 One of the most common questions I get asked is... "How can I stop my mascara from smudging underneath my eyes?" There are several reasons why this might be occurring - and primarily the root of the cause will be if you are wearing a non-waterproof mascara. Having oily skin, applying a face oil under your foundation and not setting your makeup properly can all contribute to the dreaded panda eyes. The easiest way to combat this is to use a good quality waterproof mascara. To be honest, I always wear waterproof - then I don't need to worry about getting caught in the rain, a sneaky bout of hay fever or watching a sad movie (I'm not crying, you are). Personally, I have tried so many mascaras over the years. We all have a favourite foundation, a must-have powder or go-to lipstick but I have found finding my holy grail mascara such a challenge! I have worked my work through clumpy applications, so-called volumising formulas and flaky fibres to bring you my top recommendations for fabulous fluttery lashes that won't transfer on to your skin. DIEGO DALLA PALMA SEMI PERMANENT TECHNICAL WATER RESISTANT MASCARA Available in several shades, this mascara enhances your lashes with a unique temporary lightweight lash dye formula. It provides great definition and is infused with natural oils to keep lashes protected from environmental damage from wind, sun etc.  Available from www.marksandspencer.com £18.00 BENEFIT COSMETICS BAD GAL VOLUMISING MASCARA If you love volume, you will adore Bad Gal. With staying power of 36 hours, it really is one of the best waterproof mascaras I have tried. The brush also reaches root to tip with ease, making for a full and easy application.  Available from www.benefitcosmetics.com £22.50 TOM FORD EXTREME MASCARA Tom Ford exudes luxury so for those who want to splurge on some gratuitous self-indulgence, this mascara is for you. The creamy deep black formula will add the perfect amount of drama to your lashes to really intensify your look.  Available from www.johnlewis.com £38.00 TOO FACED BETTER THAN SEX MASCARA This iconic mascara is now waterproof and contains porcelain flower extract to nourish the lashes. It thickens and lengthens the lashes and the deep black shade is the perfect way to add enviable definition.  MAYBELLINE LASH SENSATIONAL WATERPROOF MASCARA Enhance and plump up the volume with this purse -friendly mascara. This is such a great product for the price and does not compromise on quality. The wand is curved for easy application and helps to reach even the tiniest of lashes and coats them in a bold, clump-free formula.  Available from
www.lookfantastic.com £8.99  It’s August, it’s sunny and we’re clinging on to every drop of summer feels we can during Covid-19. As the weather heats up, you might want to consider changing your makeup products - cutting out some of the heavier coverage products and swapping for a beautiful fresh dewy look. Dewy, glossy makeup is the secret to “glowing” your way through those hot, sticky days and it can look super sexy. SPF is your BFF so this is always your first step before applying your makeup. There are so many amazing products now to apply under your base and even spray over the top of your makeup application to top up your protection from the harmful rays! SPF protects your skin against premature ageing as well as helping to reduce the risk of skin cancer - so it is a beauty product that needs to become part of your daily skin care routine. Teaming up a sheer coverage - allowing those youthful freckles to peep through with a glossy lip is my absolute go-to look for this time of year and you can even add a pop of colour for a more statement look. Bright coloured eyeshadows and eyeliners have really surged in popularity recently. As with all trends, they come and go and blue eyeshadow has long been considered a faux-pax which belonged to the 1980s. However, you can modernise a bright eye with a simple wash of colour, a bright eyeliner in the waterline or go full on colour if you are brimming with sass! So don’t fear the colour - just choose how you choose to wear it for your own comfort level and rock it! Here are some of my favourite summer makeup products to glam your way to stunning skin and the versatile eye makeup products you absolutely need to try! DIEGO DALLA PALMA DAILY PRIMER BASE SPF50+ This primer is a great base for underneath your makeup application - offering broad spectrum protection against UVA, UBA and infrared rays. The lightweight fluid is both illuminating (ideal for boosting radiance to the skin) and translucent in texture once applied. It contains ylang ylang and frangipani butter which add a delicious helping of hydration to the skin.  