A DATE WITH LIZZI - MEET BEAUTY BLOGGER CAROLE MARCHANT

It’s nearly Spring and it’s time for us to think about new ways to refresh our look for the new season, and a great place to start is your make-up. I caught up with beauty blogger Carole this week in Selfridges we talked make-up and beauty tips for Spring 2018.

@Lovedbylizzi

Hi, I am Carole Marchant, I’m 42 years old and live in Beckenham, Kent with my husband and 11 year old son.

What’s a typical day for you?

I’m married and I am a stay-at-home mum – I start my day by dropping my son off at Senior school in London, being in London this can take a while….my day is then my own until he gets the bus home from school. It seems a long day, but it always flies by and I fill a lot of it with with coffee and lunch dates! I am though trying to get myself fitter and stronger this year and have been going to regular Pump classes at my local gym. I don’t think I will be entering any World’s Strongest Women competitions just yet.

How did you get into blogging about make-up and beauty?

10 years ago I decided to enrol on a Cosmetic Make Up course at Kingston College, Surrey. It was a weekly course with practical and theory exams. I was one of the oldest on the course but thoroughly enjoyed it and was so happy to pass and leave with my qualification. We then decided to move to Essex (my parents live there and I moved there at the age of 5) to send my son to Primary School and then time just passed and I never did anything with my qualification – except for one bride in London before we moved. Then I noticed my friends and mums at school and even strangers would comment on my make-up or ask for tips and recommendations and this prompted me to write my blog. I think so many women get to a certain age or life style and suddenly either lose confidence in wearing make-up or get stuck in a beauty rut.

If someone is new to make-up or would like to refresh their day look, where do you recommend for them to start?

My advice would be to invest in your basic staples and get a capsule make-up collection going so that you can apply anytime day or night quickly and easily. I would say a good foundation, BB cream or tinted moisturiser is essential; then I would add a concealer, blusher, mascara and lipstick – simple but has everything you need for a basic look.

One or two good makeup brushes are also a great investment; I like Real Techniques – reasonably priced and have a great range. Nearly all the women I speak to are afraid of eye make-up. I think if you are unsure of an eyeliner pencil or liquid eyeliner, go for an eyeshadow palette in natural shades. There are so many of them about nowadays and they often tell you where on your eyes to apply the shades.

@carolem_beauty

What 5 must have items do you think every woman should have in her make-up bag?

Mascara – this really opens up your eyes making them bigger which makes them not only more awake but more youthful. If you find wearing black is too harsh then a dark brown works well. I have to say I am also a big fan of highstreet mascaras over designer ones.

Brow product – good brows make or break a face as they frame it. I have HD brows done but I still use a brow product daily to define my brows.

A good concealer – for those days when you have slept badly, had a late night or hormones are playing up. I have bad black circles which I hate so a concealer is a must for me.

Blusher/Bronzer – to make me look alive and healthy, it gives you an instant pick-me up.

A good lipstick – whatever you feel happy in but I would suggest a good nude and a red or coral one.

Do you have a specific skincare routine?

Skincare is so important and I always remove my makeup every night (well more or less every night… I blame Prosecco if I don’t manage to) and I try not to use wipes as they dry my skin out. For evenings, I like to use an oil cleanser and am using the Kiel’s Midnight Recovery Botanical Cleansing Gel which I massage into my face and remove with a warm damp cloth. I then use a Micellar water to remove any stubborn eye makeup etc. I like to use toner next and am a big fan of the Pixi Glow Tonic. Even though I have oily skin I love using oils and use a serum and oil at night – Aurelia products at the moment.

In the morning I have been loving my La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel which I follow up with my Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic and my Sunday Riley Juno followed by moisturiser. I almost forgot I also use eye creams morning and night. Although, no eye cream can actually remove wrinkles – sadly!

Do you recommend any products for traveling abroad that perhaps differs to every day?

To be honest I only ever travel for leisure and tend to take most of my makeup with me – you don’t want to be behind me going through security.

@carolem_beauty

What new make-up products are coming in Spring 2018 that you are excited about

Charlotte Tilbury’s Flawless filter – a primer/highlighter hybrid. I am a big fan of Charlotte Tilbury make-up mainly her lipsticks but this product I love.

Huda Beauty was 3D Highlighter Palette – Huda started off on You Tube and now has her own make-up line – impressive. I have an eye shadow palette of hers that I really like and this palette looks lovely if quite “full on”

I am not the biggest fan of Kim Kardashian as a cultural phenomenon but her make-up is always fabulously applied and her make-up artist Mario Dedivanioc is going to collaborate with her make up line and this could be interesting as I love how he does make-up.

What advice can you offer to readers about adopting new beauty trends?

For me when I see all the new trends that come out for make-up I just think are they actually wearable for me and my skin at my age. Now, given half a chance I still love the excuse to put glitter on but I am also aware glitter and shimmer sit in my lines and wrinkles and its not actually very flattering. I think with new trends they have to suit you and your lifestyle and make you feel better about yourself and not self conscious. I also think that some things are best off left to the young like glitter lips etc.

I read an interview with Nadine Baggot and she said “Make-up over forty should not be about trends but simply being modern, you want someone to notice your face not your make-up” – I just loved this.

Who are your role models for make-up and beauty products or that you like to copy?

I don’t think I necessarily have beauty role models but I do find inspiration often on You Tube and I particularly like Pixiwoo – two sisters who make videos and as they are not teens or in their early twenties I like to see the products they use and how they look on them as they aren’t kids! I feel the same about Nadine Baggot who is older than me but has amazing skin and her makeup looks great. She also makes You Tube videos and again I get inspiration from her and tips.

Apart from lotions and potions, is there any other advice you have for having great healthy skin?

I don’t think I have any new tips here but just the usual; a good nights sleep, plenty of water and a good diet with not too much sugar. I do take supplements but I don’t know if they are helping my skin but they can’t hurt. I know there are specific beauty supplements but I have never taken any.

What tips do you have for busy working mums to keep their make-up modern?

For simple, quick fuss free makeup I like products that do more than one job for example Charlotte Tilbury’s Beach Sticks I use on cheeks and lips and Nars have a product that I have used on lips, cheeks and eyes.

Getting your brows and eyelashes professionally done also saves time in your day-to-day routine and in the summer a good face fake tan saves a lot of time