Tips, techniques and tutorials to elevate your beauty game and help you find your foundation shade match.

It’s the new year and you know what that means?! New trends! We’ve put together five beauty trends we are predicting to be huge this year - expect a lot of colour, creativity and beauty on our own terms. 

Euphoria is back and that means so are the amazing makeup designs crafted by Doniella Davy. This season is giving us a lot of bold graphic black eyeliner and we are here for it. From 60s inspired drawn on lashes to sci-fi spikes, Davy was inspired by a whole bunch of eclectic sources and now we can be inspired by her curated ideas!

One super wearable and flattering way to jump on this trend is the double winged liner. Simply (look at me pretending a wing is simple) draw your wing as usual, then using a fine tipped liquid liner draw a liner from the outer third of your eye along your lash line. Once it has reached the outer corner of your eye, follow it along a parallel path of your original wing while leaving a small gap in between. Our favourite eyeliner to nail this look is the 

I have been waiting for this moment ever since people began asking me why I look so tired all the time: eyebags are in baby! You’ve seen it on TikTok. You’ve seen it on Sae-Byeok (what’s up fellow Squid Game fans). Now you’re gonna see it everywhere. TikTok makeup artist Abby Roberts claims the rise in faux eyebags is a form of rebellion against beauty norms, while other artists like Danielle Marcan see it as embracing and finding beauty in our insecurities.

If, like me, you were naturally blessed with more bags than a Kardashian's closet, then all you need to do is skip the concealer. If you want to exaggerate your bags or add the illusion of them we recommend a cool brown toned contour crayon like the 

. Starting in the inner corner of your eye, draw a curved line downwards and towards the centre of your eye. Gently blend the line using your finger or blending brush. You can also use a cool brown eyeshadow, like the 

Inglot Freedom System Eyeshadow in shade 360

All the kids in the 90s who never left the house without their lip gloss while their mums killed it with matte brown lipsticks are all grown up now and are combining the best of both: brown gloss. While it may sound a bit scary, the very texture of gloss sheers the colour out to show some of the natural lip colour underneath. Lip gloss is just so easy, it doesn’t look too heavy for during the day but has enough glam to wear out at night.

Just like we believe there’s a perfect foundation match for everyone, we also believe there is a perfect brown lip gloss for everyone. We are obsessed with

Fenty’s Gloss Bomb Heat Universal Lip Luminizer + Plumper in Hot Chocolat Heat

. If you want a warmer and more brick-toned lip gloss, we love the 

If you’re hella lazy, raise your hand (figuratively of course, we’re far too lazy to actually raise our hand..) Life is complicated enough without needing a million different products to do a million different things. Multi-use products are great for the wallet and for giving your look a cohesive colour balance – by using the same product on your eyes, cheeks and lips your whole look is tied together while still looking amazing.

Rituel de Fille Inner Glow Crème Pigment

 are ranges that come in a bunch of different colours and are perfect for eyes, lips and cheeks. We’re also predicting a huge rise in popularity of semi permanent lip blushes - keep an eye out on our review of this process coming in the next few weeks!

I’ll be honest – I’m not totally sold on neon right now (please don't stalk my old Facebook photos or I’ll look like a hypocrite…) but it is EVERYWHERE and I can’t deny that it is a bunch of fun. If you want to subtly jump on the neon trend, even I love a bright colour on the inner corners of the eye. Another super fun way to add some neon into your look is a bright coloured winged liner (did I mention graphic liner is going to be big this year?!)

Luckily for you (and your wallet) there are so many great drug store brands making neon liners. We love the 

NYX Professional Makeup Epic Wear Long Lasting Liner Stick in Emerald Cut

. For a long lasting product that doubles as an eyeliner or an eyeshadow, we love the 

Suva Beauty Hydra FX cake in shade Scrunchie

Hit us up on our socials to let us know what trends you want to see this year!

2022trendpic

2022 Trend Forecast

Remember the old days when every celebrity and their dog was making a fragrance? Well, my mum sure remembers - she still gifts me Britney Spear’s 

 fragrance every now and then as it was my favourite when I was thirteen.

These days however, it seems the mark of a celebrity is not defined by the success of their fragrance lines but by their beauty brands. From Naomi Osaka to Kim Kardashian, Pharrell Williams to Lady Gaga, Rihanna to Harry Styles 

For almost 100 years, beauty brands have been using the allure of celebrities to market their brands – Maybelline even used silent film stars back in the 1920s! With such a long legacy of success using celebrity spokesmodels, do celebrity ‘founders’ of beauty brands do anything more than that?

Well, it’s hard to say. According to a recent article by Allure, the “celebrity's role usually involves testing and approving products and doing consumer-facing activities like shooting content and speaking directly to their followers.” While they may not be makeup artists, they spend a lot of time getting their makeup done by artists all around the world, lending credibility and a sense of confidence in consumers that celebrities know what they’re talking about it when it comes to beauty (though what I really need is a celebrity taught Facetune masterclass.)

