Voice of London

Women who wear makeup on a daily basis are used to hearing the comments: “You’d look so much better without it” and “Don’t you know how bad it is for your skin?” We’ve heard the rumours that it clogs our pores and causes our skin to age prematurely, but us beauty junkies can’t get out of our daily makeup-wearing routine. After reading this, you may find that we never have to!

Reporter: Pinar Djafer | Sub-editor: Grace Brown

Over the years, makeup skills have gotten a lot more advanced. With all the new contouring and application techniques, London has become a catwalk of beauty gurus.

For most women, wearing makeup daily gives them the satisfaction of knowing that they look their absolute best. Some ladies just enjoy sporting the artistic skills that they have picked up over the years. Others find that by not wearing makeup for a week, their skins feel tighter and can look healthier. A few even feel that they look better without any makeup on.

For us women who can’t bare to leave the house without a face of makeup, the tormenting ideology that products can be damaging to our skin lingers over us like a dark cloud. We worry that it’s becoming like a sunbed situation. The benefits of it can be seen straight away, but we know that the negative effects can creep up on us at any time.

Well, worry no more, makeup artist of 25 years, Samuel Harris, has said: “It’s not bad at all to wear makeup every day. Formulas are becoming so advanced with a lot more natural ingredients involved. In fact, makeup works as a barrier between your skin and harmful things in the environment like pollution and toxic rays. The only time I would ever tell a client to avoid it is in the summer. Heat makes your pores larger which can get clogged up with makeup, but we never really have that problem here in the UK.” – LOL

Amy Cheek, chef, 22, said: “On the rare days when I go into work without any makeup on, my colleagues say things like, “You don’t look right today” and “Are you sick?”. I look back at my old photos of when I was around 15-years-old and I’m stunned at how much better my skin looked without makeup on.”

Medical aesthetician, Shanel Ediz, said that skin needs to breathe and hydrate throughout the day. “Makeup pushes oils and dirt into your skin. Wearing the stuff on a regular basis clogs your skin with chemicals. No matter how “healthy” and “natural” a product claims to be, there’s so many bad chemicals in there too that your skin doesn’t need. Sleeping with makeup on is an even bigger no go. During sleep, your pores are pushing out all the bad oils and dirt and shouldn’t be clogged.”

Hannah Ayoub, beauty student, 21, said: “I love wearing makeup every day to show off my different skills. I wear it every day and my skin still looks great. The most important thing is having a good aftercare routine. This is where I think people go wrong and mistake makeup for being damaging as oppose to not taking it off properly that perhaps can be.”

Ediz also believes that for wearing makeup on a daily basis, a consistent skin care routine should be implemented.

Aisha Raza, pharmacy advisor, 28, would never leave the house without a full face of makeup.

She said: “When you’re out, you never know who you’re going to see or meet. Last year, I would literally wear evening makeup to work – eyeshadow, false lashes and lipstick included. There was a guy, who I was completely crushing on, that would come in to the pharmacy almost every day. He would say hi and be polite, but that was about it. One day, I woke up late for work and only had time to brush my teeth and put my hair in a messy bun. To my luck, he showed up at work.

I felt so embarrassed, but that was the only day that he had ever properly noticed me. He even asked if I had started working there new. He complimented my eyes and asked for my phone number. A year later, he became my boyfriend. I love my natural look and he does too. I’d still put on a full face for parties and events, but I no longer feel the need to wear makeup every day,” she said.

Harris believes that “light makeup” styles actually look incredible for daily wear. He said: “There are lighter options of makeup that aren’t so heavy on the skin and give the illusion that you haven’t got any makeup on, but still look flawless. It all depends on whether you are choosing the right products for your skin. Cream-based makeup, like liquid foundations, carries the benefits of moisturising lotions that are perfect for people with dry skin. Oil-free powders are awesome for women with oily or combination skin.

It’s just a rumour that pores can’t breathe through makeup. Products are formulated in a way that allows your skin to respire throughout the day.”

To achieve this soft makeup look, follow this step-by-step guide.

1. Prime your skin. A lot of women miss this step, but it’s the most important for creating a barrier between your pores and your makeup. A good primer will reduce the look of blemishes, minimise your pores and give an overall flawless look. I use the Photo Finish Oil-Free primer by Smashbox. £28.
2. Use a BB or CC cream for daily use as oppose to foundation. These creams can still give you a full coverage, but are water-based which is healthier for your skin. Most foundations are formulated with oils that can make you break out. I use MAC’s incredible Prep + Prime BB balm to give me a flawless matte finish. £25.
3. Add a concealer that is a few shades brighter than your complexion to hide any dark circles. If you place some just under the eye it will make you look a lot more refreshed and awake throughout the day. Urban Decay’s Naked Skin concealer diffuses light and is paraben free. £17.50.
4. Use a natural set of false lashes to save you spending a lot of time and mascara in the morning. These ultra thin, lengthening lashes from Eyelure look incredibly natural and beautiful without the need for any eye makeup. £5.25.
5. Ensure to remove all makeup with hydrating wipes. Use a gentle cleansing lotion and cotton pad to remove any bits that the wipe may have missed. Wash your face with lukewarm water and a sensitive cleansing soap. Baby oil and coconut oil work wonders on dry skin. For oily or combination skin, use toners and oil-removing lotions. A good mud and cucumber mask calms and revitalises your skin.