Makeup | February Flake-Away
It's difficult to find the glow throughout the winter months with the cold snap rolling in and chapped skin on the rise. Thankfully, there are ways to fake it.
Firstly, know your skin type. This is particularly important when trying to achieve a natural glow with makeup. If you have oilier skin you may find a lot of products aimed at glowing skin will slide off too easily throughout the day. If you have drier skin, a lot of the products may highlight your dry patches and make your skin look flakey. So here are a few tried & tested and a couple of holy grail products that'll be sure to stay all day and bring the glow.
Base
Starting with a radiance-enhancing base mist is always a good idea for extra oomph. I like to use the Lancôme La Base Dewy Glow before and after I apply my makeup to give a natural, glowing from within effect. It's got an absolutely beautiful warm lavender scent that calms and recharges the skin and I love the skinny glass bottle packaging.
BB
My favourite way to bring the glow is with a soft, dewy base. The best I've found is the Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse BB which gives an instant, all-over, natural-looking radiance without shimmer. I had tried a few BB creams prior to this one and was not impressed. I find that most of them either slick off after a few hours or don't give enough coverage. However, the Dr. Jart+ BB covers blemishes and redness perfectly while leaving the skin looking natural. How? I wish I knew! I'd definitely recommend this product to any BB lover or a sceptical first-timer alike. I think you'll be impressed.
Concealer
I'm a lover of sleep and if I don't get my full eight hours I feel sluggish and look less than my best. So I've been using The Body Shop Lightening Touch concealer and loving it. It's so thin that it glides on without looking cakey and gives a little pick-me-up to those dark circles and bags. There is no shimmer but it seems to refract the light under the eyes without highlighting the very things you're trying to conceal. It's also great to swipe down the bridge of the nose and dab on the centre of the forehead and chin for extra glow.
Bronze
Adding bronzer can often flatten your makeup but the The Body Shop Baked to Last bronzer has a slight shimmer effect and helps give the face a 3-dimensional effect when applied as either a contour or, my favourite way, to the apples of the cheeks for an 'inner glow' look. I use the shade 02 Warm Glow.
Blush
In the warmer months I like to use a cream blush to give my cheeks a dewy look and one of my all time favourites is the UNE Breezy Cheeks blush in shade B02. It's so easy to blend in with your fingers (and the front of the packaging is a mirror so it's perfect to take on holiday or keep in your handbag for on-the-go makeup). B02 is the perfect understated, naturally healthy shade.
Highlight
The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer highlight. Enough said. Well, almost. We all know about this highlight by now as it's been smacked across blogs all over the internet world ever since it's debut. And for good reason. I have been using this highlight almost exclusively for about three years because it is so easily applied, gives the most amazing champagne highlight without being shimmery or glittery, and can be used on cheekbones, brow-bones, inner corner of the eye, cupid's bows, down the centre of the face, collar bones... just about anywhere you like. It's been said to be quite a heavy-duty product but I find that if I apply it with a lose, fluffy brush and very lightly dab the product, it can give quite the natural look, too.
However, if you're scared of going a little too heavy-handed and ending up like a mirror ball, the good ol' Benefit High Beam is aways a winner, giving a dewier, pearlescent finish. It's a failsafe and one that'll stick in my makeup collection for a while (not least because I use it and use it and it still doesn't seem to ever run out).
Eyes
I am in love with the Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hr shadows, particularly in shades On and On Bronze (Bad to the Bronze in the US) and Metallic Pomegranate. I tend to use these as single eyeshadows with a bit of mascara for a minimalist look. Because of their creamy texture, they keep the eyes looking glossy and chic but has the staying power of a powder shadow. They're also great as shadow bases and make powder shadows last all day. I'm definitely going to be getting my hands on more of these in the coming Spring and Summer.
Lips
One of my favourites for dewy, glossy lips that bring colour is the Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Candy Apple. It's pigmented enough to look like a lipstick but also has the shine of a lipgloss. It softens the lips and doesn't highlight any cracks or dryness so is perfect for the Winter to Spring transition.
I also love the Clinique Chubby Stick in 06 Woppin' Watermelon for a more neutral, daytime look. It's perfect to add a hint of colour whilst keeping your lips plump and supple.
If you're more of a glosser, the Revlon Colorburst lip glosses are my favourite. I wear the shades 046 Sizzle (bright-ish orange) or 042 Bellini (pink-toned nude). They're highly pigmented and glossy but have good staying power and aren't overly sticky.
What's your favourite way to get the glow?