Tips for a fresh face

by Gillian Moody

If you are a busy person who survives on a less than optimal amount of sleep, you may sometimes look in the mirror and not be absolutely thrilled with what you see. Tips for a fresh face are for you.

As a 40-something with a newborn and pre-schooler, juggling work and life, this happens to me most mornings 😉

To make myself look less frightful I have a super quick “smoke and mirror” regime. It’s not rocket science but just a few simple things that make me feel like I look good. Here’s some products I like:

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 Here ’tis…..give it a go, hopefully it’s a pick-me-up that leaves you feeling perky and good to go!

[1] Prep the skin

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Thoroughly cleanse your face and then slather with moisturiser. Just use products that you like and that suit your skin type.

Then pack on a product that fills all the holes (in my case, craters) and primes the skin. I love Clarins Beauty Flash Balm but there are a lot of smoothers and makeup primers out there like Napoleon Auto Pilot and Mac Prep + Prime.

If you have sensitive skin or are prone to redness, be careful. Get advice from a beautician.

[2] Cover up

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Go on, get right in there and coat your face with foundation. Choose the level of cover you prefer but I would recommend a sheer foundation, which is the go for a more natural look.

Then AFTER your foundation grab your concealer and cover up any red spots or blemishes or dark circles. Do your nose and chin as they can get red and spotty. I’d suggest a yellow base, no matter what your skin tone. I swear by YSL Touche Eclat which YSL calls a “complexion highlighter”. It works a treat on dark circles.

[3] Illuminate

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If you are more ‘mature’ – i.e. over 40 (or a bit rough looking some days) – two great beauty tools to master are a brush and illuminating powder. When you illuminate an area, the light reflects and brightens everything up, making you sparkle a wee bit.

I use the first brush I lay my hands on and swipe a light covering of powder over my eyelids and into the corners. Then blend blend blend. No hard lines on the edgesotherwise you end up looking like a drag queen. Any powder left on the brush, I just use over the top of the cheekbones to highlight.

[4] Blushing Cheeks

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I use a natural pink blush and apply to the apple of the cheeks. For cheeks I love Benefit’s Benetint and their Dandelion face powder which has a hint of gold. Again theres a million products on the market, just go for whatever suits your skin and budget.

On days when I want to feel pretty and don’t have my kit with me, I just use a bit of lipstick and rub it in, works just as well.

[5] Lips

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My mum won’t go anywhere without a ‘bit of lippy’ and as I have gotten older I tend to think it’s a good idea. When you are tired all the colour drains from the lips and they look quite thin. I just use a very natural pink colour. Find a nude or pink tone that suits you. Mac and Chanel do great lipsticks. I think the secret is to find the right colour and then also to just blend it a bit with your finger so it looks like natural colour, not caked on with hard edges.

Hurrah! Feeling and looking terrific!

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OH, and as a general rule, ALWAYs use sunscreen, even in winter. It’s proven to reduce skin ageing! Check out this article.

Written By

Carolyn is the editorial director of Champagne Cartel and a freelance writer. In her spare time she is a long-distance runner, peanut butter enthusiast, and single mum to three incredible humans.

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