Magazines love to tell us about the beauty products we just “can’t live without”. Here at Her Campus Nottingham, we’ve picked out a few in order to give you the lowdown on the must-haves versus the products that are not worth your student loan.
Let’s start at the beginning of your day. Micellar water? Celebrities swear by it, make-up artists call it a beauty essential and it’s been penned as the French girl’s secret to clear skin. But would a cleanser or tap water do? Well, what’s in it? Little round balls of cleansing molecules – micelles. Bernard Pochic, a national trainer for Bioderma, describes them as “molecules made of fatty-acid esters”. So it’s not just water? Nope. It was created in the 90’s as a cure to France’s hard water. The micelles literally break down oil and dirt on your face.
So I’m afraid this one is true – it’s definitely worth investing in some micellar water. After a day in the city, tap water is not going to cut through and cleanse that grime and makeup like micellar water will.
Next up, you’re about to apply your foundation. To prime or not to prime? My Mary Kay beauty consultant explains foundation primers as prepping the skin in the same way you would prep a wall, by pre-coating before you applied the paint. And according to Laura Mercier, primers:
1. Allow foundation to stay put
2. Prevent skin from absorbing talc and pigment from your foundation and stops the talc from drawing oil from the skin
3. Contain botanicals such as lavender, orange, jasmine, rose, geranium, grape, kiwi and aloe extracts to soothe and refresh the skin. Exotic! Plus, if you’re someone who regularly wears eyeshadow, it’s worth having a good eyeshadow primer on your side. Otherwise, the shadow tends to slide into the corners and makes a lovely greasy technicoloured mass.
Want a little cheat? A good moisturiser will do most of these things! And it’s really only necessary to prime your skin if you’re wearing makeup for longer than a couple of hours, just to make sure it doesn’t fade away.
Onto your makeup. Brush application, or using your fingers? The professionals would suggest the former but the bottom line is, it’s simply a matter of choice and depends on the look you’re going for. If you want more definitive and precise lines, brushes are your best option. Your fingers on the other hand, are better if you’re aiming for a more natural finish. Of course, you can use both. Makeup artist Daniel Sandler recommends you use brushes for more coverage in the centre of the face, and then soften your look by patting over with your fingertips.
And finally just before you go to bed, should you use a night cream? Let’s cut to the chase. Take this from a very bitter customer who spent a LOT of money on a night cream. This is a myth. I used a night cream for about two months and have not seen a significant improvement. I reckon a good night’s sleep and a healthy diet is doing more for my skin that Lancôme’s Visionnaire Nuit ever did. #moneywasted
Do you have any other product myths or must haves you want to share? Don’t forget to comment below or tweet us @HerCampusNottingham!
Edited by India-Jayne Trainor
Sources:
http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-looks/beauty/should-you-be-using-a-micellar-water
http://beauty.about.com/od/foundationsconcealers/f/primer.htm
http:/www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/beauty-hair/a24690/makeup-brushes-or-fingers-which-is-best
Image Sources:
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