Should I Bleach My Brows?
If you like to dabble in the world of celebrity beauty looks, you may have noticed an unexpected trend cropping up in your Instagram feed: bleached brows. Ever since that fateful Met Gala in 2016 when one Kim Kardashian walked the red carpet with some very light arches, bleached eyebrows seem to have a chokehold on the cool girls of social media. So, should you bleach your brows? Well, while it may look great for a moment, you might actually be doing more harm than you think… Reasons not to bleach brows We’re not here to crush anyone’s dreams of barely-there brows, but it would be remiss of us not to outline every issue you may come across if you decide to go down the bleached eyebrows route. Damage to the hairs Everyone knows that bleach is not your hair’s best friend. It’s why there are a million products out there that deeply nourish bleached hair so you’re not faced with broken strands. Less products out there for nourishing brows, unfortunately. Your brow hairs are more delicate than the hairs on your head so for most, it is only a matter of time before they are damaged, start falling out or break off at the root. And trust us, that’s not fun for anyone. The bleaching process is also a tricky one to get right. If you have dark brown eyebrows, adding bleach to them can result in orange arches, which isn’t quite what we’re going for here. Damage to the skin & eyes When applying peroxide to the brows, it is inevitable that you’re going to get some on the skin, and for people with sensitive skin, this can feel really uncomfortable. A bleaching kit includes chemicals like peroxide and ammonia which can make the skin feel like it’s burning, leading to redness, tenderness and irritation. Being so close to the eyes comes with its own risks. If those chemicals get into your eyes, you’re in for a really rough time. Not only will it be super painful, it could lead to permanent damage to the eyes. Eeek! Maintenance If you dye your hair blonde, you’ll know the struggles that come with regular trips to the salon to get those roots touched up. Now imagine those darker roots coming through on your face. You’ll probably have to re-bleach your brows every couple of weeks and it is something you have to be really on top of. How to lighten your brows If you’re happy to take on everything that comes with bleached eyebrows, be our guest! But, if you’re eager to get lighter brows without the risk that comes with the peroxide, there are safer ways. A lighter brow pencil can really work wonders - no ammonia required! This little trick works best when you’re looking to go just a couple of shades lighter than your natural brow colour. Let’s be honest, you’re not going to get that totally bleached look without all of those chemicals, but this is a great way to dip your toe in the trend. Grab your Brow Love Soft Brow Pencil in a lighter shade and swipe the pencil through your eyes, like you’re mimicking the shape of your hairs. To make your brows lighter with a pencil, you will have to be a bit heavier handed than you usually would, as you’re trying to change the colours of your hairs. If you want to go that step further, another little insider tip is using a concealer or the Brow Pop! to lighten the brows. If you are using a concealer, you’ll want to play around with what technique works for you. For some, using the product directly on your brows is all you need. If you really want to get around the hairs, run a clean spoolie over the concealer, and brush the spoolie through the brows. For the finishing touch, set with the Zebra Clear Brow Gel to lock in the colour. A few great products can help you jump on the bleached eyebrows trend, without frying your arches - because dead brow hairs and irritated skin are never on trend! Shop our full range of brow products here.
How to Do Faux Freckles
If you’ve spent any time on Instagram lately (if not, teach us the ways of your self-control), you’ll know that the fresh faced and sun kissed look is having a major moment. It's all thanks to people letting their gorgeous freckles shine through. If you’re not blessed with cute-as-a-button natural freckles, don’t stress! We’re going to teach you how to fake it with faux freckles. And besides, excess sun exposure is never cute. Use an eyebrow pencil Yes, we know eyebrow pencils are usually reserved for the brows (clue’s in the name) but stick with us here! The trick to fake freckles is using an eyebrow pencil to make them look as natural as possible. Grab your Brow Love Pencil and lightly dot over your nose and down to the top parts of your cheeks. Choose a shade that is a few shades darker than your natural skin colour to keep them looking as real as possible, but not too dark to avoid looking like you’ve taken a sharpie to your face. Use Mane Stain Another handy brow product that has a secret talent for creating the most gorgeous fake freckles is the Mane Stain Brow Creme. Dip the corner of the Pro Brow Brush into the product and dot on your freckle makeup. And just because we love convenience, we’ve put them into a handy bundle so you can save as well! To make things super easy, we’ve put together a video tutorial on using the Mane Stain to create the perfect faux freckles. Build freckles in places the sun naturally hits To keep your freckles makeup looking as au naturale as possible, dot them in the places the sun would usually hit. That’s on the bridge of the nose, down the sides of the nose and one the tops of your cheeks. A good rule of thumb is to place them over your blush as the same sun-kissed principle applies. If you want to go the extra mile, dot a few faux freckles on your forehead, but keep them light and spaced out up there. Don’t be too precious with them; if they look too symmetrical no one’s going to believe that your fake freckles are anything but. This is your chance to go a bit wild! Always start with less and then build if you’d like - it’s always easier to add than it is to take away. Blend & set your freckles Once you’re happy with the placement of your fake freckles, tap them with your fingertip to gently blend them and keep them looking natural. Anything too uniform is not the vibe here. Then, go over the freckles with a translucent powder or a setting spray to make sure they stay put all day or all night long. No one wants their freckle makeup ending up at their knees by the end of a hot day! Shop all of the products you need for the perfect faux freckles from PONi Cosmetics right here. Go let those gorgeous freckles shine through and radiate a sun-kissed glow - even if you did have a bit of help!
