I am a lucky girl. My career is littered with home deliveries of lipstick, facials are considered ‘research’, painting my nails at my desk is positively applauded and after work ‘commitments’ often involve international travel to sniff out a new perfume or eye up a recently launched mascara.
But enough about me, let’s talk about you! After 20 years in this beauty business, there are a few key beauty needles in this haystack history of tips and tricks I’ve picked up. Here are a few of my top tips that you can benefit from also. (Airfare not included)
You Get What You Get and You Don’t Get Upset:
Working with the hair you have is far more successful a mission than working against it. If you have curls, encourage them. If you have pin straight hair, give it some CPR with a great directional cut. And remember, unless you are found within the pages of a Disney book or 6 years old, long hair is not necessarily the answer.
Many women make the mistake of holding onto their lengths as they literally take their last gasp of life – simply because, apparently, length matters. Let me tell you, shorter healthy hair beats lank, listless lengths by a county mile. As you age hair texture changes dramatically, dehydration kicks in and shine is something that doesn’t come so naturally, so rather than trying to hang onto the halcyon days of long, flowing lengths, mature along with your hair. Retire the faux ringlets and excise the extensions, knowing that growing with the times means taking a cut.
Give Makeup The Finger:
I am telling you, no tool comes close to that one hanging on the end of your damn hand! When it comes to perfect minimal, contour and fuss-free application of foundation, concealer, cheek creams and eye tints, your fingers prove the perfect tool of application. And they are free! Ensuring they are clean (every beauty editor worth their weight in free lip-glosses keeps a mini sanitising hand wash in their kit) warming any product to body temperature on the back of the hand ensures maximum ‘melt-in’ efficacy. Furthermore, digits can get in where some brushes fear to tread – like the inner corner of the eye, close to the lower lid, around the jawline etc.
Wear Your Fragrance Like Fine Jewels:
There are many myths about where, when and how to apply fragrance. The first rule is to do so gently – never gnashing your wrists together and bruising the scent. Ever. Instead, apply spritz in seven steps akin to the ghost outline of a bracelet and a necklace; one spray on the top of each wrist, one on the inside of each wrist, one on the nape of the neck and one beneath each earlobe.
Double Up Dummy!
I am spoilt, that is true, but even if I did have to pay for many of the cosmetics that cascade out of my bathroom cabinet, I wouldn’t. Nope, I would still buy only handbag essential. And that is a clear, efficacious lip-gloss. Since the dawn of my beauty time, I have been using Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream on my lips, on my lids, on my cheekbones and on my cuticles. The effect is dewy and hydrated for the long haul, a true defibrillator for my face and hands when I’ve dared to head out in daylight sans makeup.
Don’t Always Be Active:
Active ingredient skincare is like a personal trainer for your complexion – sometimes you need them a little bit more than other times. Be careful not to overexert and exhaust your epidermis too early on. Like with your physicality, it’s all about balance. I have learnt that skin needs a rest from stimulation that comes with using AHA’s and the like. What works for me is a stint of actives, intermittent with a ‘rest’ with rose hip oil and moisturiser. So I go hard for a few weeks, and then ease off for a few weeks.
For me, the rest phase is best optimised with a morning and evening application of rose hip oil followed by a water-in oil-emulsion cream over the top. Why? Well, the skin is waterproof, so water-based moisturisers are going to have one hell of a time cracking your complexion, right?
Splash Cash On Your Caterpillars:
Brows are the frame of the face, and before you throw up at that naff analogy, trust me when I tell you it’s harder to write for the 3824th time than it is to read. But it is TRUE! Invest here people. Get your good, caterpillar browed selves to a professional brow artist (artist being the operative word) and have then tinted and shaped professionally. What you do from there is your deal, but at least you have an expert eye to tell you what best flatters your face, and how to maintain this shape at home.
image credit: beauty editor flatlay via Pinterest.com