Emilia

These are the makeup products I use most often, from the things I reach for when I have five minutes to the products I use when I want to look more polished. I tend to keep makeup quite simple and care much more about flattering colors, good formulas and products that are easy to live with than whatever happens to be trending. Some of these have been in my makeup bag for years, others are newer finds that have earned their place.

I've had sensitive skin for years, which means I've also spent years finding out very quickly which products my skin doesn't like. This is the other side of my skincare routine: the European and US products I know, trust and keep coming back to. Some of these are not new or particularly exciting, and that's exactly why they're here. They're the cleansers, treatments and moisturisers that have stayed in my routine while countless others came and went. I use them when I want something reliable, when my skin is irritated or breaking out, or simply when I don't want to experiment. You'll find a mix of long-term favourites and newer products that have genuinely earned their place, rather than whatever is having a moment online.

My hair is fine but dense, gets weighed down very easily and my scalp can be sensitive, so I’m quite selective about what I use. Heavy formulas can flatten it quickly, scalp products can leave buildup, and too much oil immediately shows on my lengths. These are the shampoos, treatments and styling products that have genuinely worked for me, from everyday basics to things I use only when my hair needs something specific. With fine hair, I’ve found that how much you use and where you apply it matters almost as much as the product itself.

I’ve been buying and using Japanese and Korean skincare for years, including during long stays in both countries where I’ve spent far too much time going through beauty stores and looking at ingredients. My skin is sensitive and increasingly needs more than basic hydration, so I’m quite selective about what earns a place here. These are products I’ve actually used when my skin is dry, dull, tired, irritated or breaking out, through different seasons and climates. Some are famous, others are things I found while shopping in Japan or Korea and rarely see discussed. I care much more about how my skin reacts and whether I can actually see a difference than what happens to be trending online.

Korean skincare can get overwhelming very quickly. If I were starting again, I wouldn’t buy a 10-step routine or chase every product going viral. These are the products I’d start with based on what I’ve used, what I found easy to incorporate into a routine, and what I think is worth trying before adding anything more complicated.