You might think you can skip the priming stage and slather your foundation onto your face without any prep work. No one is stopping you, but primer will be your best friend when hiding pores and fine lines, creating a smooth canvas that will make the rest of your makeup just look that much better. Primers act as a barrier between your face and your base to make sure that you look as fabulous all day as you did upon first application.

Below are some of our top picks for 2021. Whether need a glowy base, have oil-prone skin, or need something to add a dose of moisture – we have you covered.

Dior Backstage Face and Body Primer

We love the Dior Backstage range, every product is a winner. Inspired by makeup artists working on fashion shows, the formula is thin, weightless, and virtually undetectable upon application. The result? Instantly radiant skin that looks plump and refreshed.

£ 27.50

Dior Backstage Face & Body Primer

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Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré

A staple in all makeup artist kit bags, this primer is perfect for those with sensitive skin. It has a wonderfully light formula, is fast-absorbing, and will ensure you get the longevity you want out of your makeup.

£ 14

Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré

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Smashbox – The Original Photo Finish Smooth and Blur

With a fiercely loyal following, makeup lovers with textured skin flock to this product. It has been so successful that the brand has launched an entire range of versions to fit every skin type. We’d recommend the original though, as the product that launched a thousand primers.

£ 16

Smashbox Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Primer

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e.l.f – Mint Melt Cooling Face Primer

This gel-textured primer is what you need this summer. It is deliciously minty, has a cooling effect when applied, and will make your foundation grip on for dear life. Oh, and you’ll never have to hunt around in your makeup bag for this bright green tube.

£ 8

e.l.f Mint Melt Cooling Face Primer

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Milk Makeup – Hydro Grip Primer

One for the dry skin girls. This primer contains aloe water, cherry blossom, hyaluronic acid, and B vitamins making it indispensable for thirsty skin – the cannabis seed extracts will help you look like a plumper smoother finish.

£ 10.87

Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer

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Words By Rosina Findlay, Graphic By Emily Chapillon

The post The Very Best Primers For Summer appeared first on Voir Fashion.

Lockdown treated us all to endless days of going make-up free and a chance to focus on our skincare needs. If you’re not quite ready to jump back into the time-consuming full face glam, these looks will pair beautifully with a face-mask and a 10-minute ‘get ready’ window. Especially, in the sweltering heat, it’s all about the eyes. So, here’s a list of 5 takes on iconic eye looks to refresh your post-lockdown make-up routine and to keep that creativity blossoming.

The Marilyn Wing

Marilyn’s iconic image is, of course, her red lipstick – but her classic winged liner is nothing to be underestimated. Her make-up artist, Allan “Whitey” Snyder, used Vaseline on her eyelids for a dewy effect, and to make her eyeshadow appear more pigmented. This created the perfect base for a thick swoop of liner and a half strip of lashes on her outer corners. Our retake of this is a bit simpler: keeping that classic winged liner, and the rest of the lid bare – bar some Vaseline for some extra shine if you wanted!

A Wash of Colour

Our next iconic look is as simple as it sounds – take a colour and sweep it evenly over the lid. For a more intense effect, you can choose a liquid eyeshadow, or use an eye primer. From a rosy glow to an intense matte copper wash – this look will only take moments to achieve but gives you an effortless look all day.

The Neutral Flick

For a softer take on the winged liner – swap out your black liquid liner for a neutral alternative. This can be achieved with an eyeliner – liquid, gel or pencil, a liquid eyeshadow, or even a liquid lipstick – just pop a bit on a brush and sweep out your wing. Elongating your lash line without any harsh tones, this is beautiful for a natural, glowing look – night or day!

Pop of Colour

For those days when you are truly pushed for time but don’t want to compromise on style – pop some colour into your inner corners. No brush necessary – just take some eyeshadow, matte or shimmery, on your finger and dab it into your inner corners. This will really make your eyes pop while staying subtle enough for every day – it’s only a small amount so you have the freedom to play around with different colours.

