makeup

Besides the incredible outfits and beauty looks that we spotted on the red carpet at the Met Gala this year, there was one other moment that sparked joy and delight amongst eagle-eyed beauty editors across the land: Makeup artist Jessica Smalls-Langston took to Instagram to share a behind-the-scenes shot of the makeup kit that she used to create Naomi Osaka’s crimson-coloured eyes. And nestled amongst the flat-lay of products? Glossier eye shadow palettes. Fast-forward a few weeks and Monochromes landed—refillable monochromatic eye shadow trios in matte, satin and metallic finishes. And as an unashamed Glossier fangirl (trust me—I’ve tried everything), I couldn’t wait to get my hands on them. You Deserve to Make Money Even...

Ever wondered whether a new beauty launch or trending product is truly worth the hype? Good news—you’re in the right place. I Just Tried… is our regular beauty column where we test out everything from new formulations to cult classics to find out whether they’re really worth your money. Oh, and we’ll even answer the most-searched-for questions so you don’t have to. Anyone who knows me will be well aware that my inbox exists in a constant state of chaos. I have no filing system to speak of, and the number of emails that I’ve starred to get back to later is, frankly, ridiculous. So for a press release on a new beauty launch to break through the disarray and catch my attention is no mean feat, but when I spotted an email shouting about a best-selling lip kit with tho...

To say I was humbled is an understatement. With consistent use, my lashes are longer than I could have imagined. When I look up and shift my eyes from left to right, I can feel my lashes tickle my brow. When I add mascara into the mix, they look like I’ve added in individuals. I feel like it’s given my coy eyelash batting a new lease of life, especially in the era of the facemask.  I have to put emphasis on the need for consistency though. You do need to be disciplined– every night before I go to bed, I swipe the brush across my top lash line and allow the ingredients to sink in to encourage growth. I used it at night because the body repair itself at night so I figured that was the best time for aiding growth, however, if you prefer, the morning is fine too. Whatever time you use it ...

When it comes to beauty and fashion month, pretty much anything goes. And as self-professed hair and makeup obsessives, we pretty much live for it. (In our eyes, the weirder and more outlandish, the better.) The sparkling shows in New York, London, Milan and Paris have come and gone, but the artistic visions of designers (and the leagues of über-talented makeup artists and hairstylists) are still swirling in our inspiration-starved brains.  We’ve taken a beat to ingest everything we saw—from glitter-crusted earlobes and limbs to bumblebee-stamped complexions—and put together a comprehensive list of the most notable (and actually try-able) beauty looks we spotted repeatedly in each and every city. Y2K inspirations continued to pull their weight via glitter, centre parti...

To say that I’ve become obsessed would truthfully be quite an understatement. I’ve been using the shades Foxglove, which is a terracotta shade that adds so much warmth to the cheeks and Azalea, which is more of a warm berry tone that just so happens to be Rosie’s favourite shade. I found both shades to be packed full of colour—just one sweep of my brush was enough to cover both cheeks. While the blush is a great option for everyone, the brand says it’s ideal for those with dull and dry skin. The blush is formulated with one of my favourite skin-loving ingredients, vitamin E. The blush honestly feels so hydrating and blends in well with the skincare products I apply beforehand. I’ve found there’s no having to w...

Recently, I discovered the power of a holiday glow. Not necessarily a tan (the high factor SPF that we should all be wearing doesn’t really permit that) but a radiant glow. There’s a luminance to sunkissed summer skin that gives me the confidence every year to banish foundation to the bottom of my beauty bag and skip any other makeup bar the odd lashings of mascara and brow pencil. After the sun-kissed, stress-free skin of my early September holiday wore off, I was left with a seriously unperky looking complexion. The type that leaves people constantly asking: ‘Are you tired?’ But after getting used to not wearing foundation on a day-to-day basis I wasn’t ready to commit to going back to a full face of makeup. That’s when I came across the Amanda Harrington Face Illuminating...

As someone who is super fortunate to receive new beauty launches on a weekly basis among makeup and skincare products that TikTok somehow always convinces me to buy, I still love nothing more than turning to social media for makeup inspo. Whether it be a lipstick that easily takes my look from day to night, a concealer to brighten up my under-eyes after a restless night or even a blush to add a pop of colour to my cheeks, I want all the recommendations. This year is definitely proving harder than usual with the UK weather giving us all four seasons in just a matter of hours, but slowly but surely, it’s beginning to feel like autumn thanks to cosy evenings, an influx of pumpkin-inspired makeup products and all the talk of Christmas (despite...

And since discovering the versatility and brilliance of cream blushers in recent years (just dab on and dash), I have come to be captivated by the easy wonder of cream eye shadows. While palettes and powders that need layering, blending and tidying up are, needless to say, not my thing, cream eye shadows can be scribbled or patted onto lids in a matter of seconds, and no one would ever know how easy it was.   I have become so captivated by the genius of cream eye shadows that barely a day goes by that I don’t wear at least one shade on my lids. Whether you want to add a subtle wash of colour to hide redness or want a smoky look for a night out, a cream eye shadow will deliver a seriously chic look in just one swipe. I’d go as far as to say that I love cream eye s...

I’m going to come clean: Over the last few weeks I’ve been experiencing what can only be described as product fatigue. Of course, one of the best parts of my job as a beauty editor is getting the chance to try out the latest beauty products, but every now and then the sheer volume of newness can get a little overwhelming. After all, we’re creatures of habits at heart and having to constantly switch in new products and pass along ones that aren’t quite right can feel like a lot—especially when you’re about to embark on testing your 17th new moisturiser of the month. Suffice to say, I’ve been dealing with some product burnout lately, particularly with regards to my makeup bag where I just can’t seem to summon the enthusiasm t...

After the shortest summer of all time, autumn has officially arrived. And, if I’m being totally honest, I’m here for it—along with the rest of the beauty industry it turns out. We’ve already predicted what our wardrobes are going to look like for autumn and winter, so I thought there was no better time to tap my beauty contacts for what our beauty habits will be looking like as we move through the final months of 2021. And trust me when I say that things are looking up. While there will be experimental colour switch-ups in our makeup bags and at our hair appointments, there’s also a welcome return to self-care and nourishment as we seek out comfort in our skincare and bodycare routines. Plus, nail art’s popularity looks set to grow. Ahead, ...

Despite being a beauty editor with an extensive stash of products at my disposal, when it comes to my daily beauty routine, I’m decidedly low-maintenance. In fact, my usual morning ritual before a work-from-home day consists of a lightning-fast shower, a quick blast of dry shampoo, and then some concealer, brow gel, lip balm and liquid highlighter. Yes, you read that right—liquid highlighter. I will admit that highlighter doesn’t sound like the most obvious of makeup choices when going for a pared-back look, but trust me when I say that a good liquid highlighter can make all the difference in transforming tired-looking skin into a complexion that rivals J.Lo’s level of glow. So, because it’s one of the few makeup products that I wear on my face eve...

Most beauty advent calendars tend to sell out within hours of their release, so it makes sense that brands are now providing us with information on the covetable beauty buy well in advance of the on-sale date; and that’s precisely what happened this week when our inboxes started to fill with imagery and press releases from some of our favourite brands, each pertaining to their beauty advent calendar offering. With so many to choose from, we decided to make it easier for you to find the perfect beauty advent calendar to treat yourself to by listing them all in one place.  Laying everything out, from release dates to product worths, keep scrolling to discover the best beauty advent calendars this year has to offer.  You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Onli...