When Lady Gaga first met with Nicole Quinn to start developing her makeup brand Haus Laboratories, Quinn quotes Gaga as saying “I have three passions in this world: music, movies and beauty.” Gaga says that “I have my fingerprints all over every part of this business so much that it looks like a crime scene!” Staying up until 4am working on mood boards, coming up with names and product ideas (as Gaga allegedly does) exhibits at least a passion, even if she is not a professional product developer or makeup artist.

But it seems like it is not just a celebrity face with a passionate attitude that determines the success of a celebrity founded beauty brand.

Alison Hahn of Sephora says that “Clients are wanting to be connected to what a celebrity stands for. What are their values? What are the emotional connections, and is there something good and a mission behind a celebrity?” It is not enough to just have a celebrity front a brand – they need to be a celebrity with a purpose. This sentiment could be behind the sold-out pre-orders of Harry Styles’ new brand Pleasing with Styles saying that he wanted to “dispel the myth of a binary existence.” While he has been a part of the celebrity zeitgeist for over a decade, his championing of gender fluidity has become a part of his identity in his post-One Direction days. While arguably just as famous when he was in One Direction, I wonder if there would be as much buzz about 

Indeed, it seems that the celebrity brands that have seen the most success are the ones with a purpose – especially those that want to help groups of people who have traditionally been excluded from this $500 billion industry. Rihanna’s 

 hit the ground running with the launch of a hugely inclusive foundation range and Naomi Osaka’s Kinlo makes products specifically designed for deep skin tones. Selena Gomez too has a purpose to her brand with 1% of sales from 

 going to mental health organisations with a goal of raising $100 million over the next ten years. As celebrities personal identities become more entwined with the causes they support, so too do the brands and companies they found.

Whether or not the celebrities are responsible for day to day running of these companies, or simply appear as the face of them, their reputations are on the line. This is especially notable when it comes to people boycotting Rihanna, the woman, when it was revealed that children could potentially be working in an Indian mine that sourced Mica for

 While it is almost impossible to believe that Rihanna herself was overseeing the traceability of her ingredients and applying for the necessary certifications, it was 

Incidents like this highlight further, the social and ethical responsibilities celebrities are being held accountable for with the brands they found – whether they actually do the running of the business or not. If being called a founder is just a vanity credit, should celebrities still be held responsible for making production decisions? Personally, I don’t know, but I think we’d all be grateful for a more transparent understanding of the roles that celebrities play in their brands (and that Facetune masterclass please!!)

Celebrity Beauty Brands MMM

A Look At Celebrity Beauty Brands

A Look at Celebrity Beauty Brands

Have you ever put a complexion product on your skin and thought you had found your foundation shade, only for it to slowly become much darker or more orange? This process is called oxidation and is the same as when you see an apple turn brown once you’ve bitten into it.

In scientific terms, this process is defined by the loss of electrons to the oxygen in the air. Despite electrons being invisible to the naked eye, this process causes the degradation of the atoms in your foundation leading to the colour change. Common foundation ingredients, like iron oxides, are notoriously known for contributing to oxidation.

So, is there anything you can do to minimise the situation?

You may be surprised to know it is not just oxygen that can cause oxidation – your foundation can also react with the natural oils in your skin! The best way to minimise this reaction is to use a primer which will form a barrier between your skin and your foundation. Primers, like the 

, also help to give your makeup longevity, so regardless of oxidation it is a great product to add to your makeup routine.

As products age, oxidation becomes more and more apparent. I am sure we are all guilty of using makeup beyond its expiry date, but did you know that the older a product is the more dramatically it oxidises? Eventually, the product will oxidise while still in its original packaging! We recommend making a note of the date you first use your foundation bottles to keep an eye on the expiration date.

Another thing to be aware of when trying to minimise oxidation is that water-based formulas are more likely to oxidise due to the fact that H2O is harder to stabilise when compared with other foundation bases (like silicone). That being said, you don’t need to avoid water-based foundations, just simply be aware when finding your match that oxidation is an important consideration. Here at Match My Makeup, our matches are determined after a period of oxidation has occurred in order for you to be able to find your most accurate match!

, is another way of minimising oxidation – it not only provides a barrier between your foundation and the oxygen in the air, but also minimises oil build up on your face. While oils commonly used in foundations are more stable than H2O, it can still react with the oils in your skin so using 

 before you apply foundation and setting powder after you apply the foundation will help to mitigate this colour change.

While oxidation can be annoying and embarrassing when it catches you unaware, there are many ways to minimise it. Taking oxidation into account when finding your foundation shade, prepping and finishing your skin and base correctly and keeping an eye on the expiration dates of your products can all help to avoid the dreaded orange appearance of oxidised foundation.

