A little early for any proper spring cleaning perhaps, but with all the gorgeous new limited edition palettes and shades already on the make-up counters it's a great time to give your make-up bag a spruce up. And it's a great excuse to treat yourself to a new product or two.
Clear out
Start off by assessing what you have and throwing away anything that smells 'off' or looks funny, e.g. stringy nail varnish, flaky mascara, greasy eye shadows. Any opened and part-used products should be discarded within this time-frame:
Liquid eye liners and mascara: after 3 months
Cream eye shadow: after 6 months
Foundation: after 6 months
Face powder: after 2 years
Powder eye shadow: after 2 years
Lip products: after 2 years
Nail polish: after 1 to 2 years
Clean
Use a wet wipe to clean any residue off palettes, tubes, lids and such like. Wipe over the outsides too and wipe clean or wash your make-up bag.
Clean your make-up brushes with mild liquid soap and warm water. We love M·A·C Brush Cleanser, a brilliant product that will clean, disinfect and condition the brush fibres, making your brushes last longer.
Assess
Before you even look at your make-up, check essentials like your bag, brushes and mirror, buy new if necessary.
The inexpensive M·A·C Duo Image Compact Mirror is slim, glossy and stylish. Featuring two mirrors, fir full image and close-up, it is perfect for checking or applying make-up on the go, and easily fits your make-up kit, handbag or pocket.
If your brushes have seen better days, try the stunning new Iconic London Contour and Conceal EVO Brush Set. In stunning black and gold, these space age brushes have sturdy diamond-shaped handles, and the same ICONIC oval makeup brushes that made the EVO so great the first time round. Their revolutionary design means they adapt to the contours of the face, providing flexibility for fluid movement; whilst the oval head and dense bristles ensure velvet application and a sleek finish. Available in a set of 4 or 6.
Finally, look at what make-up you already have and see how it measures up to the coming season's trends.
SS17 Beauty Trends
One of the themes that dominated the catwalks at the SS17 shows was very, very natural. From just washed hair with next to no styling, to natural eyebrows, neutral eyes and fresh, clean skin, getting the basics right is key to the new season's look. Start investing now in good skin and hair care, from the outside and the inside, and it will pay dividends come spring. Concentrate on eating well, lots of antioxidants and good fats, and your hair and skin will shine.
To give those neutral eyes a boost, try a pop of bright red on the lips, as seen at a lot of the Italian shows. You could even use the lipstick '80s-style as blusher too, as seen at Kenzo, Chanel and Adam Selman.
For the no make-up make-up look, seen just about everywhere, make sure your skin is in tip top condition and get your lips primed too. We love the Extreme Nutritive Lip Balm Jar from Sisley, an extreme repair product perfect for combatting cold winds and centrally heated buildings. Rich in plant extracts it is soothing and moisturising, providing both instant relief and long-lasting protection.
For a more pro-active approach, try Dior's new Lip Glow Sugar. This exfoliating and nourishing stick contains grains of sugar that melt away, for incredibly soft and glossy lips.
Dependent on your skin tone, pop Dior Diorific Matte Velvet Colour Lipstick in Charm or Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips Lipstick. in Kim K.W over. What is it about a new lipstick that makes it such a positively swoonsome purchase?!
At the other end of the spectrum, space-age make-up and glitter was huge. Whilst glitter on lips, cheeks, even eyes and eyebrows may not be most people's everyday look, we can all embrace a bit of colour. This look has been growing for a few seasons now, a fusion of the '70s then '80s trends, combined with a kind of post-millennial futuristic vibe. Play with colour and have fun with different looks, although only the younger of us might get away with winged eyes in acid hues!
The colour trend played out beautifully on darker skins, with lots of pinks and orangey golds, just stunning when applied well. Coral lips were in evidence at Chanel too, even on paler skins.
If all of that is a step too far, you'll be glad to hear that dark eyes made a comeback at Balmain, Altuzarra and Christopher Kane. Smudgy eyes, messy and with a 'late night, early morning' feel, there's no need for a neat line and a steady hand. The Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette Eyeshadow Quad will give iconic, mesmerising eyes that work from desk to disco.
Finally, nails. Pale and interesting is the vibe, as natural and nude as possible. (Keep eating well, girls!) Nails Inc as ever hold the prize for this one with gorgeous new shades like Porchester Square, Montpelier Walk, Mayfair Mansion Mews and Tate.
Although there were some other extreme looks, including a deep, deep purple which moved from clothing to lips at the Acne show under Aaron de Ley's guidance. Although the MAC lipstick in Deep Rooted which he used may not be for everyone (looking as though you've been punched in the mouth, maybe not), the purple reign has found its way into nail polish, such as this incredible shade from Givenchy, Purple Ink.
