The top 5 makeup questions answered by the BC experts

From concealers to foundations, bronzers to blushes and more, with the multitude of makeup products available to ‘perfect’ our face these days, it’s no wonder some of us might question which products are really necessary and which ones we might be OK to forgo. For many, makeup primers tend to fall into the latter category. But are we overlooking one of the most useful products in our makeup bags? And can a primer really make that much difference to how our makeup looks and lasts? Keep reading as we discuss everything there is to know about makeup primers, from what they actually do to their many benefits, plus how to choose the right one for your skin!   What is a makeup primer and what does it actually do? Think of makeup primer as the step between your skincare and foundation. Its main job is to create a smoother, more even base for your makeup, helping foundation apply more easily and, depending on the formula, stay looking fresh for longer! But primers can do much more than simply prepare your skin for makeup! Some help blur the appearance of enlarged pores and fine lines, others provide extra hydration, control excess shine or give your complexion a gorgeous, luminous glow. The trick is choosing a primer that suits your skin type and what you want to achieve from your makeup.   What are the benefits of using a makeup primer? So, what difference can adding a primer to your makeup routine actually make? Quite a lot, depending on the formula you choose! Here are 7 reasons you might want to give one a try. 1. It creates a smoother base for your foundation Ever noticed how your foundation sometimes seems to cling to certain areas or highlight uneven skin texture? A good primer can help create a smoother, more even-looking surface, allowing your foundation to glide on and blend more easily. And if you have visible pores, fine lines or areas of uneven texture that seem to become even more noticeable once you've applied your makeup, this can be particularly helpful!   2. It can help your makeup last longer There's nothing more frustrating than spending time on your makeup in the morning, only to find it's started fading, wearing away or simply sliding off your face by lunchtime! Certain primers are designed to improve how well foundation adheres to the skin, helping your makeup stay looking fresh for longer, and hopefully meaning fewer touch-ups throughout the day! Of course, the results will depend on your skin type, the products you're using and even the weather, but the right primer can certainly make a big difference, that’s for sure!   3. It helps blur the appearance of pores and fine lines Wouldn't we all love a little soft-focus effect for our skin? While makeup primers won't give you a sun-kissed glow like a bronzer, or conceal those pesky pimples like a concealer or foundation, they can work wonders when it comes to blurring the appearance of imperfections! In fact, smoothing primers are sometimes described as the Photoshop of the makeup world! But how do they actually work? Well, it's all down to a little clever formulation. Many contain silicones that temporarily smooth uneven skin texture, alongside light-diffusing particles that scatter light as it hits your skin. The result? A subtle optical illusion that makes enlarged pores, fine lines and uneven texture appear less noticeable. Sounds pretty good, right?   4. It can help control excess shine This will be music to the ears of those with oily skin! Mattifying primers can help combat that unwanted shine by absorbing excess oil, creating a smoother, more balanced-looking base for your makeup. And more importantly, they can help prevent your foundation from slipping and sliding off your face come lunchtime! And here's a little tip. You don't necessarily need to apply primer all over your face! If it's just your T-zone (forehead, nose and chin) that tends to get oily, concentrate on those areas instead. 5. It can give your skin an extra boost of hydration If your skin is feeling (and looking!) a little dry, tight or in need of some extra TLC even after your skincare, a hydrating primer might be just what you're looking for! Many hydrating primers contain moisture-loving ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin, helping to keep skin feeling soft, supple and comfortably hydrated. Of course, a primer isn't a replacement for your daily moisturiser! No sireee, but if your skin tends to be on the dry side, it's a great way to give it a little extra hydration while preparing your skin for makeup   6. It can give your complexion a gorgeous natural glow Who doesn't love a little extra radiance? Illuminating primers are designed to give your complexion a fresh, luminous finish, often using light-reflecting pigments to create that lovely lit-from-within look. And here's the best part! You don't even need to wear foundation to enjoy the benefits. Apply an illuminating primer on its own for a subtle, healthy-looking glow, or underneath your makeup for a little extra luminosity. Perfect for those days when you want your skin to look fresh and radiant without wearing a full face of makeup!   