/ 21 April 2023

Adeola Reveals What’s On Her Beauty Shelf

Make-up artist and SL beauty contributor Adeola Gboyega has tried and tested countless products – so when something earns a permanent spot on her beauty shelf, you know it’s worth shouting about. From the skincare she swears by to the bodycare that makes a visible difference, these are the products she couldn’t be without.

By Adeola Gboyega /

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All products on this page have been selected by our editorial team, however we may make commission on some products.

SKINCARE

All of these products have been on heavy rotation for me recently and that is a big deal because, as a self-confessed skincare junkie and given the nature of my job, I am always trying out the latest innovations. One question I get asked all the time is how to tackle dark circles. I think I’ve recommended the Garnier brightening vitamin C eye cream to literally everyone – it’s so good at minimising the signs of fatigue, including the appearance of shadows and fine lines. Sunscreen is something I apply every day without fail. In the past, it’s been difficult to find formulas that cater to Black skin, so I’m happy to see how well the new Inkey List Dewy Sunscreen SPF30 sits under make-up. For an extra boost of hydration, nothing works better than the Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask. It’s a must-have for me and I always keep one in my pro kit.

Brightening 4% Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Caffeine & Banana Powder Eye Cream, £7.33 (was £10.99) | Garnier
Dewy Sunscreen SPF 30, £14.99 | The Inkey List
Black Rose Cream Mask, £133 | Sisley-Paris
The Dewy Skin Cream, £65 | Tatcha
Goat Milk Moisturising Cleanser, £38 | Kate Somerville

BODYCARE

I love having a regular bodycare routine. I see it as my opportunity to indulge in some much-needed me time, and I believe it’s important to pay the same amount of attention to the skin on your body as you would your face. Often, we neglect our body only to rush the process once the sun comes out, or when we know our skin is going to be on show. But there are little things you can do every day to help the skin on your body feel soft, smooth and radiant. I love using a shower oil like the L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil, as it’s great at keeping my skin feeling nourished and supple. The Paula’s Choice Retinol Body Serum is also a fantastic treatment to help firm and tone the skin – I use it daily after I shower. On the rare occasion I can treat myself to an indulgent bath, the Oskia Skincare Moon Salts are fantastic, and the new Naturium body range is a real treat.

Almond Shower Oil, £18.90 | L'Occitane
Skin Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment, £33 | Paula’s Choice
Moon Salts, £68 | Oskia
Vinosculpt Crushed Cabernet Scrub, £29 | Caudalie

HAIRCARE

I wear wigs daily, but it is important to me to take care of my natural hair underneath. I have a very dry and sensitive scalp, so the scalp serum by This Hair Of Mine gets ride of any build-up and stimulates healthy hair growth. I keep my wigs looking fresh with a dry shampoo and I love the Charlotte Mensah hair oil, which instantly adds shine and tames frizz.

BASE

I do like my skin to have a glow – in my opinion, there’s nothing better than healthy, radiant skin. That said, there is a fine line between looking glow-y and looking sweaty, so investing in the right primer to balance the skin and combat shine is key. I love the Glow Recipe Strawberry BHA Pore-Smooth Blur Drops treatment because it’s silicone free, refines pores over time, instantly blurs and balances oil for a natural, soft-focus finish. As for foundations, I like ones that come with added skincare benefits because, if you’re going to wear something every day, you want it to feel good and do some good for your skin at the same time.

Strawberry Bha Pore-Smooth Blur Drops, £29 | Glow Recipe
Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation, £38 | Lancôme
Glowy Super Skin Foundation, £34 | Saie
Surreal Skin Liquid Foundation, £59.95 | Makeup By Mario

CONCEALER

The NARS Creamy Radiant Concealer is my most used concealer. It comes with medium to high coverage that’s incredibly buildable, so you can adjust it to suit your needs. I also love that it has added skincare benefits, so it feels hydrating on the skin and never looks cakey. An alternative option is the Maybelline Instant Age Eraser Concealer. The applicator couldn’t be easier to use and the results are as good as NARS.

Radiant Creamy Concealer, £26 | NARS
Eraser Eye Concealer, £8.99 | Maybelline

BROWS

One of the best decisions I ever made was having my brows microbladed with Nez Hassan. It has saved me so much time; doing my brows used to be the longest step in my make-up routine. I love to use The Brow Mask from Nez Hassan’s line Hairgredients which contains active ingredients to help strengthen my brow hairs and I’ve really noticed a difference in how thick they’ve become. In between having my brows shaped, I use the Flawless Finish Brow Trimmer to maintain the shape and trim any excess brow hairs, before I fill them in with a little brow pencil and apply a slick of brow gel.

