I have dry skin so I use Dove soap coz it's the only one that doesn't dry my skin out. I then use face wipes (currently using ASDA own brand sensitive wipes, 3 for £2.50 deal at the mo) to remove the remainder of my eye make-up etc. I use Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth cleanser with the muslin cloths (pictured above) to gently exfoliate my face and get rid of any dry patches, this is amazing at retexturising it. I then put on my moisturiser, which for the moment is just Dove Silk Body moisturiser (pictured above also) - it's gentle enough to use on your face. Every second night I seal my moisturiser with Alba Un-Petroleum lotion, which is organic and made from natural plant oils and waxes. It seals in all the moisture and you wake up with super soft hydrated skin (got this tip from Kandee The Make Up Artist on YouTube and it definitely works!). If I get any spots, I simply dab on a tiny amount of Sudacrem with a cotton bud (pictured below) onto the spot before I go to bed at night and when I wake up in the morning, the spot has dried up - genius!
The next important step for flawless skin is to prime your face properly befoere you apply your make-up. This will help you get a dewy glowy complexion and will also make your make-up stay put all day. I like to use an illuminating lotion like The Body Shop Tinted Illuminator in no.2 and then use an oil free primer like Lancome La Pro Base.
- Onto the make-up...I always put on foundation before I apply concealer. Some people do it the other way around but in my experience, you end up rubbing off most of the concealer when you apply the foundation so it's kinda pointless to do it that way. I always apply my foundation with my fingers as the heat helps to blend it into my skin. Some people prefer to use a sponge or brush but I never get the right finish when I use a tool other than my hand.
- I get undereye dark circles and so I use YSL Touche Eclat to cover them up, although on really bad tired days, I use Estee Lauder Uncircle Smoothing Concealer and this works really well for me. It also helps if you apply the concealer in a V-shape with the point facing towards your cheek, using the sides of your nose as a guide and then blend...sounds weird I know but Kandee the Make Up Artist gave this tip in a vid on YouTube and it works!Check out the vid for more detailed instructions http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL3m0E8xULk. If I have any marks or spots, I cover them up with a tiny make up brush and Mac Studiosculpt concealer. It's best to build it in very thin layer rather than trying to put a thick layer on all at once. Make sure you dust your face with a fixing powder afterwards to seal everything in and take away any oily shiny bits.
- The next important stage of getting flawless skin is choosing a good bronzer (you can skip this step if you like the paler look). I use either Lancome Star Bronzer in Dore or my new fave is Prestige Baked Bronze Powder in St Tropez. I like bronzer with a very subtle shimmer effect as these act like a soft focus tool, they blur lines on your face and give the illusion that you have smooth perfect skin. I then apply a highlighter to my cheekbones, down the centre of my nose and on my browbones.
- The best advice I could give you is that 70% of the flawless look depends on skincare rather than makeup. I never ever leave my make-up on when I go to bed and I try and use products that compliment my skin type. I use face masks every week. I exercise regularly, take multivitamins everyday and drink at least 8 glasses of water a day - I think these things also make a difference to your skin. I think everyone struggles with their skin at times and I'm no different! If anyone has any questions, please just ask, I am happy to answer them.
