I've bought this mascara three times in the last year - and it's now £9 at Amazon

Do you what the most valuable recommendation any beauty editor can give you is? The products we genuinely spend our own, hard-earned money on. For me, this Maybelline mascara is a member of that elite club, here's why...

It sounds very spoilt to say I rarely buy beauty products. Yes, it's a privilege to slap on a beauty hall's worth of creams and powders without spending a pound, but the truth is I do need to try as many products as possible, so I can truly tell you what the best mascaras are, then get even more nerdy and forensic to recommend the best mascara for short lashes, say, or best volumising mascara.

Anyway, in the world's least sympathy-inducing news, my beauty gravy train came to a temporary halt in 2023 when I went on maternity leave. Spending over a year apart from my beloved beauty cupboard focused my mind on which beauty products I found truly essential - and Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara made the grade. So much so my Amazon history tells me I bought it three times during my 14-month spell in the Tommee Tippee universe. No wonder this Amazon deal with over 30% off has caught my eye...

Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara: was £12.99, now £8.88 (save 32%) | Amazon

Boasting a slimline, flexible wand and ultra-light formula, this mascara is creates length and separation, without clumping. The formula contains fibres for extra flutter while bamboo extract conditions the lashes.

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Why I have Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara on repeat buy

There are lots of reasons this is one of my ride-or-die beauty products - and if you want to get into the technical specs, our detailed Maybelline Sky High Mascara review will make interesting reading.

As for why I can't get through a year without one (or three) of these: firstly, it creates what is, in my opinion, an absolutely perfect everyday lash look. The brush and formula are focused on length, lift and curl. I find I can layer on several coats without it going all heavy or clumpy, and the uniquely bendy brush is so handy for applying without smudges, particularly if, like myself, you have a challenge on your hands trying to find and apply makeup for hooded eyes.

It wears beautifully too. It doesn't transfer, even on my aforementioned hooded lids, which along with my oily skin and tendency to, well, perspire (my internal thermostat runs hot - always has) makes a mess of most formulas. It doesn't dry out or flake and the shade stays true rather than going all oxidised and grey after a few hours, which is a maddening affliction I'd say about 50% of mascaras suffer with.

Finally, if I needed to spell it out, the reason I bought this mascara so many times in a row during a very budget-conscious year is because it is excellent, but also because it is cheap. Even without this deal, £12.99 for a truly brilliant beauty product is rare in this market. Then again, it's actually a bit less rare for mascaras, which I believe are just like chocolate in that the affordable classics stacked on shelves are usually superior to the fancy stuff on counters. You'll have a hard time convincing me anyone genuinely gets more enjoyment from a 90% cacao slab than a grab bag of Malteasers.