Victoria Howe, Author at mamabella

How to put on false eyelashes for beginners: Apply fake eyelashes like a pro with these MUA tips

Victoria Howe — Sun, 26 Mar 2023 07:00:42 +0000

Our makeup artist tips show how to put on fake eyelashes, how to remove them, and how to clean them to help them last longer

Knowing how to put on false eyelashes is very different from actually being able to do it. You can watch various YouTube videos or clips of Instagram influencers applying them with ease but, if you’re like us, trying to copy their technique seems impossible.

Thankfully, in the latest in our Ask the MUA series, our resident makeup artist Victoria Howe has revealed her top tips for how to put on false eyelashes quickly and (relatively) easily. It still takes a fair bit of practice but Victoria’s advice shows us how the pros do it, so you’ll know which technique to learn and master.

There is also the option of “cheating” and buying magnetic lashes. These use magnetic eyeliner, rather than glue, and are much easier to apply but aren’t great if you have sensitive skin or eyes. You can read more in our Cheat’s guide to makeup.

Victoria is founder and Chief Makeup Artist at Victoria Howe Make Up and you can follow her stunning looks on her Instagram page, @victoria_howe_makeup.

READ NEXT: Cheat your way to false eyelashes

How to put on false eyelashes

There’s a little confusion over whether or not you should put on false eyelashes before doing the rest of your eye makeup. Some people may find that they don’t need to use eyeshadow with false eyelashes so for them this point is moot, but if you want a striking eyeshadow look to match your striking lashes, it’s better to do it all *before* you apply them.

This is because it can be tricky to get the same kind of precision and access to your eyelid once the lashes are in place, plus you run the risk of covering your lashes with eyeshadow powder as it falls. This can turn a fierce, slick look into a mess really quickly.

Step 1: Apply mascara
Step 2: Trim the lash
Step 3: Apply lash glue and wait at least 30 seconds
Step 4: Place the centre of the lashes in the centre of your eye
Step 5: Separate and squeeze
Step 6: Tightline

︎ Apply mascara

Start by curling your lashes and applying mascara. This means you can pinch your own lashes together with the false lashes and they will not only look more natural but also will set well and be less prone to lifting.

If you’re looking for best mascara recommendations, we’ve tried and tested a bunch for our best mascara for short lashes, and best mascara for Asian lashes guides.

︎ Trim the lash

Before you apply any glue to the lashes, place each one against your own eye to measure the lash.

Lashes are deliberately long in an attempt to cater to most eye shapes and sizes but most of us will need to trim the strip lash down to get it to fit our own eye better and to follow our natural lash line.

Using a pair of nail scissors, always trim the outer end of the lashes, not the inner lashes. The inner lashes are typically shorter so that they sit better on our natural lashes.

︎ Apply lash glue and WAIT

Licensed from Marco Verch/Flickr under Creative Commons

Apply a thin layer of lash glue on the back of your hand and then run the strip part of the lashes across it. This makes it easier to control how much glue you use and make sure the edges are well covered.

Some people also like to brush the glue onto the lash band but we find that unnecessarily fiddly and less accurate than using the back-of-the-hand method.

Wait around 30 seconds for the glue to go tacky. This is the most important step! If you try to put the lashes on too early, before the glue has become sticky, you run the risk of getting glue all over (and even inside) your eye.

If you also find that the glue that ships with most false eyelashes isn’t good enough, we rate the Duo Quick-Set Strip lash adhesive in clear. You only need a small amount, so a little goes a long way, and this pen shape applicator means you don’t have to use those fiddly plastic applicators in the tiny sample pots.

While you’re waiting for the glue to become tacky, manipulate the strip lash slightly to give it a more natural curve by folding the lash so that the two ends meet, which has the added benefit of helping to distribute glue to those pesky ends that tend to lift.

︎ Apply the lashes

Apply the strip lash as close to the lash line as possible, it should almost be balanced on the natural lashes but close enough to the lash line to stick well. Most people struggle with this part and it’s the part that takes the most practice.

The video below is one of the most helpful and simple “how to put on false eyelashes” video we’ve found.

Some tips to help when applying lashes to your own eyes are:

Keep your eyes open, closing your eye changes its shape
Use a mirror underneath your face and look down into it rather than straight ahead
Place the centre of the lashes down first and then manipulate the edges into place.

Both of these steps will improve your placement. Some of the editors at mamabella have found using tweezers to put on false eyelashes also makes this process easier and we recommend the Eylure Lash Applicator Tweezer.

Eyelash tweezers aren’t for everyone, though, so if you find using your fingers is more accurate, then that’s fine as well.

︎ Separate and squeeze

Once you’re happy with the placement, use a clean spoolie – the small, firm brush that is usually found on the opposite end of an eyebrows pencil – to brush out the lashes.

Then either using tweezers or your fingers, squeeze your natural lashes and the strip lashes together so that they blend in with your natural lashes rather than sit on top.

︎ Line the lash

One final step, which can help conceal any spaces and gaps between the false lashes and disguise the strip on the lash line, is to apply an eyeliner of your choice.

To boost the impact, we recommend tight lining your eye. This involves putting a dark pencil liner below your lashes, on the underside of your upper lid.

How to remove false eyelashes

If you’re reading this and thinking, “surely you just pull them off”, you could be damaging both the false eyelashes and your own natural lashes in doing so. We recommend you follow these steps to preserve the life of both lash types.

Step 1: Soak cotton bud or pad in an oil-based eye makeup remover. We recommend Clinique’s Take The Day Off cleansing oil but you can also use coconut oil.

Step 2: Close your eye and run the bud over your lash line. This will help loosen the eyelash glue.

Step 3: Peel away the eyelash, starting from the outer corners of the eye and working inwards, gently lifting the false eyelash up in the direction of the lash line.

Step 4: Remove excess makeup and glue by soaking another pad in eye makeup remover and wiping over your eyes to get rid of the rest of your eye makeup and any glue residue.

If you’re careful enough, you’ll be able to reuse most false eyelashes. If any glue or makeup remains on the lashes themselves, you can peel it off gently or apply a small amount of makeup remover to a cotton bud and rub it along the strip line.

If you find that clumps of mascara are left on the lashes, soak two cotton pads with eye makeup remover and sandwich the lash in between them. Leave for a couple of minutes and then gently wipe the lashes to remove all traces of the mascara.

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Victoria Howe

Victoria is Chief Makeup Artist and founder of Victoria Howe Make Up. After graduating from The Academy of Freelance Makeup in Soho two years ago, Victoria now owns and runs her own studio called The Beauty Barn in Havant specialising in helping women of all ages feel beautiful

www.victoriahowemakeup.co.uk/

The post How to put on false eyelashes for beginners: Apply fake eyelashes like a pro with these MUA tips appeared first on mamabella.

