Ashley Dayes Answers The Most Asked Beauty Questions
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Do You Have A Go-To Lip Balm That Provides Colour?
“At the minute I am loving Armani Beauty’s Ecstasy Lip Balm. It’s so nourishing and balmy, with a hint of colour that looks healthy. I like to use it on top of a matte lip colour for extra sheen, but it’s nice worn alone. It doubles up as a blusher too – pat it onto your cheeks for a dewy glow.”
If Your Foundation Stops Sitting Right, What Do You Recommend?
“If your foundation has started pilling – rolling off into little balls – you need to exfoliate. REN’s AHA Glow Tonic is a game-changer. A small amount on a cotton pad will dissolve dead skin cells, creating a smoother base for make-up to adhere to. It’s important your moisturiser matches your foundation’s formula, too. For example, the textures you use should meld together nicely: if you love a rich moisturiser, make sure you layer it with a water-based or oil-free foundation so they don’t interfere with one another and cause pilling. Likewise, if you love water or gel-based creams, these work well under dewy, liquid foundations.”
Can You Share Your Favourite Tinted Moisturisers?
“Summer Fridays Skin Tint is ideal if you want lightweight, breathable coverage that lets your skin’s natural texture come through. I love Westman Atelier’s Complexion Drops too and, for slightly more coverage, there’s the new Dr Jart+ BB Cream. I like to apply all three with my fingers for that ‘second skin’ effect we’re all loving right now. If you want the finish of a tinted moisturiser, but you still feel you need that bit more, grab a full-coverage concealer – Vieve’s Modern Radiance is brilliant – and just use it where you need it most. This should give the balance of a fresh, natural finish, while minimising things like dark circles and redness.”
Any Tips On Finding The Right Mascara?
“It depends on what you’re after. For instance, my lashes are short and fine, so larger, volumising brushes never grip my lashes enough and end up having the opposite effect. When shopping for mascara, think about a hair comb: using a wide-tooth comb would fall through fine thin hair and it wouldn’t achieve anything. With mascara, the larger the wand, the less it will grip fine lashes. If this sounds familiar, look for small, precise wands that grip and provide immediate lift and impact. These include Lancôme’s Lash Idôle and Maybelline’s Sky High.”
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Are Setting Sprays Essential? If So, Why?
“If you get the right balance between your moisturiser and foundation, you shouldn’t need primers and setting sprays. I am a minimalist when it comes to make-up and, if you want to save money in your routine, this is the place to cut back. In my opinion, you’re better off investing in a loose powder, which will also last longer. Use a small eyeshadow brush to dust a little over any areas you feel need more of a matte finish or a long-lasting hold. If you do opt for a setting spray, make it work harder for you and look for one with in-built SPF, like Garnier’s SPF50 Spray.”
What’s The Best Way To Give Skin A Warm Yet Natural Effect?
“Look to cream bronzers, simply because they are quick and easy to use. Always buy a shade that mimics how your skin would naturally react to the sun. If you’re someone who doesn’t tan and goes pink in the sun, don’t shy away from cooler, pink-toned bronzers. A shade like ‘Antigua’ from Bobbi Brown is ideal for porcelain skin tones as it still warms you up subtly. This is better than applying a golden bronzer that will be too obvious and jarring. If you do use a bronzing powder, my tip is to let the rest of your make-up settle first. If your base make-up is still tacky, powder has a tendency to grab, so layer up lightly. If you’re in a rush, use a translucent setting powder first, then dust bronzer on top of this.”
How Can You Use Make-Up To Disguise Breakouts?
“Full-coverage, matte-finish concealers are your friend here. In terms of application, use a patting motion and avoid rubbing to blend as this causes more redness and irritation. It’s key you find the right shade so you don’t attract more attention to the breakout. Do this by swatching two to three shades on your skin in natural daylight. It’s best to do this along your jawline and forehead – these are the lightest and darkest areas of the face, so you’re guaranteed to find your perfect match. It can be tempting to go for a shade that is warmer than your skin tone, but for concealer it’s not recommended, especially if you’re covering blemishes.”
When It Comes To Sculpting Your Face, What Do You Advise?
“Again, cream bronzer is the answer. Use a precise blending brush that’s slightly slanted to buff your chosen formula onto your skin. Focus on the forehead, under the cheekbones and along the jawline to bring structure to your face. Using a cream or liquid bronzer makes the whole process seamless – you can’t go wrong.”
What’s The Secret To Concealing Dark Circles?
“While concealer has its place, nothing works better on dark circles than a colour corrector. If you have purple/blue-toned dark circles, look to a pink corrector; for those with brown/green dark circles, opt for a peach corrector. These work to counteract discolouration and smooth out the area so that when you do apply concealer, everything is smooth and even in tone.”
What Are Your Top Hacks For A Quick Smokey Eye?
“You don’t need to be a master in make-up to apply a smokey eye. Look to kohl, kajal liners, like Victoria Beckham’s and run them along your lash line. You can smudge them out with your finger or a brush and immediately you get a ‘lived in’ smokey effect that’s low maintenance yet sophisticated. I love her jewel-toned liners which are fun for the summer. For brown eyes, try vivid blues; green eyes should look to purples and plums; and blue eyes will benefit from copper and bronze tones.”
What Are The Best Bargain Beauty Buys In Your Opinion?
“There are so many, but right now I am loving e.l.f. O Face lipstick for its smooth, sculpting texture. The new Garnier self-tan drops are amazing, and give such a believable and buildable warmth to your skin. For concealer, I can’t recommend L’Oréal’s True Match enough, while NYX’s brow pencil will always be my go-to for mimicking the appearance of hair and boosting volume in my arches. Finally, I am never without Maybelline’s Sky High mascara. It’s the best.”
Finally, Your Top Tips For Using Blusher?
“Look into the mirror, do a really cheesy grin, see where the fullest part of your cheek is, then focus your blush application here. Avoid getting too close to the nose – you don’t want to over-enhance the centre of your face. Imagine a line through the middle of your eye down to your cheek – that’s where you want to put your blusher – and don’t cross it.”
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