Caroline Barnes' Ultimate Max Factor Must-Haves

Ever wondered what’s in a makeup artist’s kit? Grab a pen, because Max Factor’s Makeup Artist, Caroline Barnes, is about to reveal her ultimate must-have products – and you’ll want to take note. From the best glow-boosting base to a lash-lengthening mascara, Caroline talks us through the hardest-working products in the beauty business that are sure to become your new favourites, too. So, if you’re looking to give your beauty bag a glow-up, scroll down to discover Caroline’s top picks for enhancing, brightening and lifting your makeup look in just a few sweeps.

1. The Base with Benefits

Caroline’s Pick: Miracle Touch Foundation

She Says: I love Miracle Touch Foundation. It’s a prestige formula with a silky texture that glides effortlessly onto the skin. It mattifies where needed and feels ultra-lightweight all day.

Top Tip: Apply to achieve your desired coverage. Use a full, fluffy brush for a sheer finish, a sponge for medium coverage or a flat foundation brush for full coverage. To target pigmentation or blemishes, use your little finger to tap foundation directly onto the area to cover where needed.

2. The Fatigue-Fighting Concealer

Caroline’s Pick: Radiant Lift Concealer

She Says: Radiant Lift Concealer is perfect for lifting and illuminating under the eyes. It’s enriched with vitamins to smooth and brighten skin around the delicate eye area.

Top Tip: If you’re using Radiant Lift Concealer around the eyes, go a shade lighter. The skin here is naturally flatter and drier, so light-reflective pigments allow the skin to look more youthful.

3. The Goes-With-Everything Blusher

Caroline’s Pick: Miracle Touch Creamy Blush in Soft Copper

She Says: This cream blush is perfect for creating a fresh, healthy makeup look.

Top Tip: Apply the Soft Copper shade to shape your cheeks without looking like you’re wearing blusher. This is a nude-y colour that’s very contemporary, and even works with a strong eye or lip.

4. The Luminous Highlighter

Caroline’s Pick: Miracle Highlighter Wand

She Says: The Miracle Highlighter Wand is beautiful for daylight highlighting, because it gives a realness to the skin.

Top Tip: To lift and illuminate your base, apply highlighter on top of cheekbones in a ‘C’ shape, underneath your brow, along the bridge of your nose and the top of your cupid’s bow.

5. The Brush-On Brow Booster

Caroline’s Pick: Brow Revival Gel

She Says: I love Brow Revival. One sweep of this gel leaves eyebrows looking thicker and fuller, and keeps them in place.

Top Tip: Use the small wand in Brow Revival Gel to catch every single hair. Avoid getting the formula onto the skin, which can leave brows looking too dense.

6. The Major Mascara

Caroline’s Pick: Masterpiece Max Mascara

She Says: Masterpiece Max Mascara is a cult-classic. It’s won countless awards and is a brilliant all-rounder to add to your makeup bag.

Top Tip: To create a full, fanned-out effect, place the mascara wand right at the root of lashes. Then, glide the mascara wand side to side from root to tip to separate lashes, holding at the tips for a few seconds to lock in curl.

7. The Eye-Defining Pencil

Caroline’s Pick: Masterpiece Kohl Kajal Pencil

She Says: Masterpiece Kohl Kajal Pencil in Black is great. Use it to create a smudgy smokey eye or a softer wing.

Top Tip: If you want to wake up tired eyes, swap your usual black eyeliner for the Beige shade. Then etch it into the waterline to create the illusion of bigger, brighter eyes.

8. The Suits-All Nude Lip

Caroline’s Pick: Colour Elixir Lip Cushion

She Says: Try Colour Elixir Lipstick in Nude Rose teamed with Colour Elixir Lip Cushion in Nude Glory. The two together create a very wearable nude; a classic shade that suits all skin tones. This is great for daytime but also brilliant with a strong smokey eye.

Top Tip: The natural colour of your lips can affect the shade of your nude lipstick. To keep your perfect nude true-to-colour, start by blending a little foundation over your lips, acting as a neutralising base. Then, apply lipstick on top.

9. The Transforming Lip Colour

Caroline’s Pick: Colour Elixir Lipstick in Pink Brandy

She Says: I love Pink Brandy. People still talk about this shade on my Instagram feed. It’s very wearable and brightens the complexion instantly.

Top Tip: To dial up your lip colour, glide Colour Elixir Lip Liner around the contours of your lips to plump and reshape. Then, reapply Colour Elixir Lipstick in Pink Brandy on top, blending lip liner and lipstick together with a lip brush for a fuller-looking finish.

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