'Skin Prep' has fast become the buzz words on everyone's lips.
Prepping your skin for makeup application means you are creating the perfect base to express yourself and, as your friendly neighbourhood skin prep experts, we are going to take a look at what you should include in your skin prep routine to give you the best surface to apply your makeup.
Julie Thompson, a professional makeup artist whose impressive credentials include working on Game of Thrones, Krypton and Derry Girls, says
'Skin prep is so important to create the perfect canvas to do any makeup look. It's something that people can get so confused about which products to use. I'm not a skincare expert and from my job, speed is so important. It doesn't take a million products to create the perfect skin base and WBCo. proves that with each of their thoroughly thought out products'
There are lots of elements to skincare and you may have a couple of different routines depending on the time of day, time of the month or how you are feeling. Your day and night skincare routine may be completely different from your skin prep routine, which should focus on gently exfoliating any dead skin cells away followed by moisturising and priming the skin so that it is smooth, hydrated and ready for makeup.
Where to start?
Always start by removing any previous makeup you may have on and cleanse your face. You can do this with a cleansing balm, which tend to be oil-based, or a cleansing lotion. If you are looking for a gentle, uplifting cleanser then we recommend our Bog Myrtle and Lime Cleanser. It is oil balancing, has antiseptic properties (which is great for tackling breakouts) and it has toning properties from the lime oil meaning you can skip that step if you like.
What if you don't want to skip that step?
Get yourself a toner that is going to continue the work of the cleanser by balancing your skin. I personally use the Jasmine Green Tea Balancing Toner from Herbivore which is so gentle and refreshing on the skin. Both the jasmine water and the green tea extract soothe the skin, targeting redness and dryness. If you are going to tone your skin, don't be afraid to double up on that moisturiser afterwards.
Next?
Hydration is key to prepped skin. Your skin is the largest organ of the human body and is made up of different layers, cellular structures and components which can make caring for it a little tricky. By maintaining good hydration levels in your skin, you help promote cell regeneration, quicker repair and maintain skin elasticity which helps to keep it looking its best. Our Active Infused Day Cream is packed full of rich ingredients including mango butter, marine algae and acmella oleracea, which improves density and elasticity to the skin.
Prime Time
Super important step and necessary if you are wanting an immaculate makeup application. Ultimately, a primer should serve to create a base that will hold your makeup for longer than applying directly to the skin. Our Smoothing Primer with Hyaluronic Acid is water based meaning it absorbs into the skin, rather than sitting on top. The plant cellulose in the primer fills in any pores, without stretching them, and smoothes out your complexion making it easier to apply foundation.
Don't forget!
Lips. I'm a big fan of a matt lipstick but they can be quite drying. I love a lip mask while I sleep (because who doesn't want to be that extra?). I use Jouer Overnight Conditioning and Repairing Lip Mask because it smells absolutely divine and I really like the texture, plus its cruelty free and vegan. Before any makeup application during the day, I dab some Blistex on my lips (shoutout to the lovely Amanda Bell for this tip) and let it soak in before applying any lipstick/gloss/whatever.
If you don't currently prep your skin before applying makeup and are struggling with flaky, patchy and uneven looks, invest in some skin prep products and say hello to longer lasting, beautifully applied makeup.