What to Use and What to Use if For
Make-Up. The somewhat irritating routine we go through before a night out, or even if less gruelling, before we rush into uni. Is this a good eye-shadow? What the hell’s highlighter for? Am I doing my lipstick right? Whether or not you’re a fresh-faced beauty or take a more glamorous approach, here are a few tried tips on girls with different looks, to make the next time you’re doing your make-up, a bit easier. Once you really know how to use things, and understand what products are best for you and your face, the changes are dramatic – you are enhancing rather than covering up (Millie Mackintosh’s words, not mine). In fact, the process can be (dare I say it), fun..
When it comes to the products used, basically all of them are available in your basic Boots and Superdrug stores, aside from more high-end brands such as MAC and Benefit, which you can find online or in the likes of Selfridges and House of Fraser.
Tilly, English-Rose Doll. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Tilly isn’t big on heavy make-up, and I did this look for a night-out.
Brows – The girl has some very well plucked brows, but I have lightly filled them in and outlined them with Rimmel’s ‘Professional Eyebrow Pencil’, (£2.99.) Tilly is fair, so we don’t want any Scouse brows, but the eyebrows really frame the face – so even you blondies should experiment with this one! Little soft strokes which mimic the hairs are the best way to begin. Underneath the brow, to lift and add a sheen, I’ve used Benefit’s ‘High beam’ (£19.50).
Eyes – My favourite eyeshadow pallete is Urban Decay’s ‘Naked Palette 2’ (£33.30). It’s not cheap, but the selection of bronze shadows are perfect for almost every complexion. I have used a darker shade in the socket line, and a light bronze across the lid. This is kept subtle since I’ve use Collection 2000 ‘Fast Stroke Liquid Eyeliner’ (£2.99). I’ve never used any other liquid! As you can see, the black winged eyeliner makes Tilly’s eyes even bigger. This is just on the lid. A little pencil eyeliner in the far corners of each eye or on the waterline fill in any ‘gaps’. For a good budget mascara, try ‘Rimmel ScandalEyes LycraFlex’ (£6.99). Lasts a while, thickens and lengthens, and dries quickly.
Lips – She’s not much of a lipstick girl, so I’ve just defined Tilly’s lips with Mac’s Lipliner in ‘Stripdown’. It is a very similar colour to the lip itself, and so creates a very natural pout. Apply lip balm before for easy blending.
Face – Tilly uses Benefit’s ‘Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow’ (£25.50). A little bit goes a long way, and one product it is always worth investing in is a good foundation. With clear skin anyway, Tilly only needed a thin layer to tone the face; remember, enhancing not masking!
I have also used Collection 2000’s ‘Illuminating Touch Concealer’ (3.99). I really recommend this little plastic twisty stick – it’s just like the much more expensive YSL touche eclat! You can even buy it from Lloyd’s Pharmacy in Fallowfield. Applied just under her eyes, and down the surface of the nose (picture a strip), this conceals any blemishes and catches the light so your face becomes more contoured.
Along Tilly’s cheekbones, her jaw, and her hairline, I’ve used the brown/bronzing powder in Sleek Makeup’s ‘Contour Kit’ (£6.49). A little darker than the average bronzer, when used in moderation, this creates effective angles and shadows in the right places.
As Tori is dark haired and prefers a more bronzed look, I have made a few changes to products used, although you can see how I’ve used a similar routine and base products for someone completely different – it’s how you use the make-up!
Brows and Eyes – I used a little Rimmel Pencil on Tori’s brows, but very little was needed as they are already shaped and a nice dark colour. Tori’s eyes are similar to Tilly’s, although I have used more black kohl pencil AT the bottom corners (Rimmel Special Eyes Eyeliner, (£2.99)), and smudged it a little to create a more smoky look. Darker shades in the Naked 2 palette were used.
Lips – To accentuate Tori’s Lips, I’ve used Maxfactor Colour Elixir Liner in Brown’n’Bold (£5.99). This is quite dark and needs to be blended, but is gorgeous on brunettes. I also used a liner to fill in tori’s lips, instead of a lipstick, and added a slick of gloss to catch the light.
Some girls just suit a bold red lip. Tiff is one of those people – usually those with, how do I say this, ‘plumper’ lips are a fan.
Lips – I have used the same Brown’n’Bold Maxfactor lipliner as I used on Tori, although it is in combination with Bourjois ‘Rouge Edition’ in 14 (£7.99). Apply the lipliner first, and then the lipstick. In order to blend the colour between the two, so you don’t look like a clown, I recommend a very thin tipped brush such as Real Techniques ‘Retractable Lip Brush’ (£6.95). On the other hand, a careful little finger can do the trick as well.
Face – Tiff has a ‘dewy glow’ courtesy of Benefit’s ‘Watt’s Up’ (£24.50). A ‘soft focus highlighter’, it allows the light to catch on the right part of the face, and generally makes you look all pretty and healthy! Here it is used on the cheek bones and nose.
Eyes – I’ve done an especially thin line of liquid eyeliner on the lid as we don’t want the eyes to be too much, along with the lips.