I realised the other day, being a makeup lover and a makeup artist, that there are some products I find myself incapable of being without. So, check your makeup stash; if you don’t own these already, it’s time to go shopping.
A liquid illuminator
No matter what your skin type may be, a good liquid illuminator can work wonders. If you happen to have oily skin,you could always layer it under your foundation and set it with powder. This will prevent your face from looking two dimensional and too matte. If you have dry skin, like me, it gives a beautiful healthy glow.
It can be used under foundation, over foundation or even mixed with foundation. It can make for a beautiful subtle highlight on those no-makeup days to give your skin a little oomph or be layered with powder products to create that intense highlight.
It can also be used on your body to highlight collar bones, shoulders, and even legs (if you use it in a straight line in the centre of your leg and blend lightly, it adds a whole lot of length). When it comes to versatility, this is one amazing product. My staples are the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid in Opal, MAC Strobe Cream/MAC Lustre Drops in Sun Rush and Revlon Skin Lights in Bare Light.
A concealer
This may seem like an obvious one, but a good concealer that actually matches your skin tone is essential. It can be used in different ways. A full-coverage concealer can be used to cover blemishes when you spot-conceal, used under your eyes mixed in with moisturiser, or even sheered out with a liquid illuminator and used in place of foundation. They even work as eyelid primers, once set with powder.
My staples are the Kryolan Dermablend range and the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealers.
A cleanser
Good makeup starts and ends with clean skin. Personally, I prefer to double-cleanse in the evenings to make sure my skin is free of all the products on it. I’ve also noticed that a good cleanser has made a major difference to the blemishes that visit my face once in a while. You can get your cleanser in various types — bi-phase cleansers such as the Neutrogena Makeup Remover and the Clarins Makeup Remover, balms and oils like the Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm and Oil, or my personal favourite, The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Balm and Oil, and traditional face wash-type cleansers. I love anything with coal in it.
A nourishing moisturiser
This is where I find a lot of people going wrong. Because you tend to sweat (especially in a place like Chennai), a lot of people skip moisturiser to prevent this. But, be it oily skin or dehydrated, humid or dry weather, a good moisturiser is something everyone needs. I love using moisturising oils. They create a wonderful base for your makeup, as well as give your skin an instant boost. I use them during the day and night, depending on the type of skin. You can even use them to treat common skin problems such as dullness and hyper pigmentation. However, if oils scare you, I suggest you start with a good regular moisturiser. I love the Cetaphil Moisturising Cream as well as the Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre. With regard to oil, I love using The Body Shop Vitamin E Overnight Serum in Oil, the Clarins Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil and any form of Vitamin C Oil as a nightly treatment.
A blending brush
After all this makeup and skincare talk, this may throw you off a little, but I truly believe a good blending brush is the only makeup tool you really need (If you check my kit, you would notice about 20 different blending brushes). Every aspect of your makeup, from foundation and powder to placing your eye shadow, can be achieved using sponges and your fingers, but nothing can blend out eye shadow like a good blending brush.
Not only does it blend out the harsh lines of eye shadow, it can also be used to set your under-eyes with powder, place and blend out highlighter, contour and even conceal both under the eyes and blemishes. Honestly, there is nothing a blending brush can’t do (except perhaps foundation, but if you have the patience, it can probably do that as well!). My top picks for a good blending brush are the MAC 217, 224, Hakuhodo J146, Zoeva 227, 228 and 134.
(Shrutilaya Ramanathan is a makeup artist and hairstylist)
