Stolen On Set | Makeup Tips & Products I’m Loving Right Now

Whilst filming our television show, MOOIMAAK, I was spoiled rotten with daily makeup  tips from my friend (and the best makeup artist in the business), Renee De Wit from Gorgeous2Go. Seeing as I always ask the poor woman 2 million questions about every single thing she recommends (come to think of it, I’m quite surprised she still recommends things to me at all, seeing as it’s always such a leeeeengthy cross-examination:), you can rest assured that I did my homework before trying all of these out myself and, what’s more, am still a loyal fan of each tip & product mentioned here (even now that production has ended).

MAGICAL LITTLE MAKEUP HACKS

(1) Moisturize & hydrate skin | No amount of makeup can hide dehydrated, dry or lifeless skin. To get that youthful, dewy complexion, make sure, before applying your makeup, that your skin is clean, exfoliated (2-3 times per week is enough), well-moisturized & well-hydrated. Dry skin is super ageing.

(2) Wake up tired skin | Wake tired skin up, by gently massaging your moisturizing & hydrating products into the skin, to stimulate blood flow and really get circulation going.

(3) Prep your pout | Before applying lipstick, brush dead skin cells off your lips by using a toothbrush with a little bit of coconut oil, a touch of honey and some brown sugar mixed into it (an easy at-home lip scrub) to make sure the skin on your lips is smooth so that makeup adheres to it better. Afterwards, if lips feel dry, apply a thin coat of lip balm. I always prefer using something completely natural here, as we swallow so much of what’s on our lips. Products like Lanolips 101 Ointment (a rather pricey cult favourite) or Bee Natural Lip Balm (a more affordable option) are petroleum free and completely natural.

(4) Get your lipstick to stay all day

• First apply a thin coat of lip balm (you don’t want your lips to be too oily, just genthly nourished)
• Then, apply your lipliner to the entire top and bottom lip
• On top of that, apply a slightly moisturizing lipstick (which will stop lips from looking too dry). Renee always says “it’s all about layering” when you want to ensure that product lasts. Make sure the lipliner and lipstick you use are the same shade, unless you’re going for a super technical ombré technique, which is not something I would recommend trying at home:)

• To really set the colour in place, put a thin tissue over your mouth and sprinkle a light dusting of loose powder through the tissue, onto your lips. Renee did this with many of our participants, where the lip colour was the main feature of their particular makeup look

(5) Invest in an eyelash curler | It’s a lot of admin, yes, ladies, I know. We don’t always have time for all of this, but a curled, open lash instantly opens up your eyes and your face. It’s worth it (and, yes, so are you)! I prefer the good old-fashioned ones, that look like mini-torture devices, to the battery-operated heated wands. Get the best of both worlds by heating up an old-fashioned curler (MAC makes a good one) with a blow-dryer, using medium heat. Then, using the heated curler, curl lashes (first at the base and then at the mid-lash lengths) before applying liner and mascara. Your eyes will really pop!

MAGICAL LITTLE MAKEUP PRODUCTS

1. I’m absolutely in love with the Chanel Les Beige Healthy Glow Luminous Colour (Medium Deep) (each skin tone is different though, of course, but this colour works well for fair to medium skin tones). I love its powder-cream texture and the fact that it’s not shimmery, but still somehow dewy and luminous. I use it daily.
2. The Smashbox Contour Kit is insane, for contouring your cheekbones, sculpting your nose and highlighting under your brows and eyes. I bought mine at Woolworths and use it all the time. Believe it or not, whilst it is by no means the last word on contouring, I actually use the clever little diagram inside the palette to guide my highlight & bronzing endeavours.
3. Sensai sells a velvety soft, easy-to-apply brush-tip under-eye concealer that really works to ligten and brighten those pesky under-eye shadows (the bane of my existence). It’s always in my makeup bag for quick touch-ups and cover-ups throughout the day. On those mornings, however, where nothing but Level 10 coverage will do to rescue my dignity, I thank my lucky stars for Benefit Bo-ing Industrial Strength Full Coverage Concealer. If you can, get both of these heavenly products to make sure you always look like Wide-awake Wendy.
4. MAC’s Boldly Bare Lip Pencil (not photographed above). This is a colour we used on my lips all the time. Because I quite enjoy (to put it mildly:) a smokey eye, my lips needed to be toned down but (for television) not invisible. This colour is beautifully soft, nude and neutral (without being too brown or too light that it washes you out) and yet it still defines your mouth and helps to create subtly sexy lips, hence the perfect name for it, “Boldy Bare”. I have yet to meet a professional makeup artist that doesn’t have this lipliner in their kit.
5. Eylure Pro-Lash Individual Lashes is something I got very used to, very quickly, and – without them – my makeup just never looked the same! I have yet to try and apply them myself, and I’m sure it’s not easy but also not impossbile. We stuck to the “short” lashes, as the medium and longer ones look a tad “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert”. So try and get a pack containing only the “short” lashes. They are amazing and really add drama and definition, without being obvious. I’m obsessed.

Enjoy, ladies and, as always, feel free to send me feedback or ask any questions by getting in touch.

Love,

Clare.