My Life In Beauty: Model & Influencer Rafeeka Khan
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@RAFEEKALOVE
First Beauty Memory
“My first beauty memory is watching my mum apply her mascara. I paid careful attention to every little thing she did. My favourite beauty memory is slightly different. I was seven and my mum took me to a beauty counter at Edgars (a department store in South Africa). She bought me my first face wash – an oatmeal face wash – and I remember feeling like I was suddenly an adult.”
First Beauty Purchase
“Make-up wise, it was the Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse in the shade Caramel – totally the wrong colour for me but I loved it for years. Skincare wise, it would have been the Nivea Kids SPF – I’ve worn SPF every day since I was a kid. Now it’s just a normal part of my morning routine.”
Top Make-Up Product
“My absolute ride or die, desert-island essential will always be a waterproof mascara. My favourites are the Lancôme Idol Mascara, the iconic Maybelline Great Lash Mascara and the CoverGirl Lash Blast mascara. I have heavy, thick lashes, so waterproof mascaras work best for me when it comes to holding a curl.”
Best Brow Product
“Rogaine really helps brow hair grow back better – it sounds bizarre but it works! Another tip is to not trim your brows – simply brush them up and out with a clear brow gel for full, fluffy results. Looking back it’s the one piece of advice I’d give my younger self: don’t over-pluck your brows – they look like weird door handles.”
Favourite Hair Product
“One word: ORIBE. Anything from this brand gets my vote. Aside from the amazing scents, the detangling shampoo has also saved my hair on numerous occasions.”
@RAFEEKALOVE
Hard-Working Skincare Product
“The Evidens De Beauté Special Mask is incredible. The brand uses a triple collagen complex in all its products and this mask instantly livens up dull skin. It makes me look like I’ve had a full eight hours of sleep!”
Make-Up Bag Heroes
“I won’t go anywhere without waterproof mascara and SPF. I carry the Kate Somerville SPF spray with me for regular top-ups and the Shiseido SPF stick when I’m going make-up free.”
Favourite Make-Up Store
“The Harrods beauty counters are exceptional – not just in terms of the experience, but the knowledge the brand specialists have make it such a treat and really worth the trip.”
@RAFEEKALOVE
Best Niche Brands
“Evidens De Beauté and ReVive Skincare are two smaller brands I love. Both make some of the best skincare I’ve ever tried.”
Top Beauty Routine Tips
“Keep it simple. While I enjoy indulging in a 14-plus step skincare routine, it’s not that practical for everyday. Generally, I stick to four or five steps maximum. I’ve also learned that the best way to apply your skincare is to start with the products that have the thinnest consistency, and work your way up to the thickest – this allows for thinner water-based products, and thicker oil and cream based products to work with one another and stops pilling or rolling of make-up on top.”
Best Beauty Advice
“When it comes to make-up, it’s not one size fits all. Take inspiration and advice from the people you like but remember there aren’t any hard or fast rules – find what works for you. Also, don’t over exfoliate your skin. I’ve made the mistake of using a chemical and physical exfoliant and ended up with sore, red raw skin. If your skincare actively burns, it does not mean it’s ‘working’, it means your skin is reacting badly to whatever you’re using – take it as a sign to re-evaluate your routine.”
@RAFEEKALOVE
@RAFEEKALOVE
The Golden Rules
“One of the rules I always stick to is keeping my colours neutral. Neutral bronzes and browns look the most natural. Second, less is more when it comes to application. You can always add more if needed, but it's a lot harder to take product away. Next, always choose between bold eyes or bold lips, never both. Finally, glow-y and dewy make-up over a matte finish is usually best – it's far more natural looking.”
Mistakes To Avoid
“A common mistake is not blending foundation down the neck. It's simple, but it makes such a difference. Another thing is making brows look too blocky. No judgement if you love that look, but I’ve found it harsh and distracting.”
Beauty Inspiration
“These days there's inspiration everywhere and so much information right at our fingertips. I love getting inspiration from YouTube and Pinterest – both platforms have so much varied and useful content on every topic.”
Follow @RafeekaLove on Instagram.
