by Tanya Burr
Bronzer brush
This is similar to a blush brush but it’s good to have two so you don’t mix up your colours.
Brow brush
I like to fill in my brows with powder or using a little gel pot and I don’t use pencils, so for me this is a really important piece of my kit. This is a firm, angled brush that allows for optimal control when shading and defining.
Eyebrow spoolie
This is a bit like a mascara wand, minus the mascara! It ensures all your hairs lie in the right direction and will help to even out colour and soften any harsh edges after you have applied your brow powder or gel. Some eye pencils have built-in spoolies.
Concealer brush
Again, this is personal choice because many people like to use a narrow synthetic brush, where the ends are tapered to help you get to hard-to-reach spots. I like to use a fluffier concealer brush, so it glides along my skin and blends the product in really well.
Eyeshadow brush
I like to use a soft, fluffy natural-hair brush that is good for blending eyeshadow into the crease of your eye and defining your lid with precision. My all-time favourite is the MAC 217 brush.
Eyelash curlers
I use my eyelash curlers all the time. Look for a basic metal version with ergonomic handles and rubber pads to help give your lashes a natural-looking curl before you apply mascara.
Powder brush
This is a big and soft, natural-hair brush for dusting powder onto the face. I really love the Bobbi Brown Powder Brush. It applies just the right amount of powder so I don’t end up with too much.
Lip brush
This is a small round-tipped brush and will make precise lip colour application easy. It’s great for applying strong colours, like statement red lips.
Tweezers
It’s worth investing in a good pair of tweezers. I use these for helping me to apply my false eyelashes. As well as plucking out the odd stray hair, of course!
APPLYING YOUR MAKE-UP
How you apply your make-up totally depends on what look you want to achieve and I change up my make-up every day and go through phases of using different products, depending on whose look I am inspired by at the time. For me, anything can inspire a different make-up look, from a celebrity on the red carpet, to a cool music video, to someone that I see on the street with a striking image. Like most things, the more you practise the better you will become at applying your make-up, but here are some very basic facts and tips:
PRIMER
Before using foundation, it’s good to use a primer. To be honest I don’t always remember and have weeks where I forget that primer even exists, but at the moment I’m having a phase of loving it! It helps to minimise your pores, smoothes out fine lines and softens your skin, and it lays the base for foundation and will help it stay on your skin for longer. There are different sorts of primers for different skin types so choose one which is right for you.
Always apply primer after moisturising, otherwise your moisturiser will sit like a thin film on your face.
Don’t coat your face with it – one small blob is plenty. Gently rub it all over the skin for even coverage.
Some primers are slightly tinted and can add a glow to your skin. Lilac shades brighten dull or sallow skin, while green or yellow tones neutralise redness.
Wait a few minutes before applying foundation.
FOUNDATION
The right foundation will make you look like you’re not wearing any foundation at all. It shouldn’t be a heavy mask and should just even out the skin tone and texture and make your skin look its best. There are so many different types of foundation on the market. Go to a department store and ask all the make-up counters to give you a few tiny samples or take along your own sample pot. Then try out a different one every day for a week. Take photos after applying in the morning, then at lunchtime and in the evening and see how it looks.
If you have dry or flaky skin, always exfoliate, cleanse and moisturise so the foundation doesn’t accentuate your dryness. I used to have women come up to me at the Laura Mercier counter and say, ‘I can’t wear foundation, it looks so gross on my skin’, but if you treat your skin correctly, then foundation works for everyone. I always used to have dryness around my nose, so I used cleansing oil, which helped to combat this. If your skin is particularly oily or prone to breakouts, choose an oil-free formula.
Always test the colour of foundation on your skin. If you are at a make-up counter, ask the staff if you can take their hand-held mirror to a window and look at the foundation in natural light because often the lights in beauty departments are spotlights and they don’t give you an accurate representation of how natural the colour will look. The colour that blends into your skin colour is the winner!
Make sure you blend the foundation well at your jawline and down your neck. Work from the chin out towards the jawline and down onto the neck, making sure there is no visible line.
Never put a whole pump of foundation on your hand and stick your brush in it and put it on your face. Instead you need to apply it in fine layers. This will ensure you get a flawless look and you don’t coat your face too heavily. If you think you haven’t put enough on, let your foundation settle for a few minutes. Then blend or layer in more foundation in spots where it is needed. Ta-da! Job done.
CONCEALER
Sometimes foundation will cover all blemishes but I often find that the redness around my nose shows through my foundation, as well as the odd blemish and the dark circles under my eyes. For my face, I use something with slightly more coverage and I dab it on and then blend with a concealer brush. Under-eye concealers are creamier and more lightweight and should be one or two tones lighter than foundation so they brighten dark circles.
Dab concealer on rather than rubbing it in, because this will just rub it to a different part of your face. I find it really helpful to use a small, fluffy brush to blend my concealer in really well.
Yellow-toned colours are best for covering redness around the nose and on the face, while peach tones will cover any blue discolouration under the eye and bring warmth to the area. There is a full colour chart showing what colours cancel out other colours, so if you are unsure, look it up online or talk to a make-up artist.
