BC Skin Journal
BC Blog
Ageing eyes? 13 beauty tips every mature woman needs to know
by Jo Boyden
on Feb 23 2023
If you’ve had enough of looking older than you are (or feel) thanks to your ageing eyes (we’re talking wrinkles, sagging, dark circles and more), you’re worried about your once luscious lashes getting thinner and sparser, or you’re simply over people telling you how tired you look, we hear you! Unfortunately our eyes are the first area of our face to show ageing, but help is on hand, and it doesn’t involve surgery or injectables! We’ve put together the top 13 beauty tips for ageing eyes to help every mature woman look years younger naturally….keep reading…Use an Eye Cream specifically designed for mature skin, and use it religiouslyUsing an eye cream specifically designed for mature skin can help reduce wrinkles and fine lines around the eyes. Make sure to use an eye cream that contains vitamin c for skin brightening, fatty acids and peptides, which help stimulate collagen production and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.Try: Vie Collection Chrono Eyes Puffiness Dark Circles Wrinkles Cream. Formulated with hyaluronic acid, injectables-like peptide, Phytosterols + Fatty acids, Vitamin C and Vitamin B3! This beautifully fine cream deeply nourishes the eye area while reversing puffiness, dark circles, and wrinkles! Seriously! it gives immediate gratification thanks to a pearlescent finish that instantly brightens the eye area, and it has definitely calmed my puffiness, lightened my dark circles, and even smoothed my wrinkles! I’m testament to that!Invest in a gemstone facial rollerAnd thank me later! By introducing this little gem (pardon the pun!) into your morning beauty routine, you’ll calm any fluid build-up around your eye area (which unfortunately increases with age). As well as their many medicinal benefits gemstone rollers can dramatically reduce puffiness by removing excess fluid around the eyes towards your lymph nodes where it filters out toxins! So clever! To find out more about gemstone rollers and their multitude of benefits click here.Use good undereye concealerLet’s face it, undereye circles can age you! While you’ll eye cream can improve the appearance greatly, a good undereye concealer can work it’s magic by totally covering them! Firstly though you’ll want to prime your skin first. This will help fill in any lines and make the skin appear smoother (essential if you want to prevent makeup falling into the creases and exacerbating signs of eye ageing!) Use your ring finger and gently dab your primer over the wrinkles to the sides of your eyes and spread.Now it’s time for your concealer. A good undereye concealer can give you complete coverage as well as make you look bright-eyed in seconds! Choose a shade lighter than your natural skin tone (as this will help brighten the area) but also opt for a “peachy” tone as this will counteract the blueish tinge of the shadows.Try ELES Dual Action Concealer my secret weapon for concealing my dark under eye circles and helping me look like I’ve had 8 hours of blissful slumber as opposed to only 5! It’s formulated with a myriad of anti-ageing wonder ingredients including Hyaluronic acid, Caffeine, Vitamins C & E, Collagen and more! And it actually helps to gradually improve skin’s texture while concealing those obvious under eye dark circles. Its moisturising formula provides continuous hydration as well as a natural longwearing finish meaning it lasts for hours without seeping into fine lines and wrinkles! It’s seriously good stuff. Simply apply with a small concealer brush and then finish with a powder to set the concealer so it doesn’t crease.For the most brightening effect, apply your concealer in a “V” or upside-down triangle shape beneath your eye. Swipe it directly under the eye, but bring it down to a point on your cheek beside your nostril and fill in the entire area.Use a little eye shadow to create the illusion of bigger eyesTo make our eyes look bigger, gently sweep a vanilla coloured shadow on your eyelids from your eyelashes to the crease. Use a medium tone shade in the crease – and slightly above the crease if you have hooded eyes. It can make your eyes pop without you looking OTT. Then use a touch of the vanilla-coloured eyeshadow just beneath the arch of your eyebrow to lift the eye, as well as at the inner corner of the eye.Wear mascara but choose it wiselyMascara is one of the most important products for adding definition and volume to the eyes, but there are a few points you need to know when it comes to selecting the right mascara for your ageing eyes.- Check out the ingredients in the mascara you are using. You might well have fallen for the marketing hype – longer, fuller lashes in seconds, but if your mascara contains preservatives, they can irritate your eyes which in turn will make you rub them more, this results in unwanted lash loss and let’s face it you want to cling onto those lashes of yours.- Be wary of using waterproof mascara daily. Waterproof mascara does indeed cause less smudging and smearing however the formulation can be harsher on your eye lashes, causing them to dry out as well as be tougher to remove (cue rubbing!) Where possible use water-soluble long wear mascaras but when you need to go waterproof (essential for beach and pool breaks) just be sure to check out the ingredients and remove with a good eye makeup remover.- Opt for smudge proof, lash-defining mascara. Sadly one of the symptoms of ageing eyes can be skin sagging this is when wearing mascara can be tricky as more often than not the mascara will smudge all around the eyes! By choosing a long-wear lash-defining mascara like ELES Lash Fortifying Mascara you’ll reduce any mascara fall out and every lash will be evenly coated and separated for that perfect natural look. What’s more the mascara is formulated with hydrolyzed keratin, panthenol, hyaluronic acid and vitamin e to strengthen, condition and protect lashes.- Mascara expires. When it does, throw it out and buy another, even if you think you’ve got a few more weeks or months in it! Every time you use your mascara you are pumping air into the wand, this creates bacteria. The average life of a mascara once used for the first time is 3 months. An expired mascara can (and will!) spark lash loss and lets face it you don’t need to be losing any more lashes!Don’t use an eye lash curler to curl your lashes, try this instead…You’ve been told to curl your lashes with an eyelash curler to create more volume and lift for your lashes, but this isn’t a good option as we get older. This is because as we age our lashes do too. It’s inevitable they will get weaker and thinner. Using an eyelash curler can create more damage than good and the curler can cause lashes to break. Instead a popular way to curl your lashes is by using a metal teaspoon. Press the spoon, concave side in, against your eyelid above your lashes. Now use your fingertip to press your eyelashes against the convex curve of the bottom of the spoon. Hold your lashes in place for 10 to 15 seconds and repeat in the corners. Or you can even use something as simple as your finger to curl your lashes! Simply close your eye and use your fingertip to gently push your upper eyelashes up against the top of your eyelid. Hold the eyelashes up for 30 seconds and then release them.Use a white eye pencil or waterline liner to brighten eyesAfter applying your eyeshadow and mascara, next line the inner rim of your lower lash line or waterline as it’s otherwise known with a white pencil or a nude waterline liner! (We recommend ELES’s Waterline liner). By doing so it’ll immediately open up your eyes as well as make the whites of your eyes look whiter (synonymous with younger looking eyes!)Don’t Rub Your Eyes! For itchy or irritated eyes try this insteadRubbing your eyes can cause wrinkles and dark circles. If you have itchy or irritated eyes, use a cold compress or eye drops to relieve the symptom. Applying slices of cucumbers is also a great idea! The cooling effect of the cucumber will relax the skin and alleviate any irritation or swelling around the eyes!Reduce Sun ExposureWe all know excessive exposure to the sun is the no.1 reason for skin ageing. But too much time soaking up those harmful rays can also result in premature wrinkles and age spots around the delicate eye area too. Make sure you’re always wearing sunglasses when outdoors to protect your peepers but also wear a hat and apply sunscreen too! You protect the rest of your skin, so don’t forgo the eye zone!Lay off the salt!Believe it or not, too much salt in your diet can affect your eyes and make them look older. Unfortunately, the delicate skin around your eyes is at higher risk of getting puffy the more salt you consume. Extra sodium unfortunately makes your body retain water. This excess water causes puffiness. Aghhh. So, try to ditch (ok maybe just cut down!) on those favourite foods (and drinks) of yours that are heavy on the salt.Stay HydratedWhen your body is dehydrated, your skin cells start to lose their plumpness. The skin around your eyes is already thinner than other parts of the body, so any reduction in plumpness in this area is visible relatively quickly. As a result, dehydration can cause your eye area to appear darker, discoloured, sunken, or hollow so you will look older than your years! By drinking plenty of water (aim for 8 glasses a day) you will help keep your skin hydrated and smooth, which can help reduce the appearance of those unwanted obvious wrinkles, fine lines and dark circles!. Remember water hydrates and plumps skin cells to make your skin look brighter, vibrant, and more youthful. It’s amazing stuff!Don’t go to sleep with your eye makeup onI’m sure we’ve all been guilty of skipping our evening cleansing routine once in a while because the idea of peeling ourselves off our bed just doesn’t feel like an option, but did you know just how bad this can be for your eyes? Not removing your makeup at night hinders the skin renewal process that takes place while you sleep. The days makeup and grime can clog the pores and trap dirt which can be damaging to your skin but you’re your delicate eye area. Mascaras make your lashes stiff; it’s part of its job. But leaving it on while you sleep will cause the stiffness to turn into dryness that can trigger lashes to break and soon result to lash fallouts! So instead opt for a good, gentle, easy-to-use eye makeup remover. We love Phytomer’s Doux Contour Eye and Lip Waterproof Makeup Remover as it simply melts away makeup and grime with minimum effort! Combining the effectiveness of an oil (a trio of oils in fact) and the gentleness of a lotion, this ultra-hydrating makeup remover, eradicates even the most stubborn eye makeup both gently and fast!Get Enough SleepNot getting enough sleep can cause your skin to look puffy and dull. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep a night to ensure your skin looks fresh and youthful.With the right products and habits and by following these simple tips, you can keep eyes looking younger for longer without resorting to expensive treatments or surgery.
Mature skin? The best way to cover under eye dark circles
by Jo Boyden
on Dec 09 2022
Eyes looking tired? Dark circles more apparent? Unfortunately as we age so do our eyes! In fact our eyes experience ageing before any other part of our face, so dark under-eye circles, puffy peepers and fine lines and wrinkles are a given. All is not lost though! By arming yourself with a few key products, familiarising yourself with a couple of simple makeup tricks, and following our step-by-step guide, you can both improve and cover under-eye dark circles and other signs of eye ageing, even for those of us with mature skin! Firstly why do we get dark under-eye circles as we age? As we get older, our skin becomes thinner. This is the result of a decrease in fat and collagen production (which maintains our skin’s elasticity) As this occurs, the dark blood vessels beneath our skin become more visible, causing the area below our eyes to darken. Dark under eye circles can also be the cause of lack of sleep (which unfortunately increases with age too!) as well as poor blood circulation and insufficient toxin drainage! What is the best way to improve and cover dark under-eye circles? Start by giving yourself a mini facial massage with a gemstone roller By doing so you’ll help improve circulation, remove toxins from the eye area significantly improving dark circles and bags under the eyes, reduce inflammation, refresh the skin and tone your face! In fact gemstone rollers offer a multitude of other benefits too to your skin too. Click here to find out more. Invest in a good eye cream or gel or both! For mornings when your eyes are feeling particularly puffy, reaching for a cooling eye gel will do wonders for reviving this delectate area while reducing puffiness. We love Pevonia’s C Evolutive Eye Gel, it’s a personal favourite of mine and highly recommended by the BC Pros. It’s a wonderful, cooling gel, formulated with anti-ageing dynamo Vitamin C, skin saviours’ hyaluronic acid and Ginkgo biloba, as well as green coffee and it’ll have your peepers decongested and depuffed in one swift application! Also use a tapping motion with your finger which you apply it. This can help get rid of any fluid that’s accumulated under the delicate eye area. If it’s dark circles you appear to be constantly suffering from, we highly recommend Vie Collection’s Chrono Eyes Puffiness-Dark Circles Wrinkle Cream. It’s a mouthful to say, but a product that does exactly what it says! It’s a beautifully fine cream enriched with moisturising ingredients to nourish the eye area while reversing puffiness, dark circles, and wrinkles! Oh and it instantly brightens the eye area too! Use a primer under your eyes before applying makeup As you age your skin becomes more prone to fine lines around your eyes. You want to conceal them but it’s best to do so by using a primer first. This will help fill in any lines and make the skin appear smoother (essential if you want to prevent makeup falling into the creases and exacerbating signs of eye ageing!) Use your ring finger and gently dab your primer over the wrinkles to the sides of your eyes and spread. Invest in a good concealer When it comes to camouflaging dark under eye circles, a concealer is by far your best bet. A good undereye concealer can give you complete coverage as well as make you look bright-eyed in seconds! Choose a shade lighter than your natural skin tone (as this will help brighten the area) but also opt for a “peachy” tone as this will counteract the blueish tinge of the shadows. Try ELES Dual Action Concealer. my secret weapon for concealing my dark under eye circles and helping me look like I’ve had 8 hours of blissful slumber as opposed to only 5! It’s formulated with a myriad of anti-ageing wonder ingredients including Hyaluronic acid, Caffeine, Vitamins C & E, Collagen and more! And it actually helps to gradually improve skin’s texture while concealing those obvious under eye dark circles. Its moisturising formula provides continuous hydration as well as a natural longwearing finish meaning it lasts for hours without seeping into fine lines and wrinkles! It’s seriously good stuff. Simply apply with a small concealer brush and then finish with a powder to set the concealer so it doesn’t crease. For the most brightening effect, apply your concealer in a “V” or upside-down triangle shape beneath your eye. Swipe it directly under the eye, but bring it down to a point on your cheek beside your nostril and fill in the entire area. Don’t forget to add a little illuminator and waterline liner to your eyes too! Adding a little white eyeshadow (or pencil or illuminator) to the inner corner of your eyes, as well as waterline pencil to the waterline of your eyes, you’ll attract attention away from ageing eyes and create the illusion of younger, brighter, more wide awake eyes with one little dot of the finger!
