This year officially marks a decade since I graduated school. And while the natural urge is to look back at my personal milestones and career-related accomplishments, the beauty journalist within me demands to investigate just how much my beauty routine (particularly make-up) changed throughout the years. After all, that is when I first got utterly consumed by the world of beauty, which is what eventually led me to pursuing it professionally.
I first discovered makeup at the age of 15, ‘a canon event’ of sorts that was largely inspired by my mom, who always shared my passion for beauty. For context, this was back when I was still living with my family in Kazakhstan, and as a gift for my birthday, my parents took me to a “Boots”-equivalent store under strict instructions to “sensibly” curate my first-ever makeup routine. My instinct was to get three things: a Maybelline mascara, an EOS lip balm and a Garnier BB cream.
(Image credit: Future)
As the years went by, my makeup priorities shifted, and I started learning more and more from legendary YouTube makeup gurus. And as my enthusiasm grew, so did my starter makeup collection. By the time I was packing my suitcase to move to the UK for university, I was convinced that I’d already perfected my signature look. In fact, this was around the time when my mum and I swapped roles and, for the first time ever, she was the one who was curious about the contents of my makeup bag.
It wasn’t until recently that I realised that some of the products that were approved by my 17-year-old-self fully deserved a place in my current makeup routine, even a decade later. Admittedly, my techniques have changed for the better—granted, I’m not sure if it’s entirely fair to compare the makeup skills of a teenager to those of a journalist that interviews celebrity MUAs for a living. That all but reaffirmed my stance that while trends are fleeting, the beauty industry is home to a whole host of iconic products that have stood the test of time and have proved their cult status time and time again. Below, I revisit these products and see if they still hold up in 2025.
1. Bourjois Healthy Mix Clean Foundation
Bourjois
Healthy Mix Clean Foundation
Complexion-wise, my preferences have barely changed. Turns out, as a 17-year-old, I gravitated towards hydrating, skin-loving foundations; earning an instant nod of approval from my adult self. The Bourjois Healthy Mix formula, for one, stuck with me through thick and thin, and deservedly so. Although its current version lives in different packaging, its formula still very much remains one of my go-to affordable makeup picks of all time. It’s hydrating and weightless, yet impressive when it comes to delivering just the right amount of coverage for day-to-day wear. My only qualm is the shade range, which is sadly still a bit sparse, particularly when compared to brands like Fenty Beauty, Giorgio Armani or Haus Labs.
2. Maybelline Instant Anti-Age Eraser Concealer
Maybelline
Instant Anti-Age Eraser Concealer
When it came to my concealer, I found it surprising when I recalled reaching for more full-coverage formulas, particularly since my under-eye dark circles were nowhere near as bad back then. Then again, 2015 was all about the “glamazon”: that Kylie Jenner-approved “all-out” look that every teenage girl strived to achieve. I alternated between the Maybelline Instant Anti-Age Eraser Concealer for daily wear and the iconic Tarte Shape Tape, both of which are still very much present in my current collection. I adore both of these formulas for their ability to deliver all the coverage, minus the creasing and that “cake-y” look.
3. Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit
Anastasia Beverly Hills
Contour Kit
As much as it hurts me to say it, blush wasn’t always present in my makeup routine. In fact, back in 2015, it was wholeheartedly absent, replaced by an unreasonably heavy amount of contour and bronzer. But my unfortunate application techniques aside, I still stand by my choice of products: the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit palette and the Benefit Hoola Matte Powder Bronzer.
While there was a period when I entirely ditched every powder formula in favour of cream or liquid bronzers and contouring products (courtesy of the “glazed donut” aesthetic), lately, I’ve been finding my way back to my pressed powdered heroes, particularly during the summer. The Benefit Hoola Matte Powder Bronzer in particular recently launched its cream iteration, and I’ve been using it in conjunction with the original powder formula for the better part of 2025. The result? A holiday-ready glow and a chiseled complexion (but with a much lighter touch, of course).
4. MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Highlighter in Soft and Gentle
MAC
Mineralize Skinfinish Highlighter in Soft and Gentle
And of course, it wouldn’t be a look from 2015 without a “healthy” amount of highlighter, namely the MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Highlighter in the shade Soft & Gentle. I stumbled across this formula on my first trip to Boots, and it’s never left my makeup bag since. To this day, I love how buttery the formula is and how it manages to add that “lit-from-within” glow without emphasising my skin texture.
5. Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz
Anastasia Beverly Hills
Brow Wiz in Taupe
My brows definitely took centre stage back in 2015. I couldn’t get enough of that heavily drawn-on and carved-out look—the polar opposite to how my brow make-up looks like today. Yet, funnily enough, I still use the same produc—the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in the shade Taupe. While I may be steering clear of applying it all over, I love that it’s versatile enough for me to create natural-looking hair strokes that don’t appear too out of place.
6. Urban Decay Naked Basics and Benefit Roller Lash Mascara
Urban Decay
Naked 2 Basics Eyeshadow Palette
Benefit
Roller Lash Lifting and Curling Mascara
As far as eye makeup is concerned, I remember a certain palette and mascara that I refused to part with: the Urban Decay Naked Basics and the benefit Roller Lash, both of which, you guessed it, still haven’t left my beauty cupboard. The palette housed enough shades to create virtually any neutral look imaginable, from a soft and defined ensemble to a more dramatic smokey eye. As for the mascara, I’m convinced that the benefit Roller Lash is the only mascara that works on my stubborn Asian eyelashes—delivering all the lift, hold and length that I usually look for.
7. MAC Lip Pencil in Whirl and Benefit Benetint Rose Tinted Lip & Cheek Stain
Benefit
Benetint Rose Tinted Lip & Cheek Stain
Now to the most exciting part: the lips. As a lip product-obsessed beauty journalist, I’ve tested my fair share of products, yet there’s a particular lip combo that I’ve sworn by since my late teens.
First, a layer of the Benetint lip stain from Benefit to add a subtle wash of colour. Think: a “just-kissed”, berry-ish tint that leaves your lips looking natural, but with a touch of “zhuzh” (FYI, the brand has recently expanded the shade range, meaning you can now enjoy a raspberry and a mauve-y hue as well as the original.) Next, an outline using MAC’s lip pencil in the shade Whirl, which is a stunning cool-toned shade that creates a nice, natural shadow, glides on like butter and has impressive staying power. To marry everything together, I used an EOS lip balm, which is now sadly unavailable. But if I were to suggest a great alternative, it would be the recently launched Lip Glaze Lip Oil by Glossier, which comes in six wearable shades and packs a tonne of hydrating ingredients.