How to do eyebrows: Quick, easy ways to draw and fill in eyebrows like the pros

Victoria Howe — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 11:45:44 +0000

Look for how to do eyebrows like a pro? We’ve got expert advice and reveal some hacks and tips on nailing the arch and shape every time

Women, and men, of a certain age – basically anyone who grew up in the 1980s and 90s – will remember when the fashion for eyebrows was to pluck them within an inch of their life. Knowing how to do eyebrows was as simple as “shave them off, draw a single line” and the thinner, the better.

Now the opposite is true. 2019 was the year thicker eyebrows went mainstream and thick and natural has been the way to go over the few years. The problem with this is, if your natural brows are still stuck in the 1990s, you’ll have to fake it until you can make it.

We recently explained how to get thicker eyebrows in a How-To guide, which references a number of products designed to help you get fuller eyebrows. But if you’re interested in how to do eyebrows more professionally, our resident makeup artist Victoria Howe has revealed her top tips in the latest in our Ask the MUA series below.

Victoria is the owner and Chief Makeup Artist at Victoria Howe Make Up. You can also follow Victoria’s looks on her Instagram page, @victoria_howe_makeup.

How to do eyebrows

From sculpting to filling them in, below we explain the quick and easy way to draw eyebrows, even if you’re a beginner. We’ve also tried and tested the best brow pomades, pencils and gels, and the best tweezers for eyebrows in our Best Buys.

How to shape eyebrows

There is a couple of ways you can shape your brows. One is analogue and the other is digital.

Shaping: How to do eyebrows with an eyebrow brush

To map the start of your eyebrows, take an eyebrow brush and line it up vertically with the middle of your nostril upward towards the brow. Put more simply, lay it along the inside of your nose and the pencil should fall just outside of the inner corner of the eye; this is roughly the point where you want your eyebrows to begin. Mark this spot with the eyebrow pencil.

To find where the eyebrow curve should be, pivot the brush so it is angled from the tip of your nose diagonally going upwards towards the brow but crosses just outside the iris of your eye. You’ll need to stay looking forward in order to get the best position of your iris. Mark this spot with the eyebrow brush. This is where the highest point of your arch should be. It typically lines up with where your browbone stands out the most.

Now, to find the end of your eyebrow, move the pencil again, this time so that it falls diagonally from the outer part of the nose to the outer corner of your eye. This is where you generally want your brow to end. Mark this spot with a pencil.

Stand back and you should be able to see where your brows should begin, arch and end and you can use this as a guide for grooming and filling in the brows. The video below explains it more easily than we can!

READ NEXT: How to get thicker eyebrows

Shaping: How to do eyebrows with an app

mamabella | mamabella

Anastasia Beverly Hills – an OG of eyebrow shaping – recently launched a brow app designed to make doing your eyebrows much easier.

Called the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow App, it analyses your face shape, dimensions, and the location of your features to determine which eyebrow shape best suits you. It then takes you through a step-by-step guide on how to draw eyebrows in that style.

You can then experiment, virtually, with various eyebrow shapes, colours and lengths via the app before getting advice on how to draw eyebrows, which products to buy, and more.

︎ How to tame your eyebrows

Benefit

Before you fill in your eyebrows, you need to groom and tame them.

Using a spoolie (you can read more about spoolies in our makeup brushes guide), brush your brow hairs upwards to see if any need trimming. While they’re brushed upwards, look to see where the hairs fall along the top brow line, if any seem to stick up significantly above the line, use small scissors to trim them.

Be careful not to overdo the trimming – use a magnified mirror in a well-lit room.

For any smaller hairs, stubble or those fine hairs at the end of your brows, you may need to get the tweezers out. According to Fides Baldesberger, brow expert and CEO of Rubis Tweezers, there are a number of steps you should take to get the best, manicured brows when tweezering.

1. Lighting is everything

“Bad lighting is the natural enemy of amazing brows,” explains Baldesberger. “You should only ever tweeze your brows in natural light. Not only will you be able to see stray hairs you’ve never noticed before, but you’ll have a more accurate idea of how your eyebrows are actually looking as you’re shaping them.”

mamabella tip: If you drive, keep a pair of tweezers in your car to take advantage of natural light and the flip-down mirror.

2. Avoid magnifying mirrors

When you’re staring at your face blown up to three times its normal size, you’re way more likely to get obsessive and over-pluck. For optimal shaping success, use a regular mirror “that’s about the same size as your face and don’t spend all your time staring super-closely at your brows,” continues Baldesberger.

“Take frequent steps back to get the full effect of your grooming efforts. Eyebrows look different at a distance, and that’s how most of the world is going to see you.”

3. Don’t worry about symmetry

“Don’t stress if your brows don’t match one another exactly. Eyebrows are meant to be sisters, not twins — so a little bit of variation in the width, arch and length is totally normal. Trying to force your eyebrows into perfect symmetry is a recipe for overplucking,” adds Baldesberger.

︎ How to draw eyebrows

The next step is to draw an outline for your brows before tweezing any stray hairs, this will help you see which hairs need removing.

Use a nude or white coloured pencil to outline the outer shape of the brow. Draw in under and above the brow, this will give you an idea of how your brow shape and how your arch will look once you have tweezed. Stand back from the mirror to get an overall perspective and if you are happy with how it looks, then begin to pluck the hairs that you covered with the white/nude pencil.

MAMABELLA TIP

Start by filling in the middle section of your eyebrows first.

Now move upwards and outward going in the direction of the tail.

Once the tail is filled in, use any leftover product at the front section of the brow. In doing so, you avoid applying too much product to the front section.

This year’s trend is for more natural eyebrows so you can skip this step if you’re embracing this trend, but there can be a fine line between groomed natural brows and bushy, out-of-control ones so bear that in mind.

︎ How to fill them in

Once your eyebrows are mapped and groomed, you’re ready to fill in your eyebrows.

Beginners should start with a brow pencil before moving to a pomade once they’re more confident. This is because pencils give you more control and more accuracy. Make sure the pencil is sharp, to give you a fine, hair-like line.

Alternatively, we recommend the HDBrows Pro Pencil bundle. It might seem like it’s simply a pencil and sharpener, but it’s much more than that.

Resembling a mandolin – the super-sharp kitchen utensil used to create thin slices of fruit and veg – the Pro Super Shaper helps you create a slanted edge on your pencil that can be used to sweep up and across your brows.

To use, run the edge of the pencil over the blade slowly (and without applying any pressure) and the sharpener will take a slither of the pencil off each time. Repeat four or five times and then repeat on the other side. This creates what the brand calls a “desired wedge point.”