Once I’ve corrected the colour under my eyes, I like to use a brightening concealer, which is often yellow-toned and helps to radiate light.
Like foundation, layer concealer so you avoid putting too much on. Wait a few minutes after applying the first layer and then look to see if more is needed.
POWDER
Powder creates a polished look and helps to keep make-up in place. I like to use a minimal amount of powder just to set my foundation and concealer for hours and keep my skin looking fresh.
Always use powder sparingly to avoid a ‘white-out’ look. I also like to use a sheer colourless translucent powder, like a blotting powder.
Not everyone needs powder. If you have particularly dry skin, only use powder to set your under-eye concealer.
Always be gentle because you don’t want to push your foundation and concealer around your face.
CONTOURING AND HIGHLIGHTING
Contouring is where you can give your face more shape and make it look slimmer. It can help you bring out your cheekbones, slim your nose or subtly sculpt your face. Contouring can sound quite technical but the basic theory is that you want to use dark, matte shades on the areas you want to recede and absorb light. Apply it where you can see natural shadows on your face, like in the hollows of your cheekbones, your temples, around the hairline, or in the triangle under your chin, to slim the area. You can also do the sides of your nose to give a slimmer shape. Blend it carefully, so it just looks like a natural shadow. Highlighting can bring light back into your face, so use lighter shimmery tones on the areas you want to bring forward and reflect the light, like the top of your cheekbones, under your brow bone and in your cupid’s bow. You can use cream highlighters, gels or powders. Again, the choice
is extensive, so experiment and decide what you like best.
If you’re going for a completely natural look, avoid any products with noticeable sparkles. But you can use the beautifully sparkly ones for that glowing Kim Kardashian look which I love.
Not all contouring and highlighting rules apply to everyone. It’s important to keep your face shape in mind. If you are unsure, go to a make-up counter and ask them to show you how to perfect your highlighting and contouring method.
Practice makes perfect, so give yourself time to learn to do this.
Do always check your look in natural light to see that everything is well blended before leaving the house.
BRONZER AND BLUSH
Bronzers imitate the look you would get from being in the sun and are a way to add a healthy glow to the skin. I like to use bronzers for contouring and use a smaller, more angled brush but sometimes I like to use bronzer to give me an all-over glow, so I use a bigger brush to apply it. Blush will also create a healthy, pretty look and can make your skin look younger and your eyes brighter.
For a sun-kissed look, apply bronzer to the high points of your face – cheeks, nose and forehead, where the sun would naturally hit if you were on holiday.
When applying blusher, smile to find the apples of your cheeks and sweep upwards and outwards until no hard lines are left.
I always love to blend my blusher so that there are no harsh lines between where the blusher finishes and my skin begins. To achieve this, I use a powder brush or a foundation brush.
For the most natural blush look, match the colour to your cheeks when you are hot from exercise. But also, don’t be scared to get creative with your colours. There are so many gorgeous blush colours out there and it’s a case of seeing what suits you. A great thing to do is go to the make-up counters and experiment, as you might be surprised by the results. There’s a colour by MAC called Frankly Scarlet which looks bright red in the pan but looks beautiful on if you use just a tiny amount.
BROWS
Eyebrows are so important because they frame your eyes and will make a huge difference to your look. I am a huge fan of strong brows and I think all brows benefit from added definition.
When it comes to getting the right eyebrow shape, I don’t pluck my brows and my best piece of advice would be to go and get them threaded. It’s an ancient technique in which someone twists cotton and uses it to pull out stray eyebrow hairs and it’s less painful and quicker than plucking. You can get them done professionally quite cheaply. And even if you don’t have the budget to get them threaded every six weeks, have them threaded once to get a good framework that you can then maintain yourself using tweezers.
It is also easy to tint your own brows, and brow tint kits are inexpensive. This will give you fuller-looking brows and they will be easier to colour in.
There are gels, powders and pencils to fill in your brow colour. My personal favourite is using powder applied with an angled brush for most precision.
When filling in brows, follow the direction of the hair in a flicking-up motion and don’t use too much powder, otherwise you could end up with an unnatural look. I like to think of it as if I am drawing on little hairs.
Don’t get carried away with tweezers – that’s the worst thing you can do. But if you do, don’t panic – you’re going to get very good at filling in your eyebrows!
EYES: EYESHADOW, MASCARA AND EYELINER
Good eye make-up will accentuate the eyes and make your eye colour stand out. How you apply your eye make-up is entirely dependent on the look you are going for.
It’s important to learn about the shape and positioning of your eyes so you can bring out the best in your features. For example, if your eyes are close-set you may want to use a lighter colour in your inner corners to make them appear further apart. My eyes are quite almond-shaped and I always like them to look as wide and open as possible, so I tend to blend my shadow into a rounded shape. If you’re the opposite and prefer a less round look for your eyes, then wing your eyeshadow outwards. Once again, it’s a case of experimenting and figuring out what works best for you!
Before applying eyeshadow, I love applying a cream eyeshadow base because it creates a beautiful texture and a smooth canvas for my eye make-up.