7. They're packed with skin-loving ingredients! And here's another reason to love a good makeup primer! Many modern formulas, including our range of ELES makeup primers of course! are like an extension of your skincare routine, enriched with ingredients that do more than simply prepare your skin for makeup. We're talking nourishing botanical extracts, antioxidant vitamins and skin-conditioning ingredients that help soften, hydrate and care for your complexion. Some even contain targeted ingredients such as salicylic acid to help address concerns like excess oil and blemish-prone skin. So, while your primer is busy helping your makeup look its best, it could be giving your skin a little extra TLC too. What's not to love?   Can you wear makeup primer without foundation? Absolutely! You probably haven’t even considered that you don't actually need to wear foundation to enjoy the benefits of a good makeup primer! In fact, some primers are lovely worn on their own, particularly if you prefer a more natural, barely-there makeup look. Think those days when you want to look fresh-faced and radiant, but simply can't be bothered with foundation! An illuminating primer can give your complexion a gorgeous, healthy-looking glow, without a drop of foundation in sight. And the best part? You can enjoy a little extra radiance without feeling like you're wearing makeup at all!   When and how do you apply makeup primer? Adding a primer to your makeup routine couldn't be easier! Simply apply it after cleansing, your usual skincare and moisturiser, but before your foundation or other makeup (should you want to add these steps that is!) You generally only need a small amount, so there's no need to go overboard! Gently smooth it over your face, concentrating on any areas where you'd like a little extra help, and allow it to settle before applying your foundation. And remember, if you're wearing sunscreen (which we certainly hope you are!), apply your SPF after your moisturiser and before your primer, allowing it to set first. Easy peasy!   How to choose the right makeup primer for your skin With so many different primers available, how do you know which one is right for you? Well, it really comes down to your skin type and what you'd like to achieve. From smoothing uneven texture to controlling shine or adding a gorgeous glow, here are three of our ELES favourites to help you find your perfect match!   For normal to dry skin If your skin is a little on the dry side, why not opt for a multi-tasking primer that does more than simply prepare your skin for makeup? Cue the ELES Retexture Crème Face Primer! Enriched with skin-loving botanical extracts, including aloe vera, chamomile and calendula, this lightweight formula helps hydrate, soothe and condition your complexion while softening the appearance of uneven skin texture. And the texture? Beautifully silky! It glides over your skin, creating a smooth, even-looking base for your foundation. Want your skin to look a little more filtered, without the actual filter? This one's definitely worth a try! For combination to oily skin Fed up with unwanted shine and enlarged pores? the ELES Pore Perfecting Face Primer could be your new best friend! Not only does it help keep makeup in place, it also combats shine, absorbs excess oil and reduces the appearance of pores to keep your foundation looking smooth and flawless for longer! Genius! For dull skin in need of a glow boost If your skin is looking a little dull or you're simply craving that gorgeous, healthy-looking radiance, an illuminating primer might be just what your makeup bag is missing! Enter our new ELES Lumière Glow Perfecting Primer! This gorgeous, glow-giving primer helps bring a little luminosity back to lacklustre skin, leaving your complexion looking fresh, radiant and beautifully illuminated. And here's what we really love! You can wear it underneath foundation for an extra boost of radiance, or simply on its own for that fresh-faced, lit-from-within glow, without a drop of foundation in sight! Who said you need a full face of makeup to look fabulous? So, do you really need makeup primer? After all those benefits, is a makeup primer really a must-have in your beauty routine? Well, not necessarily! And yes, we realise that might sound a little surprising after we've just spent the last few minutes telling you how wonderful primers can be! The truth is, not everyone needs one. If you're really happy with how your foundation applies, your makeup stays put throughout the day and your skin looks just the way you want it to, there's no reason you absolutely have to add another step. But if your foundation tends to settle into fine lines, your complexion gets shiny by lunchtime, or you'd simply love a smoother, more radiant finish, a primer could make a noticeable difference. So, is makeup primer essential? No. But could it become one of your favourite makeup products once you find the right one? Absolutely!

New beauty products landing at Beauty Collective? You can probably imagine how excited the team gets! While we all have our tried-and-tested favourites, we're always keen to see what the latest launches have to offer. We're talking clever makeup innovations, interesting skincare ingredients and new formulas that have us reaching for the testers before they've even made it onto the website! From a glow-enhancing primer and a nourishing lip oil to targeted skincare and a clever two-in-one makeup essential, here are five of our latest beauty launches and why we're loving them!   1. ELES Lumière Glow Perfecting Primer For smoother-looking skin and a gorgeous natural glow A primer that does more than simply prepare your skin for foundation? Yes, please! This new ELES Lumière Glow Perfecting Primer is designed to smooth the appearance of fine lines, pores and uneven texture while giving your complexion a