The best eyeshadow tips for ageing eyes
by Jo Boyden
on Nov 17 2022
If you’re worried about ageing eyes you might well have stopped wearing eyeshadow in fear it will only exacerbate your fine lines and wrinkles. The thing is eyeshadow and all eye makeup for that matter serves a very important purpose no matter what your age! It can add depth and dimension to your eyes making them appear larger, it can complement your eye colour or simply draw attention to the eyes! And most importantly it will bring back life to your ageing eye area! Genius! So instead of forgoing eyeshadow, you just need to alter how, and which type you use! To get the lowdown, we talked to the experts at BC! Keep scrolling as we countdown 10 of the best eyeshadow tips for mature women. Start with a good eye cream It’s likely you’re doing this already, but if not, you’ll want (and need) the delicate skin around your eyes to be properly nourished! And we are talking both the eyelid and the undereye area! For a great eye cream for ageing eyes try Pevonia’s Age Correction Eye Contour. It’s formulated with Marine Collagen, Marine Elastin and Green Team which not only provide eyes with powerful anti-ageing benefits, it smooths, first and deeply nourishing the fragile eye zone too. Use a primer As our skin ages, under-eye wrinkles and crows feet become more apparent – they are a fact of life for us all! A good primer however will help reduce their appearance while increasing the longevity of your eyeshadow! It’ll also prep your eyelids preventing eye makeup from creasing, feathering, smudging or smearing! Apply a good under-eye concealer This will make eyes appear bigger and brighter in prep for your eyeshadow. Concealer isn't just for brightening up your under eyes though. Prepping the eye with a concealer that's about two shades lighter than your actual shade will make your eyeshadow more pigmented and in turn pop a lot more.You’ll need to use one with has a hydrating formula as this will add additional nourishment to the eye area as well as prevent the concealer from settling into fine lines and wrinkles.Try ELES Cosmetics Dual Action Concealer. Use a waterproof or long-lasting gel eyeliner You don’t want to get to lunch time and find yourself with panda eyes! No sireee. By using a waterproof or long-lasting gel eyeliner, it’ll stay in place all day plus give eyes much needed depth and definition. Try ELES Cosmetics Superwear Gel Liner. Line your eyes with a waterline liner Eyes tend to look duller and tired with age. A waterline liner will open up your eyes instantly creating the illusion of bigger, brighter, more youthful looking eyes.Simply apply your normal eyeliner to your top lash line then apply your waterline liner to the inner rim of your lower lash line. (We recommend ELES Cosmetics Waterline Liner). By doing so it’ll immediately open up your eyes as well as make the whites of your eyes look whiter. It works a treat I can vouch for that! Opt for matte eyeshadow and go mineral Eye shadow comes in many different colours and textures but for ageing eyes matte eyeshadows are the way to go. Those with mature eyes might find matte eyeshadow more longwearing and less likely to fade on their skin. Your best bet is to stock up on mineral matte eyeshadows that are pigmented without emphasizing fine lines but also packed with antioxidant vitamins A, C & E to pamper lids with crease-proof perfection. Try ELES Cosmetics Mineral Matte Shadows. Better still try the ELES Build your own Shadow Palette, you get to select which ever 3 shades of mineral shadow shades you want! A trio of colours on your eyes is always better than one, they will make your eyes stand out more and can also increase their size and let’s face it bigger eyes are more youthful! Choose lighter eyeshadow shades Opt for a lighter, natural eyeshadow shades rather than dark, smoky shades on your eyelids and around the eyes. Using neutral colours like shades of light browns, light pinks, beiges, or greys are best. Also add a light colour eyeshadow shade to the inner corner, lower lash line in outer corner, and the inner lid. Apply eye shadow correctly Don’t take your base eyeshadow shade and simply plonk it on the centre of your lid. Using a small eyeshadow brush, start from the outer corner of the eyes and work inwards, so that the colour gets gradually lighter. This will help give your eyes a bigger, wide-eyed look. Finish with mascara No matter your age, mascara will always be a go-to product. A good mascara (we are talking smudge-proof, waterproof, and long-lasting) adds volume and strengthens brittle lashes to keep them looking full and luscious. Fuller-looking lashes can also help to give a more youthful appearance to the eye area. However, it’s best not to wear mascara on the lower lashes as this can make your eyes look droopy as well as draw attention to dark circles and under eye wrinkles. Use a setting spray or powder Finally, to prevent eyeshadow fallout (after all we want it to stay in place all day or night long!) use a setting spray or if setting sprays aren't your thing, opt for a setting powder instead! Both work to lock your makeup in place. Try Pevonia Hyaluronic Acid Hydra Mist.
Blemished skin? How to best conceal it
by Jo Boyden
on Nov 10 2022
Whether you are dealing with all out acne, have a few blemishes that won’t budge or you’re prone to pesky pimples, you might be wondering what the best way is to conceal your imperfections. The thing is certain makeup products can exacerbate your already irritated skin, so you need to be careful how and what you put on your face. From the best skin preparation products to breathable foundations, below are our top tips for concealing skin woes.1. Prep your skinBefore applying any makeup, its essential skin is clean and well moisturised, even oily, acne prone skin needs sufficient moisture! Well-nourished skin will prevent makeup from looking cakey, as well as help skin to look less dull!Look for foaming and gel cleansers, and moisturisers specifically targeted to acne and blemished prone skin.2. Use a primerUsing a primer will not only create an even base for your makeup but it’s also an amazing must-have when it comes to prolonging the wear of your foundation, and let’s face it acne-prone skin tends to be on the oily side and the last thing you’ll want is for your foundation to slide right off your face by lunchtime! No sireee. What’s more primers also add a ‘blurring effect’ to your skin to give the illusion of a smoother complexion. And they create a barrier between your skin and your makeup preventing any further irritation too.Just be sure to look for primers that will hydrate, soothe or replenish your skin. Choosing a mattifying primer will also help to combat any excess oil and shine you might be experiencing, as well as reduce the appearance of pore size. Try ELES’s Pore Perfecting Face Primer. It’s a light-textured oil free face primer which combats shine, absorbs excess oil, reduces the appearance of large open pores, promotes antiseptic properties which is great for blemish and breakout prone skin, and it really does keep your foundation looking flawless all day long!3. Choose your makeup wiselyA concealer can offer a multitude of benefits while hiding a multitude of sins! But not every concealer can tackle every issue in one application. In general concealers are formulated to target something specific so it’s best to decipher what you want from your concealer and then select which is best for you.If it’s pimples you are trying to conceal, oil-free and non-comedogenic cover ups are best and many now have skin enhancing benefits to soothe inflammation too. Avoid mineral oil, lanolin and talc-based products which tend to block the pores and exacerbate acne. Instead opt for a mineral concealer like ELES Cosmetics Mineral Phototouch Concealer. Light-reflective minerals and line-filling micro-spheres camouflage flaws. Dark circles, blemishes and fine lines vanish!And when it comes to foundation, you’ll want it to allow your skin to breath freely to prevent blocked pores and irritated skin conditions so go for mineral.For redness, instead of using a concealer, opt for a colour corrector which will help visually correct redness and even out skin tone. Using one with UV protection will also help shield your sensitive skin from exposure that can aggravate rosacea. We are obsessed with the ELES CC Cream 20, a lightweight oil-free colour corrective cream with board spectrum protection and really does multi-task like no other!4. Be careful with how you apply your productAlways apply product with clean fingers (yes I know it sounds obvious!) or apply with a sponge, beauty blender or concealer/foundation brush to avoid contamination and ingredient breakdown. 5. Select the right shade for your skin toneMake sure that you purchase a shade that’s an exact match for your skin tone. This is very important because you want this area to appear even with the rest of your face.6. Always set your makeupA mineral powder is the best choice to set your makeup as its ingredients are usually non-irritating. Apply with a brush rather than a sponge which can harbour bacteria. We couldn’t recommend the ELES Mineral Powder Foundation more! Highly compatible with common skin sensitivities, the lightweight powder easily adjusts from sheer to richer, more opaque coverage while effectively camouflaging imperfections.Finish with a spritz of facial mist like Pevonia’s Hyaluronic Acid HydraMist. This outstanding multi-tasker not only rejuvenates skin with a burst of hydration, plumping fine lines and wrinkles, but it also relieves dry, flaky, itchy and sensitive prone skin while keeping makeup set in place all day long! Genius.
Want fuller looking lips? Here’s how to achieve them with lip liner
by Jo Boyden
on Oct 06 2022
If your lips tend to be on the thinner side like mine, getting plumper, fuller lips will likely be something you’ve always wanted. And sure, when it comes to achieving that perfect pout, lip filler can be the answer, but for a natural, non-surgical option (because the idea of needles terrifies me) some strategic lip liner application can help accomplish the same result! And while lip liner, unlike filler, might only a temporary fix, it gives you complete control over what your lips look like every single day.In fact, this once understated product is now a staple for makeup artists, influencers and makeup enthusiasts alike, and we are here to give you some lip liner tips and tricks so you too will fall in love with this trusty product and achieve the fuller lips look you so desire.Firstly though, before we start applying our lip liner, we need to prep our skin. This is important as we don’t want any crepey lips in sight. Tip 1 – exfoliate lipsJust as you exfoliate your face, you want to do so to your lips too! Lips need to be free of dry, flaky skin. Exfoliating also stimulates circulation in your lips which can make them look more voluminous! Just be sure to use a gentle exfoliator and gently remove any excess with a face cloth.Tip 2 - moisturiseNext you want to make sure your lips are well nourished. After applying your moisturiser all over your face, apply a really good lip cream like Phytomer Youth Contour Reviving Wrinkle Correction Cream – Eye and Lips, after all more often than not it is the lines around the lips which can actually be what’s making your lips look thin and aged. Top with a good lip balm and let it seep in for a few minutes.Tip 3 – concealThe last part of the prep involves your concealer! Take a cream or liquid concealer in a shade lighter than your natural lip colour and smooth all over the lips spreading it a little over your natural lip line. You want to blur the edges so that it’s harder to tell where your lip line is. Try ELES Dual Action Concealer. This anti-ageing gem is formulated with vitamin e and marine filling collagen micro-spheres which absorb natural moisture, plumping skin and smoothing the epidermal layer! Next lightly blot your lips to remove excess product.Tip 4 – application in 4 simple stepsNow it’s time for your lip liner! Lip liner not only give lips structure (and volume!) it can act as a primer to help bind lipstick to your lips if you choose to wear it after (I find my lip liner and a little gloss does the trick for me though!)Step 1.To make your lips look bigger, choose a lip liner in a natural skin tone. If you want to use a colourful lipstick, select a lip liner shade that goes well with your chosen lipstick. Step 2.Now take your lip liner and apply it just outside your natural lip line. This will perfectly model your lips and visibly correct any unevenness. Start by outlining your outer corners making your way to the middle (the cupid’s bow). Make sure you take into consideration where the middle of your lips and nose is and use this as your starting point.Step 3.Now use the side of your lip liner to fill in the rest of your lips. You’ll get much smoother results this way. For a smoother transition, put less pressure on the pencil as you would when you are doing the outer line.Step 4. Finally for that little extra cushioned effect apply a highlighter on your cupids bow. Try ELES Stick Illuminator.Finish with a sweep of lipstick or a lip plumping gloss.Voila! Follow all of these steps and achieve fuller lips instantly!
