Winter, Give Me My Glow Back!

Whilst I am not blessed with a golden skin tone, I do believe that it's possible to have healthy, luminous skin whatever your colouring. When it comes to being pale, I reckon I could give Wednesday Addams a run for her money. Therefore I do know a thing or two about products that give you a little bit of life back in your skin, even in the middle of chilly February. This is also a combination of products that I often use on myself and on shoots, it looks really natural and fresh, and also photographs really well.

1) Laura Mercier Radiance  Foundation Primer £29

This is a really beautiful foundation primer that can be worn under makeup or by itself if you're having a good skin day and just need a bit of brightening up. The texture is fairly light and super blendable, I personally like applying it with a brush but by all means you could use your fingers if you prefer. The pinky undertone flatters almost all skintones and the light reflecting pigment instantly gives you a luminous glow. Plus, it's silicone-free so it won't block your pores, yay! Although this is one to avoid if you are concerned about fine lines or large pores, I would recommend it to pretty much everybody else. Gorgeous!

2) By Terry Light Expert (I use Shade 1, Rosy Light) £45

I was never very excited about this product until I actually tried it, and then I got very, very excited about it because it's lovely. It's a sheer to medium coverage base from Terry de Guntzberg (the creator of Touch Eclat for YSL, dontcha know) which also brightens and perfects the skin. It doesn't really look or feel like you are wearing makeup, which is always good in my book, as your base should be a perfect match for your skin tone and type. I was a bit worried at first as the product doesn't look anything like your skin colour, (this shade is a rosy pink) but it blends perfectly and adjusts to your skin tone. The pen applicator is extremely handy, perfect for handbags and travelling. The brush is actually antibacterial as well, so no need to worry about washing brushes.

3) Nars Radiant Concealer (I use Shade 2, Vanilla) £21

When to comes to concealers, this is hands down my new favourite.It's a fairly new product, having only been out for about 6 months but there has already been a lot of positive press on this one, and for good reason. It is INCREDIBLE on dark circles. Emphasis on incredible, it really does disguise them. It also has a lovely creamy, vitamin-rich formula making it nourishing and hydrating for the under eye area. I also dab this on my nose, chin and corners of the mouth to prevent any redness during the day. Unlike lots of concealers, they are natural enough that they can be worn with no other makeup, and there is a great range of shades for all skin tones, as you would expect from Nars.

4) Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Topaz £33

If you are going to buy one thing from this article, buy this because it really is such a great product. The Skin Perfectors are one of Becca's  signature products and come in liquid and powder form. I like liquid personally, they can be worn over or under makeup and are nice and hydrating this time of year (also, they're SPF 25). I've been using Topaz, the darkest shade, as a liquid bronzer, contouring my cheeks, jawline and temples and then brushing a little over the rest of my face. Darker skintones can actually highlight with this, the golden undertone of the product looks really beautiful. Top marks and a new staple in my makeup bag and my kit.

The overall look here is pretty natural and fresh, great for everyday makeup. I often adjust this for evening just by using a slightly heavier base. I've finished of with a teeny  bit of mineral powder on my T-Zone, liner, mascara, brows and lip balm.