Colourful Eyeliner

Colourful eyeliner often falls to the bottom of make-up bags – but on top of a bare lid, a quick sweep across the lash line can add a playful edge to your look. Keeping it simple with the rest of the eye allows the focus to fall on the colour of the eyeliner – giving you the perfect opportunity to match it to your outfit – or your mask.

Words by Allegra Campbell Boreham

Graphics by Georgia Walters

The post Masks Have Reshaped the Face of Make-Up: Here are 5 Iconic Eye Looks to Keep Inspiration Flowing appeared first on Voir Fashion.

Due to Coronavirus, the world as we know it has markedly changed in such a short period of time. Millions of us must do our part and practice social distancing to take the load off our health care systems and essential workers and to help slow the spread of COVID-19. As a result, many of us are stuck in our homes and boredom is on the rise. Companies have had to change the way they run and advertise. It comes as no surprise then, that the beauty industry, along with many other industries, has taken to Instagram to keep their businesses going. For us at home, this means a lot of content to help us manage our boredom and spend our increased free time having fun and keeping busy.

Many cosmetics companies have used Instagram’s live feature to interact with their consumers. Benefit Cosmetics recently had their global brow expert come on to the app and answer questions about brows sent in from the public. He also allowed people to join the live stream so they could discuss makeup and eyebrows. Similarly, Milk Makeup hosted a Get Ready With Me style live stream in which viewers could join and chat about all things beauty.

Many influencers are turning to Instagram to give tutorials, which are easier to digest quickly compared to those on YouTube. Mmmitchell was one such person and he created a beautiful makeup look on a model for his viewers. Jen Atkin, famous for her work styling the hair of many famous celebrities, used Instagram live to demonstrate how she clipped her husband’s overgrown eyebrow hairs, much to the amusement of her audience. She also used Instagram to show how she styled her husband’s hair, this is especially useful during quarantine when hair is getting longer but there are no hair salons to turn to.

Other companies are using Instagram to promote new products. Urban Decay hosted a live stream with one of their regional artists in Portland, Oregan. Her live stream was focused on the brand’s Perversion Mascara in a ‘makeup home-school’ setting. Similarly, Morphe did a live collaboration with Suva Beauty in which they discussed makeup but mainly promoted the Suva Beauty UV eyeshadow palette. However, not all businesses are using Instagram for their live stream capabilities. Millie Bobby-Brown has been using the IGTV feature to put out longer, more cohesive videos aimed for people in self-isolation. Recently, she produced a video about self-care at home, in which she and a friend used Millie’s newly released detoxifying and calming face masks. Kylie Cosmetics got inventive and held a Lip Kit quiz using Instagram’s stories, in which viewers could vote for one of two lip kit colours in relation to a picture on the story. Benefit Cosmetics have even curated a Spotify playlist for you to listen to during quarantine, so it’s not just your beauty credentials that can be expanded but your music taste too!

This huge boost in Instagram content is uplifting for so many beauty lovers who are stuck inside with nowhere to go. It has also seen brands like Beauty Blender, who had never produced live content before, host both makeup related live streams and also workouts, making sure it is looking after the mental and physical well-being of its consumers. Bobbi Brown has also released a timetable of their Instagram live content if you are afraid of missing out. What is important to take from this is to keep a lookout for content which makes you feel normal and happy in the strange and unprecedented times we are living in. The people behind these live streams are just like you; they are all at home and finding ways to cope, so keep being creative, keep exploring makeup, take care of your skin and your general health, and in the meantime, keep your eyes peeled for new content from your favourite brands to keep you grounded.

Words by Amy Ellis

Graphics by Mehak Jotwani

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The post The Best Uplifting Celebrity Beauty Live Streams appeared first on Voir Fashion.