This is the best makeup product to hide redness, hands down
by Jo Boyden
on Aug 20 2022
Looking for the best makeup to conceal your facial redness? Whether you are prone to rosacea, suffer from common skin sensitivities or have a forever flushed face, CC Creams (otherwise known as Colour Correctors), are guaranteed to be your go-to.This seriously sort after product goes beyond just colour correcting though, in fact they have multiple benefits from hydrating and nourishing skin, to evening out skin tone, concealing imperfections and disguising sallowness and redness too!The perfect alternative to foundations and BB Creams, CC Creams are also jam packed with skin-loving and nurturing ingredients and come in a light/sheer formula.Sold yet? Try our favourite CC, the best-selling ELES Luminous CC Cream 20! Perfect for disguising any flushing and blushing it’s a total game changer for sensitive and rosacea prone skin. It simply colour corrects like no other as photo-luminescent diamond and an optically transparent polymer work together to “bounce” light from the skin, instantly concealing redness while visibly smoothing the skin’s surface.What’s more, it has a built in mattifier with exceptional liquid absorbency to target oil and help eliminate shine leaving skin with a flawless and pore-less looking demi-matte finish.This lightweight, oil-free formula doesn’t stop there though, it is also packed with antioxidants and other skin nourishing ingredients to protect, correct and brighten skin, diminishing imperfections while visibly calming the most inflamed of skin too. It also provides UV protection to shield skin from sun exposure which can otherwise aggravate rosacea and other common skin sensitivities and provides instant, long term moisture retention and 72 hour hydration, reducing transepidermal water loss and strengthening skins barrier function.And for this month, when you purchase the ELES Luminous CC Cream you’ll receive a Pro Blender sponge for FREE.So counter redness, conceal breakouts and dark spots, smooth skin texture and boost your glow now with the ELES Cosmetics Luminous CC Cream 20.
Want younger looking eyes? 14 tips from the BC Pros
by Jo Boyden
on Aug 05 2022
Noticed your eyes looking particularly tired of late? Dark and puffy perhaps? Or have those fine line and wrinkles you fear really started to show but the idea of Botox and fillers isn’t for you? Unfortunately, the delicate skin around our eyes is one of the first areas to show signs of ageing, so it’s essential we give it the same level of TLC as the rest of our skin! Keep reading as we reveal 15 expert tips on how to look after our eyes and make them look younger naturally.
1. Start caring for your eyes from a young age
Prevention is paramount we all know that and like with our skin you are never too young to start caring for your eyes. But fear not, just in case you’ve left it until now to really look after this most delicate area, there are still many things you can do to keep eyes looking younger so read on!
2. Give yourself a mini facial massage every day
By doing so you’ll help improve circulation and calm the fluid build-up around your eye area. Try using a gemstone roller. As well as their many medicinal benefits, they can dramatically reduce puffiness by removing excess fluid around the eyes towards your lymph nodes where it filters out toxins! So clever! To find out more about gemstone rollers and their multitude of benefits click here.
3. Apply an eye cream morning and night
You do not want to leave the skin around your eyes dry, ever! Applying an eye cream morning and night will not only ensure eyes are receiving the nourishment they require but will also help target signs of ageing and fatigue such as puffiness, under eye bags, lines and wrinkles.
Look for products formulated with hyaluronic acid and shea butter for nourishment, vitamin c for brightening and caffeine which helps reduce swelling by constricting the blood vessels. Also use a tapping motion with your finger which you apply it. This can help get rid of any excess fluid that’s accumulated under the delicate eye area.
In the morning opt for a cooling eye gel. Try Pevonia’s C Evolutive Eye Gel, it’s a personal favourite of mine and highly recommended by the BC Pros. It’s a wonderful, cooling gel, formulated with anti-ageing dynamo Vitamin C, skin saviours’ hyaluronic acid and Ginkgo biloba, as well as green coffee and it’ll have your peepers decongested and depuffed in one swift application!At night choose a nourishing eye cream like Vie Collection’s Chrono Eyes Puffiness-Dark Circles Wrinkles Cream. Yes, a mouthful to say, but a product that does exactly what it says. It’s a beautifully fine cream enriched with moisturising ingredients to nourish the eye area while reversing puffiness, dark circles, and wrinkles! Seriously! it gives immediate gratification thanks to a pearlescent finish that instantly brightens the eye area, and it has definitely calmed my puffiness, lightened my dark circles, and even smoothed my wrinkles!
4. Use a primer under your eyes before applying makeup
As you age your skin becomes more prone to fine lines around your eyes. You want to conceal them but it’s best to do so by using a primer first. This will help fill in any lines and make the skin appear smoother (essential if you want to prevent makeup falling into the creases and exacerbating the appearance of the lines!) Use your ring finger and gentle dab your primer over the wrinkles to the sides of your eyes and spread.
5. Invest in a good concealer
As well as becoming prone to fine lines and wrinkles, the delicate skin around our eyes becomes thinner with age too! This unfortunately makes it easier to see the blood vessels beneath you skin which is what causes the appearance of dark circles. It’s best to choose a concealer that is lighter than your foundation (this will help brighten your eyes) and one that is yellow based as this will counteract any purple or blue that you may have in your undereye thanks to the blood vessels. Use a concealer brush, beauty blender or your fingers to blend.
Try ELES Dual Action Concealer. This anti-aging concealer actually helps to gradually improve skin’s texture while concealing those obvious under eye dark circles. Its moisturising formula provides continuous hydration as well as a natural longwearing finish meaning it lasts for hours without seeping into fine lines and wrinkles!
6. Line the outer edges of your upper lid to make your eyes look lifted
Annoyingly as we get older the skin on our eyelids tends to droop too! By using an eyeliner on your top lash line from the middle to the outer corners with a tiny flick at the end (we are talking very subtle cats’ eye) will bring back the youthful shape to your eyes. Just be sure the line is thin as you want it to look natural and not over done!
7. Curl your lashes!
While applying lashings of mascara to lashes will enhance your eyes, remember to curl your lashes first. This will open up your eyes for a wide-eyed look. While it might be a small step, it’s a subtle one that can make a big difference so don’t skip on it.
Just be sure to apply two coats of mascara after curling. This will help lock the curl in place as well as add volume to your lashes.
8. Add definition and shape to your thinning eyebrows
As you age your eyebrows get naturally thinner. By adding definition and shape to them you can completely transform your face and give the appearance of an instant eye lift! Start by brushing your eyebrows so the hairs are sitting naturally, then use a soft, waxy brow pencil like the ELES Precision Brow Pencil to shape and fill in your brows using short, hair-like strokes. Read more on how to create the perfect brows.
9. Reduce your sodium (salt!) intake
Believe it or not, too much salt in your diet can affect your eyes and make them look older. Unfortunately, the delicate skin around your eyes is at higher risk of getting puffy the more salt you consume. Extra sodium unfortunately makes your body retain water. This excess water causes puffiness. Aghhh. So, try to ditch (ok maybe just cut down!) on the chips, takeaway and if you’re a fan like me, the margarita’s too!
10. Take a break from screen time
We are all guilty of spending hours in front of our devices, but this excessive screen time can actually reap havoc with our precious peepers thanks to the blue light they omit! The thing is screens are a part of our daily lives so while it’s not possible to get rid of them, reducing the time spent in front of them or having breaks in between to rest our eyes can help dramatically. To learn more about blue light damage and how it affects your eyes, click here.
11. Apply cucumbers (and chamomile tea bags) to your eyes
It’s no myth, by placing slices of cool cucumber over your closed eyelids for 5-10 minutes will help brighten and hydrate your eyes as well as reduce puffiness thanks to the Vitamin C and caffeic acid. While applying lukewarm chamomile tea bags directly on the eyelids will calm the skin and reduce inflammation.
12. As well as cucumbers, apply raw potato slices to your eyes!
That’s right, applying slices of refrigerated potato to your eyes is another fantastic natural remedy to reduce undereye circles and puffiness. The enzymes and the astringent properties in the potatoes also help reduce inflammation as well as tighten the skin too. Genius!
13. Get enough shut eye
Lack of sleep can affect our eyes, fact. Afterall who hasn’t woken up with saggy, puffy eyes of a morning when they haven’t had enough sleep? Sleep helps the body renew and repair itself and allows your eyes to rest, while letting that eye cream you’ve applied before bed work its magic!
So, it’s time to make sleep a priority. I know easier said than done for some, but I also know myself that I need to practice what I preach, and if I wanted to, I could put down that book or turn off the tv or close my laptop an hour before I actually do each night!
14. Wear sunglasses religiously
After all, you want to protect those sensitive peepers of yours as much as possible and we all know the sun is THE no. 1 cause of premature ageing!
