What Makeup Counters Do Free Makeovers

Whether you're a makeup maestro or only dabble occasionally, many of us love the idea of visiting a professional makeup creative person and having our faces properly 'done'.

Luckily, you don't need to be a celebrity to achieve that these days; many high street makeup brands offer makeovers in-house, but with and so many choose from, it can be baffling knowing which to go for. Are y'all more of a MAC or a Clinique girl? No7 or Nars?

With this in mind, I decided to attempt out the makeover services as five pop high street brands. I asked each to requite me two looks: one daytime (on the left), one evening glamour (the right). And I picked up plenty of makeup tips (likewise as a few purchases!) along the way…

MAC

What was I expecting?

MAC, for me, is all about drama: bold colours, stunning evening looks and attention-grabbing celebrity collaborations.

Lip, Cheek, Brown, Eye, Hairstyle, Skin, Chin, Forehead, Eyelash, Eyebrow,

What did I go?

Well, I finally found a foundation that perfectly matched my skin for a start! MAC'south foundation range is split up into warm and absurd tones and has a huge array of shades (including darker colours – much-needed on the Great britain high street). The makeup artist quickly matched me as NC15, basically the palest shade, which fabricated me happy considering I seem to spend half my life trying to convince makeup artists that I am actually much paler than they think.

My day look was surprising subtle (yep, MAC does do subtle), although don't be fooled into thinking that just because it looks natural, at that place'south not a whole lot of production on there. I particularly honey how fresh my skin looks; this is a combination of the foundation, highlighter, bronzer and blush working its magic. Believe me, after a long twenty-four hours at work non much of that glow was coming from me!

For the night look, makeup creative person Phoebe went BIG on my eyes, including fake eyelashes, which I rarely use considering I tin't stand up the feeling when they come up unattached and start flapping effectually your eyeballs similar a spider. Luckily that's not a problem when you have a professional on hand. Phoebe also taught me how to tightline, which is where you use eyeliner on the waterline of your upper eyelid, adding extra definition and making lashes look longer. It'due south a fleck fiddly at showtime, but certainly effective.

Tops tips I picked up:

Use a concealer that'southward slightly darker than your foundation for your undereye bags, otherwise the area will look weird (I had NC20 concealer).
Ever curl your eyelashes. I have quite long lashes naturally so never bother with this; in fact, it makes a dramatic deviation to anyone's optics, says Phoebe.
Don't worry if there are some colours yous simply detest. I was worried Phoebe might think I was deadening for saying I only use browns and golds on my optics – in fact she said we are drawn to what suits united states of america, so it's fine to not experiment with colours if you can't stand the sight of them on your face (that's the concluding fourth dimension I bother with imperial eyeshadow and then).

Products used:

Product, Brown, Liquid, Red, Pink, Style, Tints and shades, Cosmetics, Peach, Beauty,

DAY

Complete Condolement Crème, £24.l; Prep and Prime number Fix +, £17.50; Studio Set Fluid, £22 – (my shade - NC15); Pro Longwear Concealer, £eighteen; Prep & Prime Highlighter, £xviii.l – (my shade - Bright Forecast); Bronzing Pulverisation, £22 (my shade – Statuary); Chroma Pulverization, £18 (my shade – Plum Foolery); Mineralize Skinfinish, £24 (my shade – Soft & Gentle); Pro Longwear Pigment Pot, £16 (my shade – Painterly); Eye Shadow, £13 (my shade – Sable); Middle Kohl, £14 (my shade – Smolder); In Extreme Dimension 3D Black Lash, £xix; Lipstick, £15.fifty (my shade – Patisserie)

NIGHT

Equally above, plus: Bister Times 9 Palette, £25; Fluidline, £16 (my shade – Blacktrack); Eye Brows pencil, £xiv (my shade – Lingering); Lip Pencil, £thirteen (my shade – Boldly Bare); 7 Lash, £10.50

NO7

What was I expecting?

I remember of No7 a fleck similar John Lewis: no-nonsense, reliable, and a stalwart of the British high street. It launched back in 1935 and has been recommended through the generations since, and then I definitely felt like I was in safe easily when I visited the Piccadilly branch.

Lip, Cheek, Brown, Hairstyle, Skin, Eye, Chin, Forehead, Eyelash, Eyebrow,

What did I get?

Pushed out of my comfort zone, surprisingly. The start look featured green eyeshadow and coral lips, which I would never normally option (every bit I've mentioned earlier, 'variations on brown' could pretty much sum up my makeup look). I am likewise a complete eyeliner addict, so going liner-free for my daytime look was definitely a refreshing change.

