You couldn’t make it up

For me, the year is split into two seasons: hot and cold. It’s simple, if I am not hot, then I must be cold. So, needless to say, I love the summer and my skin loves it too. It can breathe, glow and feel flawless at this time of year. So, here’s a sneaky peak inside my QVC make-up kit. These are just some of my essentials that are my effortless dependables.

My skin enjoys the indulgence of beautiful textures, but at the same time, I like simplicity that’s quick on application and gives a natural healthy glow of radiance. I don’t tend to wear a lot of make-up, as my complexion doesn’t suit it, and I try to master a youthful radiance on a mature skin from all the tips I’ve received over the years from some of the finest makeup artists.

I use a few different skin tints on my skin, but it can depend on my day, or if the golden ball in the sky is coming out to play.

Bareminerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Gel Cream is one of my summer on-air foundations. The texture is a smooth gel formulation, which gives a light coverage with a dewy tint in the shade of Dune. That’s my perfect summer shade.

If you can’t indulge into a little bit of luxury during the summer months, then you may as well switch the lights off. Summer IS THE time to spoil and invest in your skin. For me, Sarah Chapman Skin Insurance is a great tint treat for my skin. I use this when I am at home or popping out, to give my skin the SPF 30 protection it needs, but also a healthy glow along with radiance.

Remember: texture, texture, texture!

When travelling, or out and about out!, I wear Perricone No Makeup Foundation. I wear this most days, and then I will add another layer for extra coverage under the studio lights just before the show. I’ve adored it since it was first launched at QVC. A little tip on application is to let it settle before applying your blusher as it has a very unique texture.

Ultrasun Sun Protection Tinted Face Fluid SPF 50+ is my perfect summer protection when I’m outside enjoying some serious summer sunshine. It brings a very sheer coverage to your complexion and brings your skin alive with a radiance and glow from a tint, you wouldn’t expect with an SPF 50. It’s the perfect combination of radiance with protection. Abi Cleeve is a suncare wizard, it’s so good, you don’t even feel like you are wearing any make-up. I call it my second skin, skin tint.

Whichever skin tint I am applying, I use the IT Cosmetics French Boutique Brush. I was introduced to it by a professional make-up artist who swears by it. It applies a super lightweight layer of your foundation on your skin, and blends with soft bristles that are comfortable and kind to your skin. It feels like my skin has been airbrushed with foundation. It is in fact designed as a blusher brush, but there are no rules in my make-up kit!

Ultrasun Sun Protection Lip SPF 30 Trio. I store these, not only in my make-up bag but wherever I can fit them. All over the house, in drawers, in the car, in fact, I put on a pair of jeans the other day I hadn’t worn for at least a year and there was one in the pocket! It has completely transformed my lips to a smooth lip with no dryness and gives me the sun protection I need. I always apply the balm before any lipstick or gloss, guaranteed to drive any make-up artist crazy! But I can’t ever imagine not using it. One day, I’m sure I’ll be in the Guinness Book of Records for this lip balm.

My lashes love a splash of Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara. This is my on-air luscious lash mascara, whilst Benefit Roller Lash Super Curling and Lifting Mascara is my everyday ‘let’s feel wide awake’ with defined curled lashes.

I did use Tarte White Lash Primer and was so disappointed when Tarte stopped bringing it to QVC. But, the beauty of shopping is that we discover new little gems all the time and Genie three-piece Instant Line Smoother & Million Dollar Lash Kit has arrived. It’s a white treatment primer, I use it for those days where I want to create that extra glam lash effect.

When it comes to blusher, there is only one that is totally loyal to my cheeks, Bobbi Brown Calypso Coral Cream Blush. As you can see from this little pot of sheer radiance, it’s well used on air. For that extra red carpet glow, just above my cheeks, I add my Laura Gellar Illuminating Stick, which glides onto the cheekbone with a stroke of ethereal illumination.

Make-up artists know I’m ready to say, “whey hey where’s that going?” when I see a concealer in their hands coming towards me. You’ll see no concealer in sight but there is one little tube of magic, I’ve introduced them to! Green Mandarin Eye Cream by Decleor.

Here I go again about texture. It never lets me down and sometimes I’ll even add a slight stroke of Becca Undereye Brightener & Corrector over the top. But if I ever need a teeny weeny amount of coverage after a late shift then one of my recent discoveries is the Liz Earle Instant Brightening Eye Cream, which has a slight tint and will do just the job I need.

I have been lucky to have well defined eyebrows, but they need taming at times, so Benefit Gimme Brow+ controls them in seconds to create the perfect groomed brow, so I can apply the IT Cosmetics Brow Power Lift Pencil highlighter, I use the pearly side under the brow arch only, and blend with my fingertip.

As for lipglosses, that’s a whole new story for you another day, but the one I use on air often is Condragulations from the Mally x Ru Paul collaboration and looks like a no go let’s get out of here very bright coral, but it’s lip perfection on air as the lights are so bright it can wash out colour.

Let me know any tips you may have from your QVC make-up bag?

But, remember, this summer, stay well, radiant and looking gorgeous

Much love and sparkle

Jill

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