fresh, luminous finish. Its silky, lightweight formula combines jojoba oil, Vitamin E and botanical extracts to leave skin feeling soft and comfortable. And the best part? You don't even need to wear foundation to enjoy the benefits. Apply it on its own for a naturally radiant look or underneath makeup for a smoother, more even finish. “Having fairly oily skin and visible pores, I'm quite particular about the primers I use. What I love about this one is how it makes my skin look smoother and more even, with a lovely soft-focus effect and natural radiance, without looking overly shiny. I can wear it on its own or underneath foundation, and my makeup looks fresh and polished.” Liane Scior, Director of Marketing & Education   2. PHYTOMER Lip Designer Nourishing Plumping Lip Oil For hydrated, fuller-looking lips with a gorgeous glossy shine Lip oils have become a beauty favourite, and it's not hard to understand why! They offer that gorgeous glossy finish we love, with the added benefit of caring for our lips. The new PHYTOMER Lip Designer Nourishing Plumping Lip Oil takes things a step further, combining marine algae extracts with nourishing apricot, macadamia and sesame oils to help soften, smooth and visibly plump the lips too! It's particularly appealing if your lips tend to feel dry or you're noticing more visible lip lines. The lightweight oil adds shine without that sticky, heavy feeling, and the applicator makes it easy to top up throughout the day. “Anything that promises to nourish and plump my lips at the same time immediately gets my attention! And this lip oil does exactly that! My lips feel beautifully moisturised, look glossy (without being sticky), and I've noticed they look plumper with continued use. I use it every morning and keep it close by for top-ups throughout the day!” – Jo Boyden, Senior Marketing & Content Manager   3. ELES 2-in-1 Mascara & Liner Two makeup essentials. One clever little product. We do love a clever makeup innovation here at BC, and especially this one that combines two products we all use daily! This new ELES 2-in-1 Mascara & Liner brings together a volumising black mascara and a precision eyeliner in one sleek, double-ended design. Use the mascara to add volume and definition to your lashes, then the liner to create anything from a subtle line along the lashes to a more dramatic eye look. It's practical, versatile and particularly handy for travelling or keeping in your handbag! “Mascara and eyeliner in one product? Such a clever idea! You get the definition and volume of a mascara, plus a precision liner for creating anything from a subtle everyday look to a more dramatic eye. And there's one less product to squeeze into your makeup bag!” - Elaine Palapag, Social Media Manager   4. VIE Collection Retino Active Concentrated Solution A targeted treatment for smoother, more radiant-looking skin If fine lines, uneven texture or a complexion that's looking a little lacklustre are among your skincare concerns, this is one new launch worth knowing about! The VIE Collection Retino Active Concentrated Solution contains 0.1% encapsulated retinol, designed for progressive release to help improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, refine skin texture and restore radiance. But there's more to the formula than retinol alone. Jojoba and macadamia oils, shea butter extract and glycerin provide nourishing and hydrating care, while the lightweight, fragrance-free texture absorbs without leaving a sticky finish. It's designed to be used as a targeted 2–4-week course before your usual moisturiser. As with any retinol treatment, follow the product directions, introduce it according to your skin's tolerance and use daily SPF! “I've tried quite a few retinol products over the years, and this one has really impressed me! I love how smooth and soft my skin feels after using it, and I've noticed my complexion looks brighter and more even. Plus, it feels beautifully nourishing, which isn't always what you'd expect from a retinol treatment.” - Kellie Deveney, Business Development Manager  5. PHYTOMER Rosée Glow Vitamin Radiance Plumping Cream For skin that looks fresh, plump and beautifully hydrated Sometimes all you want from your moisturiser is for your skin to look a little fresher, brighter and more radiant. And that's exactly what this new PHYTOMER launch is designed to deliver! PHYTOMER Rosée Glow Vitamin Radiance Plumping Cream combines antioxidant Vitamin C with rose water, rose oil and marine ingredients to help revive dull-looking skin, provide lasting hydration and improve the appearance of plumpness. The silky, nourishing texture is designed to leave skin feeling soft and comfortable, while helping to restore that healthy-looking, rosy glow. A particularly tempting addition if your complexion has been looking a little tired lately! “I'm all about fresh, glowing skin, and this cream has quickly become one of my favourites! I love how soft and hydrated my skin feels after applying it, and it gives my complexion such a beautiful, healthy-looking glow. My skin looks fresher and plumper, which is exactly what I want from my moisturiser!” - May Scior, Administrative Assistant   Whether you're looking for a targeted skincare treatment, a clever makeup essential or simply fancy trying something different, we hope our latest favourites have given you a little inspiration. And if you're curious to see what else has landed recently, head over to our latest arrivals and discover what's new at Beauty Collective!