Look 10 years younger with these top 10 makeup tips
by Jo Boyden
on Jul 07 2022
Ah makeup! My saving grace! Not only can it create the illusion of flawless skin, totally transform our appearance, cover up imperfections and boost our confidence, it can also take years off our face! You just need to arm yourself with the right makeup products and follow these top tips and we’ll have you looking 10 years younger in next to no time! Always moisturise your skin before applying your base I mean it’s a given, no matter what your skin type you should always moisturise your face every morning anyway, but applying a moisturiser before your makeup will not only hydrate your skin but also smooth your skin’s surface for a more even foundation application, and no one wants their makeup to look cakey! Oh! and if you have combination to dry skin, it’ll be next to impossible to create that perfect canvas for your foundation without moisturising first! Choose the right foundation You really can disguise the ageing process and look years younger with makeup, but you have to choose your products carefully. For example face powder, when used correctly and frugally can be a fantastic makeup staple (I have been I’m in love with the ELES Mineral Powder Foundation for years!) however, no matter your skin type, too much face powder can actually age you! That’s right, it can highlight fine lines and wrinkles instead of helping to conceal them, so it’s best to use powder sparingly – on your t-zone or as the perfect tool for quick touch ups.Foundations that have sheer to light coverage and a luminous finish will be your best choice especially for older skin or those concerned about fine lines and wrinkles. Dewy liquid foundations tend to be better than matte, also make sure the foundation is formulated with hydrating ingredients.I am a huge advocate for both the ELES Mineral Sheer Tint and ELES Cosmetics best-selling Age Defying BB Cream 30. It primes, tints, nourishes, protects, blurs and evens out your skin tone for a truly, natural, flawless finish. And thanks to its skin-loving ingredients including Vitamin E, Goji berry, Squalane; its multi-mineral complex, and age defying peptides, over time it will help to promote cell health, strengthen elasticity, reduce the appearance of fine lines and restore that natural glow you once donned! What’s more, you’ll feel as though you aren’t even wearing makeup! Use a good under-eye concealer for an instant eye lift Concealer is another amazing staple in your beauty arsenal that can dramatically change your appearance. Used correctly, concealer can brighten a tired complexion, cover up any blemishes, conceal dark under-eye circles and have you looking bright-eyed in seconds! Therefore, to hide those dark circles and puffy tired eyes which can make us look and feel every bit of our age, ensure you are armed with a goood concealer! I’m currently obsessed with the ELES Dual Action Concealer. It honestly gives me an instant eye lift every morning! It’s packed with amazing anti-ageing and eye nurturing ingredients, and on application dark circles and puffiness literally diminish within seconds, oh and any blemishes I might have too! Just be sure to keep concealer from drawing attention to your wrinkles by applying it correctly and selecting the correct shade!Choose a shade that’s lighter than your natural skin tone as this will help brighten your under eye area. And for the most brightening effect, apply your concealer in a “V” or upside-down triangle shape beneath your eye. Swipe it directly under the eye, but bring it down to a point on your cheek beside your nostril and fill in the entire area. Blend well with a small makeup brush and then finish with a very light dusting of powder to set the concealer so it doesn’t crease. Apply a little bronzer We are all on a quest for that healthy youthful glow, especially in the winter months when it’s almost non-existent, but dusting copious amounts of bronzer all over our nose, chin, cheeks and forehead can play up fine lines and large pores as the powder sinks into them. The best (and the most flattering!) way is to apply your bronzer with a bronzer brush to the perimeter of your face in the shape of a number three. Start on your forehead near your temples and loop down to the tops of your cheekbones, then curve out and around again along your jaw. Illuminate your face with a highlighter Along with freshening up your complexion and giving it a gorgeous glow, highlighter can be used strategically to lift and contour your face, making it appear more youthful. Apply highlighter to the tops of your cheekbones, brow bones and Cupid’s bow. Try ELES Stick Illuminator. I personally can’t get enough of it! Always use a blush Just a few swipes of blush will not only add colour and depth to your cheeks but can make your entire complexion look healthier, and your skin more youthful. It adds an extra glow that bronzer and highlighter just can’t mimic. Just be sure to apply it correctly – use a blush brush and lift colour upwards towards your temple from the apple of your cheek. I’ve been using the ELES Baked Blush for years now and just love its pigmented colour, easy application and the healthy-looking finish it gives me. Keep eye makeup simple As we get older our collagen and elastin decreases and the skin around our delecate eye area tends to thin out and start to droop. Heavy or droopy lids can make eyes look tired so you want to keep eye makeup light but also create the illusion of depth in the lids. To do this brush a wash of light brown shadow into the creases of your eye lids and add a tough of light shimmer shadow to the inner corners of your eyes. Brighten eyes with a waterline eyeliner Investing in a waterline eyeliner will be a game changer for tired eyes. All you need to do is line your bottom waterline for an instantly wide-eyed effect. We promise you it’s worth the money as one swipe will truly create brighter, younger looking eyes. Always use mascara It’s no secret that beautiful eyelashes make you look 10 times prettier, and younger! Curl your eyelashes (With a proper curl, lashes will look longer, thicker and fuller) and always apply lashings of mascara, by doing so eyes will appear larger and more awake, something that is synonymous with youth! Fake full brows Just as the hair on our heads can thin with age, so do our eyebrows! The thing is your brows can completely change how your face looks, and fuller, well shaped brows will add immediate dimension and help to sculpt the face making you look younger and more awake!Actually, filling in your eyebrows from the top of the brow and elongating it gives eyes a more youthful look. Just be sure you don’t overfill the front part of your brow though! This area should have soft hair that graduates into more density. If you overfill this area you can make your eye brows look way too harsh.For longevity it’s best to build up your brows with a combo of brow pencil then set with a powder shadow one shade lighter than brows. Try ELES Precision Brow Pencil and ELES Brow Sculpt. Read more on how to create perfect brows.And for a bonus tip always add a pop of colour to your pout! As we age our lips get drier and thinner. By using a lipliner you can add definition to lips, then follow with a sweep of hydrating lip balm like the ELES Colour Balm as this can make your lips appear plumper and give them a youthful fullness we all desire!
6 makeup essentials you need this winter
by Jo Boyden
on Jun 16 2022
Even though we’ve been blessed with days of blue skies and sunshine these last few weeks, it doesn’t take away from the cold of winter and the havoc this season can play on our skin! Many of us will have noticed a change in our complexions of late! Why? Because with winter comes dull, devitalised skin thanks to both internal and external factors! And yes, while it’s time to make some serious changes with our skincare routine you’ll want to up the ante when it comes to your makeup choices too!Read on a we reveal our top 6 makeup must-haves this winter - nourishing and brightening products suitable for all! THE FOUNDATION - ELES Age Defying BB Cream 20If your skin is dull and lacking life you want to choose a foundation with hydrating and skin brightening benefits. After all your foundation should enhance your complexion, not mask it. This winter change up your foundation for one formulated with hyaluronic and Vitamin A, these key ingredients will help skin appear more hydrated, plumped and healthy!ELES Cosmetics range of foundations are all formulated with these skin boosting ingredients but for dreary devitalised skin a sheer or satin-finish foundation will be your best bet, especially as skin tends to be drier in the cooler, winter months! The ELES Age Defying BB Cream 20 is a multi-tasking miracle! It literally primes, tints, nourishes, protects, blurs and evens out your skin tone for a truly, natural, flawless finish. And thanks to its skin-loving ingredients over time it helps to promote cell health, strengthen elasticity, reduce the appearance of fine lines and restore that natural glow you once donned! What’s more, you’ll feel as though you aren’t even wearing makeup oh and it provides skin with the necessary sun protection which is just as imperative in the cooler winter months!THE COVER-UP - ELES Liquid ConcealerTo hide those dark circles, puffy tired eyes and pesky blemishes, ensure you are armed with a fabulous concealer! We are particularly loving the ELES Liquid Concealer this season. Not only is it rich in Vitamins C & E to condition, brighten and protect the skin, it instantly conceals the appearance of darkness and imperfections with one swipe! Oh, and the advanced formula provides a supple, comfortable finish for a more unified skin tone that wears for up to 8 hours.THE BRONZER – ELES Bronzer in Rio De JaneiroWe are all on a quest for that healthy youthful glow, especially in the winter months when it’s almost non-existent, so a bronzer is paramount!While at Beauty Collective we have a few fabulous bronzers we highly recommend you use the ELES Bronzer Rio De Janeiro. It’s formulated with micro-fine minerals which honestly deliver a sheer, healthy, bronzed finish every time! Plus, while you’re wearing it, you know it’s doing you skin good since the vitamins A, C & E are antioxidant vitamins that help to protect cells from free radical damage.Just remember though, dusting copious amounts of bronzer all over our nose, chin, cheeks and forehead can play up fine lines and large pores as the powder sinks into them. The best way (and the most flattering!) is to apply your bronzer with a bronzer brush to the perimeter of your face in the shape of a number three. Start on your forehead near your temples and loop down to the tops of your cheekbones, then curve out and around again along your jaw. THE BLUSH - ELES Baked BlushJust a few swipes of blush will not only add colour and depth to your cheeks but can make your entire complexion look healthier, and your skin more youthful. It adds an extra glow that bronzer and highlighter just can’t mimic. For winter (and all year round really!) we highly recommend the ELES Baked Blush in a shade of your preference – my current favourite is Posey. It adds instant radiance to your cheeks thanks to its highly pigmented formula. Plus, it’s silky smooth and super nourishing, great for dull, dehydrated skin types!Just be sure to apply it correctly – use a Blush Brush and lift colour upwards towards your temple from the apple of your cheek.THE HIGHLIGHTER – ELES Stick IlluminatorIf your skin is dull, you’ll need a little dose of liquid glow in the shape of an illuminator or highlighter! The ELES Stick Illuminator is our go-to. Simply apply to the tops of your cheekbones, brow bones and Cupid’s bow for a natural glow that will leave you looking rejuvenated and refreshed. Also, it’s formulated with aloe to help soothe and condition skin and antioxidant Vitamins C & E that help to protect cells from free radical damage. Perfect! THE FINISHING POWDER – Baked Finishing Powder in Diffused LightIf you’re looking for a miracle makeup item that can transform skin from dull to deliciously radiant in a matter of seconds, look no further! The ELES Baked Finishing Powder in Diffused Light acts like a photo filter on your skin, subtle enough for daily wear, yet gives you that truly “lit from within glow” in seconds! The microfine powder’s jet milled pigments bring a soft-focus finish for a blurring effect over imperfections and fine lines. Incredibly light, it never gets chalky, weighs down the skin or even looks like your wearing powder, yet keeps any shine at bay. And all you have to do is apply your morning skincare, then simply dust a light layer all over your face with a makeup brush and watch your skin truly transform.We are all on a quest for that healthy youthful glow, especially in the winter months when it’s almost non-existent, well boy does this product deliver!
How to get flawless photo-filter skin naturally
by Jo Boyden
on May 27 2022
We are all on the pursuit of perfect skin - that youthful, radiant and smooth complexion, and with the many amazing-photo-editing apps available today our skin can look that good in photos, but is it possible to get filter-effect flawless skin naturally too?While achieving our desired complexion isn’t as easy in ‘real life’, it is of course possible you just need to be armed with the right products and follow a few essential tips, so keep scrolling as we count them down! Just as face filter apps can make you look flawless even on bad days, we promise you these tips can too! Cleanse and exfoliate Or better still you can combine the two in one! After all you want to create the perfect canvas so ensuring that your skin is clean and smooth is imperative!It’s best to use a mild exfoliating cleanser to ensure any dead skin cells are removed from your face. This will also ensure your makeup is in no way “cakey” when you apply. Try Phytomer’s best-settling Vegetal Exfoliant with Natural Enzymes. It’s a silky soft exfoliant for even the most sensitive skin, which uses natural enzymes to gently eliminate dead skin cells without any scrubbing, evening out your complexion for effortless makeup application! Make sure skin is moisturised While your skin is still damp after cleansing, apply your face cream to lock in moisture. This will ensure your skin is smooth, soft and supple!If your skin is dry and dehydrated opt for a nourishing cream rich in hyaluronic and wait for it to fully absorb.On the other hand, if you tend to have an oily complexion make sure you chose a mattifying moisturiser to help keep your foundation in place. We love Pevonia’s Mattifying Oily Skin Cream. It hydrates, refines, mattifies and visibly controls excess oiliness for an attractive matte yet glowy complexion. Never forget to prime! While your moisturiser will help hydrate your skin to eliminate rough patches, you should still apply a primer before your foundation. Why? Because makeup primers are the one product that have the power to literally make your makeup stay put all day long, as well as smooth the way for better foundation!We LOVE ELES Cosmetics Pore Perfecting Face Primer. Not only does it keep makeup in place it also combats shine, absorbs excess oil and also reduces the appearance of pores to keep your foundation looking flawless! Genius! Find the perfect foundation You need to choose your base wisely. Remember you want a foundation that will deliver enough coverage but not overdo it. Foundation that is too heavy can look caked on. Eek.For that filter-effect flawless finish you can achieve in photos, choosing the right foundation finish is key. A matte foundation is usually your best bet because it reflects less light, which makes pores less obvious and gives your skin a smoother look. It also cuts down on shine, so your makeup will look smooth and flawless as long as possible. Try ELES Cosmetics best-selling Liquid Powder Mineral Foundation. It’s a silky, mineral-enriched liquid foundation that glides on beautifully and sets to a soft, powder finish. Oh and it has broad spectrum sun protection too!if your skin is very dry though you might want to opt for a dewier finish.As well as choosing the right type of foundation for your skin, make sure you select the right colour too! For more information on how to choose the right foundation for your skin type click here. Use the right application tools How you apply your foundation is key to filter-effect skin. A beauty blender will allow you to seamlessly blend your choice of base into your skin to create the illusion of a flawless complexion, good enough for a magazine cover! The sponge is strangely soothing on your skin too! Don’t forget your concealer! Nothing takes the years off more than a great under-eye concealer. To create the illusion of younger, photo-filtered eyes apply the ELES Dual Action Concealer. packed with collagen and vitamins C & E, it not only conceals fine lines and dark circles, it smooths, brightens and treats them too! Apply beneath the eyes and pat into the skin to look as though you’ve just slept 10 hours. Apply a little powder A “setting" powder will help your foundation to look airbrushed all day long.Use a lightweight, translucent formula, and apply it with a large, fluffy brush that will deposit a light layer.Just remember if you have dry skin you don’t want to exacerbate it so be sure not to apply the powder all over your face but instead dust it on your T-zone, or forehead, nose, and chin, which is most prone to getting shiny. Add a little instant radiance to finish For that soft filtered finish sweep the ELES Baked Finishing Powder in Diffused Light over skin. It’s the compact of miracles I tell you and will totally transform your skin in seconds! It acts itself like a photo filter on your skin, subtle enough for daily wear, yet gives you that truly “lit from within glow”! The microfine powder’s jet milled pigments bring a soft-focus finish for a blurring effect over imperfections and fine lines. The deeper tones in the powder enhance contours, while the highlight softly strobe and reflect away imperfections to make skin look professionally retouched and simply sublime every time!For the month of May when you purchase the powder, you’ll receive a Duo Fibre brush for FREE.
