I've Spent Years Finessing My "Effortlessly Put Together" Look—These Are the Makeup Products I Swear By
Our beauty editor shares why Fara Homidi's no-makeup makeup deserves a spot in your makeup bag.
As a beauty editor and a beauty lover, I love the self-expression that makeup can bring. And every makeup brand has its own specific identity and signature. When I want to feel polished and luxe, I reach for Victoria Beckham Beauty. When I only have five minutes to get out the door, it's Merit Beauty with its effortless formulas that I can swipe on and go. But my most-loved makeup brands all have one common thread. They have to be luxurious, deliver a "no-makeup" makeup look effortlessly, and, crucially, be easy to use. And a makeup brand that delivers on all fronts is Fara Homidi.
Homidi is a top makeup artist renowned for her minimalistic approach to beauty, who has worked with just about every major publication, fashion house and model you can think of. You only have to glance at her recent Loewe campaign makeup to understand her aesthetic. The skin is pared-back and minimal, and has hints of blush and dewiness in all the right places that make it look totally natural and not overly perfected.
However, she's also an artist with her use of colour, and has made painterly dewy blue eyeshadow another of her signatures. It's minimalistic, but it's also a makeup brand that knows how to have fun, with creamy textures that you can apply with your fingertips and that move with you throughout the day and night. Below, I'm sharing the products that deserve a spot in your makeup bag next.
Best Fara Homidi Products
1. Essential Eye Compact
Pros
- Creamy, glossy eyeshadows
- Easy to apply with fingertips or brush
- Creates everyday or dramatic eye makeup looks
Cons
- It creases, but that's all part of the look!
If you only try one Fara Homidi product, make it one of the Essential Eye Compacts. These sleek compacts house three cream eyeshadows, designed to be used alone or worn together, and they leave you with a glossy, lived-in eye look. You know how a smoky eye often looks better a few hours later? This creates the effect instantly. These aren't cream shadows that dry down. Instead, they remain glossy on the lids. It does mean that they crease, but it's all part of the look in creating a lived-in, smudgy eyeshadow look. I've been using the Trio No. 20, which has a trio of wearable neutrals, but I'm also taken to Trio No.61, which has a stunning blue eyeshadow that is the most perfect '90s-inspired shade, and can be worn sheer or dialled up to full electric blue.
2. Essential Blonzer Compact
Part blusher, part bronzer, this blonzer gives you a flushed, just-been-in-the-sun glow with just one product. I think this is one of the most natural-looking powder blonzers I've tried, and the Nue shade gives my skin a pink tone that captures exactly how my skin would catch the sun. I like to swipe it on my cheeks, and a little on my nose, top of my forehead and a touch on my chin, and it really makes me feel sunkissed and outdoorsy in mere seconds. What makes it so natural-looking is the radiant matte texture, which doesn't have any shimmer but has a subtle radiance that mimics the natural radiance of your skin. I adore it.
3. Essential Face Compact
This dual-complexion compact is such a great one to throw in your bag that it negates the need for carrying foundation, concealer or highlighter in your makeup bag—this does it all (and it has a mirror!). It contains the Smooth Veil Soft Matte formula, a foundation-concealer hybrid that does the job of both, and the Shine Baume, which delivers dewy, glossy skin and looks stunning tapped onto the cheekbones. The creamy concealer melts into the skin for a radiant matte finish, disguising redness and blemishes in just the areas that need it with medium coverage, whilst the highlighter allows you to create dimension in your skin and tailor the glow you prefer. A total hard-worker for your makeup bag, and like the rest of the compacts, it's refillable too, should you need to top up or change shades during the changing seasons.
4. Shader Brush
If you need a sign to update your makeup brushes, then let it be this. It's a smart move to invest in makeup brushes created by a makeup artist themself, and these brushes are both beautiful in looks and in quality. This nimble shader brush is created in Japan (a country that produces the best brushes), and is perfect for buffing bronzer, blusher or bronzer into a seamless, natural finish. The tapered finish is great for precise placement, whilst the fluffy bristles blend your products perfectly. It may be an investment, but it's one that's worthwhile.
5. Essential Bronzer Compact
I've run out of this beloved bronzer, and it's so popular that it's often hard to find it in stock. So if you can get your hands on it, make sure you do. These are matte bronzers, but they glide onto the skin with such a buttery texture that I'd forgive you for thinking they were cream bronzers. Much like the Blonzer, it has a radiant matte finish, so there's no shimmer, but there's a hint of radiance that prevents the bronzer from looking flat on the skin. The pigments are so soft and buttery, which results in a natural-looking sunkissed glow wherever you dust it.
Pros
- Natural, radiant-matte finish
- Natural-looking bronze shades
Cons
- Only 4 shades
6. Essential Lip Compact
Can you tell that I'm a fan of Fara Homidi's compacts? This Essential Lip Compact is another multi-purpose makeup product to throw in your bag. In the top half of the pan is a priming balm, which is designed to prep lips before applying this whipped lip colour, which transforms from a cream to a powder on your lips. Whether you want a statement lip or a soft, blurred lip look, it's easy to achieve with just your fingertips and stays put. The shade range is stunning, featuring wearable pinky-nudes through to bright red.
Pros
- Long-lasting lip colour
Cons
- Luxurious price tag
Why Trust Us
At Who What Wear UK, we know that beauty isn’t one-size-fits-all. Our editors have tested thousands of products, including some skincare, makeup, hair and nails, over the years and work closely with trusted experts—dermatologists, make-up artists and leading industry insiders—to ensure every guide is well-researched, inclusive and relevant to you.
We focus on formulas that deliver, whether they’re affordable favourites or luxury investments. Our product selection is based on tangible results, ingredient know-how and what we’d truly recommend to a friend.

Eleanor Vousden is the beauty editor for Who What Wear UK. She was previously deputy editor at Hairdressers Journal, health writer at Woman & Home and junior beauty editor at Powder. She has also contributed to Wallpaper and Elle Collections.
With a degree in fashion journalism from the London College of Fashion, she has 10 years of industry experience and has been highly commended at the BSME Talent Awards for her work on Powder and also contributed to the title winning Website of the Year at the PPA Awards.
Eleanor’s journalistic focus is providing readers with honest and helpful beauty content. She has interviewed celebrity makeup artists, hairstylists and dermatologists throughout her career, as well as celebrities such as Hailey Bieber, Sarah Jessica Parker and Scarlett Johansson.