How to Take Care of Makeup
We break down how to take care of makeup to maximise the life and effectiveness of your favourite products. Spoiler alert: the bathroom vanity is officially a makeup-free zone! How long does makeup last? The expiry date for makeup usually depends on when you open the product. Most cosmetics have what is called a PAO (Period After Opening) month number on the packaging or the product itself. For example, 12 months. This means the product, if stored and used properly, will be good for 12 months after it’s been opened. After that, it’s time for a replacement. Using expired makeup isn’t healthy for your skin or eyes (expired mascara could lead to an infection) and it won’t apply as well as it once did. Our handy guide to PONi product expiry dates: The White Knight Mascara: 12 months (We recommend discarding after 3-6 months) Brow Magic: 12 months Zebra Clear Brow Gel: 6 months Lip Magic Balm: 12 months Brow Pop: 12 months Main Stain Brow Creme: 6 months Brow Duo Powder: 12 months Brow Love Soft Brow Pencil: 24 months Pegasus Liquid Liner: 12 months Unicorn Chocolate Bronzer: 24 months Unicorn Champagne Highlighter: 24 Months Unicorn Candy Blush: 24 Months Lash + Brow Serum: 24 Months Investing in a high quality sharpener will help extend the life of your eyebrow pencils. Always make sure lids and caps for all products are on tightly too. It’s a small detail that can make a big difference - makeup can easily dry out, melt, or go hard if exposed to air for too long. Makeup storage Keep your makeup next to the bathroom sink or in the car? Time to rethink your makeup storage situation. Cars heat up and cause products to melt and separate making them less effective and consistent - if they’re still usable at all. Meanwhile, a warm, moist bathroom can cause products to become mouldy and expire quicker than they’re supposed to. So, how to store makeup the right way? The best place to keep your kit is in a cool, dry environment. If your bathroom is well ventilated and the vanity has a lower drawer or a cupboard you can close that stays cool and dry, that could be a good spot. Or, you can take your cosmetics out of the bathroom and have some fun with setting up a makeup storage area! Use a set of desktop drawers and cute holders on top so you can display your makeup and access it easily. Using a makeup train case is also an ideal option for makeup storage. Designed specifically for makeup, there are plenty of holders and dividers to organise your brushes and products. Store the case in your wardrobe or bedroom, take the makeup you’re using into the bathroom, get ready and put it back when you’re done. Love more inspo on how to store makeup? Pinterest is your go-to for plenty of genius ideas for clever and cute solutions. Cleaning makeup brushes When was the last time you cleaned your makeup brushes and applicators? Makeup tools need weekly cleaning to stop them from becoming little hot beds for bacteria, dirt, oil and dead skin cells. Keeping brushes and applicators fresh means they’ll deliver a better application, last longer, and your skin will thank you too! Dirty tools spread all those nasties onto your skin and cause breakouts. How to clean your makeup brushes You’ll just need a glass, warm water and shampoo (baby shampoo is great for this) or a mild liquid soap. You can also buy specific makeup brush cleaning liquid but shampoo or soap work absolutely fine. Step one: Squirt a little of the shampoo or soap into the bottom of the glass and fill halfway with warm water. Step two: Take your brush and swirl it in the water. Massage the bristles to help loosen the build-up then swirl again. Repeat until all build-up is removed. Step three: Rinse the brush under running water while gently moving your fingers through the bristles for a final clean. Step four: Lay the brush flat on a clean paper towel to dry. How to clean makeup applicators Cleaning your makeup sponges is just as easy! You can use bar soap for this one. Step one: Place the sponge under warm running water and squeeze out any excess makeup. Step two: Lather up a bar soap in your hands. Step three: Rub the sponge along the bar and squeeze it to get it nice and soapy all the way through. Step four: Keep squeezing the sponge under running water until it’s completely clean. Step five: Set on a paper towel to dry. If you have questions about how to store and take care of your PONi products, reach out to our team. You might also like to read The Best Mascara for Length and Volume 6 Facts and Myths About Lash Growth Serum What Brushes To Use for Different Makeup
Best Makeup For Sensitive Skin
If you’ve got sensitive skin, you know how it goes. One minute you're happily applying your new foundation. The next...your skin is breaking out in angry red bumps or feeling itchy and uncomfortable. Use our makeup for sensitive skin tips to choose the best cosmetics and avoid those most likely to trigger an itchy rash, painful breakout, or angry redness. Makeup ingredients to avoid for sensitive skin Sensitive skin becomes irritated when it comes into contact with particular ingredients - these are the ones to avoid when choosing the best makeup for sensitive skin. Fragrance Fragrances are a mixture of both natural and chemical ingredients and are usually problematic for sensitive skin. Opt for fragrance-free makeup instead. Denatured alcohol The type of alcohol used in cosmetics is usually denatured alcohol (also called denatured ethanol) which is super drying and harsh on the skin. You’ll generally find it in many matte or mattifying products, like primers and setting sprays. Essential oils Just because they’re natural, it doesn’t mean sensitive skin can handle essential oils. Components of many essential oils are known irritants for skin leading to redness, flaking, and tightness. Enjoy their aromatherapeutic benefits with a beautiful candle or diffuser instead. Synthetic emollients The goal of emollients is to smooth and soften skin, but some don’t play well with sensitive skin or acne prone skin. Steer clear of isopropyl palmitate, isostearyl isostearate, and myristyl lactate which you’ll usually find in lipsticks and powder cosmetics. Phthalates These chemicals are used as a solvent to dissolve ingredients into a consistent solution. Phthalates have been linked to skin irritation and more serious health concerns including endocrine disruption. This means they have an adverse affect on your hormonal balance. Parabens Commonly used as a preservative in cosmetics and skin care, parabens can spark irritation and allergic reactions to sensitive, damaged, or broken skin. The best makeup products for sensitive skin Our line-up of sensitive skin-friendly makeup will deliver a flawless look without compromising your skin. Paraben-Free Makeup Pegasus Liquid Liner Brow Pop Brow Magic Brow Love Soft Brow Pencil Lip Magic (does contain fragrance) Non-Irritating Mascara Eye makeup, especially mascara, can trigger skin and eye irritation if you’re allergic to the formula and it flakes off into your eyes. No more itchy, red eyes with The White Knight Tubular Mascara. Instead of coating your lashes with colour like traditional mascara, the "tubing" formula encircles each lash with its own smudge-proof pigmented polymer tube. There’s no flaking or smudging to cause irritation. Ideal if you have sensitive eyes, wear contacts or have lash extensions too. Read more about the benefits of tubing mascara here. Patch testing A final word on finding the best makeup for sensitive skin; always patch test first. Patch testing simply means applying a little of the product to a small area of your skin. Then, leave it for 24 hours to see if your skin