Sleek packaging, ultra-wearable shades and top-quality ingredients make getting ready a joyous affair rather than a dreaded process. A gilded lipstick tube here and an embossed powder compact there, investing in your makeup bag can make all the difference.
MORE: The history of Chanel perfume: everything you need to know about the maison's most famous fragrances
Not only can beautifully crafted pieces give you a boost of confidence when it comes to your application ability, there is something unbelievably glamorous about a dressing table full of makeup treasures.
However, much as it pains us to admit, beauty products by designer makeup brands don't exactly come cheap. The importance of knowing which pieces are worth the splurge cannot be overstated – being selective will ensure that you don't have a nasty fright next time you check your bank balance.
Hello! Fashion shares the designer makeup brands that are worth the investment:
Chanel
Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel was one of lipstick's greatest advocates, considering it an integral part of her beauty armour. "If you're sad, if you are disappointed in love, put on your makeup, give yourself some beauty care, put on lipstick, and attack," she once said, and, frankly, we couldn't agree more. However, lipstick is not the only area in which Chanel excels. The brand is brilliant at quality bases, and its finely milled Les Beiges range is a particular highlight.
Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder, £46, Chanel
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Dior
Dior first forayed into makeup back in 1953 when it launched its now-iconic Rouge Dior lipstick line. German actress Marlene Dietrich treasured the lipsticks just as much as her Dior outfits, even famously warning director Alfred Hitchcock "No Dior, no Dietrich!" before filming Stage Fright. Dior makes the prettiest rosy blush shades, but its Addict Lip Glow makes for the perfect present. Using clever colour reviver technology, the hydrating balm reacts with the moisture level in your lips to produce a custom colour.
Addict Lip Glow in 012 Rosewood, £30, Dior
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Armani Beauty
Armani first entered the beauty market in 2000, and over the past two decades has produced some seriously excellent products that are adored by makeup artists. Its cult-favourite Luminous Silk Foundation is particularly excellent – as the name would suggest, it provides a lovely silky-smooth finish and is totally buildable in areas where you might need a little more coverage.
Luminous Silk Foundation, £44.50, Giorgio Armani
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Tom Ford
Relative newcomer Tom Ford only branched into makeup in 2011, but the brand has more than made up for lost time. Its creamy eyeshadow pots blend like a dream, and don't get us started on the subject of ultra-covetable weighty compacts.
Tom Ford Cream Eye Colour in Opale, £34, Harvey Nichols
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Gucci Beauty
Don't judge a book by its cover and all that, but when it comes to packaging, Gucci Beauty is a cut above the rest. Launched in 2014, its cosmetics line boasts some breathtakingly gorgeous lipsticks that would no doubt go down a treat come Christmas morning.
Rouge De Beauté Brillant in 208 They Met in Argentina, £36, Gucci
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YSL Beauty
The French fashion house broke into the world of cosmetics back in 1978, but its most iconic product Touche Éclat didn't actually enter the market until 1992. The widely adored clicky highlighter pen, created by trailblazing makeup artist Terry de Gunzburg, will go down in history, but more recently we've fallen hard for its high-shine lip stains that are perfect for party season.
YSL Beauty Vernis À Lèvres Water Stain Lip Gloss in Wet Vermilion, £31, Look Fantastic
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Givenchy Beauty
In 1989 Givenchy launched its makeup line with Le Prisme Visage, a gorgeous quartet of finely milled powders. With Thom Walker as its current creative director (be warned: his Instagram is achingly beautiful) we have no doubt that Givenchy Beauty will continue to thrive.
Noir Couture Mascara, £28.50, Givenchy
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