makeup

The first time I used Brow Fix, I was just expecting it to be another bog-standard brow gel. In honesty, I’d learned to live with the fact that most brow gels are little more than satisfactory. But when I applied it to my brows, I realised this stuff was different. First up, it’s a clear gel, which is perfect for my no-makeup makeup preferences. While so many clear gels out there turn white and crusty once dry, this stuff does no such thing. It applies like a silky balm that makes brows look conditioned and glossy. For me it’s a brush-it-on-and-go sorta product, but for those who like their brows to look a little fuller, it’s ideal for use over pencil or pomade. Secondly, I want to talk about the brush because I think it’s the pièce de résistance. For so long, my brow routine had...

Once in a while, there comes along a beauty product that shakes up the industry and completely changes the game when it comes to product formulation. One such shining beacon first launched way back in 1992 and came in the form of a now iconic golden pen. Inside, it held a first-of-its-kind formula—a skin illuminator and highlighter that was used to add light and radiance to skin at a time when matte complexions were all the rage. Of course, the product that I’m talking about is the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Illuminating Pen (£27). A hybrid between a highlighter and concealer, this click-pen product boasts a multitude of uses. Apply it beneath eyes to brighten dark circles, on tops of cheekbones for a subtle highlight, around the nose...

Confession: I’m wildly intimidated by eye shadow. I’ve been wearing makeup for close to two decades and can navigate foundation, blush, and highlighter with the best of them, but when it comes to eye shadow, I’m way less confident. A single wash of colour is no problem, and I’ve even got mad liquid-eyeliner skills, but the second I’m trying to execute a smoky eye or anything more advanced that requires traditional powder eye shadows, I start to feel out of my depth. As an avid lover of makeup, I just need to be able to follow the creative whims that crop up in my head on a daily basis. To this end, I’ve been unwinding at the end of my workday by applying a full face of makeup, simply for the sake of practice. In a recen...

I have a confession to make: While I’m more than happy to press expensive moisturisers or luxurious eye shadow palettes into the hands of friends and family, when it comes to makeup brushes, I’m something of a hoarder. Yes, despite being basically unskilled in the art of makeup application, I just cannot resist the allure of a new, fluffy makeup brush to add to my collection. Do I have any idea how to use all of the ultra-fine eyeliner brushes and densely packed kabuki brushes collecting dust on my dressing table? Not at all. But I love that they’re waiting for a moment when inspiration might strike and I’ll require a flat foundation brush to create a full-coverage skin look or a fluffy blending brush to experiment with some colourful eye shadow....

Ever wondered whether a new beauty launch or trending product is truly worth the hype? If so, you’re in the right place. I Just Tried… is our beauty column where we test out everything from new formulations to cult classics to find out whether they’re really worth your money. Oh, and we’ll answer the most-searched-for questions so you don’t have even have to ask. When it comes to choosing a foundation, there is so much to consider, from shade and finish to coverage and longevity. It has to be one of the trickiest beauty products to shop for online or in real life. But if there’s one thing we’re sure of, it’s that a foundation that offers multitasking benefits is always going to make a welcome addition to our makeup bags, especially if it can do some good for our...

As a beauty editor, there is nothing that gets my heart racing more than hearing the news that a particularly buzzy beauty brand is crossing the Atlantic to arrive on UK soil. With much-hyped names like Glossier and Drunk Elephant leading the way, there’s no doubt that access to international beauty brands has come on leaps and bounds in recent years. In fact, I can’t remember the last time that I had to plead with a friend, colleague or family member that was holidaying in the US to do a Sephora dash for me. Almost all of the coolest Instagram beauty brands are readily available here now—well, except for one: Tower 28 Beauty. Launched in April 2019, Tower 28 Beauty almost immediately garnered a cult following tha...

As a beauty editor, there is nothing that gets my heart racing more than hearing the news that a particularly buzzy beauty brand is crossing the Atlantic to arrive on UK soil. With much-hyped names like Glossier and Drunk Elephant leading the way, there’s no doubt that accessibility to international beauty brands has come on leaps and bounds in recent years. In fact, I can’t remember the last time that I had to plead with a friend, colleague or family member that was holidaying in the US to do a Sephora dash for me—almost all of the coolest Instagram beauty brands are readily available here now. Well, except that is, for one: Tower 28 Beauty. Launched in April 2019, Tower 28 Beauty almost immediately garnered ...

First of all, let’s just talk about the packaging. It’s weighty, it’s chic, it’s a work of art. Since having it in my possession, I’ve insisted on keeping it out on display, showcasing it like the masterpiece ornament that it is. And as for the formula? It’s even better than I could have hoped. Consisting of two shades, one lighter and one darker, you’re free to customise the finish to your heart’s content. Which I am very much a fan of. I like my bronzer to be matte, which this is. I like to swipe it over my face and to look like I’ve just stepped off the dessert, looking slightly dishevelled but unmistakably sun-kissed. For all I care, my hair can be greasy, my brows can be a mess, but as long as I have a matte, powdery bronzer that makes my skin radiate health, I’m feeling like my best ...

Like most people, I am on a constant quest to get glowy skin. And while I’d love to level up the dewy finish with a trending skin tint, my combination skin type already emits lighthouse-worthy shine throughout the day, so I tend to steer clear of really luminous base products. Instead, I rely heavily on a healthy sweep of bronzer to produce that coveted lit-from-within glow. As a beauty journalist, I’ve always had one bronzer on my radar as a cult buy: the Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream (£43). Honestly, beauty editors and consumers alike go wild for the investment buy. In fact, John Lewis & Partners sold enough of this beloved bronzer to fill 17,000 Chanel 2.55 handbags in 2020 alone. That’s a lot of bronzer. I was alw...

It’s official: 2021 is the year that skin reigns supreme. With many of us having dialled up our skincare routines during lockdown, we’re emerging from restrictions ready to ditch our full-coverage foundations and show off our skin in all its natural glory. Of course, that doesn’t mean we’re waving goodbye to makeup entirely. This summer is all about embracing colour—from pastel eyeshadows to bright lipsticks, expect to see people taking to the streets in a riot of kaleidoscopic pigment. But as for our complexions? There’s a new product in town encouraging us to embrace a more pared-back approach to coverage—skin tints. And I’m into them. You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates O...

At last, summer has arrived and while the return of sunnier days usually has me ditching the contents of my makeup bag in favour of tinted moisturisers and lip balms, the easing of lockdown restrictions means that I’m actually raring to play with new products this season. In fact, after months spent mostly inside with nobody but my 1-year-old to dress up for, I’m more than ready to step outside my comfort zone and embrace a more colourful summer makeup look than ever before. After all, it’s exactly what all the cool girls are wearing right now. I’m not alone in this lust for brighter lipsticks and rainbow-slicked eyelids either. Four of the UK’s most beloved beauty brands—L’Oréal Paris, Maybelline,&nb...