reacts. Test on a small area of your neck or inner wrist. Sensitive skin makeup FAQs What is the best foundation for sensitive skin? Mineral foundation, either powder or liquid, is ideal for sensitive skin. Formulated with natural minerals, they are free of common skin irritants. Mineral foundations are also non-comedogenic which makes them ideal for acne-prone skin. What is the best makeup for sensitive eyes? Tubular mascara and paraben free liquid eyeliner are the best picks for sensitive eyes. Mineral eyeshadow is also a great non-irritant choice. What ingredients should I avoid for sensitive skin? Ingredients to avoid include parabens, fragrance, essential oils, phthalates, synthetic emollients, and denatured alcohol. What is the healthiest makeup for your skin? The healthiest makeup for sensitive skin doesn’t contain common skin irritants. For foundation and BB cream, look for formulas enriched with beneficial skin conditioning ingredients that help give your complexion an extra boost! For more information about ingredients or to discuss the best products for your skin, contact our PONi team. You Might Also Like to Read 6 Reasons We Love Cruelty-Free Makeup 5 FAQs About Eyebrow Growth Serum Choosing the Perfect Makeup for Eyebrows
How to Grow Back Over Plucked Eyebrows
The year is 2003. You’re obsessed with beauty icons like Paris Hilton and Gwen Stefani. You’ve got a pair of tweezers in your hands with the one goal of recreating their brows. You know the ones; the thinner the better. We’ve all been there. Fast forward to now and your poor brows haven’t quite recovered. Don’t worry, all hope is not lost! There are a few ways to grow back over plucked eyebrows. Cue sighs of relief from 90s and 00s kids all around the world. Put down the tweezers The first step is perhaps the most important. Step away from the tweezers or razors. We’ve all heard the horror stories of people getting caught up in a plucking trance of sorts, only to step away from the mirror and realise their eyebrows are wafer thin. Repeat after us: That. Will. Not. Be. Me. Eyebrow regrowth is definitely possible, but not if you’re constantly pulling them out, of course! Most people’s brows work on a 3-4 month growth cycle, so you really need to let your brows recuperate. If you’re tweezing because your brows are looking a little patchy as they grow back, fill in any sparse areas with the Brow Magic pencil. Brow growth serums Actual magic in a tube, the Lash and Brow Growth Serum contains biotin, which is going to stimulate hair growth and get those arches nice and full once more. For a quick rundown, biotin (also known as vitamin H) is a B complex vitamin, deficiency of which can lead to hair loss. A natural way to get full brows (and lashes!), our Growth Serum is super easy to use. It is completely vegan and free of any harmful ingredients. Just swipe over your brows and you’ll start to notice results in 6 weeks. If you see us add 10 to our cart, just ignore us. Look at the foods you’re eating Just like most things to do with our bodies, what we eat can have a huge impact on eyebrow growth. Iron boosts circulation and helps to carry oxygen around the body, including hair roots, which helps to speed up the growth rate. Meat, legumes and leafy greens are rich in iron so adjust your meal plans accordingly! Other great nutrients to include in your diet are omega-3 fatty acids, protein and vitamin A, B, C and D, which are once again found in leafy greens like spinach and kale. Whether you boost your nutrient intake via your diet or supplements, it is going to really help to grow your eyebrows back. So, the answer to the age-old question (well, since the 2010s anyway) “do eyebrows grow back?” is a resounding yes! You just need to know a few tricks of the trade. Shop all of our brow products today.
What is the Best Makeup for Oily Skin?
If you’ve got oily skin, we don’t need to tell you that your list of product must-haves is a mile long; it has to be longwearing, mattifying, won’t separate, stays put, won’t clog pores - you get the idea. Frankly, we don’t think makeup that does all of those things is too much to ask! It just takes knowing what to be on the lookout for. Get your notebook out and take notes, class, here are our best makeup tips for oily skin. How to choose the best makeup for oily skin We’re going to make a pretty educated guess that if you’re reading this, you’ve probably got acne-prone skin - one of the frustrating side effects of oily skin. Some ingredients in cosmetics, known as comedogenic, can actually clog your pores and welcome acne. Since that’s the opposite of what we’re trying to do here, avoid makeup with these ingredients. Comedogenic ingredients include oils like coconut, palm or avocado. If you see these ingredients in your makeup (or even your skincare!), drop it and run. They can be great for those with dry skin but oily? Not happening. When it comes to your base, look for a foundation with a matte or semi-matte finish. A dewy product is only going to amp up the shine and oily skin beauties know, we’re trying to turn the shine all the way down. Makeup for oily skin should also have long-wearing or smudge-proof promises. They are designed to last and last so no matter what you throw at them, your makeup won’t end up at your knees by the end of the day. The best makeup products for oily skin If you look through the makeup bag of anyone with oily skin, we can guarantee you’ll see one thing every time: translucent powder. It is the holy grail of mattifying, as it will set your makeup and keep shine away. Our sister brand, esmi Skin Minerals, has cleverly paired makeup and skincare with their Translucent Mineral Powder. Infused with skin strengthening silica and moisturising aloe vera, it is perfect for all skin tones and a dream for oily skin. Grab a fluffy brush, dip it into the product, tap off the excess and dab the powder where you need it, paying close attention to the t-zone. It is must-have makeup for oily skin. When it comes to your brows, you want a pigmented product that is going to fill in any sparse areas and stay exactly where you put it. Enter: the Mane Stain Brow Creme. A soft, water-proof formula that is designed to give you ‘yes, my brows naturally look this amazing’ arches. Keep it light or build the pigment for a bolder look. Just grab a brow brush (to keep things easy, we’ve bundled them up), dip it into the pot and use hair-like strokes to fill them in. Et voila - brows that last no matter how oily your skin is. Speaking of makeup that won’t budge, the White Knight Mascara is smudge-proof which is perfect if you’ve got oily eyelids. Panda eyes are a big ‘no thanks’ from us. As if we couldn’t love it enough, this mascara has a clever tubing formulation, meaning the product neatly coats the lashes and comes off with just warm water - no rubbing or harsh makeup remover needed. We love a multi-use product (our makeup bags are full enough), and the Brow Pop! not only makes a great brow highlight, but also an eyeshadow base. Use the brightening end over the eyelids and set with the translucent powder. Then you’re free to create your eye look and not worry about anything shifting. This is a must for the PONi team on a night out - those shadow looks are works of art and we want them to last all night! Just because you have oily skin, does not mean you can’t have flawless makeup that lasts all day and won’t clog your pores. You just need a little know-how when you’re searching the makeup aisles (or searching online because this is the 21st century). Our customer service team is happy to help if you have any questions on nailing makeup for oily skin.
Is Eyelash and Brow Tinting Safe?
