Having that glowing beautiful skin is what makeup dreams are made of!
Current makeup trends are featuring that all over glow, fresh and healthy look. The blinding highligh is staying in 2016/2017 and this year is all about that ‘inner glow’.
My go-to kit product to achieve this glowing skin is the MAC Strobe Cream range. Regardless of your age and skin type you can use this product to enhance any makeup look. Below are a few ways you can use this product to achieve your desired look!
♥ After completing your skin routine in the morning, you can use the strobe cream as a primer or in conjunction with your primer and apply it under your foundation. This will allow a sublet glow to come through but not an all over glow, which is not for everyone.
♥ If you are heading to the gym and don’t want to wear makeup but still want that natural glow, you can apply strobe cream just by itself after your skin care routine. With the use of the tinted strobe creams (such as Peachlite or Goldlite), there is an element of colour correction that enhances your skin and gives off a flawless glow. I use this tip on my makeup free days or when I am just in a rush in the morning but still want to look awake and healthy!
♥ If you do like your glow to be more prominent, you can mix some strobe cream into your foundation. This will give a much more glowy effect all over!
♥ For a more sublet highlight, you can dab strobe cream on top of your foundation on the high points of your face, where you want the light to reflect. Remember cream products work best on top of other cream products, so apply the strobe cream before you powder!
I have found strobe cream to be a staple in my kit. However, there are so many ‘strobing’ products that can be used in the same ways as outlined above. Other industry favourites I have used are the CoverFX custom enhancer drops and Josie Maran Argan Moonstone Drops – These are also great products and can be used to achieve the same effect!
Who doesn’t want that glowing beautiful skin, especially on their wedding day?
Below I have outlined my pro tips to giving yourself that natural glow from within (without breaking the bank!)
♥ Water – It really is true that your skin is a reflection of what you put into your body. Water is super accessible, plus it has a huge impact on how we look and feel. The ideal amount of water we should be drinking is 2.2 litres per day. That’s 9 glasses, which is the ideal hydration level for our bodies. Hydration is the key to a brighter, more glowing complexion! Plus there is the added bonus that keeping your appropriate levels of hydration helps with minimising the appearance of fine lines. Hydrated skin is less tired and slightly fuller so it reduces those pesky little smile lines. Bonus.
♥ Diet – Don’t forget to get your intake of super foods! Your body doesn’t only crave water, it craves hydrating foods as well! No matter what your skin type is—oily, dry, normal or combo— you can snack on naturally hydrating foods like watermelon, grapefruit, cucumbers, tomatoes and kale.
♥ Cleanse, tone & moisturise – Make a point to cleanse, tone and moisturise every day! This will ensure all your days makeup and build-up of natural oils are removed leaving your skin nice and clean! When you purchase your skin care, ensure you have a full consultation prior to purchasing anything. This will ensure you get the right skin care for your skin type. The sooner you start this before your wedding date the smoother and clearer your skin will be on the big day! Try to go for brands who specialise in skincare only (i.e. didn’t start as a makeup brand and then expanded into skin care). From my previous experience, I noticed a real difference to my skin as soon as I switched to skin specialist brands.
♥ Eye cream – This is vital to assist with keeping your eye area hydrated. The skin under your eyes can easily dry out through the winter months, so looking after yourself with a hydrating eye cream is crucial. This will assist with minimising any under eye creasing of your foundation on the wedding day as well!
♥ Exfoliate – I suggest exfoliating every second or third day depending on your skin sensitivity levels. Again this should be discussed as part of your skin consultation (refer above). When exfoliating ensure to really focus on the nose and chin areas as these are often the areas where dry skin can sit. Regular exfoliation will get rid of any build-up and dead skin, which will allow your foundation to sit flawlessly for the whole day (especially vital for your wedding day)!
♥ SPF for your lips – It’s easier to prevent your lips from getting chapped than it is to repair them after they become damaged. A thick lip conditioner (not a lip balm) with SPF will help keep your lips hydrated, which will allow you to pull off any lip colour and finish on your big day with confidence. Dry lips can prevent darker lip shades and certain lipstick formulas from sitting nicely on your lips. If you are having an Autumn wedding and were thinking of having a vampy lip, then lip conditioners should become your best friend!
