makeup

I really do love playing with makeup, but 99% of the time, when it comes to my beauty routine, I want things to be quick and fuss-free. It is because of this desire that my love for products that do it all is ever-growing. If I could have it my way, my morning makeup routine would consist of no more than three products that I can scribble over my face and blend out in seconds. And it seems I’m not alone. According to recent insights from Bobbi Brown, 47% of consumers are currently looking for multipurpose claims with all beauty searches. Whether it’s blusher that doubles up as lipstick, bronzer you can swipe over your lids or highlight that works as a primer too, makeup products that have multiple uses are at the top of my shopping list. You Deserve to Make Money Even W...

Urban Decay’s eye shadow palettes are the stuff of legend. For a brand that was largely known for its rich rainbow of colour (one super-fan even had their car sprayed to match the vibrant hue of her favourite Urban Decay nail polish, the now-retired Asphyxia), its 2010 debut of Naked, a 12-shade nude eye shadow palette, was a gamble; one that certainly paid off. It might have started out as an office brainstorm, but the Naked palette became one of the most iconic beauty products of the last decade. Since then, the success of the original palette has spawned an array of iterations: Naked2 (retired), Naked3, Naked Smoky (retired), Naked Basics (retired), Naked2 Basics (my beloved six-shade palette, which I’m buying in bulk incase it also gets retired), Naked Heat, N...

Urban Decay’s eyeshadow palettes are the stuff of legend. For a brand that was largely known for its rich rainbow of colour (one super-fan even had their car sprayed to match the vibrant hue of her favourite Urban Decay nail polish, the now retired Asphyxia), its 2010 debut of Naked, a 12-shade nude eyeshadow palette, was a gamble; one that certainly paid off. It might have started out as an office brainstorm, but the Naked palette became one the most iconic beauty products of the last decade. Since then, the success of the original palette has spawned an array of iterations; Naked2 (retired), Naked3, Naked Smoky (retired), Naked Basics (retired), Naked2 Basics (my beloved six-shade palette, which I’m buying in bulk incase it also gets retired), Naked Heat, Naked ...

I really do love playing with makeup, but 99% of the time, when it comes to my beauty routine, I want things to be quick and fuss-free. It is because of this desire that my love for products that do it all is ever-growing. If I could have it my way, my morning makeup routine would consist of no more than three products that I can scribble over my face and blend out in seconds. And it seems I’m not alone. According to recent insights from Bobbi Brown, 47% of consumers are currently looking for multi-purpose claims with all beauty searches. Whether it’s blusher that doubles up as lipstick, bronzer you can swipe over your lids or highlight that works as primer too, makeup products that have multiple uses are at the top of my shopping list. You Deserve to Make Money Even When yo...

When summer reaches its peak, the last thing we want to do is spend precious portions of our day applying heavy makeup only for it to melt off our faces when temperatures inevitably rise. It just isn’t a practical use of our time. As such, we’ve been looking for ways to achieve a put-together makeup look with an effortless feel to it—and that requires just a few standout products. So who better to ask than some of the people who sport gorgeous and glowy natural-makeup looks every single day? We have reached out to some of our favourite beauty influencers to find out which products they use to create their natural-makeup looks. From dewy skin and brushed-up brows to flushed cheeks and stained lips, between them, they’ve compiled the ultimate beauty edit. See...

The thing about finishing powder is that, although I know it’s great for adding longevity to your base, most that I have tried drastically take down the glow I work so hard for. In fact, most formulas leave my skin looking dry and lacklustre. For years, makeup artists have told me that the key to powder application is to limit it only to the areas that you need, which for me is usually on my t-zone and under my eyes. However, this is also the area that I find best gives the illusion of glow. So for all of these years, my only solution was to skip powder altogether. I swore that until the perfect product existed (something that managed to keep makeup put while maintaining a glow) I wasn’t going to partake in any sort of powder application. And now, after all of this time, the perfect produc...

Anyone who knows me knows that my makeup skills are seriously lacking. Being a beauty editor means that my knowledge of makeup is astounding. I know about formulas, textures, trends and can talk you through a how-to in no time at all. My own artistic ability, though, is lacking. I couldn’t execute a cut-crease if I tried, and the likes of contouring, baking and colour-correcting are totally lost on me. I like quick, easy-to-use products that are totally foolproof. It’s understandable, therefore, that when I heard about the game-changing new makeup brand Depixym, which offers up a range of pure makeup pigments, I was totally uninterested. They’re designed to be mixed in palettes and used however and wherever one might please, so, frankly, I found the very...

From its covetable selection of dresses for every possible occasion to this season’s trending shoes, ASOS is one of those sites that we always have our eye on for fashion inspiration. But did you know that it’s an amazing place to shop for beauty, too? Stocking some of my holy grail beauty brands and best-selling products from around the world, ASOS is basically a one-stop-shop for all of your fashion and beauty needs. And while it does sell skincare gadgets that celebrities swear by and salon-standard hair tools, today, I’m going to be focusing on the best of ASOS’s affordable beauty offering. From makeup to nail polishes, and hair saviours to cult skincare, keep scrolling for 29 of the best beauty products to add to your next ASOS shop right now—all under £20. Ins...

There’s nothing about mascara that excites me. Apart from using it on my lower lashes, I gave it up quite a long time ago and swapped over to false lashes. So, when everyone on my social feeds were talking about the Hourglass Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara, it fell into the camp of yet another new mascara launch.  But, this one isn’t all hype and no substance. It only took two hours of launching for it to become Space NK’s best-selling product. For a mascara to sell at a rate of 1.6 per minute, I needed to get in on the action.  As it tubes and coats each individual lash, the lengthening properties are incredible. With mascaras that work so hard to lift and define lashes, the downside is that it usually smudges or wears off during the day because of the formula. You ...

The first thing you might want to say is something along the lines of, “Who exactly is putting on makeup right now?” But for beauty aficionados, and curious novices, this time doesn’t necessarily need to be about adhering to society’s beauty standards; rather, it can be time to explore our makeup routines on our own terms in an effort to find the things that bring us joy. After all, who wouldn’t want to binge-watch Rihanna’s makeup tutorials or try new cult products? In truth, finding fun yet easy makeup looks during this time can be a simple way to cultivate a little delight in your day. So ahead, we’ve spoken to 15 women about the easy makeup looks that are currently making them smile. And don’t fret—we promise they’ll be as enjoyable to try on yourself. Doing your makeup doesn’t n...

There’s no betrayal quite like a lipstick that appeared to be the one, and then an activity such as having lunch, sipping from a water bottle or wearing a face mask, shows its true colours.  The disappointment of witnessing the remnants of your lipstick decorating your bottle or lunchtime fork is all so very hard to bear. Let’s not even get started on the lipstick that’s now smudged way outside of the confines of your lip line.  All this to say, with face masks being a new part of our routine, this is not the economy for wearing lipsticks that smudge. There’s some criteria that’s needed when it comes to the best no-smudge lipsticks. It needs to stay put and not leave a Joker-esque smile on the lining of your new floral print face mask, but it can’t leave...

Having spent the best part of a decade writing about fashion and beauty, I’ve come across many makeup artists in my time, all of whom have provided me with different tricks of the trade and product recommendations. Of course, the advice they’ve shared with me has differed depending on their makeup aesthetic and the clientele they work with, but I can safely say that all of them agree on this one piece of wisdom: Concealer is, without a doubt, the most important makeup you can own. With the power to blur, highlight, and, of course, conceal, its uses are about as limitless as a beauty buy can be, making it one of the hardest-working items in your makeup bag. That’s why it’s of the utmost importance to ensure you find the right one for you. As someone who has always su...