Unless you have the skin of a newborn, powdery pastels can look cakey, ageing and dated. That said, it can work. This look, created by makeup supremo Pat McGrath at the Valentino SS20 Couture show, proves it. The trick? Add shimmer and shine. Mix a teeny dollop of Vaseline into a crush of eyeshadow – it gives you a gloss and stops the colours looking chalky – and apply across lids and temples. Use a highlighter on cheekbones, the bridge of your nose and the corners of your eyes. For lips, go full on, but do note eating will be messy – so don’t make it worse by adding glitter.
1. By Terry, Terrybly Paris, Lash-Expert Twist Brush £25, cultbeauty.co.uk
2. Kevyn Aucoin Glass Glow Face £26, lookfantastic.com
3. Revitalash Hi Definition Brow Brush and Pencil £28, revitalash.co.uk
4. Fenty Snap Shadow in Pastel Frost £21, boots.com
5. Pat McGrath Labs Opulust Lip Gloss £28, patmcgrathlabs.com
I can’t do without… A nourishing cream to repair my skin barrier
I’ve known aestheticians to disagree on a lot of things, but recently I’ve found one thing they all agree on – too many of us are compromising our skin barrier. This is the outermost layer of skin, made up of fats, lipids and good bacteria. It enables skin to retain high levels of moisture and basic skin health. You know when it is compromised when it feels tight, dry, sore and, in some cases, begins to overproduce oil/sebum. Anything from overwashing to overusing active ingredients such as acids and retinols can cause this. Alas, by constantly putting products through their paces, even beauty editors commit crimes of beauty. And so, recently, my skin barrier has been out of whack. Sensitive, (everything stung), dry (I was shedding like a reptile), and producing enough oil to deep-fry a Mars Bar. So how do you build back your skin’s barrier? By simplifying your regime. I swapped a foam wash for an oily cleanser, took a break from acids and slathered my face in Verso’s Nourishing Cream. This product is incredible. It is buttery light yet deeply hydrating – it sinks into the skin as opposed to sitting on it. One of the key ingredients is niacinamide, which generally brightens and smooths and, because it is formulated with fatty acids and ceramides, it isn’t harsh. Three days later, my skin barrier is back in business. Verso Nourishing Cream £95, cultbeauty.co.uk
On my radar: Cult curls, facials overnight and a fatigue-buster
Curl power This cult haircare brand has long been a curly girl hair staple Stateside. It has finally winged its way over the Atlantic. DevaCurl One Condition Decadence Ultra Moisturising Milk Conditioner, £24, feelunique.com
Beauty sleep Most overnight treatments leave me wanting, but this one is excellent. With a potent mix of AHAs and probiotics, it literally gives you the results of a facial, overnight. Allies of Skin, Bright Future Sleeping Facial, £122, spacenk.com
Morning glory If you are exhausted and it shows, you will want to try this anti-fatigue serum. It exfoliates, hydrates and reduces the appearance of fatigue the morning after. YSL Pure Shots Night Reboot Serum, £59, yslbeauty.co.uk
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