Today & Other Stories have launched a huge — and hugely affordable – range of products, costing from £14 to £23, and it has reminded me that there is precious little in this category of great mid-range makeup in 2024.
Rewind to the 2000s. I will never forget my first great of-the-moment make-up love. It was the champagne-hued Stila Kitten eyeshadow — which was the only thing that anyone with a vested interest in trends was wearing on their eyelids at the turn of the millenium. I remember vividly that this particular product was enjoying a renaissance six years into its life thanks to Caroline Barnes, who said in an interview that it was the shadow she put on Kylie Minogue before applying lashings of mascara and that made me - and it seems many others - sweaty-palmed with desire to own it.
Back then, I’d go to Harvey Nichols with my pocket money to buy my precious pot, delighting on the tube journey on the way home at the feeling of being in possession of something special, feeling rather like Jack carrying those magic beans that my life was about to transform. That will only sound silly to you if you don’t love make-up; if you do, you will know that having the right product at the right time is a kind of alchemy and changes if not your actual life then certainly the confidence with which you inhabit it.
Au courant make-up back then felt expensive because I was a teenager and would therefore have to tuck away all my pocket money for the joy of sheeny shiny eyelids – but it had nothing on today’s prices, and fell into the hugely underrepresented mid-range price bracket. Take one of the most talked about recent launches, Victoria Beckham Beauty’s Concealer Pen, as an example. It’s the result of Victoria’s longtime love for the skincare brand Augustinus Bader, and the product is magnificent, sure, but it costs £64. For concealer. I am a big concealer fan, primarily because my predisposition to acne means I need quite a lot of the stuff, but still concede that that’s a pretty big spend for a product.
Fine, if you have it – but what if you don’t? What if you want really trendy make-up that is down the cheaper end? Actually, there’s a dearth of brands in this category. Topshop make-up occupied the space well at one point, RIP. Now it’s & Other Stories, with its range spanning 163 colours. They are designed to tap into today’s biggest make-up moments from the 1990s lip to hyper-glowing skin.
And on that skin thing: not only will these adorn your face, but they’ll also infuse it with skincare (including emollient squalane to hold in moisture, humectant hyaluronic acid to draw it to the skin, and antioxidant vitamin E).
I tried a haul of the products ahead of its launch — so here’s what I’d rush out to buy.
& Other Stories Powder Blusher in Picture Peony
Blush is one of the simplest and quickest ways to wake your face up. The new range contains lots of colours but this, all fresh and slightly frost-bitten in vibe, will be my pick for this winter.
Buy now £19.00, & Other Stories
& Other Stories Lip Pencil in Nougat Divine
Containing Vitamin E, this lip liner will nourish while it offers up that perfect 1990’s over-lined brown edge.
Buy now £14.00, & Other Stories
& Other Stories Matte Lipstick in Striking Orange
Perhaps my top pick of all the range, this blazing orange lip colour paired with mascara is the fastest route to chic make-up out there. Pair with a very big, very bouncy blowdry, or completely slicked-back hair.
Buy now £19.00, & Other Stories
& Other Stories Brow Laminator in White Light
Whether you want to splay your brows or just control the direction they sit in, brow gel is a make-up must-have in my book. I prefer clear, though if you like yours with a whisper of colour for bulk, they make that sort too.
Buy now £18.00, & Other Stories
& Other Stories Liquid Blusher in Tender Tulip
Forget the first iterations of liquid blush that was watery and didn’t really do much, this one is highly pigmented, finishes to a smooth satin, and a little goes a really long way. So the value for money is exceptional.
Buy now £19.00, & Other Stories
& Other Stories Nail Polish in Glossy Apple
A touch Brat green without going full-hog, this is the perfect hue if you want to nod to summer’s biggest trend.
Buy now £11.00, & other stories
& Other Stories Powder Bronzer in Camel Coveted
Yes, it’s a powder – but it’s a creamy powder that makes skin look lustrous and tanned (and as we all know, faking it is the only healthy way to have a tan...).
Buy now £23.00, & Other Stories
& Other Stories Cream Highlighter in Celestial Blitz
You know how I said you need blush to wake up your face? If you add highlighter, it ups the ante on that, making your face really wake up. Just apply to the high points of your face (look at where the light hits your skin for guidance).
Buy now £23.00, & Other Stories
& Other Stories Lip Gloss in Candy Caricature
Add a touch of gloss to the centre of your lower lip for subtle volume, or a layer all over for a fuller look.
Buy now £23.00, & Other Stories
