As a teenager, my makeup routine consisted of a pot of UltraGlow bronzer and a roll-on lip gloss from Miss Selfridge. As far as skincare went, I had a Christy cucumber face mask (free with Just 17 magazine) and some moisturizer from my mom’s dressing table.
How things have changed. My fifteen year old daughter knows a lot more about skin care and makeup than I ever did. And it started at a young age – I remember her asking for a Foundation Stippling Brush as a gift to make her 11 plus. And I would hear her and her friends discussing serums and sheet masks on supers like we used to discuss ponies. Some were so bad at contouring and highlighting, and some used to film spoof makeup tutorial videos.
Fast forward a few years, my daughter’s makeup skills have really improved. She will be seen at breakfast looking fresh and dewy in “Is she wearing makeup or not?” sort of way – that’s exactly how most of us want to look. She has nailed ‘no make-up smudge’.
It applies to TikTok, Instagram and Youtube. They created a generation of skincare and makeup savvy who know their hyaluronic from their azelaic acid and that primers and highlighters are as important in the makeup bag as they are in the art department.
Most of their information comes from celebrity artist and makeup tutorials that show step-by-step “dewy skincare” or “date-night makeup” on Vogue’s “Beauty Secrets,” my daughter, Allegra, tells me. where are the likes of Hailey Bieber, Jennifer Lopez and Kate Moss talk to you about their makeup bags and bathroom cabinets.
Of course the TikTok tutorials are also a big hit. Singer Madison Beer’s videos boast more than 18.5 million views that show her putting on blusher and highlights.
If someone had told me I’d be hooked on makeup artist Hailey Bieber sharing her contouring ‘hack’ on TikTok (when the hashtag maryphilipsmakeup had 9.6 million views) I certainly wouldn’t have believed them.
Allegra’s Christmas wish list included concealer, highlighter, eyebrow wax and blusher from Charlotte Tilbury (which is completely sold out) – proof that a lot of makeup was being worn. I was curious to find out exactly how all of this was being used for such a flawless finish – and whether as a 51 year old, any of these tips would work for me too.
So during a revision break for her fake GCSE, I gave my daughter carte blanche to do my makeup using the most useful TikTok tips she thought would suit me. I drew the line at bleaching my eyebrows and wearing red lipstick as eyeshadow in case I sounded like Silas from The Da Vinci Code asking her to look more like J Lo.
Allegra suggested we watch some TikTok videos together so I could see exactly how to recreate it myself. She warned me not to ignore the full lips and long nail extensions that many of the makeup artists display but to focus on their makeup skills.
Once I got used to it (as well as the finger tattoos), I was hooked and found myself passing on a contouring tutorial to a girl with the words, “you have to try this”.
I also learned that a “no makeup method” requires a lot of makeup. A week later, I was exercising every morning and I honestly don’t think I looked better. My teenage son even proposed to me the other morning. The downside is that I have to get up half an hour earlier to apply it.
The six makeup tips I learned from my teen
Apply Contour and Concealer before your Foundation
This is the tip shared by makeup artist Mary Philips (She does Hailey Bieber, Jennifer Lopez and Salma Hayek). Applying a contouring product before foundation is weird but it looks more natural.
Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick, (£44, cultbeauty.com) is flawless as it’s not too dark and blends beautifully. You start with a contour line drawn under the cheekbone to the top of the ear; then you take the contour from the brow bone to the hairline and follow it around the hairline. Finally, you draw a contour line under the jawline to make the forehead look more defined. Then blend everything with a brush.
Next comes an eye concealer that I never wear because it’s always powdery. I love makeup artist Bobbi Brown’s tip, which is to apply a moisturizing eye cream under the eye, before applying the concealer. It works!
According to Terry’s Hyaluronic Eye Serum (£43, spacenk.com) and Jones Road concealer pencils (£24, libertylondon.com) they work great together and don’t look all cakey. Ilia’s True Skin Serum Concealer (£22, net-a-porter.com) is also good.
Clockwise from top: Jones Road concealer pencil; Unique Beauty Pinch Soft Liquid in Hope; Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick
Don’t put foundation all over your face
This is the most difficult for me to do because I’m used to tinted moisturizer sloshing all over but a video of makeup artist Gucci Westman apply the foundation directly to the areas you need to look beautiful – just around the nose, chin or to cover any color. or redness.
‘Choose a product with a dewy, matte finish; it looks fresher and you look younger,’ says Westman. Westman Atelier Vital Skincare Complexion Drops (£62, selfridges.com) are lovely. My skin has never looked better.
Always use blusher
I never bother with blusher but a video of singer Madison Beer using a dot of blusher high on the cheek looks so pretty I’m dying to try it. Use a creamy blusher (never powder) and apply it higher on the face than you imagine (almost on top of the cheek). Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid in Hope, (£22, spacenk.com) is my new favourite.
Choose a highlighter that blends with your skin tone
‘Find a shade that looks like the light is coming from the skin, not like it’s sitting on top of the skin’ says beauty influencer Megan Lavallie. Her three-spot highlighting trick is to dab on the cheekbones, one in the inner corner of the eye and a dab on the arch of the brow for a more awake look. Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand, (£30, johnlewis.com) works well.
Clockwise from top: Victoria Beckham Satin Kajal liner; Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand; Chanel Rouge allure velvet lip color
Apply eyeliner to the outer corner of the eye only
Kaia Gerber’s daughter, Cindy Crawford’s daughter says ‘not to use eyeliner except on the outer corner of the eye as this opens up the eye and is prettier’.
Follow with a natural looking mascara. A lengthening mascara is more flattering than one that builds volume which can make the eyes look smaller. Victoria Beckham Satin Kajal liner, (£26, victoriabeckham.com) and Maybelline Great Lash Mascara, (£6.99, lookfantastic.com) work well.
Never wear matte lipstick
Hayley Bieber says, ‘If you want your lips to look fuller, always choose a glossy finish’. Matt lipstick doesn’t seem to suit anyone and will make your lips drier.
If your favorite lipstick has a satin finish, mix it with some clear lip gloss to make the lips look warmer. I love Victoria Beckham Posh Gloss (not sticky at all) (£28, victoriabeckhambeauty) over Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet in Intemporelle (£35, johnlewis.com).