Each week, we’ll be taking a peek into some of our faves’ makeup bags to see their must-have products, because we’re nosey. This week, it’s the turn of MAC artist and Instagrammer Dani Duffy. You can follow her @therebellipstick.
Her earliest makeup memories
“I was kind of a late bloomer when it came to makeup, only popping on gloss and mascara (the cheap kinds you get in sets from your distant relative for Christmas!) in my early teens. That is until I discovered Good Charlotte at fourteen and my emo/goth years commenced.
Then it was liner, red eyeshadow, black lipstick, the lot – although always without foundation!
“A standout memory I have is drawing black eyeliner squiggles down from my eyes like tears, then going to Homebase with my parents and my dad full-on pretending he didn’t know me whenever I talked to him. The looks were pretty grim but I’m thankful that at around sixteen, my friends and I discovered false lashes (usually the bigger, the better) and I was the first to develop a knack for application because to this day, I’m a whizz at applying them thanks to all that practice.”
Her makeup bag and what’s inside
“On the daily I usually only carry a powder and my lip products to touch up which would make for a pretty short article so this is more a round-up of products I couldn’t live without if I were packing to go away for a weekend.
“As I’m now closer to thirty than I am to twenty *ahem* (Is there anything sadder than realising you would be in the Over’s group on X Factor?!), I’ve finally realised that good skin is key. You can’t polish a turd!
“I’m obsessed with the L’Oreal Pure Clay Detox Mask which is really affordable and gives you the satisfaction of seeing all the impurities being pulled from your skin. On the opposite end of the price scale, I also really adore the Glam Glow ThirstyMud Hydrating Treatment which I apply afterwards and sleep in overnight. It’s a luxurious, coconut-scented drink of water for your face. On the daily, I apply Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Smoothing Primer under makeup which does exactly as it says on the tin and MAC Strobe Cream for that glow!
“Not many people know this but I have a port wine stain birthmark on half of my face so when it comes to foundation, I live for coverage. Most days, I’ll use MAC Studio Fix Fluid for a flawless, matte finish and a scent that still reminds me of being eighteen, discovering this base for the first time. It’s a classic for a reason!
“If I am going out or know I’m going to have a really long day, I opt for Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation instead. It is similar in terms of finish but does not budge all day long. It looks exactly the same in the evening as it did when you applied it that morning.
“For concealer, it has to be MAC Pro Longwear which again, is an oldie but a goodie. Full coverage, long wear … I’m sure you’re beginning to sense a pattern here. Bonus points to all of the above for coming in shades pale enough for my ghostly complexion.
“Powder-wise, I use two because I’m nothing if not extra! RCMA No-Color Powder is an amazing, loose, translucent powder which is a necessity in any professional kit. I use it to set my eye area as it creates the perfect base for eyeshadow. For the rest of my face, it has to be MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation which is a powder foundation on its own but can be layered over liquid for – you guessed it – more coverage and a velvet matte finish.
“My go-to contour powder for pale skin is MAC Powder Blush in ‘Harmony’. It warms my face a little but isn’t orange in the least and is really buildable so you can be as subtle or dramatic with your contour as you wish. For blush, I toss up between MAC Mineralize Blush in ‘Warm Soul’ and NARS Blush in ‘Deep Throat’. Both are soft peaches with a slight sheen and are absolutely fool proof. They give that hint of colour to the cheeks without competing with anything else on your face.
My all-time favourite highlighter is Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in ‘Moonstone’. It gives the most stunning pale glow to fair skin and can easily be seen from space – always the goal!
“For brows I always reach for MAC Fluidline in Dipdown. It’s technically a gel liner but it does the exact same job as the Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade everybody harks on about. I also like to go in with the NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder in ‘Auburn’ on top to add a little more warmth and match my hair.
“When it comes to eyeliner, my one true love is Inglot AMC Gel Eyeliner. It is the blackest black I’ve ever seen, a dream to use and is completely waterproof so can be used on the waterline as well. Holy Grail status. For mascara, I live for the drama so it has to be MAC In Extreme Dimension. Mega black, spidery lashes. Not for the faint hearted.
“Finally, for lips I’m never without a liquid lipstick. You can pop it on in the morning and forget about it for hours with no need for a touch up unless you eat. I like to pack a range because they can really change up a whole look. When it comes to nudes, I’m always between Too Faced Melted Matte in ‘Queen B’ or Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in ‘Crush’. My favourite red is Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in ‘Santa Sangre’, a true vibrant poppy shade and for a dark lip, I love Kat Von D’s ’Plath’, a brown-burgundy.