I accept to say, I wouldn't have expected the night-time look from No7 either – I guess I was expecting something a flake more 'safe' than this heavily contoured, bronzed look. I love the eyes and the extra definition in my brows, and the fact I was encouraged to effort a nifty blusher instead of my usual pinkish.

This beingness No7, skincare was obviously loftier on the calendar – at my age (28), the Early Defence range was recommended, although I've heard great things nearly Lift & Luminate and Protect & Perfect for those aged 40+. I also tried No7's bang-up trivial Friction match Made service, where they scan your peel with a special device that idenfities the ideal foundation, lip and blusher shade to complement your skin.

Top tips I picked up:

Utilise your serum properly. If there's 1 matter No7 excel in, information technology's skincare, so I paid attention when advised to dab in my serum, rather than rubbing (oops…)
Apply foundation properly too. That means from the middle of your confront outwards, as the central signal is mostly where yous need the coverage about.
Don't panic if you lot apply too much dark eyeshadow. Instead of completely starting once again, simply counteract information technology by brushing a paler shade on tiptop.

Products:

Brown, Product, Red, Lipstick, Pink, Tints and shades, Style, Cosmetics, Orange, Peach,

DAY

Beautifully Matte Foundation, £14.50 (my shade – Cool Vanilla); Match Made Concealer, £7.l (my shade – Cool Vanilla); Instant Radiance Highlighter, £9.95; Powder Blusher, £9; Stay Perfect Eyeshadow Trio, £9.l; Lash Touch Gold Special Edition, £13.50; Match Made Moisture Drench Lipstick, £9.95 (my shade – Rose Mist)

Nighttime

As higher up, plus: Shade and Ascertain, £viii (my shade – Blackness Shimmer); Stay Precise Liquid Liner, £seven.50; Cute Eyebrow Sculpting Pencil, £8; Precision Lips Pencil, £6.75 (my shade – Nude); Lucifer Fabricated Wet Drench Lipstick, £9.95 (my shade – Dear Bloom)

CLINIQUE

What was I expecting?

Most people associate Clinique with skincare above all else. In line with this, I expected the makeup looks to be extremely focused on the skin, and fairly natural in terms of middle and lip colours.

Nose, Lip, Cheek, Brown, Hairstyle, Skin, Chin, Eyelash, Forehead, Eyebrow,

What did I become?

A seriously bold look! For the day, I chose from a option of pre-prepare looks (you tin can vary each one up co-ordinate to your tastes). Mine was called Acoustic, and featured some barely-there eyeshadow with brown eyeliner, plus a smashing lip.

For night, we went total-on. The ombre lip is a trend I've never tried before – I call back you need a professional makeup artist involved to ensure information technology looks fashion-forrad, and not like you lot've just practical pale lipstick with overly dark lipliner! I honey the heart makeup – winged eyeliner and brown eyeshadow is right up my street. Overall, a much more than vibrant, fashionable look than I anticipated from the brand.

Elevation tips I picked up:

For a subtle day expect, focus on your socket line. Rather than daubing eyeshadow all over the lids, a launder of nude shadow with a more than intense colour blended over the socket line makes your eyes pop without being besides 'washed'
Don't be obsessed with roofing all your 'flaws'. Some people want their skin to wait similar a bare sail after applying foundation (i.east. all one color), but allowing a bit more than of your natural colouring to show through looks far less mask-like.

Products:

Brown, Peach, Orange, Tints and shades, Amber, Beauty, Cosmetics, Beige, Maroon, Tan,

DAY

Chubby In The Nude Foundation Stick, £23 (my shade – Abundant Alabaster); Airbrush Concealer, £19 (my shade – Fair Cream); Chubby Stick Cheek Color Lotion, £19 (my shade – Robust Rhubarb); Chubby Stick Sculpting Highlight, £nineteen; Lid Popular, £15 (my shade – Vanilla Popular); All About Shadow Singles, £16.fifty (my shade – Nude Rose); Quickliner For Optics, £sixteen (my shade – Chocolate); High Touch on Mascara, £17.50; Just Browsing Castor-On Styling Mousse, £16.50; Quickliner For Lips Intense, £14.50 (my shade – Intense Sassafras); Popular Coat Sheer Lip Color + Primer, £16 (my shade – Melon Drop Pop)

NIGHT

Chubby Stick Sculpting Contour, £19; True Bronze Pressed Powder Bronzer, £24.50 (my shade – Sunkissed); Lid Popular, £xv (my shade – Cocoa Popular); Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen, £19; Superfine Liner For Brows, £14.50; Quickliner For Lips Intense, £14.50 (my shade – Intense Liquorice); Pop Lip Colour and Primer, £xvi (my shades – Nude Pop and Drupe Pop)

NARS

What was I expecting?