All brow products should be applied using short, fine hair-like strokes swept along the brow in the direction of your hair growth ending at the tail. Imagine you are drawing in each individual hair. This is the premise behind microblading, albeit more permanently.

Select an eyebrow colour that either matches or complements your own hair colour.

Your brow from the middle to tail needs to be darker than the front to middle to guide a person’s sight across your eye and provide more shape and definition to your overall look.

To keep your brows in place, set them after you have fully filled them in, using a good brow gel. Apply the gel brushing upwards and outwards, following the natural direction of the hairs. We recommend Morphe’s translucent Brow Setting Gel.

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Victoria Howe

www.victoriahowemakeup.co.uk/

The post How to do eyebrows: Quick, easy ways to draw and fill in eyebrows like the pros appeared first on mamabella.

How to get rid of spots fast with this failsafe makeup artist tip

Victoria Howe — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 05:00:12 +0000

Spots, blemishes and acne are not the reserves of the young. Many of us at mamabella regularly suffer from outbreaks and blocked pores, usually when it’s our respective times of the month, so we know only too well the pitfalls of trying to get rid of them.

Our resident makeup artist Victoria Howe has already let us in on the industry secrets around applying concealer to mature skin and how concealer can be used to reduce the appearance of dark circles, and in the latest in our Ask the MUA series, Victoria reveals how to successfully hide those annoying pimples and blemishes to leave you with flawless looking skin.

READ NEXT: How to apply foundation like a pro

Victoria is founder and Chief Makeup Artist at Victoria Howe Make Up and you can follow her stunning looks on her Instagram page, @victoria_howe_makeup.

What causes spots and blemishes?

Blemishes are largely caused when our skin produces too much of a natural oil called sebum. When sebum comes into contact with the dead skin cells, it can cause the pores to become blocked and bacteria to form which leads to blackheads and spots.

If you regularly suffer from skin imperfections and want to get rid of spots and blemishes a little more permanently, we can’t stress enough the importance of drinking more water and avoiding fatty and greasy foods. Your skin is a direct reflection of what you’re putting in your body and while this may sound boring, it’s a leading cause of spots and blemishes beyond our teenage years.

READ NEXT: How to perfect your skincare routine

We also recommend you take the time to develop a good skincare routine. A good skincare routine doesn’t need to be overly time-consuming or expensive and we explain more in our best cleanser, best toner and best moisturiser pages. This involves cleansing your skin twice a day, using an exfoliator at least twice a week and regular face masks help to sweep away dead skin cells, unclog your pores, remove excess oil and clear away pollution and dirt. If your skin is particularly blotchy, we highly recommend Rosalique’s 3-in-1 Miracle Formula. It’s not cheap – coming in at £30 – but it’s an absolute godsend for sensitive or irritated skin.

READ NEXT: How to clean beauty blenders

It’s also incredibly important to keep your makeup brushes and beauty blenders clean and ditch makeup when it’s out of date. In a recent study, scientists tested 467 makeup products – 96 lipsticks, 92 eyeliners, 93 mascaras, 107 lip glosses and 79 blender sponges – for bacterial and fungal contamination and found that 90% contained potentially deadly germs and can make your skin worse.

Sadly, other causes of spots and blemishes are a little less within our control, brought on by the likes of stress and hormonal changes, but ruling out the causes that we can control should at least make these annoying breakouts more manageable.

How to hide spots and blemishes

We usually advise using concealer after applying foundation but in the case of covering spots and blemishes, the rules change ever so slightly.

Squirt a small amount of hand sanitiser on the end of a clean cotton bud and cleanse the area over and around the pimple.
Taking a second, clean cotton bud, apply eyeshadow primer to the spot or blemish.
- We recommend the Urban Decay Primer Potion or the NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base, available in clear or tinted.
- Primers prevent excess oils from forming and seals the surface of the skin, giving something for your foundation and concealer to ‘stick to’. It also prevents your base products from rubbing or smudging away.
Apply foundation over the top, followed by concealer if a fuller coverage is needed.

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Victoria Howe

www.victoriahowemakeup.co.uk/

The post How to get rid of spots fast with this failsafe makeup artist tip appeared first on mamabella.

How to get rid of dark circles under eyes fast

Victoria Howe — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 11:00:05 +0000

Having dark rings around your eyes can make you look tired and old, even when you’re neither! Here, our resident makeup artist reveals how to get rid of dark circles under eyes fast and effectively

Dark circles are up there with wrinkles and grey hair when it comes to ageing you prematurely. The area under the eyes has a tendency to appear darker as we get older and the hyperpigmentation is caused by constricted blood vessels or from thinning of the skin around the eyes.

Sadly, what causes the blood vessels to be constricted or the skin to thin can vary from person to person so there isn’t a catch-all dark circles eye cream or wonder cure. Such causes include a lack of sleep or poor sleeping habits, which is relatively easy to fix, an iron deficiency, allergies, weight loss, smoking, and dehydration, right up to genetics and skin tone.

READ NEXT: Best eye cream for dark circles

If it’s the latter, there’s little you can do to prevent dark circles. What you can do, however, is use makeup to get rid of dark circles under eyes quickly and effectively.

In the latest in our Ask the MUA series, our resident makeup artist Victoria Howe, owner and Chief Makeup Artist at Victoria Howe Make Up reveals the secret for how to get rid of dark circles, or at least get rid of the appearance of dark circles. You can follow Victoria’s looks on her Instagram page, @victoria_howe_makeup.

How to get rid of dark circles

If you want to get rid of dark circles permanently, it helps to rule out at least some of the potential causes of dark circles. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water, sleep, take breaks from screens whenever you can, and watch what you eat. These may sound boring but unfortunately, your body, and particularly your face, is a direct reflection of your lifestyle.

While you wait for these lifestyle changes to make a difference, you can then use makeup to reduce the appearance of dark circles quickly and effectively with minimal effort.

FURTHER READING: How to get rid of age spots

Invest in a good dark circle cream

Experts are somewhat split over the effectiveness of using a specially-formulated eye cream over just an everyday moisturiser but, seeing as your skin under your eyes is thinner than the rest of your face, we recommend at least trying to see if a good eye cream makes a difference.

The best eye cream for dark circles, in our opinion, is the CeraVe Eye Repair Cream because its non-greasy lotion, developed by dermatologists, melts into the skin and helps restore the protective skin barrier of the delicate eye area.

It contains three essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid, which reduces the appearance of dark circles and puffiness for brighter, smoother skin.

It also uses so-called MVE technology to deliver a “continuous release of the ceramide enriched formula for 24-hour hydration”.

All for an absolute bargain RRP of £12.

