As much as I love the summer and all the glow and gloss that goes with the holiday ‘al-fresco, beach season’ there’s something quite exciting about darker nights, and twinkly lights. So put down your nude and grab your crimson lipstick as I’m going to help you declutter your summer makeup bag and get it glamour ready for autumn/winter 2016!
While the sun is still shining for most of us, be sure to keep applying a moisturiser that has a high SPF (20+) in it. Most foundations, tinted moisturisers and BB Creams have a good SPF in them and my go to favourite at the moment is L’Oreal’s Nude Magique BB Cream. This self adjusting tube of delight not only brightens the dullest of skins but glides on like velvet, leaving it looking radiant and dewy with a gorgeous glow!
As the temperature dips, put away the tinted moisturisers and BB creams and treat yourself to one of this seasons must-have foundations. I am in love with Chanel Perfection Lumiere, not only does it come in 23 shades, has an SPF of 10 and a feather weight formula, but also it simply glides onto your skin giving full coverage yet feeling totally sheer with a smooth, dewy, youthful finish! Worth every penny but if the piggy bank is low this month then opt for the fabulous L’Oreal True Match super-blendable foundation. Again with 23 shades L’Oreal claim to match 98% of UK skin-tones and it is so deliciously velvety and light it gives a flawless, true skin finish!
If your tan is fading don’t panic! Retire your summer bronzer/highlighter and grab yourself a ‘pick-me-up bronzer’ that will leave your skin looking healthy and glowing. My secret makeup bag must-have for autumn is Clinique’s True Bronze Pressed Powder. It’s lightweight and gives a natural warmth and can be built up without looking fake. Wear this and your friends will be telling you how fresh and healthy your skin looks!
Is your mascara looking a bit cloggy and have you noticed grit forming on your lashes when applying it from the tube that’s lying in your makeup bag? If so I’m afraid it’s time to discard it and treat yourself to a new, fabulously fresh mascara! This is the only item in my makeup bag that I always spend that little extra on! It is my ‘if you could only have one piece of makeup’ item and therefore has to be the best for me. I have adored, since the age of fifteen, Lancome’s mascaras. They have an enormous range from lengthening through to thickening and my favourite for this season is Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes in ‘So Black.’ It extends and lifts the lashes, coating them evenly and widening your eyes for that doll like look.
This mascara can be layered to give an even fuller effect lash and is beautiful with a glittery, smokey eye. Compliment it with black eyeliner on the top tear line making sure to fill any gaps to create an even thicker looking lash and glamorous eye. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in ‘Perversion’ is brilliant as the clue is in the name – it’s really long lasting and I find it doesn’t smudge! If you already have a decent black eyeliner in your makeup bag then make sure it is always sharpened and in ‘ready to apply’ condition as you want to avoid bits floating off into your eyes or onto your perfectly shaded lids.
To finish off your look you can now use those darker colour lipsticks that have been hiding at the bottom of your makeup bag all summer. There’s nothing more lovely than an autumnal colour or a rich, velvety crimson to lift your dark winter attire. So clean up your lipstick collection, put away your gloss and grab those glamorous colours. Keep your eyebrows neat and now you can afford to go a shade darker, so again if you have a collection of pencils, now is the time for that mid or dark brown to come out. I love Eylure’s 2-in-1 Brow Contour pencils. This one-stop product is a chubby pencil allowing for easy application in a gorgeous matte finish and the other end is a creamy highlighter for that perfect definition look. Dust your apples with some darker blush that’s been quiet at the back of your makeup bag this summer and you are ready to hit the dazzling lights and crisp nights of the season ahead!
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Rachel is a trained Makeup Artist & Session Stylist available for photo shoots, lessons, weddings, special occasions and proms.
Email: rachel@rachelbarclaymakeup.com
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