IMAGINE YOU WERE handed €100 and invited to buy any makeup you wanted from Boots. Sounds like the dream, right?
But what would you buy? We asked three of Ireland’s eminent makeup artists, Tara O’Farrell, Danielle Mahon, and Aisling Kelly to give us their picks for quality, affordable makeup products.
Here’s what they had to say.
Tara O’Farrell, @tara_makeup
Tara O’Farrell is a model and freelance makeup artist with a whopping 86,800 followers on Instagram.
Here were her budget makeup picks.
Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation, €13.99
This foundation is enriched with vitamins and is so hydrating. It has great coverage without looking heavy.
Rimmel Good to Glow Highlighter, €6.99
Mix this in with your foundation for a gorgeous dewy glow.
Bourjois Poudre De Riz De Java, €12.99
This is one of my favourite translucent powders. It leaves the skin looking radiant and flawless.
Benefit Porefessional Face Primer Balm, €34
This is my favourite primer. It blurs pores and imperfections and leaves the skin looking airbrushed.
Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner in East End Snob, €5.49
This is my favourite liner, it’s extremely creamy and doesn’t budge.
iWhite Instant Teeth Whitening Kit, €29.99
I use these twice a week to keep my teeth looking nice and white.
Total: €103.45 (close enough!)
Danielle Mahon, @danielle_mahon_makeup_studios
Danielle Mahon is one of Ireland’s leading makeup artists and is regarded as one of the country’s top bridal face designers. She has worked with the likes of Marisa Carter, Xposé, VIP Magazine, Daniella Moyles and many more.
Here are her picks.
Rimmel Wake Me Up Make Up Foundation, €11.49
I love it because it does exactly what it says it does – wakes the skin up by giving a beautiful healthy glow and eliminates the sign of fatigue.
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer, €8.99
It doesn’t cake under the eye area because it has a luminous flawless coverage. Love the tones too, colours are great.
Ardell Fashion Lash Demi Wispies False Eyelashes, €7.99
Demi wispies are my number one set of lashes – suits every eye shape!
NYX Professional Makeup Butter Gloss, €7
Look and smell absolutely divine on the lips. The colours are perfect.
Rimmel 1000 Kisses Lipliner in Capuccino, €4.79
The shade is perfect for that beautiful nude lip. Gives great definition too.
Benefit Mini Mascara, €6.50
I’ll always stock up when I come across these. My pet hate is mascara drying out. I don’t feel so guilty throwing it out after 6 weeks. The perfect product for lash lovers and it’s jet black and long-wearing!
Cocoa Brown Ice Goddess Oil (available as part of set for €14.95)
It’s my absolute new obsession in life. I use it all over my body as a shimmering dry body oil. I’ll also use it as a primer for under my foundation to give a beautiful dewy finish and I’ll use it as a highlighter on the tops of my cheek bones. It’s a must have!
Total: €61.71 (a bargain!)
Aisling Kelly, @aislingkellymakeup
Aisling Kelly is a makeup artist based in Dublin, who was hailed as “one of the most exciting makeup artists in Ireland” by the Irish Times and has worked on everything from editorial to television to theatre. (Her CV speaks for itself.)
Here are her top picks.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL Comfort Lotion SPF 50+, €19.99
Being kind to your skin creates the best base for makeup and it’s really important to protect it from the sun and from pollution on a daily basis! This sun protectant cream is amazing, especially on sensitive skin like mine, and it melts into your skin so works really well under makeup. I like to apply it first thing and leave it to set for 10 minutes while I do my hair before beginning my makeup.
Nivea Soft Tube, €3.99
I’ve tried so many moisturisers from high-end to super cheap and nothing EVER beats Nivea Soft for me. I use it on clients who have drier skin as it really nourishes the skin and creates a supple texture which is perfect for a flawless foundation look. It sinks into skin really quickly and costs only a few euro – a bargain.
Barry M Dazzle Dust Eye Shadow, €6.99
This is one of my secret weapons in my makeup kit and I use it on so many clients and loads of photoshoots. This product in the colour ‘Gold Iridescent’ is a beautiful white-gold pigment that looks incredible on the inner corner or all over the lid of a smokey eye. It also looks great as an extreme highlight on cheekbones/cupid’s bow for festivals or even a night out if you like to glow for the gods.
NIVEA MEN Sensitive Post Shave Balm, €6.79
Don’t be put off by the fact that this is a men’s post-shaving balm that smells like boys because it’s honestly an incredible primer!! You get a lot of bang for your buck as a little goes a long way – and it is half the price and double the size of most popular primers. I use the one for sensitive skin as it’s alcohol-free so it glides over any dry patches on the face.
Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant, €35
My desert island product, hands down.The most expensive product on my list but worth every penny as I can’t go a day without lathering this all over my lips. I use it on every single client without fail. It softens even the driest lips and also heals small cuts or grazes within half a day – hence the name.
Botanics All Bright Radiance Balm, €8.49
This is such a great product. I sometimes apply this all over my face before foundation for a super glowy finish that shines from beneath other products – it works really well as a primer. Other times I mix this with my foundation for a sparkly, dewy finish. I also love to use it on my face on no-makeup days for a natural but noticeable radiant effect that will have EVERYONE asking how your skin looks so good without makeup.
Rimmel Glam Eyes Liquid Liner, €7.49
This product is always the ace up my sleeve on winged liner looks. I always paint my wings with a gel liner but I find it never dries as black as I’d like it too – so I love to go over the wing with this once lashes are on. The applicator is so thin too which means you can get the sharpest flick everrrr.
NYX Setting Spray, €10
This product is really similar to MAC’s Fix+ and also doubles as an adhesive for loose pigments. Spray your brush with this before you dip it into a pigment or glitter dust and it’ll stick the colour onto your skin like glue, making the colour pop even brighter. It also comes in a matte finish which is great for oily skin.
Aisling also echoed Danielle’s praise for the Ardell lashes and said they were her “most requested and most used lashes for clients going to the debs, weddings and nights out”. So now. Not one, but two endorsements.
Total: €98.74