Buy now from Lookfantastic

You can alternatively look for an eye cream with ingredients that better suit the reason why you have dark circles. For example, if you have dark circles because your skin is thinning then the CeraVe Eye Repair Cream will work well, as will any eye cream with Vitamin C.

However, if the reason you have dark circles is that the skin itself is pigmented, you’re best off choosing an eye cream with retinol.

To see which one you need, very gently pinch the skin beneath your eye – be as gentle as possible! If the colour briefly goes away, your skin is thin. If the discolouration remains, your skin is pigmented.

Whichever eye cream you choose, apply it and then wait for it to be fully absorbed before applying makeup, so you know your skin is moisturised and supple.

Ideally, you should wait around 15 minutes before continuing with makeup but if that’s not possible time-wise, leave it as long as you can and start prepping other areas of the face or hair while you wait.

An alternative is to use hydrogel eye patches, ideally applied straight from the fridge.

Use a peach colour corrector

Before going straight in with concealer, apply a thin layer of peach colour corrector. Peach and orange sit opposite blue and purple on the colour wheel which means when the colours mix, they cancel each other out.

A peach colour corrector will, therefore, make the darker, blue tones under your eyes fade creating a more even skin tone to apply further makeup to. You can read more about makeup colour theory here.

Remember – stick with thin layers to avoid building up too much.

Apply concealer

MAC Cosmetics

Next up, apply a single layer of concealer in the same shade as your natural skin tone.

In our guide on how to apply concealer on mature skin, we recommend generally finding the best concealer that’s a shade lighter than your skin tone to brighten up your face. However, when it comes covering up dark circles, you’re after one that matches it.

Apply this first layer with a dry beauty sponge to create a base before following it was another layer on concealer, this time applied using a damp beauty sponge.

If you have mature skin (which is technically skin over the age of 25!) then opt for a thinner concealer and build up the coverage. We recommend the MAC Studio Fix (£19.50) and the Il Makiage F*ck, I’m Flawless concealer (£24). If you haven’t heard of Il Makiage UK, we highly, highly recommend its base makeup products.

FURTHER READING: Get cheap MAC Cosmetics makeup at 50% off on the MAC Treats sale page

Blot with tissue

While your second layer is still wet, use a thin sheet of tissue to very lightly blot the areas, ensuring that you avoid pressing too hard, otherwise you’ll remove much of the product you’ve applied and could damage the delicate skin and make your dark circles worse.

Apply setting powder

Once you’ve blotted your under eye, apply setting powder straight away to prevent any folding, creasing, smudging or budging.

Setting powder is an absolute must-have for when you’re using wet makeup (liquid or cream foundation, BB creams, tinted moisturisers and so on) because the powder helps the makeup solidify and settle better.

It uses the same premise as when sand was used to dry ink on handwritten letters in the past.

Not only will a setting powder smooth the area and prevent creasing, but it will also help your makeup hide your dark circles for longer, and can absorb oil.

The Too Faced Peach Perfect setting powder is a great premium buy, or NYX’s Can’t Stop Won’t Stop setting powder offers a more affordable option.

You can see more recommendations in our best setting powder list.

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Victoria Howe

www.victoriahowemakeup.co.uk/

The post How to get rid of dark circles under eyes fast appeared first on mamabella.

How to use concealer on mature skin

Victoria Howe — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 07:00:26 +0000

As we age, the makeup techniques we used when we were younger no longer work like they used to; it’s not possible to cake our eyes with thick products as seen by influencers on YouTube and Instagram.

As early as our mid-20s, our skin tone changes, fine lines and wrinkles appear and what looked great in our youth can often now look out of place. Our tastes change too, and this is especially true when it comes to choosing the best concealer for mature skin.

In the latest in our Ask the MUA series, Victoria Howe, owner and Chief Makeup Artist at Victoria Howe Make Up reveals how to prepare your base and the best way to apply concealer on mature skin. You can also follow Victoria’s looks on her Instagram page, @victoria_howe_makeup.

How to apply concealer to mature skin

1. Prepare the skin

Getting your skin ready for any form of makeup is absolutely key and nowhere is this more important than around your eyes.

The skin around, and particularly beneath your eyes is thinner than anywhere else on your face and this makes it more prone to breaking down, becoming fragile and losing its elasticity. It’s also missing any form of soft tissue, such as fat or muscle, that’s found below other parts of your skin and this increases the chances of it sagging and sinking.

With this in mind, it’s vital to use a good eye cream that contains retinol. If it contains vitamin A and C, peptides and hyaluronic acid then even better but fundamentally you just need a cream that ensures your under eyes are soothed and hydrated.

At the cheaper end of the scale, the best eye cream we’ve used is L’Oreal’s Revitalift Pro-Retinol Anti-Wrinkle eye cream, which costs around the £10 mark. If you’re willing to invest in a more expensive brand, Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Eye Rescue is a fantastic investment.

2. Choose a lightweight liquid concealer

If you have mature skin, it’s best to choose a hydrating, lightweight, liquid concealer. Try to avoid thick, cream concealers or anything gloopy as this will only draw attention to the areas you’re trying to conceal. Think more “serum” than “moisturiser” when considering your concealer’s consistency.

While you may think a cheaper concealer, which is typically thinner in consistency, would be best it’s a false economy because cheaper makeup doesn’t last as long as more expensive brands. This means you may end up applying more product to begin with, or find yourself reapplying throughout the day. You then end up buying twice the amount for the same price as a long-lasting, more expensive concealer and could end up spending more over the course of a couple of months.

With this in mind, we highly rate MAC’s Studio Waterweight Concealer. It costs £19.50 for a 10ml bottle and while this may seem a lot, you only need a tiny amount meaning the small bottle lasts a very long time. We’re currently up to 11 months of the same bottle using it most days.

3. Selecting the correct shade

The shade of your concealer is really important.

You want to highlight and brighten up your eyes, so pick a shade that’s one lighter than your natural skin tone and it will bring out the natural highlight in your face, where the light hits.

READ NEXT: How to apply foundation like a pro

For the rest of your skin, keep with a shade that is exactly matched to your natural shade. We’ve detailed some tips on how to determine your natural shade in our How to apply foundation like a pro article, and explained the types of skin tone in our science of foundation explainer.

4. Avoid fine lines and wrinkles

Completely avoid putting concealer on any lined areas of your face, such as smile lines or crows feet. Adding product to these areas will do the opposite of what you want; they serve only to highlight and enhance these areas further, rather than blending them away.

5. How to apply multiple layers

In our How to apply foundation like a pro guide, we explained the importance of using a damp beauty sponge to apply your base but when it comes to concealer, the rules are slightly different. To get the best results, and great, even coverage, apply your first layer of concealer with a dry sponge and wait for the concealer to dry.