5 holy grail makeup products you need in your cosmetics bag
by Jo Boyden
on Apr 14 2022
Who doesn’t love makeup? Afterall, those few essentials can offer a multitude of benefits, right? From creating the illusion of flawless skin, to totally transforming your appearance, covering any skin imperfections to boosting your confidence and mindset too! But choosing the right products is essential. You want to be sure every item is doing wonders for your skin - just as your skincare does - not exacerbating any skin conditions you may have because they are full of pore clogging chemical nasties!Cue ELES Cosmetics! The entire range is based on hypo-allergenic ingredients power packed with the latest in anti-aging technology. The micronized minerals in ELES ™ protect and correct the skin without irritation, allowing skin to “breathe” freely, while the natural ingredients including vitamins A, C and E, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, aloe and chamomile to name but a few, soothe and shield the skin and offer potent antioxidant protection. Sold yet?Well, read on as we count down 5 holy grail products from ELES. The ones adored by so many and sitting pretty in my cosmetics kit too! ELES Liquid Powder Mineral Foundation If you are as obsessed with makeup as we are, you’ll likely already have heard of BC’s makeup best-seller – Liquid Powder Mineral Foundation! With its cult following including celebrities and influencers alike, it’s the ultimate essential you’ll want to try if you haven’t had a chance as yet!I never stop raving about this gem of a product and neither do our customers! If you are a lover of matte foundation but after something more subtle and light, then you should invest in this beauty too! Not only does it provide a flawless, soft, subtle matte finish (it glides on as a silky liquid but sets as a soft powder finish), it’s also mineral-enriched (so great for your skin) and provides broad spectrum sun protection! Honestly what more could you ask for!But don’t just take my word for it, check out all the phenomenal reviews on Beauty Collective! ELES Moisture Crème Lipstick We all need a little bit of lip colour in our lives and long-lasting lipsticks are the best! Not only because they add colour, volume and density to lips, but because they can actually be one of the most efficient anti-ageing measures too, as they offer additional protection against the sun’s rays and pollution! Oh yes! And we want to protect our lips from premature ageing just as we do our skin right?But wearing some lipsticks on a regular basis can have ramifications too since the pigments and preservatives in them can harm lips. This is why it is important to be cautious when purchasing a new lipstick, choose one with a nourishing and healthy formulation.The ELES Moisture Crème Lipstick has an instantly moisturising formula, it offers both rich colour and long-lasting wear and it deeply conditions lips with vitamins E, A, C, shea butter, avocado and jojoba oils! I can’t get enough of the Nutmeg shade, I have very pale lips so this adds the perfect sheen of much needed colour! Baked Finishing Powder in Diffused Light Looking for that miracle makeup item that takes minimal effort on your part but can transform your skin in seconds? This is it! Your bronzer, highlighter and powder combined into one clever compact, the ELES Baked Finishing Powder in Diffused Light acts like a photo filter on your skin, subtle enough for daily wear, yet gives you that truly “lit from within glow” in seconds! The microfine powder’s jet milled pigments bring a soft-focus finish for a blurring effect over imperfections and fine lines. Incredibly light, it never gets chalky, weighs down the skin or even looks like your wearing powder, yet keeps any shine at bay. And all you have to do is apply your morning skincare, then simply dust a light layer all over your face with a makeup brush and watch your skin truly transform. We are all on a quest for that healthy youthful glow, especially in the winter months when it’s almost non-existent right? Well boy does this product deliver! ELES Waterline Liner This little gem of a product is a game changer for tired eyes. All you need to do is line your bottom waterline for an instantly wide-eyed effect. We promise you it’s worth the money as one swipe will truly create brighter, more awake eyes. It’s my saviour on a daily basis! ELES Brow Pencil For many of us our brows get a little bit forgotten, yet creating the perfect brows can completely transform your face and make you look 10 years younger too,! Really.Just as the hair on our heads can thin with age, so do our eyebrows, so to look younger, we want to create instantly fake fullness and to do this we need to fill them in and shape them with the perfect brow pencil. Cue ELES Precision Brow Pencil. This double ended brow tool (one end pencil, one end grooming brush) offers controlled brow filling and lining to quickly and effortlessly impart long-lasting fuller, natural looking brows!
The best makeup tips and products to calm and conceal rosacea
by Jo Boyden
on Apr 08 2022
Suffering from rosacea? Need advice on how to counteract and conceal it? No worries, we are here to help!While we’ve already talked about the best skincare solutions for rosacea flareups it’s time to talk makeup. Choosing the right products, like your skincare, is paramount as certain cosmetics can exacerbate an already chronic condition, just want you don’t need! But the idea of going makeup free isn’t an option – we know. Good news is, it’s possible to perfectly conceal the facial redness caused by rosacea and we are here to tell you how. Mineral makeup is hands down the best choice for those suffering with rosacea. Why? Because the products don’t contain potentially irritating ingredients. They also contain innovative formulas specifically created to colour-correct redness.Formulated with skin loving ingredients and no chemical nasties, ELES Cosmetics has a range of mineral makeup must-have’s perfect for covering up skincare woes including rosacea. The products also allow skin to breath freely so no clogging pores and aggravating irritated skin! Before applying foundation, always use a primer first! Primers are amazing tools that not only create a smooth canvas for your foundation, but they also have the ability to literally prevent your makeup sliding right off your face, especially if your skin tends to be on the oily side. What’s more, they also create a barrier between your skin and your makeup preventing any further irritation. We highly recommend ELES Retexture Crème Face Primer. It’s a deeply soothing liquid-cream made with Aloe Vera leaf extract, Roman Chamomile, Witch Hazel, Calendula, Mallow Flower and Centaurea Cyanus Flower extract, that smooths, soothes, hydrates, retexturizes and refines, so foundation applies effortlessly and endures impeccably for hours! Set your foundation in place with a powder. This will help your makeup wear beautifully throughout the day, so redness stays covered–phew! It’s also a good idea to apply with a brush rather than a sponge which tends to harbour bacteria more. We love ELES Mineral Powder Foundation. Highly compatible with common skin sensitivities, this lightweight powder easily adjusts from sheer to richer, more opaque coverage while effectively camouflaging imperfections. Remember less is more when it comes to those with skin sensitivities and facial flareups. You don’t want to overdo it when it comes to layering those products. Skin needs to breath and too many products can lead to further inflammation. Opt for multi-tasting products like colour correctors and breathable foundations. Our go-to for concealing rosacea is a good colour corrector which will help visually correct redness and even out skin tone too! Using one with UV protection will also help shield your sensitive skin from exposure that can aggravate rosacea. Try ELES Luminous CC Cream 20 to instantly conceal redness! This lightweight, oil-free colour correcting cream with broad spectrum protection, multi-tasks like no other! It not only brightens, hydrates and keeps oiliness at bay for over 12 hours, it has a cutting-edge colour correcting system that visibly calms the most inflamed skin too. Photo-luminescent diamond and an optically transparent polymer work together to “bounce” light from the skin, instantly concealing redness and visibly smoothing the skin’s surface.
Understand what eyeshadow colours are best for you and how to apply them like a pro!
by Jo Boyden
on Mar 04 2022
Applying eyeshadow is an art form so, getting it perfect isn’t always easy, in fact many of us get it wrong or simply have no idea how to apply eyeshadow at all! The good news is you don’t have to be a beauty guru to master your eyeshadow look, with the right tools, a little practice, and the following key tips, you’ll be applying it like a pro in next to no time! Learn which eyeshadow shades are best for your eye colour If you want to use a coloured eyeshadow to enhance your eyes, the first thing you should consider is the colour of your eyes! Certain shades of eyeshadow look best on certain eye colours. For example, bronze and gold best highlight blue and light brown eyes, while violets pop with green eyes. Here’s a little more info to help you select your shades;Best for blue eyes: Copper, peach and orange-based eyeshadowsBest for brown eyes: Cobalt blue, navy, purple and indigo shadesBest for green eyes: Wine-tones, purples and berry huesAlso get familiar with our colour wheel. The most flattering shade tends to be the one that sits directly opposite your eye colour on the wheel! Select your 3 eyeshadow shades Once you’ve deciphered what the best shades will be for you, you’ll need to select your colours and when it comes to how to apply eyeshadow correctly, three shades are better than one! You’ll need a light shade (for a highlighter), a medium shade (the transition colour) and a dark shade (to contour.)An easy way to find three eyeshadows that look flattering when worn together is to invest in an eyeshadow palette. Palettes offer you the colours you need right in one convenient product. Try the ELES Build your own 3-well Shadow Palette. You simply select three eye shadow inserts from a huge array of options, creating the triple colour combo that’s perfect for you! And Beauty Collective insert them into your perfect palette. The shadows sweep over eyelids without creasing or fading, while reflecting light away from dark circles and fine lines. They can be applied dry for soft, low-key shadings, or wet for more vibrant effects. What’s more they come available in a range of matte and pearlized shades in single inserts so you can mix and match colours as you wish. All you need to do is blend!For the month of March, 2022, Beauty Collective are giving away a FREE Blending Brush with every Build Your Own Shadow Palette to make eyeshadow application that much easier.N.B If a palette of three feels limiting to you, you can also pick more shades from a selection of single eyeshadows compacts. Know your brushes! Flawless eyeshadow blending is ALL about the brushes! So make sure you familiarise yourself with the brushes you need to blend like a pro! A dense base shadow brush is great for solid application and applying pigment. A fluffier, blending brush is for softer application, blending and highlighting and a flat definer brush is used along upper and lower lash lines to create an easy, liner effect. Get started! Ready to get to work with your three eyeshadow colours? Follow the steps below to put on multiple eyeshadow shades for a stand-out look.STEP 1 – Take the lightest shade in your palette and apply it over you entire lid, up towards your brow bone using a base shadow brush.STEP 2 – Next using a tapered blending brush apply your medium shade into your crease (the curve above your eyelid) blending from the outer corners inwards.STEP 3 - Use the same brush to apply the dark shade to the outer corner of your eyelid. Extend it outwards and upwards to create a smoky effect, then take a larger, blending brush and blend it inwards slightly.N.B The medium shade should always be higher than the dark (contour) shade so be sure not to blend it too high! Also, make sure you apply each of the eyeshadow application steps on both eyes, instead of finishing one eye and then moving on to the other, to give yourself the best shot at getting them even and balanced. The finishing touches Once you’ve finished applying your eyeshadow colours, use your concealer with a small concealer brush to create really crisp edges. You can also apply concealer from the inner corner to the start of the brow as it’ll help to brighten up the eye look and shape.Then it’s onto eyeliner and mascara application! Make sure you have your tools at the ready for any touch ups! We all make mistakes so have the cotton buds a ready! They will allow you to clean up any spillages with precision.Voila! You’ve just applied your eyeshadow like a Beauty Collective pro!