When it comes to my appearance, I am the human personification of the phrase ‘all or nothing’. I’m either going out, (to work, for drinks, to shop) done to the nines- full outfit meticulously planned, with hair that ties the whole look together, and face contoured and highlighted to high heaven. Or, I’m staying at home, only leaving the confinements of my house to pop to Tesco in a hoodie 12 sizes too big for me, hair in that scruffy half up half down bun that comes hand in hand with being at home, and more often than not (depending on whether my skin has decided to break out), the whole ‘minimal effort’ look is topped off with a charcoal face mask.

Whilst I may have just unnecessarily outed myself, as the rest of you read this sexily lounging on your chaise lounge in your silky robes, with glamorous rollers pinned over your heads sipping champers, I can almost guarantee, (based on the evidence I have gathered from friends and colleagues) that I am the reality for at least 80% of you.

I’ll be the first to admit it, this whole being at home 24/7 is a struggle for an ‘all or nothing’ girl like me. Whilst I can quite easily nail the ‘nothing’ side of me (-literally roll out of bed, et voilà!), the ‘all’ side of me is really suffering. As much as I enjoy piecing outfits together, putting a face of makeup on and doing my hair, I just feel unnatural, uncomfortable and slightly strange sitting at my desk in my bedroom in my heeled boots, skirt and shirt combo, with my face and hair looking like I’m ready to hit the club. However, Issues also arise when you have the daily skype meetings with your boss- the mad rush to scrub the mask off your face, brush your hair and swap your hoodie for a slightly smarter top, as you try and maintain the image that you are not falling apart.

Whilst you can’t change a leopard’s spots, and in normal circumstances, I would look at people who get dressed to sit at home in confusion and slight disgust, it is clear that these unprecedented times call for unprecedented action. So, we have pulled together 3 looks that give you all the ultimate comfort of the XXXXL hoodie, scruffy hair and facemask, yet maintain a level of style and professionalism for your skype meetings, and your own mental sanity so you at least look like you’re keeping it together- you can thank us later!

Look 1:

Playsuit: Cream Missguided long sleeved teddy (£20)

Blazer: Weekday Jaden Blazer (£60)

Slippers: UGG fluff yeah leopard slides (£100)

Earrings: Topshop square resin earrings (£15)

Necklaces: Bohomoon gun necklace (£22), babygirl script choker (£22), Kristen choker (£20)

Nails: Skinny Dip Tort False Nails (£8)

Eyeliner: Dior On Stage Liner (£27.50)

Lips & Cheek: Glossier Cream gel blush (£15)

Notebook: Coconut Lane Classy Notebook (£4.50)

Look 2:

Pyjamas: Missguided Pink Satin wide leg pyjamas (£15)

Headband: TLM edit Emerald Green Silk Turban Headband (£24)

Slippers: Fendi FF Fur Sandals (£590)

Necklace: GUCCI Interlocking necklace in silver (£290)

Nails: Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in 590 verde pastello (£10)

Notebook: Red Bubble ‘Im Not Bossy Notebook (£9.10)

Mug: Imperial Rooms ceramic tea cup (£19.49)

Face Base: Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base (£35.60)

Look 3:

Trousers: Missy Empire Adele Cream I’m Real Slogan Joggers (£24)

Top: Zara Gathered Knit Top (£12.99)

Cardigan: Zara Oversized cardigan (£29.99)

Socks: Topshop Feminist Slogan Socks (£3.50)

Earrings: Mestilo Big Gold Sliver Square Hoop Earrings ($3.91)

Scrunchie: Anthropologie Pack of 3 Aja Scrunchies (£22)

Freckle Pen: Urban Outfitters Freck Beauty OG Freckle Pen (£17)

Mascara: Milk Makeup KUSH High Volume Mascara (£10.25)

Glasses: Quay Austrailia Don’t At Me Glasses (£45)

Laptop Case: Red Bubble ‘Well Behaved Women’ Laptop case (£18.94)

Words and edits by Ella Winfield

Cover by Katie Janes

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The post Isolation Style Guide for the All or Nothing Girl appeared first on Voir Fashion.