Where did the year go? It’s apparently already time for me to share all my hero beauty products of 2025. I really tried to do this in one post this year. I failed. So today, we’re starting with Makeup and Fragrance and I’ll be back tomorrow with the hero products in the Skincare and Bodycare categories. CLICK HERE for the Best of Beauty 2025: Skincare & Bodycare.
If you missed it, feel free to check out last year’s edition to see what stuck, what’s changed and why:
MAKEUP
Here are my best of 2025 makeup products from my “clean girl” makeup routine (some may say basic but whatever).
Foundation/Skin Tints | Aunty Pat continues to keep me glowing in the most ethereal way with Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation in Shade 26. No change from last year – still flawless. I’ve heard reports of brand restructuring though so I need to restock just in case…
A new love this year that I’m already mourning is Ami Cole Skin-Enhancing Tint in Deep 2. This skin tint is hands down the best complexion product I have used so far. It’s the perfect match for my skin and looks soooooooo good. Real “your skin but best” energy. Which makes it so much more painful that Ami Cole has folded. Guys, where do I go from here?!!!! I’m wailing.
Last new addition in the foundation category is MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation in Shade NW55. Picked this up in the airport after complaining to a makeup artist about getting too shiny in the summer.
Concealer | I’m still loyal to NARS Creamy Concealer in Amande. A new essential to work alongside it is another Aunty Pat product – Pat McGrath Labs Under Eye Blurring Powder. I use this to set my under eye concealer and T-zone and now it’s just as much a non-negotiable for me as the NARS concealer.
Brows | Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Granite and Maybelline Express Brow in Black are still the girls. Why mess with perfection? The only addition is the Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel, as if she doesn’t already have my brows in a chokehold!
Eyeliner | No change regarding my eyeliner, NYX Cosmetics Epic Ink Liner in Black is still elite and undefeated.
Mascara | My friend put me on to a Belarussian gem, Relouis Touché High Volume & Definition Mascara. A wow. Keeps the lashes defined and long without clumping, I love it. Otherwise, mascara bae from last year, Maybelline Sky High Lash Sensational Mascara in Black is still that girl for my lashes.
FRAGRANCE
And now, onto my 2025 fragrance stars — blind buys, slow burns, and some that had me sniffing my wrist like a menace in public. No regrets. Let’s start with the blind buys…
Guerlain Mon Guerlain Intense – A blind buy I do not regret. It’s vanilla, lavender and a whole bunch of elegance. Rich Aunty vibes in a bottle. Polished and confident, this is my go-to winter fragrance on days that call for power dressing and main character behaviour.
Valentino Donna Born in Roma – Another blind buy that did not disappoint. This one is probably the most “ordinary” fragrance of the bunch and I mean that in a good way. Familiar notes, easy to wear and doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. A crowd pleaser. An easy reach in spring/summer when I want to smell good with zero effort.
MiuMiu Miutine – The newest addition to my collection and already punching it’s way into this lineup. It’s one of the prettiest strawberry vanilla fragrances I have smelt in a long time. The strawberry is front and centre from the outset, then the vanilla steps in to add warmth and depth. It’s fresh and fun but refined too. My only gripe is its longevity…or lack thereof. This one needs re-spraying or layering to really stick around. Possibly better suited for the spring? I’ll try next year. In any case, it’s a compliment magnet.
Ex Nihilo Iris Porcelana – Discovered in an Ex Nihilo discovery set (where I also met Explicite, keep reading for that chaos!). I was immediately sold. The Iris note here sings – so clean and beautifully done. This is the kind of fragrance that makes people sit up straighter around you. Not one to overspray but lasts a whole work day, which is exactly what I need. A year-round fragrance for me, except peak summer.
Guerlain Pêche Mirage (L’Art & La Matière Collection) Hands down the fragrance highlight of the year for me. First smelled it in an airport, was instantly blown away but also sceptical about spending that much money on a fragrance without fully testing it. So I sprayed it on my wrist and spent the entire flight to Lagos sniffing myself every 30 mins like a complete weirdo. By the time I got into bed that night, I was still enjoying the lingering leathery peach trail.
Fast forward a couple of months, another airport and I didn’t hesitate that time. Ok, I hesitated briefly (because I am not made of money!), but I bought it. And have had no regrets since. It’s fresh, yet moody, dark without being heavy. It’s not for sweet girly girls and definitely NOT a safe blind buy. But if you like it, you LOVE it. On its own, it’s a certified compliment magnet. Layered correctly (I’m gatekeeping that combo, sorry), it’s a showstopper. Six hours minimum wear and beautiful projection – it’s definitely my summer/warm weather signature fragrance.
Ex Nihilo Explicite – As the name suggests, this is not for the fainthearted. Sexy. Sensual. Alluring. Confident. All these descriptors come to mind when I smelt this the first time. It’s potent, enveloping and undeniably SEXY (oh yeah I said that already!). Warm nutmeg, praline, and a vanilla base that knows exactly what it’s doing. This is a strictly night-time fragrance for me – it’s powerful, seductive and headline grabbing in the best way. I didn’t think I’d find another evening fragrance I loved as much as BR540 but Explicite said “hold my drink”.
One thing though, and I’m holding your hand as I say this – do NOT wear this to the office. Please. Have mercy on your colleagues for the love of goodness. But dinner, date night or a night out on the town? Elite behaviour!
Honourable mention: Maison Francis Kurkdjian Gentle Fluidity Gold. Rediscovered this in the last couple of weeks after completely forgetting I owned it. One spray and I fell right back in love. I had been considering getting another vanilla fragrance that costs twice the price and is not so battle tested. Spoiler alert: I re-upped on this instead, and I’m so glad I did. This perfume gives “Richest Aunty in Town” – perfect for winter days and early spring.
CLICK HERE for the Best of Beauty 2025: Skincare & Bodycare!
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