Oxidising swatches

Oxidation: What is it and how can you minimise it?

We've always known that eyebrows frame the face, but eyebrow styles and shaping can still be a challenge to many! We sit down with Jazz Pampling to talk about eyebrows and their importance. Jazz says: “A well shaped brow helps to lift and frame features by highlighting subtle lines in the face. Women the world over are discovering the importance that brows have, and educating people about this is the focus of my work.”

Are there trends in brows? If so, what are the current trends?

Brows have always managed to trend in one way or another. From the super thin curved arches of the 20s to the fuller brows of Icons like Audrey Hepburn. Today however we are recovering from the thin highly arched brows of the 90’s. The 90’s were not kind to our brows. Trends today are definitely full and natural, think Brooke Shields in Blue Lagoon. The latest Chanel Runway show in fact featured quite masculine eyebrows.

However your eyebrows, unlike trends that come and go, do not return once taken. So it is important not to follow trends when it comes to shaping your brow.

How do you assess brow shape? What makes a good brow shape? Do you have favourite brow shape that suits most people?

Assessing brow shape comes down to many factors. Face shape is the most important. Brows have the ability to compliment and counteract our facial features and it’s important you get that right. From there it’s about what a client naturally has and what they want. It is very important that you feel comfortable with your brow, after all you have to wear it.

Good brow shape has the ability to shave years of our age, help our eyes look bigger, and features like a larger nose appear smaller. My favourite brow shape will always be a more natural brow with a soft arch. 9 times out of 10 any client with a softer brow arch will look younger. However we have had highly arched brows for such a ling time, its hard to imagine ourselves with anything else.

Are there any rules to follow when it comes to maintaining our brows at home?

There are a couple rules that I give all my clients for their at home maintenance. My work as a brow artist is not just about waxing/tweezing a brow. I aim to give my clients all the knowledge they need to have confidence to shape their own brow at home.

Do you believe in the rules that are currently used about where your brows should start or end?

I think the rules for the alignment of the brow is the reasons so many of us have miss shaped brows. We aren’t stencils as humans, so relying on a template isn’t going to work. When it comes to rules of alignment, I always say use them as a guideline, but don’t be stuck in only seeing your brow that way. I find that I usually have to realign the lines a little for each client.

How do you do brows? We know you are the best because you do brows very differently from everyone else. How are you different?

I think my approach to brows is less is more, I am all for low maintenance eyebrow. Clients have faith that when they come to see me, their brow will still be there at the end. I sit down with my clients and ask them what they want and really work to tailor the brow to their likes. As time goes on, I continue to ensure they are happy with their shape and that they are confident in tweezing at home.

I like to use gentle products on the skin. When I do wax I don’t use strip wax and harsh cleansers. I never use anything on my clients I wouldn’t use on myself. Our eyebrows go through some kind of hair removal generally once a month, so we are pulling on some of the softest skin on our face, its important to be gentle with ourselves.

If you have hair that is almost black in colour, use a 

 or powder to fill the brow in. Black will be too dark and brown colours stand out against the black, charcoal/grey tones are amazing. Great for anyone with an Asian background for example.

What were your favourite tips and tricks that Jazz discussed in our interview? Hit us up on our socials and let us know!

Your Eyebrow Questions Answered

Jazz Pampling - Eyebrow Expert Fills Us In

Somewhere in Europe, a top-secret meeting of industry experts meet annually to discuss one of our favourite topics: colour. The colour forecasts of these experts are narrowed down from thousands until only one remains: the Pantone Colour of the Year. This colour ideally encompasses the mood and trends of the upcoming year (though often guided by past trends) and is filtered down to us in the form of consumer products: makeup, paint, fashion etc. Now that I’m saying it out loud (text counts as out loud in these WFH days), it all sounds 

Devil Wears Prada. And this year, Pantone’s version of Miranda Priestly has designated Very Peri as the colour of 2022.

Coming off the back of a year that saw a lot of isolation, Very Peri is a colour that aims to inspire us to “embrace the altered landscape of possibilities,” and “encourages personal inventiveness and creativity.” While these whimsical reasons for picking it are poetic and inspirational, the cynic in me thinks they picked this colour purely on the back of the retro-futurism pastel home décor trends. Pastels have been on trend everywhere from fashion to wallpaper over the last year and continue to be a mainstay (well, at least I hope so – I just bought a lilac faux crocodile skin trench coat...)

If blue is the warmest colour, then periwinkle is the warmest blue. It gives warmth to blue and cools down red, and you know what that means? Periwinkle suits almost everyone. Although you may not want to paint your walls periwinkle, there are a tonne of great ways to incorporate the colour into your beauty regime.