♥ Schedule professional facials – Your wedding is the perfect excuse for some extra pampering. You may want to consider booking monthly facials to really refresh your skin (ensuring your last facial is at least 2 weeks before the wedding day so your skin has the chance to renew and look its best). Experienced aestheticians will massage your skin, scalp and neck to stimulate blood circulation and keep your skin looking healthy and glowing naturally. You can also request extractions, which is great for those hard to get blackheads. Your facialist will get all the dirt out of your pores, leaving your skin flawless and glowing. **Disclaimer: This is a nice to have and definitely not an essential**
♥ “Shrink” your pores with microdermabrasion – Microdermabrasion, glycolic acid and other chemical peels will exfoliate layers of dry skin and minimize pore surface. This again is not essential. However, it all depends on your skin type and the size of your pores. A professional skin consultation is essential for this.
♥ Nails – Don’t forget to look after those cuticles with cuticle oil and moisturising hand cream! You will be amazed how much your hands are photographed and looked at by guests on your wedding day so get onto those cuticles asap! Your nail technician will love you for it too!
Those who know me, know that M.A.C is my go to brand for their product versatility and quality. The product I seem to get the most questions about from my clients, is the use of M.A.C Fix+. There is the common misconception that M.A.C Fix+ is purely a setting spray. This is not the case. A setting spray helps to seal your makeup and assists with the longevity of your makeup. The way M.A.C describes Fix+ is as follows:
Prep + Prime Fix+ – This lightweight mist of water packed with vitamins and minerals, infused with a blend of green tea, chamomile and cucumber to gently soothe and refresh the skin. Gives an instant boost of hydration while delivering a soft sheen to refresh and finish makeup.
I can definitely see where the confusion comes from since the product is called Fix+, implying it will ‘fix’ one’s makeup. However the intended purpose of Fix+ is outlined below at point 1.
There are so many uses for this product! Below is my list of 10 ways that I use Fix+. Enjoy!
10 USES FOR FIX+
- Freshen up! After the application of foundation, there can be several other layers of powders that are used on the face – setting powder, contour, highlight and blush. Often this can leave a powdery residue on the face and can leave the face looking cakey. Fix+ is used in order to freshen the face up and remove this powdery/cakey look, leaving a refreshed and dewy finish. This does not mean this will set the makeup – it just freshens up our beautiful faces.
- Hydrate! As Fix+ refreshes and hydrates our skin, it is perfect to use during the day over one’s makeup application. I like to have a bottle in my fridge and on hot days I love spritzing Fix+ as it leaves me feeling fresh faced.
- Skin prep! As part of my skin care routine I often use Fix+ in conjunction with my toner. I feel it gives me an extra level of hydration and the cool mist feels so lovely on a summer’s morning.
- Primer! Although Fix+ wont help with the longevity of the foundation applying a few sprays before applying foundation will assist in creating an even and smooth surface for makeup application.
- Thinning foundations! Spray Fix+ on your foundation brush before applying foundation, the Fix+ will help to thin out and evenly distribute the product easier, leaving a flawless finish.
- Beauty blender love! Dampening your beauty blender with Fix+ can not only assist with foundation application but it can do wonders for blending out concealer. It blends removes any unnecessary product that can contribute to your under eye area creasing.
- Refreshing cream products! After time gel and cream products can start to dry making them difficult to work with. A quick solution is to spray Fix+ directly on the product bringing it back to life and allowing easier application.
- Eyeshadow! Using Fix+ with eyeshadows can transform any colour. It makes the colour bolder and helps it pop. Spray Fix+ directly onto your brush before applying a pigment, glitter or eyeshadow and the colour will be far more intense!
- Blinding! Much like eyeshadows become bolder, your highlight can be come more intense as well. Dampening your brush with Fix+ prior to applying your highlight will help it pop and give that intense highlight look.
- Body shimmer! If you are feeling adventurous, you can sprinkle some pigment such as M.A.C Blonde Gold or Tan Pigment into your Fix+ bottle and have a refreshing skin hydrating mist for your summer nights out with a bit of sparkle to help you stand out from the crowd!
I would love to know how you use your Fix+, share your uses below!
Mural Beauty 