The Brow Mask, £35 | Hairgredients
Flawless™ Brows 3.0 ,£19.99 | Finishing Touch
Bomb Brows Microshade Pencil, £15 | Huda Beauty
Air Brow Tinted Volumizing Treatment Gel, £19 | Kosas

EYELINERS

When it comes to eyeliner, I love a foolproof formula that glides on easily and stays put. I often opt for a gel-based formula that is waterproof, so it lasts. The Hourglass Voyeur Liner is fantastic, as it’s self-sharpening and applies so easily, even for those with less than steady hands. If you want to achieve that perfect winged liner, my tip is to go in with a gel liner first, which is typically easier to control, to create the shape and then you can trace over the gel liner with a liquid eyeliner for a more precise finish.

Voyeur Waterproof Gel Eyeliner, £27 | Hourglass
Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner, £9.99 | Maybelline
Better Than Sex Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner, £21 | Too Faced

MASCARA

I am a bit of flirt with mascara, as I am always chopping and changing, trying something new on my never-ending quest to add volume and length to my virtually non-existent lashes. I have been using the Olaplex Lash Bond Building Serum which has a peptide-packed formula to help strengthen and grow your lashes, so I’m hoping it’ll make a difference. In general, I find the drugstore mascaras are just as good as the more expensive ones – just be sure to replace your mascaras every three months for the best results. There’s nothing worse than trying to apply dry mascara to your lashes.

LashBond Building Serum, £64 | Olaplex
Falsies Surreal Mascara, £11.99 | Maybelline
L'Obscur 1 Eve Black Mascara, £31 | Gucci Beauty

SHADOWS & PALETTES

An eyeshadow palette is essential and my favourites have about four shades so they’re compact enough to take on the go. They often contain a mix of both matte and shimmer shades, but I’ve been in my matte girl era lately and I’m obsessed with the Vieve Soul Shadow Palette in the shade ‘Terra’. The pigments are super blendable, and the monotone shades are great for creating a variety of eye looks. If the idea of blending eyeshadow scares you, I highly recommend trying the Bobbi Brown Shadow Sticks. They’re so easy to use and last ages.

Soul Shadows, £29 | Vieve
Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick, £27 | Bobbi Brown
Monochrome Essential Eyeshadow Palette, £19 | Glossier

BLUSH/BRONZER/HIGHLIGHTER

Some of my favourite products in my make-up bag are blusher, bronzer and highlighter. My favourite blush formula is the Pat McGrath Skin Fetish Divine range and I’ve also added the new Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Blurring Balms into my rotation. If you’re looking for a multi-use palette that combines all three of these products in one, I highly recommend the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palettes – they’re as good as everyone says.

Yummy Skin Blurring Balm, £39.50 | Danessa Myricks
Skin Fetish: Divine Blush, £40 | Pat Mcgrath Labs
Ambient Lighting Palette, £64 | Hourglass
Soft Sculpt Transforming Skin Enhancer, £35 | Makeup By Mario

LIPS

I can’t stand having dry lips, so I have to have a lip balm or lip gloss to hand at all times. My most used lip product is the Summer Fridays Lip Butter; I can’t get enough of the stuff and I love that it now comes in a range of shades. The original is still my favourite, but I do love ‘Pink Sugar’. On those days when I do want a beautiful bold lip, the Fenty Beauty Icon lipstick in MVP really packs a punch and the formula lasts forever.

Lip Butter, £23 | Summer Fridays
Icon Velvet Lipstick, £20.40 (was £24) | Fenty Beauty
She Fine Liner – Killin It, £9 | Doll Beauty
Lip Sculpt, £18 | Refy

TOOLS & GADGETS

If there is something out there promising to sculpt, lift and brighten my skin, I am bound to have tried it already. I love a facial treatment, but they can be costly and take up a lot of time, so if I can achieve similar results at home, even better. My firm favourite is the Light Salon LED Mask, which you only need to use for ten minutes a day to help you repair and heal. I’ve really seen a difference in my skin since using this. Every professional treatment I’ve had recently has finished with light therapy – the results are undeniable. I also believe in investing in the right tools for make-up, so a good set of brushes is a must. Try my Joy Adenuga x Adeola Gboyega Flawless Face edit if you don’t know where to start.

Flawless Face Edit, £80 | The Adeola Gboyega X By Joy Adenuga
LED Mask, £395 | The Light Salon
Beauty Sponge, £5.99 | Remsco
Skin Care Facial Sculpting Wand, £364 | Shani Darden

FRAGRANCE

Grand Soir is a beautiful scent. It balances the warmth of amber and the sweetness of vanilla. Another fragrance I love is Parfums de Marly’s Delina. I get compliments whenever I wear it. Layering is the key to making your fragrance last, so I tend to layer mine with the matching body lotions or fragranced body mists

Grand Soir Eau de Parfum, £175 | Maison Francis Kurkdjian Paris
Delina Eau De Parfum, £230 | Parfums De Marly Paris
Brazilian Crush Cheirosa 62 Perfume Mist, £22 | Sol de Janeiro
Oud For Greatness Eau De Parfum, £305 | Initio