We’re suckers for a quick and easy beauty treatment that lets us be in and out in a few minutes and feel instantly more put together - hey, we’re busy! Lash and brow tinting can really transform your whole face and give you a few extra sweet, sweet minutes of sleep-in time - after all, your lashes and brows are pretty much done. Like any beauty treatment, there are a few things to keep in mind before you step into the wonderful world of tinting. So, if you’re wondering, “is eyelash tinting safe?” or “should I be tinting my brows?”, we’re going to break it down for you. The benefits of tinting Whether it is lash or brow tinting, most salons (or at-home kits if you’re brave) will use a semi-permanent, vegetable dye to tint the hairs. It is a totally painless process that requires almost no maintenance - apart from going back to the salon when the dye fades, of course. The results of tinting can last up to 6 weeks on the hair, which is a very respectable time to have stunning lashes and brows. Tinting is a super easy way to shape, darken and thicken (or at least make them look thicker) your brows in an instant. If you go to a salon with a brow-mapping service, they’ll help you create your perfect brow shape and work their magic with waxing, tweezing and tinting. A brow shape that compliments your face can give you an instant facelift - with no need to go under the knife. As for your lashes, tinting is really going to make your eyes pop and give the look of mascara without a lick of makeup. Most people find that an eyelash tint makes their lashes look longer, as the ends of the lash hairs are often lighter than the root and are hard to see. The tinting only takes a few minutes, and ensures you can see the full lash, making your eyes look brighter and more awake. Sign us up! The risks of tinting While lash and brow tinting are completely safe for most people, there are a few ways you can mitigate any risks. If you’ve never dabbled in the world of tinting, always patch test first, especially if you are stepping into brow tinting territory, as the dye is going directly onto your skin. If you feel any burning or irritation, remove the tint immediately. Like most things in the beauty world, we recommend leaving tinting to the professionals. Sure, at-home kits exist and if you’re handy with them, go for it, but to save any mishaps (no one wants dye where it shouldn’t be, especially in their eyes), leave it to those who know their stuff. Keeping up the tint between appointments Those first few days after a brow tint, you’ll notice your brows look fuller (and those compliments will be rolling in). That’s because the tint has stained the skin and filled in any sparse patches along the brows. After about day three, that tint on the skin will start to fade while remaining on the hairs. That’s when you’re going to want to enlist the help of your favourite brow pencil to keep them in tip top condition. Use the spoolie end of your Brow Magic pencil and brush up your brows so you can really see the shape you’re trying to create. Then, using the pencil end, line the underneath of the brow and fill in the arch. Finally, lightly use the pencil through the rest of the brow in hair-like motions to make your arches look full, yet natural. We’ve done a handy little video tutorial over here. As far as your lashes go, it is totally safe to use mascara over tinted lashes if you want to really make them pop - and who doesn’t? Swipe the White Knight Mascara over your lashes for an extra tint, plus some length and volume. Basically your dream lashes in a tube. So, is eyelash and eyebrow tinting safe? When left to the professionals and done with a patch test (safety first), it can be a totally safe and effective way to level up your look. Plus, there are some really easy ways to keep your look longer-lasting between sessions. Now, excuse us while we book our next appointment… Shop our full range of eye and brow products online.
Make Up That Is Good For Your Skin
Hands up if you’ve ever not worn makeup because it breaks you out, clings to dry patches, or shifts around throughout the day. Go on, put those hands up! Want to know a secret? There is such a thing as makeup that is good for your skin. We know, we were shocked too! That means you can experience that confidence boost and the beautiful artistry of makeup, without damaging your skin. Let’s dive into the wonderful world of makeup with skincare. Ingredients in makeup that are good for your skin Makeup that lasts all day, doesn’t dry out your skin, and doesn’t block your pores really isn’t too much to ask for. You just need to know what to look for when you’re stocking your makeup bag. Mineral makeup has a cult following in our office, and for very good reason! It is light, doesn’t clog pores, and is packed with skin-loving minerals like zinc and iron - so it’s like makeup with skincare. It does not include oils and fragrances, which means it is great for those with oily or sensitive skin - plus everyone else! Zinc also gives you a little extra UV protection - in addition to the sunscreen you’re wearing, right? The best part of mineral makeup is how light it feels on the skin. Seriously, you’ll forget you’re wearing it. If you have oily skin, consider makeup with clay in it. No, we haven’t lost our minds, bear with us! Clay helps to absorb excess sebum and that means less acne. Kaolin clay is especially non-irritating and helps to calm any redness. Hyaluronic acid in makeup is an absolute dream for dry skin. Think of it like a big drink of water, it keeps the skin hydrated and plump. So, if makeup tends to cling to and emphasise dry patches, using makeup with hyaluronic acid will keep that flakiness at bay. Speaking of those of us with dry skin, vitamin E (or as it commonly shows up in an ingredient list, shea butter) is ultra nourishing and moisturising. It helps to protect the skin barrier and stops any hydration loss. Ingredients in makeup to avoid For all of our oily skinned beauties, you’re going to want to avoid comedogenic ingredients in your makeup (as well as in your skincare). They are more likely to clog pores and for acne-prone skin, that’s a hard pass, thank you. Avoid ingredients like coconut, palm or avocado oils. If you have dry skin, they shouldn’t cause any problems but aren’t the go for oily skin. Parabens and synthetic fragrances can also irritate sensitive skin and should be avoided wherever possible. They can cause redness, itchiness or in some extreme cases, an allergic reaction. Plus, they’re just not going to do anything good for your skin so why take the risk? Makeup products that are good for your skin By now, you’ll know we’re life-long members of the mineral makeup fan club. All of the PONi Cosmetics Cheek Makeup is mineral makeup, so they don’t contain any oils or pore-clogging ingredients. They are also super blendable and won’t cling to any dry patches. They are seriously great for any and all skin types. Oh, and did we mention how darn pretty they are? Cover all bases with the Chocolate Bronzer, the Champagne Highlighter and the Candy Blush. The trio are highly pigmented, vegan and contain ingredients that are good for the skin. While we’re on our favourite topic of mineral makeup, our sister esmi Skin Minerals has a beautiful range of mineral base makeup, including the Liquid Mineral Foundation and the Mineral BB Cream. They feel so lovely and light on, are great for all skin types, and will not clog your pores. They both contain SPF 15 protection, which is a little bonus on top of your sunscreen protection. Both the BB Cream and Liquid Foundation have hyaluronic acid to plump and hydrate the skin, as well as vitamin E to keep all of that moisture locked in. If you’re a full coverage lover, go for the Liquid Mineral Foundation, and if you prefer something a little lighter, the BB Cream is the way to go. If your skin is on the oily side, no doubt you’re already best friends with a translucent powder. The esmi Translucent Mineral Powder will keep your makeup in place and minimise shine, as all good powders should, but is also makeup with skincare. It contains aloe vera to calm any acne irritation, as well as kaolin clay to absorb oils and sebum so they don’t clog your pores. What a clever little thing! Flaky, congested, irritated skin after a day of makeup? Yeah, we don’t know her. It’s time to switch to makeup that is good for the skin. Shop our full range of makeup here.
