FRESHERS: Quick 10-Minute Make-Up

After waking up with the world’s biggest hangover this fresher’s, the last thing you’ll want to do is put a full face of makeup on before heading out the door. So here’s a tutorial that shows you how to achieve the most from as little products and effort as possible.

1. First off, always make sure you’ve hydrated your skin with a good moisturizer and let that sink in for a few minutes. I use the Estee Lauder Day Wear Cream as it leaves my skin soft with a nice glow.

2. Cover any blemishes with a good concealer, I love the Estee Lauder Double Wear Brush-On-Glow Highlighter and Concealer, just dab onto your problem areas and sweep under your eyes to brighten up those dark circles, plus apply the tiniest amount on your eyelids and dab using your finger.

3. Then we need to highlight important areas of the face to brighten up your complexion for the day. The MAC Strobe Cream is a favourite of mine to use when not wearing as much makeup because of it’s creamy texture, use your fingers to apply to your cheekbones and up to your temples, the tip of your nose and the cupid’s bow on your lip and the arch under your brows. (Alternatively you can mix this into a tinted moisturiser or your foundation as well to get an all over glow.)

4. Just to add a bit of definition to your face, apply a non-shimmer bronzer, like the Peaches and Cream ‘Sculpt’ pressed powder underneath your cheekbones. You can also apply this over the socket of your eyes to add definition here too.

5. If you’re a lover of the winged eyeliner look and can’t bare to even think about leaving your bedroom without it, this is a toned down, more natural approach. I’ve used the MAC Eye Pencil in ‘Coffee’ across the top of my lash line. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect like your usual liquid liner, I sometimes even smudge it to make it look a bit more natural.

6. Apply 2 coats of your favourite mascara on your top lashes and a tiny bit to the bottom (only if you feel you need to as sometimes it emphasise your tiredness), this will open up your eyes even more when you’re feeling a bit under the weather after the night before. My favourite for years has been the Maybelline Colossal waterproof mascara in black.

7. And lastly, to add a bit of colour to your face, a product that has many uses: the NARS Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil, you can use this to line your lips and then fill them in with some colour, it also acts as a gloss too! (Another use I find it’s handy for is to sweep and blend it onto the apples of your cheeks to add a bit colour.)

 

So there we go, a minimal makeup tutorial that will have you looking fresh in just 10 minutes.

By Cara Slater founder of Coco Belle 

 

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FRESHERS: Best Cover Ups for the Morning After the Night Before

With your freshers just around the corner and your packing pretty much done, you’re probably beginning to plan all of the events and nights out you’re going to attend. If it’s your first year then you’re more than likely going to end up at all of them. If you’ve done the whole Fresher’s thing a few times you might have decided to take it easy. Either way, all that drinking and lack of sleep is going to play havoc on your skin. So here’s an insight into my 5 best cover up’s so you can look fresh, bright-eyed and ready for your 9am lecture the next day – even if you don’t feel particularly great, you’ll look fab!

1.MAC Pro-Concealer Palette in Light

This is one of my all time favourites when it comes to covering up those under-eye bags. I use it after I’ve put on my foundation, or sometimes without if I want a quick fix before heading out the door. I use the pink tone mostly to counteract those dark circles, and if I find it’s too heavy for my skin when I’m not wearing a lot of makeup that day, I add a couple drops of MAC Prep and Prime Essential Oils to get that dewy feel.

2. W7 Hide ‘N’ Seek Colour Correcting Concealer Quad

If you don’t want to break the bank on the MAC palette (face it you’ve probably already spent most of your student loan on clothes and a new Macbook), this is a great cheaper alternative. I bought the anti-redness palette to cover up the spots I get on my chin when I’m run down, and a little bit of this goes a long way underneath your foundation. 

3. Estee Lauder Double Wear Brush-On-Glow BB Highlighter Pen

I love this pen! It’s a concealer and highlighter in one! It’s perfect to use on top of foundation when contouring, or just sweep straight onto the skin and underneath the eyes to brighten up your complexion. And true to the Double Wear trait it will last for hours leaving your skin looking radiant all day. 

4. Maybelline Age Rewind Dark Circles Eraser Treatment and Concealer

This is another that won’t make you feel guilty after you’ve bought it. The sponge tip on the pen makes it easy to sweep under your eyes, and it does what it says on the front too, it will actually erase those dark circles you’ll have inherited after the not-so-fresh Fresher’s Week.

5. NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

And last but not least, another favourite of mine is this miracle in a tube. A lover of all things NARS, I was love-struck when I discovered this beauty, it covers up problem areas completely and with it’s creamy and smooth finish it will leave your skin looking flawless.

By Cara Slater founder of Coco Belle