GRACE NOTES: OCTOBER 2017
Working as a beauty writer practically requires me to turn up at work wearing as little product as possible – a blank canvas if you will – to be smothered and swatched in potions and pigments from 8 ‘till 5. As it's my job to swatch and sniff my way through the latest and greatest beauty launches, each month I debrief on the ones worth writing home about.
THE ORDINARY SALICYLIC ACID
If you suffer from any form of breakouts, blemishes, acne, and you don’t have salicylic acid in your routine, then you need to re-evaluate. Salicylic acid is key for calming inflammation and preventing pores from clogging (which causes breakouts) - this version is super-concentrated and unhampered by necessary fillers and extras so it’s more efficient and more effective. I wouldn’t and couldn't be without it.
FRESH SOY FACE CLEANSER
I can’t hype this face wash enough - my absolute favourite pastime is cleansing, so, as you’d expect, I’ve tried hundreds. It’s rare to find a gel cleanser that works for sensitive skin, cooperates with contact lenses, and doesn’t trigger dry patches, but this is one. It has a really nice light, gel consistency which feels cool and refreshing, and it dissolves my eye makeup in seconds - no stinging, and no scrubbing required.
COVER FX CUSTOM COVER DROPS in HALO
I only really wear highlighters on nights out, and when I do it’s usually Cover FX’s Custom Cover drops - the greatest highlighters known to man. I use Sunlight if I’m going for a warm, bronzed look, but Halo works better with my super pale skin. It’s an icy-cool holographic shimmer that looks great sheered across the cheekbones and dotted into the inner corner of a smoky eye.
RCMA NO COLOUR POWDER
If you have oily skin, or are prone to a little 3pm shine, this is a lifesaver. I use it on my T-zone as the final step in my 6am makeup routine and it keeps me matte-but-not-cakey right through until the evening. It’s messy, granted (I tip it into an empty compact to apply), but you only need a small amount and it goes far.
MAC PIGMENTS IN BLUE-BROWN AND SILVER
Two shades I’d probably (definitely) never have picked up if I hadn’t spotted them on Instagram. Layered lightly together they create the perfect glossy wet-look lid - pair it with smudged black liner and lots of mascara for a welcome alternative to an Instagram cut crease. These are the first MAC pigments I’ve tried - they’re admittedly daunting - but you only need the tiniest amount to cover your lids, and unlike other loose pigments I’ve tried, they don’t fall off during (or after) application.