How to Apply Perfect Base Makeup
Everything you need to achieve makeup base perfection. Skilfully applied, the right foundation, concealer, bronzer and highlighter will have your face looking smooth, glowing, and defined. Here’s how to do it! Prep & Prime Achieving a flawless air-brushed makeup base all starts with prepping the real base - your skin. Step 1: Cleanse with a gentle cleanser and then follow with your usual skincare routine. Including any products that boost your natural glow in this step - like brightening serums - will translate to a more luminous makeup look too. Step 2 (day time): Use a non-greasy, easily absorbed sunscreen to protect your skin. If you’ve got time, allow at least 10 minutes between finishing your skincare application and getting started on your base makeup. Foundation Before we jump into the application, let’s quickly look at the basics of choosing the right foundation for your skin. Type of coverage Sheer: Skin playing nice? Let your natural glow shine with a sheer foundation. These formulas are described as ‘sheer’ or ‘lightweight’. BB cream is also a great alternative to foundation for a lightweight finish. Medium: Like to even out your skin tone and cover a few blemishes but still rock a natural skin finish? Go for medium coverage. Full: Full coverage is designed to completely cover your skin and any skin concerns you’d like to even out and conceal. How to apply foundation We recommend applying your foundation with a brush for the smoothest, streak-free results. Step 1: Using your fingers, dab small dots of foundation across your forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin. Step 2: Take your foundation brush and using soft, short strokes start in the centre of your face and blend the dots of foundation outward. Blend baby, blend! It’s the key to a streak-free, even finish. Step 3: Need more coverage? Add more foundation and keep blending. Concealer Let’s just clear up some common concealer confusion - concealer should be applied after foundation, not before. Your foundation provides a base to blend with the concealer for the best, most natural coverage results. How to apply concealer Step 1: Apply several dots of product to areas / blemishes you’d like to conceal. Apply under the eyes and a dot to the inside corners of the eyes, around the nose to conceal any redness, and any other blemishes or discolouration. Step 2: For best results, use a concealer brush to blend it into your base foundation. Step 3: Apply a second layer if you’d like more coverage. Contour & Highlight The final phase of flawless face base makeup is contouring and highlighting. At this stage in the makeup application, your face is ‘flat’ looking with the foundation and concealer. Highlighting and contouring will help sculpt and define your features. So, what’s the difference between bronzer and highlighter? Bronzer: Adds definition to frame your face with a subtle glow for healthy, sun-kissed looking skin. A stronger application can also act in a similar way to a contouring product by emphasising the angles and hollows of your face - your cheeks, nose, and jawline. However, it’s best to use bronzer to add warmth and subtle definition rather than full-on contouring. Highlighter: This shimmery goodness helps the light catch the highpoints of your face to highlight and complement your contouring efforts. How to apply bronzer Step 1: Grab your bronzing brush, load it with product and tap off excess. Using a soft hand sweep the brush along your cheekbones, jaw and bridge of your nose. Step 2: Using small, swirling motions, blend the product in until you’re happy with the definition and depth of colour. Meet the only bronzer you’ll ever need - PONi Unicorn Chocolate Bronzer. A silky bronzing pressed powder, the ombre palette blends beautifully from light to a dark bronze. The result is long-lasting sunkissed luminosity to flatter all skin tones. How to apply highlighter Time to add a little shimmer and subtly enhance your natural bone structure. When choosing a highlighter, go 1 or 2 shades lighter than your skin tone. Step 1: Take a fan-shaped highlighter brush, load the product, and dust off excess. Step 2: Lightly trace the brush above your cheekbones, brow bone and the tip of your nose. Step 3: Use your finger to apply a little of the product to the inner corner of your eyes and your cupid’s bow. Searching for the perfect highlighter for your base makeup? Search no more. PONi’s Unicorn Champagne Highlighter suits every complexion and works for every look. This silky ombré powder highlighter gives you a whole spectrum of shimmer, from soft champagne dayglow to a warm champagne sparkle. Build and sculpt until the highlight level is just right for cheeks, brow bone, nose and eyes. Ready to Go! Annnnnd...your flawless makeup base is complete. From here you can go ahead and apply eye and lip products or rock a more natural no-makeup makeup look. Get inspired! Browse our Cheeks collection. You might also like to read: How To Do Natural Makeup Easy Tips For a Fuller Pout How To Use an Eyebrow Pencil
How to Do Your Makeup for Photos
Get our tips for applying photo makeup like a pro to look flawless for the camera. Get ready for your close up with these photoshoot makeup secrets. Base Layer & Blending The texture of your skin and shine is really amplified in photos. Throughout these steps, keep one word in mind: BLEND! Blending is the key to amazing photo makeup to reduce texture, visible lines and have all layers working seamlessly together. Using the right makeup brushes is a must for pro blending - we’ve offered a few tips on the kind to use below. Prep skin with a primer Cleanse your skin and apply your usual skincare products. Then use a primer or BB cream to create a smooth, even base to apply makeup. Foundation Choose a medium to full coverage mattifying foundation to reduce shine and give your skin smooth, even coverage. Use a round-tipped foundation brush to allow you to buff the product into your skin in circular motions for a completely blended finish. It’s more of a challenge to achieve a seamless application with a sponge or your fingers. Pro tip: Don’t use a foundation formulated mineral SPF as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide can cause a white cast in photos. Concealer Still a few problem areas that stand out after applying foundation? You can touch them up with concealer. Apply a little concealer to any under eye shadows, laugh lines, around your nostrils as well as any blemishes. Use a fluffier brush to apply concealer to get that airbrushed, blurred finish. Makeup can make fine lines and wrinkles more pronounced - especially in photos. Using a fluffier brush will smooth the application for a more youthful look. Translucent Powder Your powder goal is to set your photographic makeup for long-lasting wear and remove shine without looking cake-y. A lightweight, fine powder can create a luminous finish without causing flashback (which leaves your skin appearing white or grey with flash