7 designer makeup brands that are totally worth the investment

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 Les Beiges range is a particular highlight.

Our favourite product from the French brand is the Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream. It features a luxurious hybrid cream-gel formula that's both lightweight and effortlessly blendable. Perfect for achieving a natural, sun-kissed glow, it’s also infused with jasmine oil, giving it a subtle, elegant scent. We like to apply it with a soft brush for a smooth, velvety finish, but a sponge works just as well if you're aiming for a more defined, contoured look.

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.

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.

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.

The brand’s standout product has to be the Shade and Illuminate Contour Duo – a favourite of Hailey Bieber. This luxurious palette features a cream-to-satin formula that delivers a flawless, sculpted contour. The deeper shade adds definition, while the lighter hue highlights and enhances your features. Infused with light-diffusing pearls and nourishing botanical oils, it offers both radiance and hydration. Lightweight and sheer for a natural daytime look, the formula is also buildable – perfect for transitioning into an evening glam finish.

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 along with shimmery eyeshadow palettes. 

Our top pick has to be Gucci’s Mascara Le Magnétisme in Black. Its rich, creamy formula delivers lifted lashes with high-definition and separation, while adding both volume and curl for a bold, eye-opening effect. Not to mention the elegant packaging – the product comes housed in a sleek black tube finished with a gold-tone wand adorned with the Gucci logo.

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 Lines Liberated Waterproof Eye Pencil.

These highly pigmented pencils offer vibrant colour payoff in matte, satin-matte, and chrome finishes. The formula is blendable yet smudge-resistant, making it ideal for all-day wear. Complete with a 3-in-1 slant-angle brush to sculpt, blend, and stretch your look, the product is available in 12 versatile shades. Our makeup routine completely changed when I discovered this product in the shade Plum. For those with green eyes, here’s the secret: apply it to your upper and lower waterlines for an instant pop. Trust us – you’ll thank us later.

In 1989 Givenchy launched its makeup line with Le Prisme Visage, a gorgeous quartet of finely milled powders. 

The brand’s Prisme Libre 4-Colour Loose Powder is the ultimate handbag essential for keeping unwanted shine at bay throughout the day. This innovative powder blurs imperfections and sets makeup for up to 12 hours, all while maintaining a lightweight, breathable finish. Available in seven harmonies, each quartet is thoughtfully designed to complement a wide range of skin tones. The formula blends four complementary shades – two for colour correction and two for tone unification – that seamlessly fuse together to create a refined, radiant complexion.