Sunday, August 23, 2009

BEAUTY Streamline Your Make-up Kit

Is your beauty bag bulging with products you never use? We reveal the latest essentials that will revolutionise your look!

What’s lurking in the bottom of your make-up bag? For many of us, the answer would be a few genuine essential items, which are far outnumbered by powders that don’t match our colouring and a multitude of unused lipsticks that looked great in the shop, but not on.
If you don’t look better, younger or fresher when you apply your make-up, it’s time to rethink what you keep in your kit. Beauty counters are literally packed with promising new products in gorgeous colours - why, then, do many of us find overhauling our choices so daunting?
Most of us tend to stick with products we find easy to use, or hold on to just in case we ever need them. However, just changing a few items is all that’s needed to totally revitalise your look.
Read on to find out which products to ditch and which to save, as well as the new core essentials every woman should have in her kit to help her look beautiful every day.
Your Make-Up Amnesty
Tip out all your products and ask yourself the following questions for each one:
Is it past its prime? Here’s a general shelf-life rule: Foundation, concealer, lipgloss and lipstick have a life of up to 18 months, and it’s okay to keep powder, blusher and bronzer for up to two years. Eyeliner and eye shadow have just a year, while it’s time to buy mascara after six months.

Is it an expensive mistake? Foundations and lipsticks tend to be the most common beauty blunders, as we often buy the wrong shades. It is suggested to keep lipsticks to mix together for a new shade, but sometimes you have to be brutal. If a foundation is the wrong shade for your skin, there’s usually no way to salvage it - expensive or not.

Is it the wrong shade for the season?

As we move to autumn, put aside the light, shimmery shades that work with a summer glow: you need different shades and textures now. And, come spring, you’ll need to do the same thing again.

Is it embarrassing? Anything that’s broken, missing a lid or that’s nearly run out needs to go. Similarly, items that smell odd (a sign they’ve gone off) or are dirty and can’t be cleaned, also need to be thrown in the bin.

Have you been using it for years? If you’ve had certain staples in your kit for years, get a second opinion to see if they still suit you, or if it’s time to try something new. Ask an honest friend - you’re too used to how you look to determine if a product is working for you.

Do you have any ‘wow’ items? If you don’t have anything that gives you a special effect, like a gorgeous eyeliner or perhaps some eyelash curlers, you should probably invest in one.

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