photography) or excessive dryness. Look for powders without a high content of mica or silica as these ingredients emphasise flashback. Choose a powder brush with soft, fluffy bristles to sweep powder evenly across your face. Apply to your chin, the centre of your nose and the centre of your forehead. Highlight & Contouring It’s super disappointing when your makeup efforts look washed out and flat in photos because of the camera flash. Highlighting and contouring with the right products is the key to avoiding this. Bronzer, blush and highlighter help contour and sculpt your features to add definition and highlight your favourite features. Bronzer While there is a difference between bronzer and contour products, you can use bronzer for subtle contouring. Use a large fluffy brush to apply. Apply bronzer to the areas where the sun naturally hits your skin; cheeks, hairline, and temple. To add a little more definition, bronzer can be applied along your jaw bone too. Cheeks: Focus on the apples of your cheeks and blend along your cheekbones. Hairline and temples: Apply bronzer across your natural hairline by lightly moving the brush in small circular motions, from one temple to the other. Jawline: To add definition to your jaw sweep bronzer along your jawline running from underneath your chin and finishing just before reaching your ear. Blush Your skin will look healthy and bright in photos with the right blush application. Here’s a quick rundown of how to apply blush based on your face shape: Oval: In short upward swipes, apply to the apples of your cheeks. Round: Apply along the cheekbone for a natural contour. Heart-shaped: Just under the apples of your cheeks. Square: Centre the blush on the apples of your cheeks. Highlighter Look for a highlighter free from glitter and sparkles. You want to bring light to the area without a high glitter shimmer which can give you an unflattering shiny visage in photos. Load a fan-shaped brush with a powder highlighter, tap off the excess, then dust the highlighter across the top of your cheekbones, bridge of your nose and Cupid’s Bow. Use your middle finger to press a little highlighter into the corners of your eye for a wide-awake look. Brow Power Think of your brows as a beautiful frame that adds crucial structure to your face. Light brows tend to disappear in a full face of makeup but a healthy-looking full brow adds definition. However, you don’t want to be so heavy-handed with the application they end up blocky and drawn on. Camera-ready brows So, how do you create a brow strong enough to hold its own in photos while still looking natural? First, discover the best brows to suit your face shape then follow the tips below to fill them in. Pick the colour Have dark hair? Choose a brow colour a shade or two lighter than your natural hair. If you have light hair, you want to deepen the brow for more definition so go for half to one shade darker than your natural colour. Brush your brows Before filling in your brows, brush them upwards with a spoolie or brow brush. When you’ve filled them in, brush hair up again to soften any harsh lines. Choose your tools Brow pencil plus powder Teaming eyebrow pencil and brow powder is a great camera-ready duo. Together they add more definition and depth than using either on their own. Add natural hair strokes with the pencil then use the powder to fill in any gaps and create a natural fluffy look. If you have oily skin, powder helps prevent a shiny look in photos. We love: Brow Duo Powder and Brow Love Soft Brow Pencil Brow creme Creme has a strong pigment payoff which works well for photos. The trick here is not to go overboard with the application, less is definitely better. Using a small, angled, densely packed brow brush is perfect for creating realistic hairline strokes, detailing, and outlining arches. Choosing a waterproof creme will stand up against sweating and smudging to keep brows shine-free and camera-ready. We love: Mane Stain Brow Creme Define Your Eyes Sleek, winged eyeliner and smokey eyes are gorgeous makeup for photos. Liquid liner helps define the eyes and you can keep the look subtle or more dramatic. A wing is especially helpful if you have smaller eyes to make them look bigger in photos. We’ve prepared this little cheat sheet for applying liquid eyeliner, complete with tips to nail the perfect wing every time. For a smokey eye, we love this camera-ready look from Mia Conner. As Mia points out, the advantage of smokey eyes for photo makeup is that they’ll stand out and be more visible. Define your eyes with PONi Pegasus Liquid Liner. Luscious Lips The best makeup for photos isn’t complete without a darker lip. In photos, more saturated lips add balance to the face. Choosing a lip shade that is darker and more pigmented than your natural lips will help to define them in photos. Lip liner Select a lip liner that complements the lipstick you’ve chosen and trace your natural lip line around your lips. Choose either your Cupid’s bow or bottom lip to slightly overdraw your lips to emphasise your mouth in a natural way. Lipstick Start putting on lipstick at the centre of your lips, applying directly from the tube, and saturate the area. Then swipe the lipstick from the centre out to the corner of your upper lips and repeat on the bottom lip. Use your middle finger to gently blend out any harsh lines. Shop the range of photographic makeup from PONi for a flawless camera-ready look. You might also like to read: 5 Key Places to Apply Highlighter 4 Bold Eye Makeup Looks We Love Beginner’s Guide to Bronzer
Secrets to French Girl Beauty
Minimal, effortless makeup and lit-from-within skin. French girl beauty is about embracing your natural features, not trying to change your face or cover up every imperfection. Adore this not-too-done approach? Read on. We’re sharing the secrets to mastering french makeup. Less is more French girl beauty starts with the skin. French women take incredible care of their skin to achieve a naturally healthy, glowing complexion. With a luminous bare base, foundation really isn’t a must. Many French women skip it and simply use a little concealer or a tinted moisturiser. The idea is to correct blemishes - if needed - rather than hide the skin. If you’re after a little more coverage, BB cream is a good option for french girl makeup. Glow from the inside out Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and proteins plus sipping plenty of water is #1 on the list of french beauty tips. A healthy diet is the key to a lit-from-within glow and the more radiant your skin is the less makeup you need. Highlighter You can also give your natural glow a subtle boost with a light application of highlighter. The French beauty way isn’t about heavy-handed, cakey highlighting it’s about subtly bringing light to and accentuating your best features. We suggest Unicorn Champagne Highlighter to achieve a gorgeous french makeup radiance. Using a soft, fan-shaped makeup brush very lightly dust the high points of your cheekbones where the light