You can then apply the second layer with a damp sponge.

6. Blot and set

Once you’ve applied your concealer to the areas of your face that need it, while it’s still slightly wet and tacky, take a thin sheet of tissue paper and gently blot over the area. This will remove any excess.

Don’t rub the skin, especially not the delicate skin beneath the eyes, as this will remove or smudge any product you’ve added. Instead, tap the tissue gently onto the areas and then set with a setting powder straight away.

A setting powder, as opposed to finishing powder, works to smooth out your concealer, preventing it from creasing and helping it last longer.

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Victoria Howe

www.victoriahowemakeup.co.uk/

The post How to use concealer on mature skin appeared first on mamabella.

How to apply mascara like a pro

Victoria Howe — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 20:31:05 +0000

It should be straightforward to apply mascara like a pro – you brush the mascara wand through your lashes and voila! Yet the reality is somewhat different.

For some reason, no matter how many ways we apply mascara, it never looks as good, or as even as when a makeup artist does it. So we decided to get expert advice from our resident makeup artist Victoria Howe, owner and Chief Makeup Artist at Victoria Howe Make Up.

In the latest in our Ask the MUA series, Victoria reveals the trick to evenly coat your lashes and get the most out of your mascara. Below her advice, we’ve also listed a number of mascara tips to help you nail dramatic lash looks every time.

Victoria has previously revealed how to use concealer on mature skin, how to apply eyeshadow, how to get rid of dark circles and how to get flawless skin among her many other brilliant expert guides. You can see them all here.

For further inspiration, follow Victoria’s incredible looks on her Instagram page, @victoria_howe_makeup.

How to apply mascara like a pro

Applying mascara does depend, somewhat, on the mascara you choose. If you have short lashes, you’ll benefit from a mascara that adds length and curl. If you have thin lashes, opt for a mascara that promises volume.

Alternatively, mix and match. Lift and separate with one mascara, and follow by building volume with a second. You can also buy the latest Huda Beauty Legit Lashes mascara, which features a 2-in-1 design with separate brushes to satisfy all your mascara needs.

You can read our Legit Lashes review for more information, or check out our list of the best mascaras in the UK, as well as the best drugstore mascaras that come in under a tenner.

Step 1: Prepare by curling the lashes with the best eyelash curler. Clamp near to the lash line for a few seconds and release. For extra vavavoom, clamp at the middle part of the lashes and then near to the ends also – this will make the lashes super curly!
Step 2: DO NOT pump your mascara wand. This action forces air into the tube and your mascara will dry out very quickly. Insert the wand and swirl it around instead – this makes sure that there is ample product on the wand.
Step 3: Starting at the root of your eyelashes, apply mascara in a wiggling motion all the way to the ends. Make sure that the whole lash is coated. This wiggling motion is the trick to getting mascara to be both evenly applied, and to make sure even those little lashes are covered.
Step 4: Repeat this step for the lower lashes – you might want to use a mascara with a smaller brush for this.
Step 5: Comb out the clumps with a lash comb or clean spooly. Apply a second coat if desired.

The new, alternative way to apply mascara

There is an alternative way of applying mascara but it takes a bit of practice and experts are a little torn on its effectiveness.

Instead of applying with the side of the mascara wand, and brushing it through your lashes from root to tip, you use the end of the mascara brush horizontally rubbing it back and forth on the underside of your upper lashes. You *then* use the brush in a conventional way.

The benefit of this method is that you can get more of the mascara formula on more of your lashes. This unusual mascara application method originated on TikTok from @slaybytay. It can be quite messy so have cotton buds at the ready!

@_slaybytay_

The delco accent came out strong in this LOL #gamechanger #mascarahack #makeuphackfyp #fyp #tryit

♬ original sound – Taylor Tripler

How to apply mascara: Top tips

In addition to nailing the technique of applying mascara, there are a number of tips and tools that can help improve the overall look.

Prime your lids and lashes

L'Oreal

Just as you prime your skin before applying makeup, it pays to prime your eyelids and eyelashes. The eyelid primer helps create an even base for your eyeshadow while keeping it locked in place.

The eyelash primer, which is usually white, helps coat your lashes and create more surface area for your regular mascara to latch onto. Many of these primers additionally have conditioning ingredients in them, which act to help your lashes grow stronger and longer.

Our favourite is the Lancôme Cils Booster (£25). It makes such a difference to both the condition, and look, of our lashes. However, it’s not cheap so a great, more affordable alternative is the L’Oreal Paris Paradise Primer (£11.99).

How to apply mascara with a spoon

Bear with us on this one!

If you always end up getting black specks of mascara on your eyelid, effectively ruining your eyeshadow looks, then you can use a spoon to prevent this from happening.

Place the curve of the spoon along your lash line and apply mascara to your lashes with wild abandon. Any stains will end up on the spoon, rather than your eyelid.

DIY mascara brushes

If you find that the shape or size of a mascara brush doesn’t quite suit your lashes, especially the fine, shorter hairs on your lower lash line, use a disposable brush instead when looking for how to apply mascara.

Dip the disposable brush in the mascara of your choice and brush away. The good thing about this is that you’re less likely to have too much mascara on the brush, and you won’t have to deal with the gloopy bits on the end like you do with regular brushes and wands that sit in the tube all the time.

These disposable brushes also come in handy as spoolies for your eyebrows, too and you can get a pack of 50 for just £2.99 from Amazon. If you’re not sure what a spoolie is, check out our guide to makeup brushes and how to use them.

Use a lash comb

Tweezerman

If your mascara is looking a little clumpy, you want a more even coating or you want more defined lashes, then we highly recommend a lash comb.

Lash combs are usually miniature metal combs designed to be small enough to use on your lashes, with the teeth set evenly apart to give your lashes decent separation.

Our favourite is the Tweezerman Folding Lash Comb (£11) because the comb itself has enough of a gap between the teeth to make an impact and not get clogged full of mascara. The comb itself also folds inside the handle to prevent it picking up dust or getting damaged.

Just make sure you clean the lash comb, to prevent bacteria forming on the metal.

The disposable mascara brushes, or a regular spoolie, will also do the job but because these brushes tend to be fluffy, they can cause flakes of mascara to land on your face.

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How to apply blush: Makeup artist reveals how and where to put blush to make you look younger

Victoria Howe — Sat, 23 Jan 2021 14:10:28 +0000

There are few makeup products that can so closely be tied to a decade or era of fashion as blush – also know as rouge or blusher – but there are also so few products that are as versatile when it comes to switching and elevating a look.

A carefully placed blush can make you look younger – for a hell of a lot cheaper than botox! It can change the shape of your face, can enhance your eyes – or lips; can take you from day to night in one fell swoop and brighten your complexion. Using blusher is a simple way to look and feel fresher in winter months without whacking on the fake tan.