Calm and conceal ultra-sensitive skin with these top-rated beauty buys
by Jo Boyden
on Feb 25 2022
If you’re prone to sensitive skin or simply suffering from sudden skin irritabilities, you wouldn’t be alone. When it comes to sensitive skin there can, unfortunately, be many internal and external factors that are triggers, so it’s a good idea to look at your lifestyle as well as rethink your skincare routine. By opting for natural products formulated with soothing, calming and nurturing ingredients such as chamomile, calendula, aloe, lavender, propolis and more, you can overcome common skin sensitivities, and we are here to share 5 products that’ll help you do so. Products the BC experts swear by but also the ones loved by BC customers too. Pevonia Soothing Propolis ConcentrateSerums are essential in any skincare routine because they deliver vital active ingredients to the dermis quickly. Think of a serum as the secret weapon for treating skin issues like discoloration, dullness, fine lines, acne and skin sensitivities!For a truly nurturing, soothing serum Pevonia’s antibacterial Soothing Propolis Concentrate should be your go-to. It literally bathes skin in calming lavender and healing propolis from the Jura Mountains of France, decongesting, enriching, alleviating and strengthening fragile skin.“I have problems with adult acne as well as having sensitive skin. This product helped calm my skin down as well as reduce my acne and made my skin feel really soft again.” Laura L Vegetal Exfoliant with Natural EnzymesSensitive skin still needs exfoliation, but you should approach with caution! You want to avoid scrubbing or using mechanical methods of exfoliation as these will only irritate your skin further and can lead to additional redness. Instead use natural enzyme exfoliators. Enzymes are a great choice for those with sensitive skin, as they provide a gentle way to both exfoliate and brighten.Phytomer’s Vegetal Exfoliant with Natural Enzymes is the ideal gentle exfoliant for even the most sensitive skin. It is a seriously soft, silky and subtly scented and it eliminates impurities by gently removing dead skin cells with natural enzymes (so no scrubbing or irritating the skin whatsoever!), encouraging cell turnover and revealing a refined skin texture and luminous youthful complexion! The velvety vegetable-based formula also contains vitamin E to neutralize damaging free radicals.“I have the most sensitive skin, so I can't use those exfoliants that contain microbeads or scrubs...this is a great alternative. It sloughs off all of the dead skin cells without ever irritating my skin! I use it once a week at the minimum, and it keeps my face glowing and smooth. It's the most wonderful exfoliant ever!” Sarah R Pevonia Sensitive Skin starter packWhen your skin is sensitive and reacts to anything and everything, you really need a skincare solution that will gently soothe, calm and property desensitize! Pevonia’s Sensitive Skin starter pack contains not one, but three skincare essentials: Pevonia’s bestselling Soothing Sensitive Skin Cream, Sensitive Skin Cleanser and Sensitive Skin Lotion! The trio calm and control hypersensitivity. Skin nurturing ingredients including propolis, calendula and aloe alleviate and harmoniously correct skin’s blotchiness and irritability.“I have super sensitive skin and these products have a beautiful calming, hydrating effect on my skin.” Tania T ELES Mineral Powder FoundationEven if you are suffering from skin sensitivities, you’ll still likely want to wear makeup especially if you want to conceal any blemishes! The thing is many makeup products can exacerbate an already irritated complexion so you’re best to keep things simple (less is more) and opt for mineral makeup! Mineral makeup is free of irritants like talc and chemical dyes (making it a great choice for people with sensitive skin that's prone to irritation, itching, dryness, and redness). It allows your skin to breath freely and won’t clog it up with chemicals and artificial colours, perfumes, or preservatives! Phew.As a sufferer of want for a better word ‘flushed skin’ I personally LOVE the best-selling ELES Mineral Powder Foundation! It’s one of my all-time favourites. It’s one of the most natural-looking, if not THE most natural-looking foundations I have in fact ever tried and being in the industry for 20 years I’ve tried many! It contains zero chemical nasties, instead, it’s packed with skin loving ingredients including vitamins A & E, can be used as a buildable foundation from natural sheer to polished opaque (dependant on what you need) and it’s highly compatible with common skin sensitivities, working wonders at camouflaging facial redness while protecting skin against ultraviolet damage too!“This is the first powder I have tried which has not had a drying effect on my skin. It is so gentle and comforting on my sensitive skin, leaving a soft silky veil over my face. It is also the most natural looking foundation I have ever tried. Coverage can be built with ease and creates the illusion of naturally flawless skin. I don't think I could ever use another powder again, definitely a convert.” Katherine B ELES Luminous CC Cream 20If it’s facial redness which you are prone to, using a colour corrector can be a game-changer! Rather than covering up the redness with a thick layer of concealer followed by your foundation, a colour corrector will help visually correct redness and even out skin tone too! Using a colour corrector with UV protection will also help shield your sensitive skin from exposure that can aggravate it!The ELES Luminous CC Cream SPF 20 is outstanding. It’s a lightweight, oil-free, colour correcting cream with broad spectrum protection that really does multi-task like no other! And while it’s technically not a foundation, the full coverage pigments cover redness—be it from rosacea, pimples, irritation, you name it—so well that you very well may be able to get away without wearing any other makeup. What’s more it’s multi-mineral complex helps to condition skin and provide antioxidant protection, while Hydra-Extend provides instant, long term moisture retention and 72 hour hydration, reducing TEWL and strengthening skins barrier function!“I’m loving my new CC Cream! I was recommended it by a friend as I suffer from facial redness and sensitive skin and this product does an amazing job at colour correcting so the redness is beautifully concealed but my skin feels calm with a nice natural glow at the same time. Would highly recommend it.” Sarah M
The top 5 makeup questions answered by the BC experts
by Jo Boyden
on Dec 22 2021
From makeup must-haves to choosing your foundation, with the plethora of makeup advice out there, it can often get confusing when knowing what is right from wrong, so we compiled the top 5 makeup questions everyone asks and put it to the BC experts for their professional answers. Read on for five solutions to the most common beauty queries of 2021. How do I stop my makeup from looking patchy? If you are prone to dry skin you’re more likely to experience the problem of patchy looking makeup because dry skin has more texture so makeup can more easily settle into the fine creases. The solution? Make sure you exfoliate regularly to remove any dead cells and debris and smooth skin texture. Depending on your skin type, once or twice a week will suffice.It’s essential to hydrate skin with a nourishing moisturiser prior to applying your base too. Another consideration is to review the type of foundation you are wearing too. Which takes me to the next question…. How do I choose the right foundation for my skin? Your skin tone and texture changes throughout the year, so no one foundation is likely to work all year round.Foundation creates the illusion of a flawless complexion. First, you need to determine your skin type, then what type of coverage you want to achieve: sheer, medium, or full. And finally, decide on the finish: matte, natural, or dewy.For more help with choosing the right foundation formula for your skin type click here. Should I apply my concealer before or after by foundation? This one is a little controversial as different makeup professionals will offer a different answer, but at BC we like to apply our foundation first to create an even base, and then add concealer to areas that still need it after. By starting with the foundation coverage, you may be pleasantly surprised at how little concealer you actually need to get the finish you are looking for. And remember less is more when it comes to makeup. Should you apply concealer first and then foundation you are likely to use more product than you actually need, and more product can result in cakey looking skin! Eek. Why won’t my makeup last? In short excess oil is the no. 1 reason for your makeup simply sliding off your face by mid-morning. Unfortunately, when the oils of your skin interact with your makeup, they begin breaking your makeup down. That doesn’t mean you should ever consider skipping on your moisturiser though! Your skin can actually produce more oil when it’s not properly hydrated! Eek. Instead try using a lightweight cream, followed by a mattifying primer (as they can help create a barrier between your skin’s oils and makeup) and opt for a foundation with a long-lasting formulation.For 6 simple steps as well as the best products to help encourage long lasting makeup click here. How do I keep my lipstick from coming off? Lipstick is one of those essential makeup products that can really change your look and add colour to your face, but it can also be a challenge if not applied properly, when I say challenge I mean lipstick on your teeth, down your chin or simply non-existent after only a short amount of time! For some essential tricks to keep your lip hue in place all day—no smearing, blurring, fading, feathering, or cracking, click here.
How to get airbrushed-looking skin naturally
by Jo Boyden
on Nov 05 2021
Let’s face it… we all want it! Perfect skin, All. Of. The. Time, and with little evidence of makeup too! And sure, what with the likes of #facetuning every one of us can achieve a beautifully airbrushed complexion in our photos, but what about looking airbrushed the natural way, without the likes of apps?Armed with a few miracle makeup items you indeed can! Here’s how; STEP ONE: THE SKIN PREPPevonia Gentle Exfoliating CleanserThe key to nailing your makeup actually lies in the prep you do beforehand. For flawless airbrushed-looking skin you must start with a smooth, clean, flake-free canvas. Use a gentle exfoliating cleanser that will thoroughly cleanse skin as well as remove any build-up of excess oil and dead skin cells. Formulated with jojoba beads, Saponaria and chamomile, Pevonia’s Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser gently polishes skin with its unique creamy, granular texture, revealing a softer, smoother and brighter complexion after every single use!STEP TWO: THE MULTI-TASKERELES Age Defying BB Cream 30Loaded with Goji Berries, Minerals, Vitamins and Sun Protection this wonder base and ELES Cosmetics best-seller, is your skin care, primer, base and sunscreen in one! Skin caring and skin perfecting in one simple step!! Simply apply to cleansed skin for the silkiest and most undetectable coverage ever! STEP THREE: THE PERFECTORELES Dual Action ConcealerNothing takes the years off your face more than a great under-eye concealer and this is no exception! It not only covers dark circles, it smooths, brightens, depuffs and treats them too! Plus, its medium coverage formula provides continuous hydration and a natural longwearing finish. Select a shade lighter than your foundation and apply it beneath the eyes or wherever you see darkness. Pat into your skin with your finger to look as though you’ve just had 10 hours of blissful slumber.Make sure you always apply your concealer after foundation because then you really get a much-desired brightening effect.STEP FOUR: THE AIRBRUSHERELES Baked Finishing Powder - Diffused LightA compact full of miracles! Sweep over the skin for a soft airbrushed finish to any base. The glow-giving powder contains light-reflecting pigments to make skin look impossibly fresh and flawless while the gorgeous warm tones act like a photo filter on your skin. Sublime skin every time! STEP FIVE: THE YOUTH ENHANCERELES Baked BlushFor a pop of colour that makes skin look fresh, dewy and youthful try this! Six gorgeous shades multi-task as blush, eye shadow and when applied with a damp brush can even work as a matte lip colour!N.B if you tend to have a fair complexion, go for a lighter, more muted version of the blush shade you’d like to use! If you have darker skin, try a stronger, deeper version.