Nail polish is one of the easiest ways to add some colour into your look while still being work appropriate. Essie has a huge selection of periwinkle and periwinkle-adjacent shades – we especially love 

 online and give yourself a periwinkle tipped manicure to subtly celebrate this Very Peri year.

Blue and purple eyeshadows are not just for your cranky maths teacher (or was it just mine who wore blue shadow up to her brows?) Eyeshadow palettes like 

are great for giving blues and purples a modern vibe by including light shimmers with some solid matte browns to help your blending game.

If eyeshadows aren’t for you, NYX’s Epic Wear Liner Stick in 

 is a fun colour to use for a cute winged liner look. Even though we know that wings are sisters not twins, using a light colour like this also will minimise the appearance of unevenness. 

Give yourself a celestial glow by using a purple coloured highlighter like 

Inglot’s Intense Sparkler Face Eyes Body Highlighter

 in shade 20. Brush it on your cheekbones and shoulder blades before using a wet brush to press some onto your eyelids – a one stop shop to achieve a cohesive and galactic periwinkle look.

A funky way to add periwinkle into your beauty look Keep your eye out for limited edition lipsticks – most of the big hitting brands don’t keep periwinkle shades in their permanent rotation but we LOVE Fenty’s Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipstick in 

. Though, if you manage to get your hands on MAC’s Men Love Mystery buy yourself one and then send me the link please. Seriously. I need it.

All in all, this is one of our favourite Colours of the Year of all time (or of all 22 years that Pantone has been running this). Do you love it as much as us? If you want to give periwinkle a try in your beauty looks this year, we’d love to see what creative designs you come up with – tag us on Instagram so we can check them out!

pantone very peri.png

Pantone's Colour of the Year: Ways to Work it Into Your Glam

Have you left your Christmas shopping until the last minute again? Me too. Every year you promise yourself it will be different – you won’t be one of the thousands of people at the mall frantically trying to figure out what to get your loved ones. But every year, nothing changes. As a fellow procrastinator I feel your pain and want to take some of that stress away from you, so I’ve made a list of amazing beauty gifts for the glam loved ones in your life that they are sure to love!

Chanel Rouge Allure - Limited Edition No5 Holiday 2021 Collection in Emblematique

Is there a better gift than Chanel? While No 5 is a classic fragrance it isn’t for everyone, but this lipstick 

This year, Chanel has released a limited edition homage to the fragrance that Marilyn Monroe made iconic with super luxe packaging embossed with the number 5. A warm toned red, this limited edition lipstick will suit almost everyone and we all need a red that will make us feel like a million bucks.

MAC Hyper Real Glow/Hypnotizing Holiday in Step Bright Up/Alche-me

The candy inspired holiday packaging is completely adorable, but the limited edition mixture of two highlighters is the real winner here. The deeper golden bronze shade swirled together with the lighter shade makes it a universally appealing highlighter for a huge range of skin tones. We’re all tired of cool toned highlighters not working for deeper skin tones and this is a welcome relief from that!

While foundation might seem like an odd Christmas gift, there are some foundations that are so good an exception can be made. This foundation is arguably the most exciting foundation launch of 2021 and if there’s a makeup lover in your life I am sure they’re dying to give it a go! If you need to find their perfect foundation match, sneak into their makeup drawer to see what product they currently use. Enter that info into our tool and we’ll tell you what they’ll be in Lisa!

This gift pack may have the cutest eyelash curler that I have ever seen. My teenage self in 2008 with her bedazzled Hiptop would be SO jealous that 2021 me could potentially receive this as a Christmas gift. Not only does this come with the glam eyelash curler but also Tarte’s eyelash primer and mascara. If you’re feeling super generous and love what Tarte is throwing out, you could combine this with a travel size of their famous Shape Tape Concealer (see above on how to find the perfect shade match.)

Alright, I think this is my favourite gift idea on the whole list. This year, Armani has put together an amazing set with its perennially popular fragrance Si and a satin finish lipstick packaged in a gorgeous clutch handbag. The handbag is marked with the Giorgio Armani symbol on top and is a perfect versatile bag for party season. Buying a fragrance for someone can be scary, it is so subjective. That being said, in all my years of fragrance collecting, the most universally complimented is Si (though keep in mind it is very sweet and feminine, so I definitely don’t recommend it for more woody or musky fans).

Pastels are back and I am here for it. This collaboration between Pony Park and Morphe is packed full of wearable matte neutrals and fun galaxy-inspired colours. It’s one of those palettes where every single shade can work with every other shade and many of the shades can double up as highlighters or blushes. It’s whopping number of shades is a classic Morphe move but that is what makes it such a great gift – there’s a colour combination to suit every mood.

What are your favourite beauty brands to gift your loved ones? What are you hoping Santa brings you this year? Hit us up on our socials to let us know, and have a happy holidays!