It can be tricky to get right, though. Go too hard, or too wide, and you can go from natural flush to clown quite quickly.

In the latest in our Ask the MUA series, our resident makeup artist Victoria Howe, owner and Chief Makeup Artist at Victoria Howe Make Up has explained how to apply blush, including where to put it. Below Victoria’s step-by-step guide, we also have

Victoria has previously revealed how to apply mascara like a pro, how to use concealer on mature skin, how to apply eyeshadow, how to get rid of dark circles, and how to get flawless skin among her many other brilliant expert guides. You can see them all here.

For further inspiration, follow Victoria’s incredible looks on her Instagram page, @victoria_howe_makeup.

Where to put blush

Get to know your face shape and apply blush in a way that mimics where you would naturally flush, while creating the effect of lifting your eyes.

Blusher largely belongs on the apples of the cheeks but if you have a round face and want to make it look longer, as an example, putting too much on the apples of your cheeks can actually accentuate your circular face.

How to apply blush

Blush is usually applied over foundation, so don’t press too hard with the brush, or else you risk dragging product into places that you don’t want it. It’s also usually one of the final steps in your routine, after you’ve applied foundation, concealer, contouring, bronzer, powder and so on.

We like to place a small amount of blush on the apples of our cheeks before blending it up and out across the cheekbones to diffuse it. This makes it look as natural as possible while drawing attention to the eyes, lifting them up.

This is a technique commonly known as ‘draping’. It was hugely popular in the 80s and early 90s and has been making a comeback since around 2018. By placing it along your cheekbones, it’s a great – and often softer – alternative to harsh contouring or it can complement contoured cheekbones.

Blending is key, there should be no harsh lines, shapes or stripes and blush should always be blended upwards, never downwards!

We recommend keeping a straight face when you apply blush in this way.

Smiling is a great way to pinpoint the apples of your cheeks, but if you’re draping the blusher across your cheekbones, you’ll notice that your cheekbone drops when you stop smiling. This can leave your blush looking great when you’re smiling but will place it too low when your face is in any other expression.

This creates the opposite effect of lifting your eyes and complexion and causes it to looked drooped.

How to choose a blusher

Glossier

The choices for blush products are almost endless. You can buy them as creams, liquids, loose powders, pressed powders, gels, tints, and more. Some are matte. Some are dewy. Some contain a shimmer so they double up as a highlighter and blusher in one. You can see which are our favourites in our best blusher guide.

If you have dry or mature skin, opt for a cream or a liquid blush. These give a beautiful dewy glow-from-within and should be applied using a stippling brush. You can then blend the cream/liquid out in circular motions to make it appear softer and more natural.

mamabella recommends: Real Techniques Stippling Brush

You can also use your finger to apply small amounts of cream and liquid blush if you want more control over its placement. You can then use your finger to blend it out, but we still feel that a stippling brush is more effective.

Traditional powder blush should, alternative, be applied with a soft, fluffy brush, which you should start lightly with and build up the intensity of the colour.

mamabella recommends: So Eco Blush Brush

What colour should I go for?

Makeup artists are somewhat divided about how to choose a blusher colour because it largely depends on your skin tone, the time of year, the type of blusher you’re using (cream/liquid/powder), what kind of look you’re after and so on.

MAMABELLA TIP

Run out of blusher or don’t own one? Use lipstick! Lipstick can be used as a lip colour, as well as to add a flush to your cheeks.

This not only saves money – because one product is doing the job of two – it’s a good way to experiment with different shades, to see which suit you best. Especially if you have a selection of lipsticks already.

That way, once you’ve found a shade you like you can buy a blusher to suit.

For instance, in the winter a paler pink on fair skin can add a lovely, natural “just in from the cold” colour.

Paler pinks and lighter reds on dark skin can give the appearance of a delicate flush.

In summer, your blush may contain more orange to match your tanned or darker skin, or come in a little darker/more pigmented.

For natural looks, we like to use a tint or stain which adds a touch of colour without going too hard.

Due to these many variables, it means there isn’t technically a right or wrong way to choose a blusher shade.

It’s more to do with your personal preference, how you apply it, and how much you apply.

If you want consistency across your look, you can match it to your eye makeup or lipstick but this isn’t necessary either.

“It’s about complementing your makeup but mostly about brightening your complexion,” said Max Factor makeup artist Mel Arter.

We encourage you to experiment with different colours. Start off lightly and build up the colour as you.

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Victoria Howe

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The post How to apply blush: Makeup artist reveals how and where to put blush to make you look younger appeared first on mamabella.

Where to put concealer? A makeup artist reveals how to apply concealer like a pro

Victoria Howe — Sun, 13 Sep 2020 15:28:15 +0000

There is much more to using concealer than just covering blemishes. It can hide a multitude of sins – from dark circles to dark spots – and the best concealer can also help with contouring, but if there’s one question we get almost weekly it’s – where to put concealer?

To answer this, and get advice on how to apply concealer like a pro, we’ve enlisted expert help.

In the latest in our Ask the MUA series, our resident makeup artist Victoria Howe, owner and Chief Makeup Artist at Victoria Howe Make Up reveals her top concealer tips.

She’s previously explained how to use concealer on mature skin, and how to apply eyeshadow and now she’s back to help us to get the best coverage possible. For further inspiration, follow Victoria’s incredible looks on her Instagram page, @victoria_howe_makeup.

READ NEXT: Best concealer: Discover which concealer is best for your skin

How to apply concealer

Before we dive into explaining where to put concealer, it’s worth flagging up that concealer should be put on top of your foundation, not the other way round. This is how the experts do it.

Do you put concealer on before or after foundation?

As its name suggests, foundation is the foundation of your look (although technically you should use the best moisturiser and primer before applying foundation.)

This will give you the baseline coverage you need, and reveal the gaps. This will help you know where to put concealer.

You can, of course, use concealer underneath your foundation if you want to but you’ll get a better effect if you put it on after.

READ NEXT: How to apply foundation like a pro

Choosing a concealer shade

iStock

It’s recommended you apply concealer in a shade lighter than your foundation/skin tone if you’re using it for contouring and when creating light and shadows on your face.

But you’ll need a matching shade if you’re using it for covering blemishes.

If you try using a lighter concealer on blemishes, it will draw more attention to them, not less and will mean they won’t blend into the rest of your bases.

If you need help with finding both your shade, and a shade lighter, you can also check out our How to find your perfect foundation match online and in-store guide.

READ NEXT: How to find your perfect foundation match online and in-store

Where to put concealer

MAMABELLA TIP

Tip your face to the floor and look up at the mirror.