All products shown are available from House of Fraser.
Happy shopping!
 |
| Emma Lomax Face Make-Up Bag |
Clear out
Start off by assessing what you have and throwing away anything that smells 'off' or looks funny, e.g. stringy nail varnish, flaky mascara, greasy eye shadows. Any opened and part-used products should be discarded within this time-frame:
Liquid eye liners and mascara: after 3 months
Cream eye shadow: after 6 months
Foundation: after 6 months
Face powder: after 2 years
Powder eye shadow: after 2 years
Lip products: after 2 years
Nail polish: after 1 to 2 years
Clean
Use a wet wipe to clean any residue off palettes, tubes, lids and such like. Wipe over the outsides too and wipe clean or wash your make-up bag.
Clean your make-up brushes with mild liquid soap and warm water. We love M·A·C Brush Cleanser, a brilliant product that will clean, disinfect and condition the brush fibres, making your brushes last longer.
Assess
Before you even look at your make-up, check essentials like your bag, brushes and mirror, buy new if necessary.
The inexpensive M·A·C Duo Image Compact Mirror is slim, glossy and stylish. Featuring two mirrors, fir full image and close-up, it is perfect for checking or applying make-up on the go, and easily fits your make-up kit, handbag or pocket.
If your brushes have seen better days, try the stunning new Iconic London Contour and Conceal EVO Brush Set. In stunning black and gold, these space age brushes have sturdy diamond-shaped handles, and the same ICONIC oval makeup brushes that made the EVO so great the first time round. Their revolutionary design means they adapt to the contours of the face, providing flexibility for fluid movement; whilst the oval head and dense bristles ensure velvet application and a sleek finish. Available in a set of 4 or 6.
Finally, look at what make-up you already have and see how it measures up to the coming season's trends.
SS17 Beauty Trends
One of the themes that dominated the catwalks at the SS17 shows was very, very natural. From just washed hair with next to no styling, to natural eyebrows, neutral eyes and fresh, clean skin, getting the basics right is key to the new season's look. Start investing now in good skin and hair care, from the outside and the inside, and it will pay dividends come spring. Concentrate on eating well, lots of antioxidants and good fats, and your hair and skin will shine.
To give those neutral eyes a boost, try a pop of bright red on the lips, as seen at a lot of the Italian shows. You could even use the lipstick '80s-style as blusher too, as seen at Kenzo, Chanel and Adam Selman.
 |
| Estee Lauder Pure Colour Envy Vinyl Lip Colour in Controversial |
For the no make-up make-up look, seen just about everywhere, make sure your skin is in tip top condition and get your lips primed too. We love the Extreme Nutritive Lip Balm Jar from Sisley, an extreme repair product perfect for combatting cold winds and centrally heated buildings. Rich in plant extracts it is soothing and moisturising, providing both instant relief and long-lasting protection.
For a more pro-active approach, try Dior's new Lip Glow Sugar. This exfoliating and nourishing stick contains grains of sugar that melt away, for incredibly soft and glossy lips.
Dependent on your skin tone, pop Dior Diorific Matte Velvet Colour Lipstick in Charm or Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips Lipstick. in Kim K.W over. What is it about a new lipstick that makes it such a positively swoonsome purchase?!
At the other end of the spectrum, space-age make-up and glitter was huge. Whilst glitter on lips, cheeks, even eyes and eyebrows may not be most people's everyday look, we can all embrace a bit of colour. This look has been growing for a few seasons now, a fusion of the '70s then '80s trends, combined with a kind of post-millennial futuristic vibe. Play with colour and have fun with different looks, although only the younger of us might get away with winged eyes in acid hues!
Dior Colour Gradation 4 Colours Eyeshadow Palette in Couture Nuance; Giorgio Armani Beauty Lip Magnet
The colour trend played out beautifully on darker skins, with lots of pinks and orangey golds, just stunning when applied well. Coral lips were in evidence at Chanel too, even on paler skins.
 |
| Bobbi Brown Limited Edition Pearl Cheek Glow Palette |
Finally, nails. Pale and interesting is the vibe, as natural and nude as possible. (Keep eating well, girls!) Nails Inc as ever hold the prize for this one with gorgeous new shades like Porchester Square, Montpelier Walk, Mayfair Mansion Mews and Tate.
Although there were some other extreme looks, including a deep, deep purple which moved from clothing to lips at the Acne show under Aaron de Ley's guidance. Although the MAC lipstick in Deep Rooted which he used may not be for everyone (looking as though you've been punched in the mouth, maybe not), the purple reign has found its way into nail polish, such as this incredible shade from Givenchy, Purple Ink.
All products shown are available from House of Fraser.
Happy shopping!