If your five minute face consists of a foundation, mascara and a lip and cheek pot, well then your gym makeup bag sounds great. Keeping it simple is fine for your in-a-rush routine, but once in a while, it’s fun to amp up the wattage by adding these backstage beauty enhancers to your kit.
Primer
Many of you might not see the purpose in having a primer at hand, but the right one for your skin type can mean skin-soothing properties and longer lasting foundation. No midday touch-ups sounds awesome, right? Laura Mercier’s Radiance Foundation Primer does more than just keep your skin looking pretty – the light, gel formula feels weightless on, but works to correct your skin tone immediately and over time for long lasting results. Containing vitamins A, C, and E,Prestige Soft Focus Pearls, and skin-conditioning Jojoba, you’ll be set with a canvas so good you’ll almost not want to put anything else on.
Radiating loose powder
Setting powders were never really a favourite of mine. They always left the look and feel of chalk for me and I’d get annoyed when the radiant glow I worked so hard to get would just disappear under a veil of a matte, white finish. Well all that’s over now because the new generation of setting powders work to illuminate your skin instead of harshly mattifying it. I first experienced this awesome effect with Chanel’s Natural Finish Loose Powder – it instantly boosts your skin’s appearance with a glow and sets your makeup without losing any of the colour. At over $50, it can be a bit of a stretch, but Nars have followed suit and offer their latest addition to the brand at $34. The Light reflecting loose powder works fab on any skin tone, leaving a soft matte finish that looks luminous in any light. Yes! It can do both.
Contour powder
Having a sculpted face can totally be faked with the right makeup – just look at Kim Kardashian! Using a bronzer or a blush that has brown undertones in all the right places can have you looking pounds lighter in the face and disguise any fears of a double chin appearing in your photos. MAC’s blush in Harmony is perfect for women with light to medium skin tones who are looking to add shape to their face. Check out my –face sculpting guide to make use of this new addition to your makeup bag.
Highlighter
And with sculpted cheeks comes cheekbones that pop. A good highlighter can be the difference between cheekbones that could rival a runway model’s and, well, non-existent ones. Bobbi Brown’s Shimmer Brick always pulls through when you need that instant lift.. The variety of shades makes it easy to match to your skin tone, so it’s easy to find a shade. Use a fan brush to spread it across your cheeks and they’ll catch every glimpse of light that touches your skin.