You’ll see what shadows are created by your eye socket and dark circles.

This can be used as a guide on where to put your products.

Right, now we’ve got all that sorted – where should you put concealer?

Well – it depends on what you’re trying to achieve.

Victoria has previously explained how to get rid of spots fast and how to get rid of the appearance of dark circles, if you want to know more about concealing either of those.

She’s also explained how to use concealer on mature skin, as the rules can be slightly different.

If you’re looking to use concealer to highlight and contour your face, then the recommendations are as follows:

On your under eyes, Victoria recommends applying an upside down triangle shape of concealer.

This will not only cover dark circles but it will help lift your eye and draw attention up from your mouth to your eyes.

You can also use it to create natural highlight and, in this instance while using a shade lighter, you should put it wherever the light hits your face naturally.

This includes:

The bridge of your nose
In a line down the centre of your nose
Below your eyebrows, to define their shape as well as lift your eye
Either side of your nostrils
On your marionette lines – these are the lines around your mouth that become more pronounced when you smile
Cheekbones
Underneath your bottom lip

When contouring, we also apply a line below the contour lines under our cheekbones, to lift the cheekbones further and create a sharper line.

It’s also worth setting your look with the best setting powder or setting spray if you want the effect to last all day, and stop the concealer looking cakey.

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Victoria Howe

www.victoriahowemakeup.co.uk/

The post Where to put concealer? A makeup artist reveals how to apply concealer like a pro appeared first on mamabella.

How to apply eyeshadow: Learn how to do eyeshadow like a pro with our expert tutorial

Victoria Howe — Fri, 01 May 2020 10:41:57 +0000

If you’re anything like us, you go to YouTube or Instagram with all good intentions of learning how to apply eyeshadow, and you come away completely baffled and none-the-wiser.

This isn’t because the influencers are doing anything wrong or bad, per se, it’s because no matter how hard we try, we can never get our eyeshadow looks to even closely resemble those we see online.

READ NEXT: Best eyeshadow palettes

To find out why, and get advice on how to do eyeshadow like a pro, we’ve enlisted expert help. In the latest in our Ask the MUA series, our resident makeup artist Victoria Howe, owner and Chief Makeup Artist at Victoria Howe Make Up reveals her top eyeshadow tutorial tips.

She’s also tailored her advice for two of the typically most difficult eye shapes to master – monolids and hooded – further down this page. For further inspiration, follow Victoria’s incredible looks on her Instagram page, @victoria_howe_makeup.

How to apply eyeshadow

Before you even attempt to learn how to apply eyeshadow, you need to get to know your eye shape. So often, looks you see on influencers look drastically different when you try them at home because your eye shapes differ. This means the same techniques won’t always work and will need to be adapted. This is particularly true for eyeliner, for example, but is just as relevant when finessing eyeshadow looks.

MAMABELLA PRO TIP

We’re huge fans of cheap makeup. Very often we’ll find a cheap (or at least cheaper) alternative to premium brands that perform just as admirably, if not better.

We do make a couple of exceptions though – when choosing the best makeup brushes and deciding on the best eyeshadow palettes.

Good brushes and good palettes will serve you well and are a great investment if you want to nail your eyeshadow looks.

Cheaper brushes won’t last as long or allow you to blend as well, while cheaper palettes tend to be less pigmented and will fade on the eye much quicker.

They also create more fall or drop, which is when excess powder lands on your cheek.

There are six common eye shapes: monolids, round eyes, almond eyes, downturned eyes, upturned eyes, and hooded eyes and the best way to get to know which category your eyes fit into, Google each, sit in front of a mirror and get familiar with it.

Every eye shape has different tips and tricks for getting the most out of your eye makeup and if you really want to nail your eye looks, this is the single most important thing you can do!

How to do eyeshadow

Before you start applying eyeshadow, prime your eyelids. In the same way primer for the rest of your face is designed to make sure your makeup doesn’t gather or crease, the same applies for your eyelids.

In fact, it’s even more important because of all the folds and creases you have on and around your eyes.

A good eyeshadow primer provides longevity and negates much of the need for retouching throughout the day.

We also recommend you set your primer with a base shade similar to your skin tone.

We’re fans of the NYX Professional Makeup Eye Shadow Base (£6.99), the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (£19.50) and the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Eye Base (£21).

You can use traditional face primer but eyeshadow primers have been designed specifically for the thinner, delicate, creased skin on your eyes so you may not get the same end result if you use the former.

Choosing the best eyeshadow palette for your eye colour

When looking how to apply eyeshadow, many people concentrate on technique without realising that the colours you choose can make a huge difference to the overall look. Even with the best technique and brushes, many makeup artists can create average looks because the colours don’t suit the wearer.

To help you understand more about this, we’ve created a couple of guides on colour theory. The most important is our What eyeshadow goes with your eye colour? guide.

It explains why orange works so well with blue eyes, as an example, or what colours to use to bring out the different shades in hazel, or grey eyes. We should also mention that your eyebrows can make a big difference to your overall look and finish. Shaping your brows frames your eyes and draws attention to your eyeshadow.

They also draw the eye across the eye area, which makes it seem larger. You can read more with Victoria’s guide on How to do eyebrows.

Step-by-step eyeshadow tutorial

As a general rule of thumb, use a lighter shade on the lid and a darker shade in the crease and outer V.

Dark colours attract light, while lighter hues reflect it, so placing a darker tone of eyeshadow in the crease of the eye makes your eyes pop by adding depth and dimension. Always do your eyeshadow with both eyes open.

Step 1. Using an eyeshadow brush, sweep a light base shade over your eyelid. You can bring this base colour all the way up to your brow bone, in preparation for a more dramatic look, or you can stop at the crease for a more subtle everyday look. Take a look at our best makeup brushes page for recommendations.

Step 2. Using a smaller eyeshadow brush, to give you more precision, sweep a darker shadow in the crease of your eye, following the shape of your eye between your brow bone and eyelid. This will typically involve following the line of your eye socket before extending the shadow outwards, in line with your eyebrows.

READ NEXT: What eyeshadow goes with YOUR eye colour?

Step 3. You can also bring this darker shadow, or an entirely different dark colour, at an angle from the end of this initial line towards the corner of your eye. Create a V shape in which the V is on its side and the point of the V is pointing up and out.

Step 3. An optional step is to add shimmer, glitter or a light colour from the inner corner of your eye towards the centre.

Step 4. Another optional step, but one that can really enhance your look is to line your lashes with a darker shadow or eyeliner.

Step 5. Blend, blend and blend some more. At every step, we recommend you blend the different colours you’re applying together. Blending simply means softening the edges of each colour, and blending the tones into one another. When you think you’ve blended enough…blend some more! An expert tip is to blend with a small amount of the lighter shade you chose, known as the transition shade, to help bring the colours together.