CHARLOTTE TILBURY HOLLYWOOD FLAWLESS FILTER If you are looking to elevate your glow, look no further… This versatile complexion booster can be used as a radiant primer or can be used as a liquid highlighter for the ultimate high gloss glow. It provides a dreamy soft focus effect to the skin and reduces the appearance of fine lines and pores.  NUDESTIX TINTED COVER I love the creamy formulations in the Nudestix products and this lightweight foundation does not disappoint either. It is hydrating, buildable and even protects skin from environmental damage which can contribute to premature skin ageing. The ingredients are packed with anti-oxidants, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and help to tone and lift. If you think this little gem couldn’t get any better, you are wrong. It is waterproof which makes it ideal for combatting the summer sweat (or should I say “summer glow”). Free from fragrance, gluten and parabens, cruelty-free and and vegan friendly. What's not to love?  BEACHED RAYS FOR DAYS BRONZER I absolutely love a liquid bronzer and this natural bronzing serum provides a beautiful sun kissed natural look, which you can build up to the level of intensity you want to achieve. It is super quick and easy to use which is always a bonus and the Aussie plums used in the formulation help to protect from environmental damage and reduce the signs of ageing. Who doesn’t want to look younger? I adore this little bottle of Aussie summer.  STILA EYE-SPY GLITTER AND GLOW LIQUID EYE SHADOW SET Even if you struggle with applying your own eye makeup, this is a mega quick way to add some subtle sparkle to your eyes and the only tool you need is your pinky. A little dab on your eye lid instantly provides a pretty halo eye makeup look and they are very long wearing which is a perk on a hot day. You can wear these alone or over the top of an eyeshadow.  KAT VON D EYE CRAYONS If you are looking to experiment with colour, these eye crayons are amazing! Very creamy in consistency and vibrantly pigmented, they glide effortlessly on the skin for ease. These eye crayons can be built up to increase colour intensity and can also be worn in the waterline for added drama. There are 3 colours in this pack - “Electric Blue”, “Bubblegum” and “Wild Orange”. For colour lovers, these are dreamy and are 100% vegan and cruelty-free.  MEMI MAKEUP HIGH SHINE LIP GLOSS IN AFTER HOURS A nude brown gloss is the must-have staple for your makeup kit in the summer and I am loving this gorgeous colour by Mimi Makeup. A nude brown is generally flattering for all skin tones and looks stunning with a subtle tan and freckles. This high shine gloss has a long-lasting, non-sticky formula. It is cruelty free and vegan friendly.  If you were to ask me what is the most common question I get asked as a Makeup Artist, it would be very easy for me to answer without hesitation. “How to can I hide my dark eyes?” Unfortunately with dark eyes it can be hereditary, it can be your ethnicity (darker skin tones can often have patches of discolouration in the skin) and it can also just be lifestyle stressors such as poor diet and tiredness. In the same way this can also induce puffy eyes. There are products and makeup tricks that can improve the appearance of your skin, brighten up your eyes and neutralise discolouration… and here are my top recommendations. BeautyBio Science - Bright Eyes Illuminating Colloidal Silver and Collagen Eye Patches (15 pairs) I love the Bright Eyes eye patches by BeautyBio. They are a calming way to refresh tired eyes and contain a healing complex of aloe, natural collagen, illuminating pearls and colloidal silver which really brightens up the target area. I like to keep mine in the fridge for a nice cooling effect. This will revitalise your eyes and help to reduce the puffiness. These eye patches can also be used in various places around the face to as well as under the eyes to target crows feet and the fine lines between your nose and mouth (as shown in the video).  Emulsion Eye Cream with Revital Eyes Avoid using heavy face creams underneath your eyes. The skin is very thin underneath your eye and heavy creams can retain under the eye causing puffy eyes. Eye creams/serums are created specifically to target that delicate area and are formulated with ingredients to brighten, hydrate and reduce the appearance of fine lines. Treat this area with care by applying your cream/serum delicately with your ring finger. If you are looking for a new eye cream to add to your routine, try Emulsion Eye Cream. Rich in firming and nourishing ingredients such as pomegranate, green tea and caffeine which tones and rejuvenates the eye area.  