You invested in that new serum and moisturiser your friend has been raving about. You’ve been using them religiously. And yet your skin doesn’t seem to look any different! But before you decide your latest skincare purchase was a complete waste of money, it’s worth looking at what else might be going on! From expecting results a little too quickly to using too many active ingredients at once, there are plenty of things that could be stopping your skincare from delivering the results you expected. So, before you give up on your current routine (or start shopping for an entirely new one!), keep reading as we look at 7 reasons your skincare might not be working and what you can do about it!   1. You’re expecting results too quickly We’d all love our skincare to transform our skin overnight! But unfortunately, most products need a little more time than that! That said some benefits can be noticeable fairly quickly! A good moisturiser or hydrating serum, for example, can leave skin looking plumper, smoother and more hydrated almost immediately, and a good Vitamin C serum or facial oil can have you waking to brighter, healthier looking skin by morning! I can vouch for that. But if you’re trying to improve concerns such as pigmentation, fine lines or uneven texture, you’ll generally need to be much more patient. Ingredients such as retinol work gradually, so consistency over weeks and months matters far more than what you see after the first few applications. And resist the temptation to keep swapping products because you haven't noticed a dramatic difference straight away. Unless something is irritating your skin or clearly isn't right for you, give it a reasonable chance to do its job before moving on to the next thing!   2. Your products aren’t right for your skin A product can have the latest and greatest skincare ingredients, glowing reviews even, and work wonders for your best friend... but not be right for your skin. Your skin type plays a big part in choosing the right products. For example, a rich, nourishing moisturiser might be wonderful for someone with dry skin, but feel far too heavy for someone with oily or combination skin. The same applies to your concerns. If pigmentation is your priority, your routine needs ingredients that actually target pigmentation. If dehydration is the problem, piling on products designed primarily for ageing skin may not address what's making your complexion look dull or lined in the first place. Not entirely sure what your skin needs? Our guide to building a skincare routine for your skin type and concerns will help!    3. You’re not using your products consistently I’m sure we have all been guilty of buying a new skincare product, using it morning and night for a week and then gradually swapping it out because the results aren’t happening quickly enough for your liking. Unfortunately, using your serum three nights one week, once the next and then rediscovering it in the bathroom cupboard a fortnight later probably isn't going to tell you much about whether it works! You don't need a complicated 10-step routine, but you do need some consistency when it comes to your skincare. A simple routine you follow every day will generally be far more useful than an elaborate one you only manage when time allows. And don't forget your SPF! If you're investing in products to improve pigmentation and visible signs of ageing but regularly skipping sun protection, you're making their job considerably harder!   4. You’re using too many active ingredients at once If one active ingredient is good, surely three or four (because they all target concerns you think you need help with) will get you results faster, right? Sadly, skincare doesn't quite work like that! Combining too many potent actives (particularly when you introduce several new products at once) can leave skin feeling dry, tight, sensitive or irritated. And once your skin becomes unhappy, adding even more products to try and fix the problem can quickly become a vicious circle! This doesn't mean ingredients such as retinol, exfoliating acids (AHAs and BHAs) and Vitamin C can't all have a place in your routine. They absolutely can. But introduce new actives gradually, pay attention to how your skin responds and don't assume that stronger or more is automatically better. And if you're not entirely sure which actives your skin actually needs, have a read of our guide to the skincare ingredients you should be using. It might help you work out which ones are worth keeping in your routine (and which ones you probably don't need!).   5. You’re not getting the most from your products Sometimes it's not what you're using, but how you're using it. Applying products in the right order can help you get the most from your routine. As a general guide, cleanse first, follow with your more lightweight serums and targeted treatments, then moisturiser, with SPF as the final step of your morning skincare routine. If you're unsure where everything fits, our guide to the right order to apply your skincare (and why it matters) explains it all. You also don't need huge amounts of product to make it work better. Using twice as much serum doesn't mean you'll get twice the results (if only!). And make sure you’re following the directions for the individual product. Some treatments are designed for daily use, while others may only be needed a few times a week. Retinol and exfoliants in particular usually need to be introduced gradually.   6. Your skin barrier needs some attention If your skin has suddenly become dry, tight, flaky, sensitive or reactive, your skin barrier could be struggling. Your skin barrier helps keep moisture in and irritants out. When it's compromised, skin can lose water more easily and become increasingly sensitive, which can make your usual skincare harder to tolerate. If that sounds familiar, this probably isn't the moment to add another exfoliating acid or stronger retinol! Instead, simplify things for a while. Concentrate on gentle cleansing, hydration, moisturising and daily SPF, and look for barrier-supporting ingredients such as ceramides and fatty acids. You can read more in our guide to repairing a damaged skin barrier. 7. You’re expecting skincare to do something it simply can’t And finally, this is an important one! Sometimes your skincare is working, but you're expecting it to achieve something that skincare simply can't! A good skincare routine can make a real difference to how your skin looks and feels. Depending on the products you're using, it can improve hydration, smoothness and brightness, help manage breakouts and pigmentation, and soften the appearance of fine lines. But no cream or serum can completely erase deep wrinkles, or reproduce the results of an injectable or in-clinic procedure. This doesn't make good skincare any less worthwhile. The goal is to keep your skin looking and functioning at its best, while having realistic expectations about what topical products can and will achieve.   So before you give up on your skincare... If you're not seeing the results you expected, don't immediately assume you need to replace everything in your bathroom cupboard. Give your products enough time, make sure they're suited to your skin and concerns, use them consistently and resist the temptation to throw every trending active ingredient into your routine at once!