RUBY RECOMMENDS | PRIME & SET

PRIME

PRIMER

For many of us, moisturising is the final stage of skin prep pre-makeup, but if you want your makeup to last all-day (and night!) primer is your new best friend. 

Why use a Primer? 

Primer prepares the skin for foundation by blurring, smoothing, hydrating, and reducing shine, ensuring the smoothest possible application. It acts as a barrier, stopping the natural oils from your skin altering your makeup throughout the day. Additionally, it acts as a grip, helping keep your makeup in place for much longer. As well as improving longevity, primer can also enhance the effectiveness of your other beauty products. With numerous options available (dewy, hydrating, light-catching, mattifying), they are all designed to complement and elevate your makeup.

How to apply 

You only need a tiny amount of primer for it to work, generally no more than a pea sized amount. Using a sponge, apply to the largest areas of the face first (cheeks and forehead) then blend over the chin and nose.

What to consider before buying 

Head to the skincare section of any shop/website, and it’s likely you’ll be overwhelmed with choice. The key to making the right purchase for you is to understand your skin-type and what you’re trying to achieve. Is your skin normal, oily, dry, mature, textured or combination? Do you want glowing skin, or a matte finish?

Oily Skin: look for primers containing silicas and polymers designed to mattify.

• Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer: Long-lasting this primer is non greasy with a light silky texture, that keeps shine at bay
• Nars Soft Matte Primer: Utilising skincare actives to leave a satin matte complexion, in addition to helping to balance the skin.
• Tatcha The Silk Canvas Face Protective Powder: One of my favourite primers it smooths, evens skin tone and minimises shine. 

Mature Skin: look for primers with hydrating and soothing ingredients, avoiding stripping ingredients.

• Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer: The gel formula provides hydration as well as grip, gliding on smoothly
• Nars Smooth & Protect Primer with SPF: A smoothing primer it minimises pores and fine lines whilst providing SPF 50

Illuminating finish: look for primers that provide hydration and contain pearl rather than glitter.

• Rare Beauty Always An Optimist Illuminating Primer: Lightweight, with a pearly glow for instant luminosity
• Dior Backstage Face & Body Primer: Smooth like silk, this blurs hydrates and plumps a great all rounder.

SET

Stop your makeup from slipping away with setting powders and sprays. 

TRANSLUCENT POWDER

Translucent Powder is your secret weapon for flawless, natural-looking skin. A lot of people fear it… but long gone are the days of chalky, cakey, drying powder.  It sets your makeup, blurs imperfections and gives your skin a smooth looking finish.

Why use a Translucent Powder?

For day-long (and night-long) events, translucent powder is a must, even if you're not typically a fan. Translucent powder absorbs excess oils and moisture, preventing makeup from sliding off or appearing shiny. A great tool for setting, blending, and mattifying.

How to apply

Start by dipping your chosen brush into the powder and tap away any excess. I recommend my Face Brush for large areas, and Magnetic Brush Set tapered brush for control in smaller areas, such as under the eyes. Sweep the brush gently over any areas that you feel need it (forehead, around the nose, eyes). I avoid the apples of the cheeks, as you want to keep that natural glow.  

Which powder is right for me?

This comes down to your own skin… do you want pore minimising, oil control, blurring? Do you like a light reflecting finish? If you're finding that no matter what powder you choose, it's looking cakey/patchy or leaving chalky finish.. try using less product. Always use powder sparingly, as you can always add more throughout the day. 

Coloured setting powders or translucent powders?

It is usually based on the level of coverage you're looking for. Coloured setting powders provide a heavier coverage, and come in different skin tones. Translucent powder, however, provides a veil-like coverage and is suitable for any skin tone. 

A few of my favourites:

• By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder
• Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder 
• Pat McGrath Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Setting Powder

SETTING SPRAY 

Setting spray locks in your makeup, helping it last longer and looking fresh throughout the day. It prevents product fading, smudging, or melting, ensuring that it stays in place for hours. There are different options available depending on what finish you’re after - it can help control shine, provide hydration, reduce oiliness to leave a matte finish, or add moisture for a glowing finish.

Your setting spray should be the very last step of your routine.