROW BOOSTER

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Pen (£21, anastasia beverlyhills.com) My BroWS need more work these days, and this userfriendly pen, which comes in nine shades and has a superfine nib, allows you to draw in each individual brow hair.

I once got to visit anastasia’s famous Californian salon, frequented by J-Lo and Michelle obama. It felt like a shrine to the perfect brow.

FAVOURITE SCENT

Prada Infusion d’Iris Eau de Parfum (top right, £78.50 for 50ml, johnlewis.co.uk) tHIS floral, powdery perfume, which launched in 2007, is my preferred fragrance of all time. I am a fan of light perfumes that linger on your skin without being overpowering.

BODY MOISTURISER

Superdrug Vitamin E All Over Body Cream (£4.99, superdrug.com) MaNy years ago, I mistakenly used this cheap cream from Superdrug all over my face before I realised it was for the body.

It made my skin feel soft and look gleaming, and it’s been in my gym bag ever since for use after swimming. It was one of Superdrug’s best-selling products during lockdown.

TANNING DROPS

James Read H2O Tan Drops Body (£40, jamesreadtan.com)

I’M Not the only one nervous of making self-tanning mistakes, but I add a few drops of this to my body lotion and it never lets me down.

I love that it’s tinted, so you can see exactly where you’re applying it. there’s never any streaking and the sun-kissed glow lasts for about four days.

EFFORTLESS EYELINER

Jen Atkin Zero Effort Liner (£5, elfcosmetics.co.uk) I’M HOPELESS at putting on eyeliner and was first attracted to this pencil by its name: zero effort. It’s so easy to apply, and it’s soft, too, so it doesn’t drag across the lash line. It comes in two shades, Jet Set Black and Brown to earth. I may have to bulk-buy this one.

GENTLE CLEANSER

CERAVE Hydrating Facial Cleanser For Normal To Dry Skin (£7.60 for 236ml, boots.com) I Have tried dozens of expensive brands and just don’t see the point of spending a fortune on cleanser. this does the job with minimal fuss. It’s gentle, gets everything off and never leaves my skin feeling dry.

HIGH-SHINE HAIRCARE

Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo And Conditioner Duo (£34.40, lookfantastic.com) DURING lockdown, I learned how important it is to invest in the right haircare at home. this makes my highlighted hair feel thicker and gives it a healthy shine.

BRIGHTENING LIPSTICK

Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip Color in Blondie Pink (£25, bobbibrown.co.uk) LIPSTICK might have gone temporarily out of favour due to constant maskwearing, but as we emerge from the gloom, I predict we’ll shift our focus to the perfect pout.

For my skin tone, which can look a bit sallow, this warm, yellow-toned pink works wonders.

NAIL POLISH

Rimmel London Nail Nurse Stronger Nail Polish Base Coat (£4.49, boots.com) My DIY home manicure involves a couple of coats of this. It gives nails a pleasing pink shine that looks like I have been buffing away at them for hours.

BRUSH-ON BRONZER

Guerlain Terracotta The Bronzing Powder (£39, guerlain.com)

I DON’T use self-tan on my face, preferring a powder bronzer. the original version of this first appeared in 1984, but I like this summer’s iteration (top left), which has a rejuvenating touch of shimmer.