Nov 152012
 

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Makeup tips: Ten things you need to know

By Isabella Franklin

Do you get tired of applying makeup in the same way? Perhaps you want to revamp your image and are looking for a few useful tips? If so, you’ve come to the right place, as we’ve put together ten beauty secrets every girl needs to know.

 

Try before you buy

Contrary to popular belief, you shouldn’t try foundation on the back of your hand, as the skin can be a different shade to your face. Instead, apply products to your jawline for a more accurate colour match – it’s that simple.

 

Disguise your flaws

Everything from lip fillers to a nose job can improve your appearance, but a little makeup can also do the trick. If you have a long, thin nose, for instance, apply a concealer that’s a shade darker underneath your nostrils and this will help to make it look thinner.

 

Use white eyeliner

If your eyes are looking a little red and puffy, use white eyeliner in the corners and along the waterline to help you look more awake. For a more subtle effect, stick to cream and ivory shades or blend several colours together.

 

Curl your eyelashes

Whether you’re going out for a family meal or heading out on a date, don’t forget to curl your eyelashes before applying mascara. This will open up your eyes and ensure you look your best for the rest of the day or night.

 

Find the right blusher

With so many cosmetics on the market, it may seem hard knowing which blusher to choose, but it’s actually not that difficult to find out what will suit you. Many brands cater to a wide range of skin types and tones, so always do your research.

 

Less is more

Once you’ve found the blusher you want to use, apply it in natural light – and don’t overuse it. Less is definitely more, so treat yourself to a soft brush and gently sweep it across your cheeks to build up a gradual colour.

 

Go for the two tone look

If your bone structure is slightly unsymmetrical, help balance out your face shape by using two shades of check tint. Apply a light shade along the cheek bone that’s more pronounced and use a darker colour underneath. Repeat this process on the other side to a help your face look round and sunken where appropriate.

 

Exfoliate your lips

Want to achieve soft, kissable lips? Well, you must exfoliate before painting them in your favourite colour. This will remove any dead skin and help lipstick and gloss glide on smoothly, without any lumps and bumps.

 

Choose the right lip liner

If you decide to wear lip liner, select a shade that’s a tone darker than the lipstick you want to wear. That way, if your lipstick fades slightly, you will still have a neat outline that you can fill in at the next opportunity.

 

Show off your Cupid’s bow

To perfect your Cupid’s bow (the dip on the top of your lips), cover your ring finger in lippy and print two round marks either side. Fill in the rest of the colour and use a wet wipe to perfect the outline.

 

It can be easy to fall into the same makeup routine, but why not try something a little different?

Jun 132012
 
sponsored post
How I de-cluttered my make-up bag
Written by: Rachel Turner

The green sparkly eyeshadow I wore to the Take That concert – the first time they were in the charts. The liquid eyeliner that I bought to complete my Cher outfit for a fancy dress party – ten years ago. My make-up bag contains quite a few products that probably should have been consigned to history (and the bin) years ago.This is definitely not doing my health any good, according to the Daily Mail, in an article that claimed using out-of-date make-up could expose skin to a whole cocktail of deadly chemicals.It’s also seriously hindering my every-second-counts morning routine, as it takes me several precious minutes to rummage among the half-empty foundation bottles for the cosmetics I really want to wear.

Sticking with the same old shades can’t be doing my look any favours, either. Time for a much-needed de-clutter to freshen up my make-up bag and my face. But what should go? What should I keep? And what are the new make-up trends I should be buying?

Things to throw away
Taking the advice of women’s lifestyle site SoFeminine I open everything up and give it a good sniff, because if something smells, it means bacteria have found their way in. Hmm, that Cher-inspired liquid eyeliner has a definite whiff to it. Nasty eye infections are never ‘bang on trend’ whatever the season, so that’s the first thing to go.

Next under scrutiny were my mascaras – four in all, of differing ages. No nasty niffs, so I try them all out. One was OK, one was so dried up I could barely get the wand out and the other two gave my lashes more lumps than my last disastrous attempt at gravy. Not the glamorous look I was going for, so they too were destined for the bin bag.

I ditched a couple of manky concealers and some fluff-ridden lipglosses, but my make-up bag was still full to bursting. So it was back to SoFeminine who suggest that the next things you get rid of are all the items you bought that were ‘on trend’ at the time, but simply don’t suit you. For me this includes orange lipstick (on trend now, but make me look washed out), pale frosted lipgloss (what was I thinking?) and a deep pink blusher (great if your name’s Aunt Sally).

Things to keep
Sadly, I’m not rich enough to just chuck it all and start again. I keep a few old favourites – the berry-coloured lipgloss that makes me feel great and a shimmery highlighter that’s good for adding instant glamour.

My cracked pressed powder compact is also saved from the cull when I realise I can crush it and use it as a loose powder to be applied with a large brush.

Right at the bottom I even pull out some metallic-looking silver and gold eyeshadow, a top make-up trend for 2012 according to Style Bible.com.

Top make up trends
Now I’ve completed my make-up bag detox, it looks decidedly roomy in there. Time to fill it with some new trends I’ll actually want to wear. But what should I be shelling out on?

According to the Daily Mail, top trends to go for this year include sheer foundations, warm pink blushers and cat-like eyes. Shame I had to ditch that Cher eyeliner after all!

If it’s time to bring your make-up bag up-to-date, one way to help you spread the initial cost could be by credit card, especially if you’ve got a card that offers a 0% period on purchases or offers rewards as you spend. It’s important to bear in mind though that if you don’t clear the balance outside the introductory period, you will be charged interest.

So, those are the secrets of my make-up bag – what do you have lurking in the bottom of yours?!

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Sainsbury’s bank

Sep 212011
 



The Ruffian collection at Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion week. For Spring 2012, Ruffian explored their namesake, “Ruffian”, the filly racehorse and the society surrounding the racing world. The use of graphic inlays, colored silk, and couture details were abstracted from the jockey’s world, merging the masculine and feminine with sharp tailoring and a bright pallate. The inspirational muses were Charlotte Casiraghi and the Comtesse Jaqueline de Ribes. See images from the collection in the slideshow below

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Photos by Stevyn Llewellyn

Backstage at Ruffian

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Sep 212011
 

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Backstage at Ruffian pre-show preparations during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. Photos by Stevyn Llewellyn.

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