Available from emulsion.co.uk, - £22.00 Lets talk foundations and concealers… My top tip - do not apply foundation underneath your eyes! Again, as the skin is very thin here products should be used sparingly, particularly with maturing skin. Foundations can be heavy in consistency and the aim is brighten underneath the eyes which we can do using specific under eye concealers. So apply your base (whether its a BB cream, foundation, tinted moisturiser etc) and leave a space under your eyes. Then apply under eye concealer under the eyes and blend between the concealer and foundation. Under eye concealer has light reflecting particles to illuminate the skin. I would recommend 1 shade lighter than your foundation to get a natural brightening effect. Illamasqua Skin Base Concealer Pen This pen is really easy to apply and the metal tip provides a cooling effect (which helps to minimise puffiness). As well as providing an amazing full coverage finish it also contains Vitamin E and pro-vitamin B5 - which improves the moisture in the target area as well as fighting free radicals (including the ones that come from UV light). This slimline pen is great addition to your makeup bag.  Available from illamasqua.com - £22.00 While we are talking about concealers, do not get confused with using a blemish concealer for underneath your eyes… Blemish concealers are amazing for covering spots and mild discolouration in the skin but blemish concealers tend to be a thicker consistency than a watery under eye concealer. They are thicker as they are buildable (to cover those stubborn spots and breakouts). So using this type of concealer underneath your eyes will be far too thick and disastrous if your skin is maturing. You will age yourself by 20 years just by using the wrong concealer product. So remember, most under eye concealers will be labelled as such and blemish concealers are likely to be in pots, tubs or palettes. Too Faced Peach Perfect Instant Coverage Concealer Finding a good concealer is something I have struggled with as much as finding a mascara I absolutely love however this is a really concealer feels really lightweight on the skin. It is buildable though - perfect for covering those stubborn blemishes. The extra bonus to this product is that it is a long-wearing product making it perfect for special occasions and especially brides. It is crease-proof (up to 12 hours) and waterproof which is fabulous and it has a really pleasant fragrance due to being infused with a peach scent and extract. A great size for your handbag too if needed.  For those of you who have discolouration in your skin (such as people who suffer with rosacea can have redness in the skin, or some darker skin tones or maturing skin can become quite blue/purple underneath the eyes) you would need to colour-correct the skin the skin prior to using an under eye concealer or foundation. If your skin is particularly discoloured and you do not neutralise the skin colour first before applying a base/eye brightener, it can result in grey, sallow looking skin. Colour correction is a big topic all of its own which I will cover separately very soon but the transformation in brightening up the complexion (just by neutralising the colour) can be a significant game changer. I see this so often with my clients and advising clients via my makeup 1:1 tutorial sessions. Using an eye brightener pencil in the waterline of your eye can cheat the way to refreshing tired looking eyes. A good quality waterproof pencil is always advisable and there are so many pencils on the market that advertise themselves as waterproof but the application doesn’t last… Charlotte Tilbury Rock ’n’ Kohl Eye Cheat pencil My absolute favourite to date is Charlotte Tilbury “Rock n Kohl Eye Cheat”. It’s a flattering nude brightener which dramatically improves the appearance of tired eyes and it really does stay put.  Available from charlottetilbury.com - £19.00 Last top tip and this is ENTIRELY FREE! Thats right, FREE! Drink lots of water. We all have access to water and the benefits on both health and appearance are huge! If someone told you there was a magic elixir that would make your eyes sparkle, reduce puffiness in the eyes, improve the appearance of the cellulite, assist with weight loss and make you feel more mentally alert you would probably buy it, wouldn’t you? Thats what water does for you… as well as many other benefits. If you have been eating poorly, it can cause eye bags (salt, excessive caffeine) and water is really going to help push out the toxins in your skin, clear your complexion and you will see results as early as 24 hours after… so add those 8 glasses to your well-being routine. To see the visible results of my top tips, check out my video explaining each of these recommendations in detail. As always during lockdown, let’s just skirt past the bad roots and the unique quarantine hairstyling. We are all in this together, hey? |
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