Mood boosting make up….

Skincare and make up play slightly different roles in my beauty world. Skincare is the self-care element of my routine, the ritualistic process that signals to my mind its either time to wake up or time to calm down, switch off and just ‘be’. It’s a daily ritual that is as akin to me as eating breakfast, cleaning my teeth or rolling my eyes at the ever pestering cat.

Makeup on the other hand is my instant pick me up, my shot of caffeine on my face in the morning and the tool that I turn to when things feel a bit grey, slow or just plain sluggish. Unlike skincare, I don’t wear make up every day but, when I do, it never fails to be that cheering perky boost that I need.

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Here are a few tips and tricks I turn to when I feel in need of a make up mood evalation:

Bright nails. There’s nothing cheerier than a pop of colour on your nails when things feel grey. Subtle enough to not feel intimidating but ever present throughout the day and visible to you as well as others – when I’m feeling a blue I reach for the hot pink and brighten things up. Highstreet polish performs just as well as higher end options, Rimmel and Maybelline are my go to for their wide flat brushes that coat each nail perfectly and evenly. Finish with a top coat from either range to seal in the colour for longevity.

Blusher. I’ll never understand people who don’t use blusher. It’s the easiest and quickest way to fake a rosy hue even if you’ve never felt less rose like in your life. The key is to find the shade that flatters you and a formula that looks natural, think just run a 5k rather than clown cheek glow. I’m obsessed with the powder Beauty Pie shades which deliver the perfect amount of colour payoff and are super affordable. Buffed on to the apples of your cheeks with enough confidence to deliver some colour, you can’t fail to feel a little more brightened with this step.

Mascara. Never underestimate the effect a few coats of a decent mascara can have on faking it till you make it wide awake eyes. Even if you’ve seen every hour throughout the night through insomnia or children, there’s something placebo-esque about waking your eyes up artificially which then gets you through the next 12 hours. Next time you are looking for a present for a new mum maybe consider mascara over flowers, chances are it will be clutched in their tired hands and cherished far longer than the blooms would be. My absolute holy grail mascara is Kevyn Aucoin’s volume tubing mascara. Yes there’s cheaper out there but I’ve not tried another mascara that delivers like this one on length, curl, definition, doesn’t smudge and removes with warm water at the end of the day.

And last but not least. A bright lip. I used to be scared of a hot pink or pillar box red but it truly is one of the quickest mood boosting tricks in the book. If you’re are still not sold just try it – you quickly get over the self consciousness of wearing stand out colour and instead feel empowered and in control. It’s a mindfulness trick more than anything, a nod to the outdoors world that you are still here and present even if things are little bit withered inside. My current favourites are Charlotte Tilbury’s Coachella Coral and Bobbi Brown’s liquid lipstick in Big Apple.

And whilst the make up may get washed down the plug hole at the end of the day, my lifted mood tends to stay around just that little bit longer – happier for the injection of colour and vibrance.