Armani gift

Best Holiday Gifts for the Beauty Lover in Your Life

Earlier this year a friend reached out to me and asked if I had heard about the Software Skin System. Although I like to think I am on the pulse of all that is happening in the beauty and skincare world, I surprisingly had never heard of them.

She told me how the company organises a video call with a doctor who will prescribe a tailored and unique lotion to treat your specific skin concerns. The lotion is compounded at a pharmacy before being mailed to you once every two months at a charge of $44 a month. If you run out earlier, you can simply get the script filled sooner. As arguably the world's laziest person alive, the idea of not having to run to the shops to buy more skincare when I run out is appealing - it is sent to me without me needing to even think about it.

As a rosacea sufferer who definitely does not drink enough water, I thought this could be a solution to my redness and dry skin so I was eager to give it a go. I uploaded the photos and listed my skin concerns and waited for the doctor to reach out to me for the video call – but that never happened. Via email only the assigned doctor looked at my photos and written concerns and prescribed me a formula of 20% Azelaic Acid and 5% Niacinamide – go to ingredients for rosacea sufferers and people with fine lines. I wondered if the lack of a video call aligned with a huge push in marketing from the Software team – were the doctors too inundated to talk to everyone? Even if I had to wait a bit longer, I would have loved to have a live consultation with the doctor to talk about my skin.

To emphasise the personalised touch of the company, there is a Software Insiders Facebook group where customers can show their progress, discuss the best sunscreen options, or bemoan the lack of results. Although the Facebook group was created by Software, a lot of the posts are about skincare and beauty in general. It’s a small community where people can be honest and vulnerable about their skin conditions and discuss their favourite products (whether or not they are from Software).

Many of my fellow customers complained about the pump not working on their bottles, however I didn’t have that issue myself. My main complaint regarding the bottle is that it is impossible to tell when it is nearing empty – how is anyone to know whether they need to ask for their script to be refilled early?

Another common complaint in the Facebook group was that the bottle size had shrunk from 30ml to 24ml – with no reduction in price. The rationale from the company was that having leftover and expired cream caused 35% of all subscription cancellations so they wanted to make the bottle more likely to last two months exactly with no leftover product. Pricing is a complicated issue, especially for young companies – as companies grow a whole host of new costs and fulfilment issues can arise. While I am happy to give Software a break on this issue, if you do decide to try a subscription for yourself keep an eye on the pricing and the amount you’re receiving.

So, did it work for me? Yes, with a few big buts. 20% Azelaic Acid is not a prescription only ingredient, and I can buy lotions like Azclear (also with 20% Azelaic Acid) at local drug stores which work just as effectively. My skin did improve in my three months of using my prescribed cream however I also made sure to moisturise my skin daily and wore SPF every day to maximise the results (and yes – I know I should be doing this anyway). So, while I believe Azelaic Acid is a great ingredient to help rosacea sufferers, I don’t believe Software is worth the price when I can find equivalent products for much cheaper and without a prescription.

From looking at the results in Software Insiders and speaking with my friend who is using the system, I think customers benefit most if they need Tretinoin – often used to treat acne and fine lines. Unlike its often confused with cousin Retinol, which is available over the counter, Tretinoin is a pure concentration of retinoic acid and can only be bought with a prescription.

Overall, I would say the Software Skin System does work and the online community is a breath of fresh air, but it may not be worth the price. Do your research with your prescribed formula – you may be able to head down to your local drugstore and get an effective and more affordable equivalent. While I cancelled my subscription it might be worthwhile for acne sufferers to give a Tretinoin formulation a go.

An Honest Review of the Software Skin System

Eagerly requested by the mums of our team members, we’ve compiled a bunch of tips and tricks to help mature skin look its best (with some bonus tips about eyeshadow and eyebrows). It is so important to match your foundation to your skin type, but it is equally important to make sure your eyes and brows are framing your lovely skin too!

The best foundations for mature skin are hydrating and dewy foundations with a light to medium coverage. As a makeup artist who has worked on hundreds of mature women, my go to foundations are always Giorgio Armani’s 

! These ranges have a huge selection of shades, so you should be able to find your perfect foundation shade match amongst them.

If you have certain spots or blemishes that require a little bit of extra coverage, we love the Morphe 

 concealer. It’s hydrating formula and small applicator make it perfect for small touch ups without highlighting fine lines.

Matte, full coverage foundation is a big no-no for mature skin. It would be nice if it acted like crack filler, but unfortunately full coverage foundation settles into fine lines and makes them stand out more. Same goes for powder – use it minimally and only in high shine areas like the t-zone. A little bit of glow will make you look younger, so don’t mattify it all away!

As we age our skin becomes thinner and our faces can lose some of its underlying fat making cheekbones look more pronounced. Those still blessed with baby fat often try to contour this fat away. For those with mature skin, we don’t need to hit the contour so hard as the fat loss and thin skin naturally makes our cheekbones more pronounced. In fact, contouring cheekbones further can age a face further. To give yourself a youthful glow we recommend ditching the contour and focusing on well placed blush and targeted highlighting.

