Who else finds it difficult to master the art of getting your cat flicks the same shape?! So let’s not get us started on attempting and failing to do a half decent cut crease. Well, this Insta account totally puts us to shame because the eye art that Lucinda Graham creates is out of this world!
While most 14-year olds these days know how to contour and bake, for us, we’ve experienced some pretty shameful faux pas…
1. Over-plucking your eyebrows.
You did it, I did, we all did it. But none of us know why we did it.
From poppin’ highlighters to enviable lip colours, Fashion Week has seen it all. And it’s no different backstage where the world’s best makeup artists and hairstylists set the beauty trends for next season.
We’ve rounded up some of our fave looks from the week to give you some beauty inspo:
Glitter Brows
Signing myself up for this challenge was a big achievement in itself. Over the years, I’d never ever ever be seen without make-up. Rumour has it I’d put it on first thing in the morning before anyone (not even family members) could see me without it. True story.
My biggest issue is redness. Without make-up, I look like I’ve just crossed the finish line of a half marathon when in reality I’ve just had a duvet day and been a bit of a slob.
At the gym, it’s great. I can do 25 minutes of HIIT training and slope off looking like I’ve been in there for hours. But in life, not so much. My teens were spent investing in every green concealer and foundation you could find. I even used to put talc on them to try and mask the lobster look.
So to willingly sign away five days of my life make-up free a couple of years later was a pretty big deal. Here’s how I got on…
Day 1
Ironically, I ended up rushing around more than usual in the morning with the effects of a late night taking their toll. This wasn’t helped by a power walk to work in the wind with two bags and a suitcase, plus a run-in with one of those people you really don’t wanna see sans Double Wear. So I rocked up to HQ a little flushed to say the least. I then spent the morning subconsciously explaining the fact I was doing a make-up free challenge to anyone and everyone so they didn’t think I was ill or just woke up late. Aside from getting a shock each time I went to the loo and looked in the mirror, I otherwise forgot about the challenge.
Day 2
Since I’ve pretty much mastered washing my hair and getting ready in twenty minutes on the daily, I didn’t really get much more of a lie in than usual. Thanks to a very windy day, I arrived at work once again flushed AF and nipping out into town on lunch only ended with similar results. I’m not sure whether it was psychological, since I looked like I’d had an all-nighter without eye make-up, but I felt more tired than usual. Maybe I’d had too much sleep with my extra five minutes of ZZs…
Day 3
Despite my morning routine becoming less about highlighting and more about cleansing and toning, I spied a sneaky spot. Shock horror. I guess I was semi-cheating with the challenge in that I volunteered to do it on a week where I had little to no plans after work or at the weekend that involved me being out and about. When the topic cropped up again in a conversation at work, a very kind colleague told me they wouldn’t have even noticed I didn’t have make-up on. Somehow I didn’t quite believe them…
Day 4
So far, anything that drew attention to the challenge in question (and my bare fare) meant I turned redder than red but if I forgot about it, the redness calmed down. As part of the challenge, I took one selfie a day and I didn’t hate any of them – though my flat does have great lighting.
Day 5
As I started this challenge on a Tuesday, my final day of being makeup free fell on a Saturday, which is actually one of the few days I’m more than happy to ditch the beauty blender if I’m heading to the gym or dying of a hangover.
The day started out with good intentions to workout and do my weekly shop but resulted in me doing an online order from the comfort of my bed and watching films instead. However, the temptation to resist (and albeit dry) Saturday night out was too much and since I’d already tempted fate and bumped into someone earlier in the week with my fresh face, I wasn’t prepared to hit up the bar make-up and alcohol free.
So I lasted all of four and a half days.
Word by Ettie Stevenson
The festive period is the perfect time to switch up your make-up. Whether that means ultra shimmery highlighter or beautifully metallic lips, there’s opportunity for everyone to create a beauty look that deserves a double take.
Show your friends and family that you have serious make-up skills this Christmas by taking inspo from these utter goddesses.
Olivia Buckland (@oliviadbuck)
The Love Island star has been showing us she knows a thing or two about fashion and now she is also giving us serious make-up envy. This smoky eye and shimmery brown pout is a wearable update to a vampy make-up look.