5 makeup products that’ll seriously benefit your skin
by Jo Boyden
on Oct 27 2021
When it comes to maintaining healthy skin there are those non-negotiable steps that shouldn’t be skimped on….You know the drill, follow a daily skincare routine, drink all the water, do an ample amount of exercise and get plenty of shut eye to name a few, yet when it comes to covering up any facial flaws from blemishes to redness, or simply not being game to go makeup-free, we are quick to slap on that thick layer of concealer, foundation, blush, bronzer and more…in turn clogging pores and reversing the good we’ve done! This is because our makeup choices can sometimes have a less desirable effect on our skin, often causing blemishes and skin irritations! And doesn’t it seem crazy to spend so much time and money perfecting our morning skincare ritual, using the best of the best for our specific skincare needs, only to undo all the good by applying makeup that’s full of toxic ingredients on top!Luckily, here at BC, we are spoilt with an abundance of skin nurturing makeup essentials! Products that not only create the illusion of flawless skin, but actually do good for our skin too! From foundations that provide both breathable coverage and anti-ageing benefits, to illuminators that will also work to hydrate the skin. Read on for our top 5 recommendations, also known as ‘skincare makeup’, and why our customers keep buying them over and over too! ELES Liquid Powder Mineral Foundation SPF 15Foundation, in the past, has always been categorised as makeup, a short term ‘fix’ or superficial layer to conceal flaws and help create the illusion of perfect skin. But who says your foundation can’t have long-term skin benefits like your skincare products? After all shouldn’t your foundation enhance your complexion not mask it? Well ELES’s best-selling Liquid Powder Mineral Foundation does just this! Not only is it formulated with anti-inflammatory zinc as well as Vitamins A, C and E, it allows skin to “breathe freely” whilst shielding against age aggressors. It’s free of heavy fillers and pore-clogging ingredients (phew!) and the skin-safe formula contains no chemical ‘nasties’ or potential irritants, such as fragrance, talc, oil and dyes.If you are a lover of liquid foundation but after something silky and light, then you should invest in this beauty! Not only does it provide a flawless, soft, subtle powder finish, it also provides broad spectrum sun protection! Honestly what more could you ask for!“This is the best foundation I have ever used! Firstly, it's mineral makeup so it doesn't clog your skin. Secondly. the coverage is amazing, and it makes your skin look and feel like velvet - honestly the best I have ever used. I have been using this for years and just love it. I get compliments on my makeup all the time.” Sia P ELES Luminous CC Cream 20Colour correcting and broad-spectrum protection in one, the ELES Luminous CC Cream 20 is amazing for everyone but especially those with facial redness or hyperpigmentation as it adapts to your skin tone so it will darken and lighten as needed to blend and conceal!Its multi-Mineral Complex helps to condition skin and provide antioxidant protection while skin nourishing and brightening ingredients help balance your complexion and fight free radicals for a more even, youthful glow!“I just recently purchased the luminous cc cream and I’m very satisfied. The coverage is perfect for my mature skin, and having oily skin I find this cc cream controls it.” Adele K ELES Age-Defying BB Cream 30Not to be mistaken for its sister – the CC Cream, BB Creams or otherwise known as beauty balms, are infused with antioxidants, brightening agents, acids, broad-spectrum SPF to treat the skin while giving it a fresh, even glow, and let me tell you the ELES Age Defying BB Cream 30 is no exception! Multi-faceted it really packs a punch as it quite literally primes, tints, nourishes, protects, evens out skin tone, and helps to strengthen skin on contact. So if you are a busy mum on the go like me, this is for you! It’s your sunscreen, primer, and foundation in one! It's skin caring and skin perfecting in one simple step!! What’s more, thanks to its skin-loving ingredients including Vitamin E, Goji berry, Squalane; its multi-mineral complex, and age defying peptides, over time it will help to promote cell health, strengthen elasticity, reduce the appearance of fine lines and restore that natural glow you once donned! Yessss!“Absolutely love this product. I used it years ago, tried others but nothing compares. Such a beautiful feel on your skin and the perfect amount of glowy/dewy coverage. I love the spf included, I don’t need to use any other product but this on my Face of a morning. Perfect for aging skin when you want a lighter coverage that makes your skin look younger.” Krystle W ELES Dual Action ConcealerPacked with collagen, vitamins C & E, hyaluronic, Tetrapeptide 5 and Matrixyl® Synthe 6™, this anti-aging concealer not only conceals fine lines and dark circles, it smooths, brightens, depuffs and treats them too, all whilst helping gradually improve skin's texture and elasticity around the eyes! Eyes look beautifully refreshed and radiant. Its medium coverage formula provides continuous hydration and a natural longwearing finish. Apply beneath the eyes and pat into the skin to look as though you’ve just slept 10 hours.“I love this product, been using it for 2 years. You only need the littlest amount to hide dark under eyes reduce the look of wrinkles around your nose and mouth. I always have to have it.” Josephine P ELES Mineral Eyeshadows Let’s face it our delicate eye area is just as important as our skin, in fact it’s the first area to show signs of ageing so surely, we want to treat it to good products as we do our complexion! I love a good eye shadow to take my eyes from awake to stand out and the ELES Mineral Shadows have become a firm favourite (and no not just because I biased!) Ingeniously blended with real minerals and vitamins, each individual eye shadow is free of oils, fragrances and other ingredients that can irritate skin. Also free of talc so colour is fresh, clear and incredibly vibrant! The shadows sweep over eyelids without creasing or fading, while reflecting light away from bruises and dark circles, as well as fine lines.They can be applied dry for soft, low-key shadings, or wet for more vibrant effects and come available in a range of matte and pearlized shades in single inserts or a trio compact so you can mix and match colours.“These eye shadows just blend so easily and remain in place for hours without creasing or flaking. They are light enough to use for a sheer wash of colour but are so easy to build for a strong look. The hard part is deciding which colours i want/need/have to have next.” Naomi F
Don’t feel like wearing foundation? 4 alternative skin-perfecting products
by Jo Boyden
on Oct 22 2021
We all have those days when we feel like paring back on the myriad of makeup we wear every day. You know swapping out our foundation for something less ‘full coverage’ so to speak, or even going makeup-free! But then for many of us we still need something to hide those unforgiving flaws or simply to enhance our complexion while making it look naturally flawless of course! Well here at BC we’ve got you covered. Read on for four skin-perfecting products that you can use instead of your foundation, they’ll boost your natural glow too! ELES Retexturizing Face PrimerOften overlooked, a good primer can be a godsend when it comes to achieving flawless skin. We are loving the ELES Retexturizing Face Primer. Not only does this soothing, lightweight serum feel like actual silk on your skin, it basically helps protect, condition, smooth and blur out skin imperfections too! Want to look like a filtered goodness, try this! ELES Age Defying BB Cream SPF 30If you’re looking to simplify your products because you’re a busy mum on the go like me or for days when you want little coverage a BB Cream is a must. Formulated with skincare benefits that include hydration, anti-ageing properties, and SPF protection, BB Creams are a quick and easy way to effectively even out your skin tone without caking on the makeup!I am a huge advocate for the ELES Luminous BB Cream 30. It primes, tints, nourishes, protects, blurs and evens out your skin tone for a truly, natural, flawless finish and thanks to its skin-loving ingredients including Vitamin E, Goji berry, Squalane; its multi-mineral complex, and age defying peptides, over time it will help to promote cell health, strengthen elasticity, reduce the appearance of fine lines and restore that natural glow you once donned!! What’s more, it really does feel like you aren’t even wearing makeup, no easy feat for a product with SPF for that matter! ELES Luminous CC Cream SPF 20While the idea of going foundation free in hindsight is great, having your imperfections out there for all to see isn’t so much. You know those obvious undereye dark circles, the hyperpigmentation you normally hide, or your rouge complexion thanks to facial flushing. Opting for a CC Cream though is the perfect solution! Plus, if you have rosacea or are suffering from acne the likelihood is your foundation could well have been exacerbating your condition!Unlike tinted moisturisers, foundations and even BB Creams, these miracle formulas are colour correcting. So instead of applying a thick layer of opaque makeup to cover your imperfections, the ELES Luminous CC Cream’s Photonic Crystal Technology “offsets” redness, and other skin flaws, subtly illuminating the skin. ELES Baked Finishing Powder in Diffused LightWe are all on the quest for those lightweight multi-tasking miracle products, and ELES’s Baked Finishing Powder in Diffused Light is just that! Your bronzer, highlighter and foundation powder combined into one clever compact that you can lightly brush over your face for beautiful ‘lit from within’ skin in seconds!The glow-giving base contains light-reflecting pigments to make skin look impossibly fresh while the gorgeous warm tones act like a photo filter on your skin.
5 ways to look fresh faced everyday
by Jo Boyden
on Oct 15 2021
Wouldn’t we all love to wake to a fresh face every day? You know that perky looking, glowy skin we once donned many a year ago. Unfortunately, due to daily stresses, lack of sleep, environmental factors and more, our skin can look far from fresh and youthful! And instead, tired, dull and lacklustre. Urgh.The good news is however, that armed with a few key products and some insider tips, you can fake that fresh faced look daily! Firm and tighten your face with a supercharged serum It’ll leave your skin feeling super soft with a dewy, plumped appearance!Ok I have to admit I’m obsessed with my serums. And will not go a day without applying one before my moisturiser. They are the perfect skin booster, and in my eyes a complete necessity to your daily skincare routine, why? Because they help lock in moisture, working deep into your dermis thanks to their ability to penetrate the layers of the skin and work their magic. But also, because they tend to perform above and beyond many regular skincare products, due to their higher concentration of targeted active ingredients. To find out more about why you need a serum in your life click here.I have tried many a serum in my time, and while there are very few I don’t love, the two that stand out personally for me are Pevonia’s Age Correction Intensifier Collagen & MyOxy Caviar and Pevonia’s Vitamin C Complex.Pevonia’s Age Correction Intensifier Collagen & MyOxy Caviar is packed with anti-ageing and rehydrating goodness including collagen and hyaluronic acid that effectively nourish and oxygenate skin, repair cells, and diminish fine lines and wrinkles! Outstanding stuff.And when my skin needs a boost of radiance Pevonia’s C Complex becomes my other trusty go-to. Superhero glow-getter Vitamin C comes together with hydrating and anti-ageing powerhouse hyaluronic acid to quite literally drench skin with repairing antioxidants, deeply nourish and correct photo-damage! The citrus scent is simply heavenly, and it feels amazingly refreshing on application! But more importantly, the results speak for themselves! Radiant looking skin instantly. It’s the perfect morning pick-me-up! Seriously. Choose a multi-tasking moisturiser When skin is looking far from fresh, you really need to up the ante with your moisturiser. Look for moisturisers formulated with ingredients that will both refresh and brighten your complexion. Some ingredients to look out for include;Hyaluronic Acid (plumpness and firmness)Vitamin C (skin tone and brightness)Alpha Hydroxy Acids (fine lines, wrinkles, smoothness)Retinol (fine lines, wrinkles, skin texture)Marine Collagen (hydration, strength, elasticity)Peptides (skin texture and fine lines)As many of you will already know I have personally been in love with Pevonia’s Age Correction Marine Collagen Cream for years now! As have millions of others (since it is Pevonia’s global best-seller and for good reason!) Formulated with anti-ageing wonder ingredients marine collagen and hyaluronic, it’s a deeply nourishing, yet fine cream that feels amazing on application and really does leave skin radiant, super soft and supple, like it’s had that much-needed boost of moisture! I apply it every morning without fail!If I feel my skin is looking a little dull and needs that extra bit of pizzazz, I will up my night-time routine and turn to Pevonia’s Renewing Glycocides Cream before bed. It’s rich in AHA Glycolic, the super acid which dissolves the ‘glue’ that holds dead skins cells together. As the dead skin cells shed, the new smoother, brighter and younger looking skin underneath is revealed, so yes I do wake up to radiant, glowing skin as a result! Apply a de-puffing eye gel or serum An eye gel or serum will really help you refresh your tired eyes as well as improve with fine lines and wrinkles! Just look for products with key ingredients such as Green coffee, Vitamin C and Ginko Biloba, as they will help shrink capillaries and stimulate lymphatic drainage.Pevonia’s C Evolutive Eye Gel is a personal favourite of mine when it comes to tired, puffy eyes. Formulated with anti-ageing dynamo Vitamin C and skin saviours hyaluronic acid and Ginko Biloba it’ll have your peepers decongested and depuffed in one swift application! Lift and open your eyes by curling your eye lashes This can be really effective and makes sleepy eyes look all the more awake. Then apply two coats of mascara to lock in curls.For more tips on how to master bright, wide-awake eyes, click here. Buff highlighter into cheekbones for that lit from within glow If your skin is dull you need a little dose of liquid glow in the shape of an illuminator or highlighter! Apply to the tops of your cheekbones, brow bones and Cupid’s bow for a natural glow that will leave you looking rejuvenated and refreshed. Try ELES’s Stick Illuminator. I personally can’t get enough of it!You can also freshen the look of your skin instantly with more makeup you just need to follow a few key tips.