naturally reflects on your skin. Add just a touch to your Cupid’s bow too, and you’re done. Apple blush and bronzer with a light hand There’s no place for heavy Kardashian-style contouring in french makeup. Use blush in pink or apricot shades to create delicately flushed cheeks and a light dusting of bronzer to add warmth. Neither should be overdone so the result is a fresh, healthy glow. Blush Create a natural flush with Unicorn Candy Blush. Lightly swirl the blush onto the apples of your cheeks where you naturally blush. The ombre palette lets you choose from a spectrum of pink hues from soft shimmery peach to bright matte pink to find your perfect colour match. Bronzer Once your cheeks are French flushed, use Unicorn Chocolate Bronze to frame your face with a warm sun kissed glow. Choose the lightest colour in the ombre palette and with a light hand, using a kabuki brush, apply bronzer to your cheekbones. Then dust bronzer along your temples and across the bridge of your nose - these are the areas where the sun naturally hits your face. If you want a little more definition, take the bronze down along your jawline too. But remember, no heavy contouring! Full brows & bold lashes French girl makeup calls for full, fluffy, natural looking brows. Brow powder is a great choice because it creates soft brows with dimension minus the harsh lines. It’s also easier to tidy up any mistakes with powder vs other brow products. Even if you’re struggling with less-than-voluminous natural arches, armed with the right brow products your French makeup look is totally doable. Brows First, take a spoolie brush and brush upwards through clean brows to separate the hairs. Then, dip an angled brush into Brow Duo Powder and move the brush upward using light, feather-like strokes that mimic natural hairs. You want your brows to look full, but not overfilled. Now, use the spoolie to brush through the hairs again to bring them back into place. Finish the look by swiping on Zebra Clear Brow Gel for long-lasting hold and a gorgeous glossy sheen. Lashes French girl lashes? Long, voluminous and curled. Curling your lashes is one of the french beauty tips that’s simple, quick and has a big payoff. After curling, you can leave your lashes bare or add a slick of mascara to add volume, length, and frame the eyes. The White Knight is your go-to for beautifully long, lifted, and voluminous lashes. Plus, the waterproof tubular formulation means no flaky fall down while still being super easy to remove - all you need is warm water. Pick One Thing to Highlight The core tenant of french makeup is choosing to play up either your eyes with a smoky look or your lips with a bold liner - but never both. Eyes Choosing knock-out eyes? An imperfect, smudged smokey eye is so French beauty. Take an eyeliner pencil and line all around the eye and also in between the lashes for a really defined look. Then, using Smudge Proof Liquid Eyeliner go over the pencil to deepen the pigment and make everything smooth. Next take a eyeshadow colour of your choice and apply all over the lid. Coffee-coloured hues are perfect for a subdued and romantic feel or stick with darker colours like grey for more drama. Blend into the liner to soften and smudge the edges. Lips Want to go for low-key eyes and play up your lips instead? Red lips are a must. The trick to apply lipstick in true french girl beauty style is to use your fingers to diffuse the colour. Take your lipstick and make one continuous swipe across the lips. Then, with a clean finger, blend the lipstick in. You can build the colour in the centre by tapping the lipstick onto your lips. Want to try this look on yourself but need the tools to complete the look? Browse the entire PONi collection today. Cruelty-free, multi-use, and universally flattering makeup for beginners to experts. You might also like to read: The Ultimate Cheat Sheet For Perfect Brows How To Apply Eyeshadow Perfectly 4 Eyeliner Looks We Love
What Are Soap Brows?
Praise to the beauty gods, the paper-thin brows of the naughties have been and gone. If you’ve spent any time on Instagram recently, you’ll know that full and fluffy brows are where it’s at now. Is the soap brows trend ringing a bell? If not, don’t you worry, you’ll be an expert in no time… What Are Soap Brows? Lifted, full, fluffy and bold; soap brows are the beauty community’s latest obsession (although if we’re getting technical, the drag community has used this technique for years). Think brushed up arches that frame your face oh so beautifully. In a nutshell, they give the look of laminated brows without the expensive salon costs and upkeep, which is definitely a trend we can get behind. How to Do Soap Brows The best part about soap brows? How darn easy they are! All you need is two things: some soap (clue’s in the name) and a brow spoolie. Using a clean spoolie is always best, and where it comes from is really up to you. The Pro Brow Brush has a great spoolie (as well as a handy angled brush end). Choosing the right soap is key. Use a bar soap that contains glycerin to really make sure your brows stay in place. Once glycerine is activated with water, it coats the hairs and dries to make sure they don’t move. You’ll also want a clear soap, so you’re not left with any less-than-cute residue left on your brows. Look for a gentle soap and always patch test - it is going on your skin, after all. Now that you’ve got your tools, it’s time to get to work. Lightly wet the soap, emphasis on the ‘lightly’, as if it is too wet, you’ll end up with clumps of soap. Run your clean spoolie along the damp soap to coat it. Our golden rule is to start with a little and go back for more if you think you need it. Just like cooking, you can always add more but it is harder to take away. Now you’re free to brush your brows. Starting from the root of the brow hair, brush them up to your desired angle. You might want them extra fluffy, or something a touch more natural - the beauty of it is you get to decide. We find the best way to do it is to brush the first third of your brow up, then the outer two thirds can be more angled. It just comes down to what you love! If your brows are a bit stubborn, you can wriggle the hairs at the root to help mould them the way you want them. You can even use your fingers to shape them once there is a bit of soap on the hairs. Now, the obvious way to achieve soap brows is, of course, with soap. That said, you can achieve a super similar look with a strong-hold clear brow gel, just like the Zebra Clear Gel. Just brush up your brows and the long-wearing product will keep them locked in, no matter what your day has in store.. You can either call it a day there for some stunning fluffy brows, or fill in the brows with the Brow Magic Pencil to make them look even fuller. It might take a few tries to find your perfect shape. And that’s it, gorgeous soap brows that would give even Cara Delevingne a run for her money! Shop all of the PONi Cosmetics brow products here.
Are Eyelash Extensions Bad for Your Lashes?