Step 6. Highlighting the brow bone and inner corner, even with just a gentle highlight, will take your eye look from a five to a 10.

Expert tip: If you want to intensify the pigment of any eyeshadow, using white pencil or shadow underneath, or lightly wetting the brush first will work really well.

How to do eyeshadow: Monolids

Preparation is key, not just in terms of using eye primer but also by taming your eyebrows and curling your lashes. Never underestimate the value of well-groomed brows to set the eyes off and, because monolids tend to pair with very straight lashes, curling them will open up the eyes.

We also highly recommend that people with monolids opt for waterproof products where possible. Smudging is a common problem with monolids so waterproof liner and mascara is absolutely key.

Step 1. People with monolids need to wear eyeshadow higher up the lid. Not just the base shade, but each of the colours being used. Otherwise, all of your hard work will disappear when your eye is open! Softer mid-tone colours work well for everyday looks, and are very wearable for most eye colours/shapes. Don’t be afraid to up the ante with brighter, bolder colours if that’s your thing though.

Step 2. Make good use of liner, but apply it with a wing that is concentrated at the mid-to-end point of the eye to elongate, shape and lift the eye. Instead of then extending the line from the wing across your entire lash line, tightline in order to add volume to the lashes without taking up lid space.

You can read more about tightlining in our best eyeliner guide, but in summary, it means to use eyeliner beneath your upper lashes – where your eyelid meets your eyeball – instead of above the lash line.

Step 3. An artist tip for creating the illusion of definition to monolids is to apply a shimmery shadow to the middle part of the eyelid, in a typical halo type eye makeup. The light bounces off from the centre, which brings that part of the eye forward and gives the illusion of a typical shaped eye.

How to do eyeshadow: Hooded eyes

Hooded eyelids, unfortunately, mean that eye makeup is more likely to crease so taking the time to properly prep the eyes with a good eye primer is even more important for this eye shape.

Step 1. Use a light colour on the inner corner and under the lower lash line – this creates the illusion of bigger eyes.

Step 2. Use darker shades on the outer corner of the lid, just under the brow bone and along the very top of the crease to create the illusion of depth.

Step 3. Tightline, rather than use thick eyeliner. Winged liner can sink below the lower lash line, which pulls the eye downward and makes eyes look saggy.

Step 4. Create your own crease by applying a darker matte shade in the socket of the eye, just above where your natural crease is, with a fluffy brush. Add a lighter shade above the newly created crease, all the way up to the brow bone.

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Victoria Howe

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The post How to apply eyeshadow: Learn how to do eyeshadow like a pro with our expert tutorial appeared first on mamabella.

How to master makeup for oily skin, according to the experts

Victoria Howe — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 09:08:23 +0000

Mastering makeup for oily skin can be the difference between a dewy glow and a greasy slick.

As anyone with oily skin will attest, it often feels pointless applying makeup at all because the effort is undone within an hour when your foundation has all but slid off your face, your nose is shining and your eyeshadow has gathered in the creases of your lids.

If you feel our pain and want to know how to get all-day makeup for oily skin, our resident makeup artist Victoria Howe has revealed her top tips in the latest in our Ask the MUA series. Victoria is founder and Chief Makeup Artist at Victoria Howe Make Up and you can follow her stunning looks on her Instagram page, @victoria_howe_makeup.

Makeup for oily skin

As Victoria explains below, the bulk of the effort needed when trying to master makeup for oily skin is in the preparation of the skin rather than in the makeup used, or the techniques. If you want more specific advice on the latter, you can read more on Victoria’s How to get flawless skin guide or her explainer on how to apply foundation like a pro.

Don’t skip the moisturiser

The key to managing any extreme skin type, whether it’s dry or oily, is to perfect your skincare routine. Looking after your skin and picking the best cleansers, toners and moisturisers that are suited to your needs will make an absolute world of difference to how your makeup sits and looks. In summary, a good skincare routine normalises the skin as much as possible.

There is a tendency, however, for people with oily to skip the moisturiser step, believing it will make matters worse but even oily skin needs moisturising. Look at it this way – if your skin is getting its hydration from the best moisturiser (or best tinted moisturiser) it doesn’t need to overproduce oil to compensate.

A moisturiser with glycolic or salicylic acid is best for oily skin as these ingredients tend to cut down excess oils. Learn more in our science of moisturiser guide, as well as our explainer on the truth about the acids that are in your skincare.

We’ve also started recommending the best moisturisers for oily skin here.

Prime with a mattifying primer

Such is the scourge of oily skin, there are literally dozens of mattifying primers specifically designed to absorb excess oils and provide a good base for achieving that flawless finish.

Applying any primer will prevent your makeup from sliding off of your face, but choosing one that specialises in balancing oils will give you the all-day makeup for oily skin you’re desperate for. We rate Smashbox’s Photo Finish Oil and Shine Control primer extremely highly, but at £28 it doesn’t come cheap. One of our favourite, more affordable primers is Sleek Makeup’s £7.99 Mattifying Primer.

The same goes for priming the lids, use an eye primer rather than concealer on the eyelids because primers soak up more oils and prevent eye makeup from creasing. We recommend the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Eye Base (£21) or the cheaper, £6 NYX Professional Makeup Eye Shadow Base.

Use powder…but not too much

Powder-based products work better than liquids and creams on oily skin types as they absorb oils and help mattify your skin. A word of warning though, don’t overdo it with face powders because they can make your skin produce more oils to compensate. This is why using a decent primer helps the powder you do apply last longer.

A setting spray also helps “melt” the layers of makeup together – primer, foundation, powder and so on. We recommend the fantastic Urban Decay De-Slick Setting Spray (£26). It’s expensive but, in our opinion, it’s one of the best products in our makeup bag.

FURTHER READING: What is setting spray and what does it do?

Blot rather than reapply

Blotting excess oils from oily spots on the skin is much more effective than dumping a load of extra powder onto the skin – which will eventually look very cakey.

You can use a tissue to do this but this isn’t always as effective as you’d think. Instead, we use blotting tissues and blotting films – our favourite is NYX Professional’s Fresh Face Blotting Paper – or you can dot Clinique’s Pore Refining Solutions Instant Perfector onto problem areas. This blurs imperfections and sucks up excess oil.

Use waterproof eye products

Waterproof makeup isn’t just for when you’re going swimming or watching something totes emosh, it’s great for people with oily skin to prevent their eye makeup from running and smudging. A water-resistant eyeliner and eyeshadow with a primer underneath should stay put all day. You can read more about waterproof mascara in our What is mascara made of? explainer.

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Victoria Howe

www.victoriahowemakeup.co.uk/

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