Beautiful colours and high quality products. In my caput, Nars is a bit of a 'treat' brand, and this luxe feel was reinforced when I entered its pristine new makeup shop in Covent Garden.

Lip, Cheek, Brown, Hairstyle, Skin, Chin, Forehead, Eyelash, Eyebrow, Style,

What did I go?

I actually really love both these looks. The day-time face is slightly more full-on than I got at some of the other brands, but that definitely suits my style (I'thousand one of those 'full face of makeup to buy a pint of milk' type of girls).

For the nighttime-time await, makeup artist Vicki-Ann opted for a zing of color on my lower lash line, using a brilliant blue liner – a great way for a color-phobe like me to introduce a rainbow hue into their palette.

I'grand slightly obsessed with these matte lipsticks too, equally they somehow manage to look adequately natural and assuming at the same time.

Top tips I picked up:

Invest in a liquid bronzer. If you don't want to buy a whole new foundation to match your Summer tan, only mix your existing base with the bronzer (Nars Laguna is a bully pick).
Utilize a lighter shadow in the inner corner of your eyes. This volition brighten and widen your eyes.
If you have pinkish-toned pare, opt for peachy blushers. Naturally pinkish-cheeked folks should opt for more coral tones to neutralise their redness - who knew?!

Products:

Brown, Lipstick, Orange, Tints and shades, Cosmetics, Peach, Maroon, Tan, Rectangle, Office supplies,

Day

Oil Free Primer, £26; Sheer Glow Foundation, £31 (my shade – Deauville); Radiant Creamy Concealer, £22.l (my shade – Custard); Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder, £27; Laguna Liquid Bronzer, £26.50; Blush, £23 (my shade – Luster); Alhambra Eyeshadow Duo, £25; Dual Intensity Eyeshadow, £21 (my shade – Telesto); Eye Pigment, £18.50 (my shade – Black Valley); Brow Perfector, £17 (my shade – Kalamata); Velvet Matte Pencil, £23 (my shade – Popular Life)

NIGHT

Larger Than Life Long Wear Eyeliner, £19 (my shade – Abbey Road); Audacious Lipstick, £24 (my shade – Arlene)

Do good

What was I expecting?
I mainly associate Benefit with amazing brow products (and truthful to course, they recently launched this extensive new range of eyebrow products), as well as excellent bronzers and highlighters. Withal, I was actually interested to observe out what the overall Benefit aesthetic would be when I visited the buzzing Carnaby Street shop.

Nose, Lip, Cheek, Brown, Hairstyle, Eye, Skin, Eyelash, Chin, Forehead,

What did I get?

As I expected, the contouring and bronzing for both my 24-hour interval and nighttime looks were on point (I've taken these pictures side-on just and then you tin can admire my makeup-enhanced cheekbones!)

For both day and dark, the eye makeup was fairly dramatic; this was congenital up for the night-time await with the addition of extra eyeshadow and a glossy lip, which I liked much more than than I expected.

Another surprise came when I was introduced to Benefit's skincare range. To be honest I've never really associated Benefit with skin products, merely the middle foam, serum and moisturizer which were used during my makeover felt lovely and hydrating – worth a attempt!

Top tips I picked upwardly:

Do your smokey heart earlier the balance of your makeup. That manner if you end up with eyeshadow all down your face, you can wipe it off hands instead of having to remove all your makeup.
Apply your ears and lips to map your contour. If y'all're not certain how to contour your cheekbones, imagine a line joining the top of your ear and the corner of your lip – this is the place to apply information technology. Another option is just to suck in your cheeks and see where the line falls!

Products:

Product, Brown, Liquid, Aqua, Beauty, Azure, Turquoise, Tints and shades, Cosmetics, Beige,

Day

It's Potent Centre Cream, £25.fifty; Total Moisture Facial Cream, £26.55; Instant Comeback Facial Serum, £36; The POREfessional Primer, £24.fifty; Playstick Cream-to-Powder Foundation, £26.50 (my shade – Tea Political party); Hoola Bronzing Powder, £23.fifty; Dandelion Blusher, £23.l; Shy Beam Liquid Highlighter, £19.50; Boi-ing Full Coverage Concealer, £17.50 (my shade – Light); Brow Zings Eyebrow Shaping Kit, £24.50; Gimme Brow, £18.50 (my shade – Medium); Big Beautiful Optics Eye Contour Kit, £25.50; They're Real! Across Mascara, £xix.l; They're Real Eye Liner, £18.50; Hydra Smooth Lip Colour, £13.50 (my shade – Frisky Business organization)

NIGHT

As above, plus: Hydra Smooth Lip Colour, £fifteen (my shade – Talk Flirty)

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