Beauty tips and inspiration
Four pro tips for flawless makeup – which ones are you skipping?
Wake up your makeup – because with the right prep and skincare you can always put your best face forward
Stuck in a rut? Lost your makeup mojo? Fancy some of that celebrity soft-focus skin, in real life?
Here’s the rub. When it comes to makeup that feels glorious – and lasts – think skin, first.
Whether you’re planning your wedding day makeup or want to make your everyday makeup work harder, any pro will tell you that it starts with the right skincare.
Enabling you to create a quick, cake-free, zero-crease canvas to fix foundation and help makeup last longer, the secret’s in the prep – and the best ‘big day’ beauty buys help skin look flawless, fast.
Forget correcting – these skin-enhancing, glow-giving, ageless, budge-proof, line-blurring, pore-perfecting, silky, natural, soft-focus skin boosters (deployed post-cleanse and pre-makeup) are where the real magic happens…
Ace your base in 4 steps
1. The serum
For an A-list glow: Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum Complexion Correcting
What is it?
Packed with so much good stuff – including Caudalie’s patented Viniferine (62 times more effective than vitamin C at evening the complexion), this serum has everyone obsessed. Your radiance concentrated, use it to help prevent and correct dark spots, and unlock insanely dewy, glowing skin worthy of any red carpet/main character meme.
How much and how often?
Apply three drops to the face, neck and décolleté, AM and PM – post-cleanse, pre-moisturiser.
“I’ve been using this serum for two months and my skin tone looks brighter, healthier and more even. Highly recommended”
2. The eye cream
Tired eyes? Try: Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Gel-Creme
What is it?
Designed to de-puff exhausted eyes and show dark circles the door, Estée Lauder’s multi-award-winning best eye cream is loaded with moisture-maxing hyaluronic acid, soothing vitamin E and caffeine (aka every beauty expert’s quick-fix trick). The silky, gel-cream formula is fast-absorbing, non-comedogenic (so it won’t clog pores) and suitable for sensitive skin, plus it promises to fight off daily skin stressors such as blue light and pollution.
How much and how often?
Apply a pea-sized amount AM and PM, all around the eye area.
“I love this eye cream, its gel formula goes on smooth and hydrates overnight”
3. The moisturiser
To feed your skin: Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base
What is it?
Like a multivitamin for your skin, Face Base is the five-star moisturiser with thousands of glowing reviews. Loaded with vitamins B, C and E (plus hyaluronic acid, squalane and shea butter to cushion), this fan-favourite face cream smells undeniably delish and promises to nourish and plump skin and grip makeup, for a longer-lasting finish.
How much and how often?
Massage a 50p-sized amount into skin each AM, post-cleanse and pre-SPF.
“A quality product. I wouldn’t use anything else, it feels lovely on my face and leaves my skin so smooth”
4. The SPF
For a flawless finish: Charlotte Tilbury Invisible UV Flawless Poreless Primer SPF50
What is it?
Consider this the hype (wo)man to your makeup main act, a flawless-canvas-maker best applied post-moisturiser, for a natural beauty blur and better blending. Packed with UVA/B filters (to protect), hyaluronic acid (to hydrate) and polymers (to prime), Tilbury’s featherlight Invisible Flawless Primer does exactly that, diffusing and smoothing to help soften the appearance of fine lines and pores.
How much and how often?
The final step in your AM skincare routine, worn alone or under foundation – apply two finger-lengths to face and neck.
“My second tube and I’m hooked. It has a lovely consistency and makes my face glow, with or without makeup”
Three expert tricks that stick
Big-day beauty tips, from A-list MUAs
Eye cream
Primers
Layering