7 steps to bright, wide-awake eyes
by Jo Boyden
on Oct 08 2021
If you've had a late night recently, or many like me! your eyes are likely to give it away. The constant late nights I’ve been pulling to play catch up on the work I’ve missed in the day because #homeschooling have my eyes looking forever tired in the mornings. I’m talking the whole shebang. Puffy and red with dark under eye circles. Eek. However, just because I’m not getting enough shut-eye of a night doesn’t mean I’m stuck with this look by day! Luckily with the right products and a few makeup tricks, it’s possible to transform tired peepers to bright, wide awake eyes no matter how exhausted you feel! All you need to do is follow a few simple steps; Use a good depuffing eye gel or creamNever underestimate the power of a good eye gel! It can feel like heaven on your tired, puffy peepers, but more importantly, it has the ability to transform eyes in a matter of minutes. Tired eyes tend to look smaller, especially if the area beneath them is puffy. You can look more awake by applying a good eye gel or cream designed to de-puff your undereye area.Look for products that contain vitamin c for brightening and caffeine which helps reduce swelling by constricting the blood vessels. Also use a tapping motion with your finger which you apply it. This can help get rid of any fluid that’s accumulated under the delicate eye area. Pevonia’s C Evolutive Eye Gel is a personal favourite of mine. It’s a wonderful, cooling gel, formulated with anti-ageing dynamo Vitamin C, skin saviours hyaluronic acid and Ginkgo biloba, as well as green coffee and it’ll have your peepers decongested and depuffed in one swift application! If you are also battling dark, undereye circles we LOVE Vie Collection’s Chrono Eyes Puffiness-Dark Circles Wrinkles Cream. Yes, a mouthful to say, but a product that does exactly what it says. It’s a beautifully fine cream enriched with moisturising ingredients to nourish the eye area while reversing puffiness, dark circles, and wrinkles! Seriously! it gives immediate gratification thanks to a pearlescent finish that instantly brightens the eye area, and it has definitely calmed my puffiness, lightened my dark circles, and even smoothed my wrinkles! Invest in a gemstone rollerFrom rejuvenating jade to calm and soothing rose quartz, detoxifying Obsidian to purifying amethyst, we highly recommend introducing a gemstone roller into your morning ritual. As well as their many medicinal benefits, they can dramatically reduce puffiness by removing excess fluid around the eyes towards your lymph nodes where it filters out toxins! So clever! To find out more about gemstone rollers and their multitude of benefits click here. Use a colour-correcting concealerWhen it comes to camouflaging dark circle under eye circles, a concealer is by far your best bet. A good undereye concealer can give you complete coverage as well as make you look bright-eyed in seconds! Choose a shade that’s lighter than your natural skin tone as this will help brighten the area so you look like you’ve had plenty of sleep.For the most brightening effect, apply your concealer in a “V” or upside-down triangle shape beneath your eye. Swipe it directly under the eye, but bring it down to a point on your cheek beside your nostril and fill in the entire area. Blend well with a small makeup brush and then finish with a powder to set the concealer so it doesn’t crease.ELES’s Mineral Phototouch Concealer is my secret weapon for concealing my dark under eye circles, and helping me look like I’ve had 8 hours of blissful slumber as opposed to only 5! It’s formulated with Hyaluronic, Squalane, Vitamins A, C & E as well as light-reflective minerals and line filing micro-spheres to camouflage flaws, dark circles, blemishes and fine lines!And for the month of October when you purchase the ELES Mineral Phototouch concealer you get a small concealer brush for free - the ultimate duo for camouflaging dark under eye circles. Highlight corner of eyesAdd a little bit of white eye shadow to the inner corner of your eye. This quick trick can make eyes look wide awake and bright with one little dot of the finger. Equally apply with a small makeup brush.Use a white eyeliner or waterliner pencilTo make your eyes appear instantly wider, invest in a nude waterliner pencil, I promise you you’ll never look back. Simply apply your normal eyeliner (although don’t make the mistake I used to by applying black liner all around your eyes - top and bottom as well as your waterline - as this will only make your eyes appear so much smaller than they are!) then apply your waterliner to the inner rim of your lower lash line. (I use ELES’s Waterline liner). By doing so it’ll immediately open up your eyes as well as make the whites of your eyes look whiter. It works a treat! Curl Those LashesWhile applying lashings of mascara to lashes will enhance your eyes, remember to curl your lashes first. This will open up your eyes for a wide, doe-eyed look. While it might be a small step, it’s a subtle one that can make a big difference so don’t skip on it.Just be sure to apply two coats of mascara after curling. This will help lock the curl in place as well as add volume to your lashes. Pay attention to your browsAdding definition and shape to your eyebrows can completely transform your face and give the appearance of an instant eye lift….really! Start by brushing your eyebrows so the hairs are sitting naturally, then use a soft, waxy brow pencil like the ELES Precision Brow Pencil to shape and fill in your brows using short, hair-like strokes. Next define and ‘lift’ brows by using a white eyeliner as a brow highlighter. Line below and above your eyebrows and smudge it out with a sponge or fingertip. You can also opt to use a highlighter if you don’t have a white liner on hand. Read more on how to create the perfect brows.
Makeup tips for acne prone skin
by Jo Boyden
on Sep 24 2021
Has your skin been feeling the effects of the last however many weeks thanks to the likes of lockdown, home-schooling and working from home!? Or are you simply prone to pesky pimples and adult acne?Whatever your situation we are here to tell you that when armed with the right makeup products and tips on how to best apply, you can effectively conceal those blemishes and feel confident in your skin! Simply read on as we reveal the top 7 makeup tips for acne prone skin according to the pros at BC. Use a primerFirst things first, before you can start to conceal your blemish prone skin you need to prep your face with a primer. A primer is an amazing must-have when it comes to prolonging the wear of your foundation, and let’s face it acne-prone skin tends to be on the oily side and the last thing you’ll want is for your foundation to slide right off your face by lunchtime! No sireee. Primers also add a ‘blurring effect’ to your skin to give the illusion of a smoother complexion. Phew!Just be sure to look for primers that will hydrate, soothe or replenish your skin and if your complexion tends to be oily as well as acne prone, be sure to pick a mattifying primer as it’ll help to combat the excess oil and shine and reduce the appearance of pore size. Try ELES’s Pore Perfecting Face Primer. It’s a light-textured oil free face primer which combats shine, absorbs excess oil, reduces the appearance of large open pores, promotes antiseptic properties which is great for blemish and breakout prone skin, and it really does keep your foundation looking flawless all day long! This is a great primer – I've been using it for a few years now. It helps keep my foundation looking amazing all day. It's mattifying but won't dry your skin. Sia PapageorgiouDo not cake on your makeup! Remember less is more so keep makeup simpleWearing multiple products from concealer to foundation to blush to illuminator can cause over stimulation so it’s best to keep things simple! Use a skin-friendly breathable foundation and opt for a concealer with some yellow tones to help colour correct any redness.Be sure to always use your foundation first, then apply concealer to affected areas only. This will ensure a smoother even base and a more natural finish but be sure to keep every layer light though – the secret to successful makeup for blemish prone skin! Less product to block the skin causing heat!Mineral makeup will be your best friend, and I know we are biased, but ELES Cosmetics is simply the best and the reviews speak volumes! Choose your foundation wiselySlathering thick foundation all over your face to hide pesky pimples and blemishes can be tempting we know, but it will only end up drawing attention to the bumps on your face as well as exacerbating your condition, so you need to choose your foundation wisely!You really need to navigate the ingredients in a foundation plus it’s best to steer clear of oil-based makeup, as excess oil production is a key cause of blemishes so oil-free formulas will be your best friend! Also avoid skin irritants like alcohol and fragrance which can be found in many a foundation. We recommend opting for a mineral formula every time. These contain no chemical nasties and will allow your skin to breathe freely. Try best-selling ELES Liquid Powder Mineral Foundation. “I love love love this product. It has a velvety feel as it glides on your skin and finishes with a plumping matte finish. It always covers my blemishes and gives great coverage without over doing it. Would not use any other foundation!!” Kassey Newell If your acne seems particularly sensitive to makeup, you might want to consider swapping out your love of liquid formulas for powder. Powder will control oil and help your makeup last longer. Just be sure you choose the right sort of powder though as cakey makeup will just highlight your blemishes even more. Foundations with nylon and kaolin give skin a blurred, airbrushed effect. Try ELES Mineral Powder Foundation. “I’m a bit of a powder lover when it comes to foundations as I find liquid formulations a little too much. I have however become more sceptical as I get older as a few power compacts I have tried have enhanced my fine lines. However not this one! It’s amazing! The coverage is just perfect! It looks so natural, in fact like I’m not wearing foundation at all, yet it completely hides my imperfections. I’m in my late 40’s but would recommend this product to anyone, any age whether you are simply looking for a translucent powder, a foundation to conceal your blemishes, or a wonderful base for ageing skin. It has become my daily go-to!” Melissa B Protect your skin with natural SPFWe all know wearing sun protection is a daily necessity, but we understand that if you suffer from blemishes the last thing you feel like doing is smothering your skin in oily sunscreen! Cue mineral makeup rich in zinc oxide! Zinc oxide, which is an anti-inflammatory was once used to treat acne and when mixed with other subtle ingredients, can give you everything from sun protection to coverage. Mineral-based makeup with zinc alone or combined with titanium dioxide provides a good, balanced UV protection and ‘natural’ coverage for those who have acne.ELES Cosmetics range of foundations have an SPF of 15 and above and feel like you aren’t wearing sunscreen at all! Genius. Use the right makeup toolsThe way you apply your makeup is almost as important as the products you use.We’ve all heard it before, touch your face with your hands and you’ll likely cause a breakout so it comes as no surprise that you might well have heard that it’s best not to use your fingers to apply your makeup since even the oil and bacteria on your fingers can irritate skin, also hand heat can add more warmth to an already warm, aggravated complexion. Instead, use a damp Beautyblender. It is the least irritating way to apply your product and honestly provides the most effective results! Not only is the sponge strangely soothing on your skin, but it also provides a more natural-looking coverage. Makeup brushes are another option but just beware that the brush bristles can irritate your sensitive skin, therefore opt for brush bristles made from taklon, a “green” and allergy free synthetic fibre. Its smooth synthetic fibres do not absorb or trap pigment making it easy to keep clean! And make sure you wash those tools!It’s easy to forget about our washing our brushes and makeup sponges but by keeping them clean you’ll ensure you won’t be using grubby, bacteria-filled tools all the time! Eek. Besides bacteria, both makeup brushes and sponges also accumulate dead skin cells and oil which can clog your pores leading to further skin irritation and pesky pimples! Also if you apply your makeup with a dirty bush the end result can be a streaky and patchy complexion! Clean brushes definitely make for a smoother makeup application and healthier skin! Always remove makeup before bedSleeping with a face full of makeup can and will result in skin irritability and breakouts. Makeup not only traps dead skin cells it also blocks our pores and when pores are blocked the skin can’t breathe and therefore regenerate so make sure you commit to removing every inch of makeup before hitting the hay. For more on sleeping in makeup and what it really does to our skin click here. To learn more about acne, what type your suffer from and how to best treat it click here.
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