Always blend your eyeshadow well with a clean, fluffy brush across the area where your eyeshadow ends, to create a flawless finish.
I think classic black mascara is best for all occasions but pick your mascara according to the look you want. When applying mascara, don’t pump the wand because this will push air into it and encourage it to dry out.
Work from the base to the tips of the lashes and roll the wand to avoid clumps. Always apply from underneath so you don’t weigh down the lashes. Allow the mascara to dry before applying more coats if you want a more dramatic effect.
If you want a softer look, line your eyes with a powder eyeshadow using an angled brush. For a more dramatic look, use a gel or liquid liner to draw a line close to the lash line with a flick at the outer end. For an even more striking look, use a thicker line with a more accentuated flick at the end.
I love false eyelashes and have my own in my Tanya Burr Cosmetics range. I think they can really add to your look and open up the eyes and make them stand out. I’m a fan of more natural-looking false eyelashes. You can reuse them if you are very careful removing them.
LIPS
Applying lip colour is a simple but effective way to change your look. Again, there is a huge array of products, including lipsticks and glosses that are matte, sheer, shimmery and creamy. The right shades will complement your skin tone and work well with your natural lip colour.
Make sure your lips are well moisturised before applying lipstick. If your lips are dry, choose a tinted lip balm or gloss.
Use a lip scrub once a week to keep your lips smooth and kissable. You don’t need to buy a special one: mix some honey with sugar or salt and gently rub onto your lips with your finger, remove it with warm water and finish with a slick of lip balm. Easy!
Personally, I’m not a big fan of lip liner but if you want to use it to define the shape of your face, pick a colour that matches the shade of the lipstick. If it doesn’t match exactly, line your lips, then fill them in with the liner and put the lipstick on top, so you don’t risk a noticeable line.
If you have a lipstick colour that you love but you think it’s too strong, which is something that happens to me quite a lot, dab it onto your lips, then rub it in with your finger for a more natural effect.
Lip gloss is a great way to add natural colour to your make-up look, when lipstick feels too strong. I wear my Tanya Burr Cosmetics lip gloss in Chic almost every day.
MY TOP 10
MUST-HAVES FOR YOUR MAKE-UP BAG
1. SHU UEMURA EYELASH CURLERS
I use these all the time before applying mascara or false lashes because they give my lashes a really good curl. I like to put my lashes in, squeeze down and pump three times.
2. BRUSHES
I have a range of brushes in different shapes and sizes. My favourite brands are Real Techniques, MAC and Bobbi Brown. Always make sure you clean your brushes regularly with warm water and a mild soap or shampoo.
3. URBAN DECAY 24/7 GLIDE-ON EYE PENCIL
These pencils are soft and creamy and last all day. I hate it when make-up ends up halfway down my face and these never smudge. Roach is a flattering warm-brown colour.
4. HOURGLASS ILLUSION TINTED MOISTURISER OIL-FREE AND NARS SHEER GLOW FOUNDATION
I’ve put these two products together because I mix them for the perfect flawless finish.
5. MAC PREP + PRIME HIGHLIGHTER PEN
This pen-style highlighter has a light consistency but gives me great coverage and that Kim Kardashian glow under the eyes. It can be used over make-up for highlighting or under make-up to brighten and prime.
6. TANYA BURR COSMETICS INDIVIDUAL LASHES
I’m never without my false lashes if I’m going out in the evenin
g. They really open up my eyes and are great for taking selfies with my friends as they make my eyes look amazing in photos. I love my individual lashes because they look so natural. They come with glue in the pack, so all I need is my tweezers to apply them. Lay the lash on top of your natural lashes – the key is not to fiddle with it else it will end up on your finger!
7. LANCÔME GRANDIOSE MASCARA
This mascara gives a real false-lash effect. The shape of the wand helps me fan my lashes out.
8. BOBBI BROWN BRIGHTENING FINISHING POWDER
For daytime, this powder sets my make-up in place but instantly illuminates my skin and gives it a healthy finish.
9. MAC MYSTERY EYESHADOW
I use this on my eyebrows and I really like the colour. I’ve got quite a bit of experience using MAC eyeshadows, as they were some of the first I purchased and I think they are the best. The pigment is amazing, they blend beautifully and the colour range is like no other.
10. ELIZABETH ARDEN EIGHT-HOUR CREAM
This is the best lip balm and I have been using it forever. You can also use it to highlight your brow bone, cheekbones and even your legs. That’s what I call multi-tasking!
List the top ten make-up looks you are inspired by at the moment …
List the top ten items in your make-up bag …
MY TOP 10
BARGAIN BEAUTY BUYS
1. RIMMEL WAKE-ME-UP FOUNDATION
This is really light and comfortable on my skin but gives great coverage at the same time.
2. COLLECTION LASTING PERFECTION CONCEALER
This concealer covers even the worst blemishes brilliantly and lasts for a really long time on the skin. It says it lasts for sixteen hours and I don’t think I’ve ever worn my make-up for that long, but I can believe it!
