Makeover your makeup bag
Is your makeup bag full of deep, dark secrets and the
shameful evidence of a few bad habits? Do you tend to buy the same
lipstick colour again and again? Should you be using that dried-out
mascara? Maybe it's time to ditch that cracked blusher you've had
for months - or years. If this sounds like your makeup bag, then
our beauty expert Amber Haldane will help you simplify, reorganise,
and refresh its contents.
Makeup should be fun and easy. But it can be daunting just
learning how to apply it, let alone buy it. Cosmetic counters are a
bit intimidating and, when faced with product overload, perfectly
polished sales assistants, and mirrors everywhere, we often arrive
home with colours or products we may never use again.
Your makeup bag should work like a good
wardrobe, with classics that you can fall back on every day,
without having to think twice.
Foundation is the first makeup
essential you should have in your beauty kit, with colour and
texture always the deciding factors. Foundation should match your
skin tone exactly and blend with your skin. Is your skin oily, dry
or combination? This is another important consideration when
choosing foundation.
Blush can be a tricky area for a lot
of women, but to wear foundation without blush is a sin! A good tip
is to match your blush colour to your lip tone. To apply blush,
look into the mirror, smile, and brush it on to the apples of your
cheeks, then sweep upwards to the temples, blending with a
good-quality brush.
This brings me to my next subject -
makeup brushes. You absolutely must have good-quality brushes to
apply makeup. I suggest that you start out with a few good brushes:
a blush brush, eyeshadow brush, and foundation brush. Choose a
brush with natural bristles, as this will ensure smooth
application.
Makeup bag must-haves
• Moisturiser with a good sun protection factor
• Foundation
• Blush or bronzer
• Mascara
• Lip-gloss, balm or lipstick
• Eyeliner
Most products don't have a use-by date on them as it's not a legal
requirement. But holding on to your cosmetics for too long can be
unhealthy, and they can actually become contaminated and "go off".
"Stale" cosmetics don't work well and lose their pigment and
staying power. All products have an optimal length of time that
they are effective for. As a rule of thumb, most products can last
up to three years. However, mascara and eyeliner needs to be thrown
out much more regularly - every three to six months.
Products I can't live
without
Here are a few simple tools and some great products to
help you to update your makeup bag.
• Foundation: Bobbi Brown and ID Mineral makeup.
• Tweezers: Tweezerman - these are amazing and have a
lifetime guarantee.
• Lipstick and lip gloss: MAC Viva Glam 5 and 6. You can't go
wrong with these colours, which come in lipstick or gloss form and
suit every woman and every skin tone.
• Mascara: Lancôme - thickens and lengthens your
lashes.
• Makeup brushes: Bobbi Brown - expensive but well worth the
investment.
• Concealer: Bobbi Brown and Lancôme.
Top 6 beauty rules
• Don't overpluck your eyebrows. Grow them back and
shape regularly with threading or plucking.
• Choose the right foundation - invest in mineral makeup.
Mineral makeup is great for sensitive skin, as it's free of
chemicals, dyes or irritants.
• Buy blush (or a bronzer if you have high colour)! This is
an instant radiance-booster and adds immediate prettiness to your
complexion.
• Don't squeeze your spots - it only spreads oil and makes
them take longer to heal.
• Eyeliner and mascara to open your eyes up, making you look
refreshed and awake. I recommend applying it just along the tops of
your lashes.
• Pat moisturiser on to your skin during the day for a bit of
a glow. It also refreshes existing makeup.
• Makeup should be kept simple and fun. If you make time to
experiment, the good thing about makeup is that if it doesn't suit
you, you can wash it off and start over!
As seen in OHbaby!
magazine Issue 1: 2008
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