Adding blush to follow your cheekbones and brushing it upwards helps to make your cheeks look more full as well as to lift the face. 

 are my go-to blushes for people of all ages!

Adding a small highlight to the tip of your nose, your chin, and the centre of your cheeks will make your skin look healthy, vibrant and young. If you want huge bang for your buck, 

 highlighting palette will make you GLOW. For a more subtle glow, we love the 

When it comes to eyeshadow, our rules apply to placement only, so don’t be afraid to experiment with colour. If you have a visible eye crease, we recommend keeping the eyeshadow at the crease line (not blending too high up on your brow bone). Keep the blending tight around your crease line, with darker shades on the outer edges to give them an extra lift.

As we age, gravity grabs a hold of the skin below our brows causing eyelids to become more hooded. Due to this, it is important to adjust your makeup techniques to adapt to this. You can create the illusion of a higher eyelid crease by gently placing a brown eyeshadow in the outer corner of your eye then blending it in a line across your eyelid toward the top of your nose (but don’t bring it past your eyebrow). Place the initial eyeshadow with your eyes open, but close your eyes after to ensure the eyeshadow in the counter corner touches your eyelashes.

My next recommendation for mature eyes, though it may sound a bit wild, is a smokey eye. Kris Jenner is hardly seen without a smokey eye and there is a reason for it. Can you think of a better way to hide crows feet than hiding them underneath black eyeliner and eyeshadow? To keep it fresh, rather than blending the black with greys, I recommend finding a nice neutral brown to blend it with. For black eyeshadow, I love 

 and for brown shadow you can not go past the 

Thick fluffy brows are not just for Cara Delevigne (or at least that’s what I’ve been telling myself with all beauty salons closed during lockdown) – they are a great way to frame a face to look more youthful. If the 90s didn’t do enough damage to everyone’s brows, aging just makes them even thinner, but there are ways to give the illusion of full and fluffy brows. Brow lamination and brow tattooing are some professionally aided ways to give the illusion of full brows, but I find pencils work well too.

I have tried countless brow pencils over the years, and there is one thing that I have seen to be true too often: people always choose a pencil that is too dark! My brows are a dark brown, but I fill them in with a blonde pencil. When you're filling out your brows, get a pencil only a few shades darker than your skin - any darker than that and your brows will look too dark and too heavy.

Try not to make the shape of your brows too sharp, a gentle curve with a subtle arch close to the outer corner of your eye suits almost everyone and will ensure you don’t end up looking like Ursula.

At the end of the day, makeup is all about experimentation, self expression and fun so while these tips will give you a youthful healthy glow, it is 

that knows what makes you feel the most confident. If you want to find your foundation match in one of the products listed above, head to our foundation shade finder here to find out which shade will suit you most!

Mature skin

Beauty Tips and Tricks for Mature Skin

We’ve rounded up a list of the top five foundations that we’ve seen people moving towards so far in 2021. Everyone is loving foundations with a natural finish, buildable coverage, and a wide range of shades. So, has your favourite foundation made the list? Read on and find out!

1. Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation

Waterproof, long wearing, with hydrating ingredients, it comes as no surprise that 

Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Flawless Foundation

 has topped the list of most sought-after foundations so far in 2021. Tilbury put a lot of research into this range – from skin tone analysis to the hydrating benefits of the ingredients. While we don’t usually recommend a full coverage matte foundation for mature skin, Airbrush Flawless Foundation is designed to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. It applies beautifully to the skin, but throughout the day we've noticed a tendency for it to separate - especially in warm weather. 

2. Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation

Although at this point it is almost expected that 

 would make the list, maybe the only surprising part is that it is not number one! Regularly making the list of the best foundations on the market, Luminous Silk has been a mainstay in beauty bags around the world. Its medium coverage, dewy finish formula has remained unchanged since its inception and has inspired sister products like the Luminous Silk Powder Compact. This is one of the few foundations that we firmly believe lives up to its famous reputation, it looks absolutely stunning in real life and in photos (though the shades do tend to lean fairly pink).

Huda Kattan developed this foundation so “that every person should be able to wear our foundation, no matter their skin tone, undertone or skin type.” Specifically targeting the coverage of blemishes, scars and unwanted pigmentation the 

 can be used as a foundation and a concealer. If you’ve found your perfect foundation match in this range but don’t want something as full coverage, you can always sheer it out with some moisturizer. If you love full coverage foundation, we absolutely adore the Huda Beauty #Fauxfilter Skin Finish Foundation Stick - I was honestly surprised it didn't make this list!

4. Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup

Although Estee Lauder has blessed us with numerous Double Wear ranges, none have become as iconic and perennially popular as 

. Made without oil or fragrance, Double Wear Stay-In-Place is a surprisingly lightweight full coverage foundation. Since its release almost 25 years ago, this was one of the first product lines with a truly inclusive shade range including a huge selection of undertones and depths. Although we always say skin prep is essential (though, just quietly, I've been known to lazily skip it every now and then), it is especially essential with Double Wear Stay-In-Place. It's full coverage matte finish can cause skin to look dry if it hasn't been appropriately hydrated beforehand. 

5. Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation

. According to one US study, 91% of surveyed participants “agree that the skin appears smooth while wearing the foundation” and it “blends effortlessly.” Its unique ingredient list includes the extracts of fruit like apple, watermelon, and raspberry with the goal of giving the skin a natural and longwearing glow. Non-comedogenic (meaning it won’t block your pores!) and oil free, this could be the best foundation for acne-prone skin. Often, when beginning to use a new foundation, the skin can develop a few pimples as it adjusts to a new foundation - even if it is non-comedogenic. If you decide to try out Radiant Longwear, give it a few weeks before deciding whether it is right for your skin or not!

Keen to try out one of these ranges? Head to our

 to find your perfect foundation match now!

Top 5 foundation photo

The Five Most Sought After Foundations of 2021

When shopping for anything, whether it be makeup or otherwise, brands are often not as transparent as we would like. Often, a cosmetic brand will use alternative names to disguise ingredients, sometimes they won’t list their ingredients at all! Even reading a list of ingredients can be confusing – what are all these products? What do they do and why are they there? So when 

 reached out to us we were extremely excited.

Omiana is a brand that puts transparency at the forefront of what they do. Not only are their ingredients clearly listed on their website but they also have a comprehensive 

. If you’ve ever wondered what confusing sounding ingredients like ‘Calcium Pantothenate’ or ‘Potassium Sorbate’ are and what they do, Omiana is here to save the day. Using short and clear descriptors of their ingredients you know exactly what the product is and why it is being used.

Omiana’s dedication to their ingredients extends past simple transparency – they are also committed to ensuring that they omit any ingredients that are harmful or tested on animals 

(in fact the ‘Omi’ in Omiana stands for omission!)

 Most of their ingredients are vegan, with a few products containing sustainably and cruelty free sourced beeswax. They clearly break down the meanings of “natural,” “organic,” and “fragrance” – hard to define buzzwords that are regularly used by brands.

Their commitment to omitting harmful products does not compromise the quality of their makeup though – their products are soft, buildable and surprisingly lightweight. 70% of their customers are returning customers and if that isn’t a testament to the quality of their products, then I don’t know what is.

As a long-term rosacea sufferer, I love when brands offer quality products for sensitive skin AND help me find a foundation match that will work best for rosacea. When browsing their website you can shop by major skin concerns (etc 

) and narrow it down further by ticking boxes like “Balances Discolouration” or “Bodes Well With Dry Skin” – essential options for a variety of skin conditions.

They offer curated lists of essential products for other major skin concerns including acne-prone, oily, dry and sensitive skin. If you do have skin that fits those categories 

(or even if you don’t – gentle beauty products are great for EVERYONE)

, then Omiana just might be the right brand for you.

Have you tried Omiana? If so, what is your favourite product? Hit us up on our socials and let us know!

Omiana joins the Match My Makeup Family

Omiana Product

Omiana joins the Match My Makeup family

You have no doubt seen brands advertising themselves as “clean” but what does it mean? Is it just a marketing buzzword? What products can be considered clean? Unfortunately, there is no regulated definition of “clean beauty” but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be informed about how brands can manipulate certain terms and how regulations work to keep them in check. We will be exploring some of the common clean beauty associated buzzwords, what they mean and what to be aware of so you can match your foundation to your ethics and health concerns.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) who developed the Guides for Use of Environmental Marketing Campaigns, if a brand claims the item is “free-of” ingredients, then it can not in its place have an ingredient with similar impacts to the environment. This prevents dodgy brands from replacing a famously dangerous ingredient with a similar, but lesser known, harmful ingredient.

The FTC notes that some companies can claim to be “free-of” certain ingredients even if there are “trace amounts” of the ingredient found. While the definition of “trace amounts” can be vague, consumers can reasonably assume that it would not be enough to provide negative health or environmental impacts.

According to the FTC, anything claiming to be non-toxic must be non-toxic to both humans and the environment. If the product is simply non-toxic to humans, then it should not advertise itself as non-toxic. Due to the ramifications of toxic ingredients, it does seem (pardon the pun) natural that this is one of the most strictly regulated buzzwords associated with clean beauty.

While non-toxic is used as a popular clean beauty buzzword, most reputable and well known brands will have ingredients that are non-toxic for humans at the very least. Illegal dupes and copies found on cheap websites will likely NOT have the same composition as the brands they are copying, and are often found to have toxic ingredients so we do NOT recommend buying cheap imitations.

Traditionally, there has been no regulation determining the use of the word ‘natural’ in advertising cosmetic products, though attempts are being made to change this. A 

 introduced in the US congress aims to mark a clear difference between the terms ‘natural’ and ‘naturally-derived,’ and requiring the term ‘natural’ only be used when the composition is at least 70% natural substances (not including water or salt). The fact that they request water not to be included is very important – water makes up a huge amount of most foundations so by excluding it from the required 70%, the manufacturers must ensure that most of their other ingredients are also natural. This bill will require mandatory testing by suppliers, with the results being provided to manufacturers.

For now, ‘natural’ can mean almost anything (after all, most chemicals found on the periodic table are found in nature – a loophole that can be exploited). However reputable brands, like our friends 

, explain clearly how they define ‘natural.’

 is defined as ‘coming from living plants and animals’ and/or ‘not using artificial chemicals in the growing of plants or animals.’ So what does that mean for beauty? Much like ‘natural’ it legally means nothing.

 which provide a ‘certified organic’ label which requires ‘most of its ingredients to be … produced and processed without synthetic chemicals’ though they have traditionally applied to food products.

For now, there are no legal requirements in the beauty industry for the use of the word ‘organic,’ so it is important for consumers to research the ‘certified organic’ sticker, who provided it and what their standards are for certification.

While not necessarily a buzzword, we thought we should highlight a few important things to consider regarding ingredients.

If the ingredients of a product are not transparently available, do not consider the item “clean” or even “non-toxic.” In Australia, 

 set forth by the government require ingredient lists to be readily available for consumers at the point of sale and on the product itself.

There are certain terms used in ingredients lists that truly don’t mean anything on their own – like the word fragrance. There are so many possible ingredients that add a scent to a product and without further regulation, brands can keep listing “fragrance” as an ingredient without telling us exactly what ingredient is used. However, most “natural” and “clean” beauty brands do not add any extra fragrance, so for clean beauty shoppers this may not be as common an ingredient concern.

Usually, ingredients are listed in descending order of the volume of that ingredient – that means whatever is listed first on the ingredient list makes up the biggest part of the product. Once the ingredient list has descended to products that make up less than 1%, they can be listed in any order (just because something is listed last doesn’t mean it is only a trace amount!)

Clean beauty is the future for makeup, and we don’t want it to just be a sales buzzword so we sincerely hope this article hasn’t scared you! It is our wish that the industry can begin to truly regulate the definition of clean beauty and the words that are commonly associated with it. In the meantime, we hope that this piece has provided some insight and education regarding the ways in which brands can use these words. Education is key and we hope we have helped you to narrow down your search while you look for your best foundation match!

cleanbeautystockimage

What is Clean Beauty?

Spring has sprung for us here in the southern hemisphere and we are predicting a lot of colour, glitter and experimentation this season. Here are our favourite spring looks straight from the runway – and don’t worry they are all super wearable!

Monochrome doesn’t necessarily mean all black – it just means one colour. This spring we are loving seeing monochrome makeup looks – like a coral eyeshadow paired with a coral lip, or a brown smokey eye with a brown lip, a hot pink winged eyeliner with a pale pink lip. It can either be a subtle way to pull your look together or a bold statement celebrating the return of lipstick!

 are perfect for these sorts of looks if you want the colours to be exactly the same. We also love the Ilia 

 which is available in six shades to suit every mood and skin tone.

With general beauty trends leaning towards fresh and healthy looking skin, faux freckles are a great way to finish your makeup look. When done right, they give you a natural, sun kissed look. You can use a specific faux freckle tool like the one by Freck – touch it on where you want the freckles to go and use your finger to lighten the colour (the longer you wait before pressing your finger, the darker the freckles will be). You can also use eyeliner or eye brow pencils – we recommend using two or three shades of brown to suit your skin tone. Layer the different shades in spots across your face with varying levels of pressure to give a natural variation in size – you can press your finger over them to lighten it if you’ve gone too dark.

 tool is designed to give you natural faux freckle looks. If you want to use a classic eyeliner pencil we love the MAC 

. Pro tip: add a few on your lips too to make it look truly natural!

If you happened to catch the Spring/Summer 2021 Valentino show, you would have seen the models walking the runway with their faces drenched in glitter (created by the queen of glitter – Pat McGrath). As this isn’t a super wearable look day-to-day, we love the trend of covering your lids in shimmery, glittery shadows. Makeup artist Manuel Losada swears by glitter, saying that it “is ideal for enhancing your eyes,” and who doesn’t want their eyes to pop?

Nobody does shimmer eyeshadows better than Pat McGrath and we adore her 

. If loose glitter is more your style, we love MAC’s 

 which comes in dozens of sparkly colours.

Our blog

2022 Trend Forecast

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