For most of us, the full, long and fluttery lashes of our dreams aren’t a genetic reality. Isn’t it handy then, that some clever people in the beauty world invented eyelash extensions? We are self-confessed extension-lovers, but people often ask us: do eyelash extensions damage your real lashes? The answer is a resounding: no! That is, if they are applied properly. Like cutting a fringe, some things are better left to the professionals. If you find an amazing lash tech with all the right skills, eyelash extension damage shouldn’t be a thing. Extensions are applied each to a single natural lash, so it can go through the growth cycle normally and shed the extension when it is ready - not a ruined lash in sight! But, and this is a big ‘but’, if they are applied incorrectly (like clumping or extensions that are too heavy) they can damage your natural lashes. It can take your lashes quite some time to recover from this kind of damage. Luckily, if you’ve got quality eyelash extensions and our amazing lash-loving products, yours are going to stay healthy, strong and looking incredible! Eyelash Growth Serum The PONi Lash and Brow Growth Serum is kind of like magic in a tube. Containing hair growth-stimulating ingredients like biotin, this serum repairs any eyelash extension damage by strengthening lashes. In fact, you’ll start seeing those killer results in 3-6 weeks. Not only is it a saviour if you’ve been burned by botched eyelash extensions, it is also a must-have if you have some amazing extensions. The growth serum is totally safe to use on lash extensions and strengthens the hair follicle to increase the longevity of them! Don’t mind us, just adding 15 to our cart. If you’re a little weary of eyelash extensions, the Lash and Brow Growth Serum is the perfect first step into the world of traffic-stopping lashes. Although, we have a feeling you’ll want to go the extra mile with some fluttery extensions - they really are the ultimate confidence booster. White Knight Mascara Our White Knight Mascara is a best-seller for a reason! It gives you volume and length in a single swipe which would already be amazing, but when you add in the natural, growth-stimulating ingredients that are good for your lashes, this has got to be our desert island product. This tubing mascara is formulated to create ‘tubes’ that close around each individual lash. They slide off easily with warm water alone, which means no rubbing and pulling around your delicate eye area or irritating makeup remover. This also makes the White Knight Mascara smudge-proof, because panda eyes aren’t what we’re going for here. Another bonus of the tubing formulation? This mascara is safe to use with all lash extensions, except for Russian volume lashes, so make sure you ask your lash tech about that. For every other extension type, you are totally in the clear! It can be used on your bottom lashes to give them a boost no matter what extension type you have, and thanks to its nourishing ingredients, it is going to strengthen your lashes - extensions or not! So, to answer the question - do eyelash extensions ruin your eyelashes? - the answer is, if applied correctly, not at all! Of course, a little extra TLC from our lash products never hurt anyone. Shop our full range of eye products for the best lashes of your life!
How to Make Your Eyes Look Brighter
What is the first thing you want someone to notice about you? If you said your eyes, first of all, excellent choice, secondly, you’ve come to the right place. Making your eyes look bigger, brighter and pop is not so much about genetics, as it is about mastering the right makeup techniques. Keen to learn how to get brighter eyes? We thought so. Read on… Brows to Flatter Your Eyes Perhaps unexpectedly, we’re not going to start with the eyes, but rather your gorgeous arches. Groomed and arched brows make the perfect frame for your eyes, making them appear more defined and really drawing focus to your peepers. Grab your Brow Magic and brush the eyebrows up. This is going to give you that beautiful fluffy look that lifts your whole face. Then, use the other end to fill in any sparse areas because exactly no one wants patchy brows. Finish the brows by locking in the brushed up shape with the Zebra Clear Brow Gel. Conceal and Highlight Nix those dark circles and if anyone asks, yes you did get a full 8 hours last night. We’re trying to brighten the eyes here, so you’re going to need some illuminating concealer. Don’t be fooled by the name, the Brow Pop! makes a great concealer. Add some to the eyelid to cover any discolouration and set with a translucent powder. As a bonus, this will also make the perfect eyeshadow primer and keep it from sliding down to your cheeks. Want to go the extra mile? Use the Unicorn Champagne Highlighter lightly on the brow bone for a stunning glow. Complimentary Colours Now, we’re big believers in wearing whatever eyeshadow colour makes you feel incredible. Want to go bold with a show-stopping purple? Love that for you! But if you’re not sure where to start and want a shade that is universally flattering for your eye colour, we’ve got you. Complimentary colours will contrast with your eye colour and make them look even bigger and brighter. If you have blue eyes, earthy, orangey and deep browns will make them pop. If you want to take it up a notch, a dark smokey eye will really make blue eyes look brighter than ever. Basically, contrast is your friend. Brown-eyed beauties are incredibly lucky because you can get away with just about anything. A shimmery bronze is a gorgeous choice and if you’re feeling adventurous, emerald green will keep all eyes on you. Green or hazel eyes? A deep pink (it is more everyday than you think!), taupes or earthy tones with hints of gold will give you a natural contrast. Not one for natural? Purples are seriously gorgeous for green or hazel eyes. Add Some Sparkle In news that will surprise no one, adding some sparkle to your eyes will make them look so much brighter. A shimmery eyeshadow will of course do the trick or sweep your Unicorn Champagne Highlighter over your lids for an unbeatable pop. Time for a life-changing makeup tip: dab your ring finger into your highlighter and pat in the inner corner of your eyes. It will brighten your eyes and make you look more awake - trust us, you’ll be doing this every day. Pump Up the Lash It wouldn’t be a bright eye look without some long as hell lashes. First, curl those lashes to really open up your eyes. Just don’t be scared of the lash curler - they can smell fear. Adding volume and length will frame your eyes just that little bit more. Luckily, we know a mascara that does both. The White Knight Mascara has a tubular formulation that coats the lashes and adds volume, all without any smudging. Et voila, look at those big and bright eyes! Shop everything you’ll need to bring this look to life here.
How to Sweat Proof Your Makeup
Anyone who wears makeup knows that it doesn’t mix well with hot days. Summers can wreak havoc on your makeup, making it slide down to your knees by the end of the day. Don’t even get us started on sweat, or as we call it, natural highlighter. There is good news, though! We’ve got the tips and tricks you need to sweat proof your makeup, whether you’re battling those warm days or long nights of dancing (and maybe tequila). Lock in Your Base When it comes to makeup that’s going to last through the hottest of hot days, the key lies in nailing your base - it's what is going to keep your makeup from slipping. Grab your favourite primer (if you don’t know where to start, grab one that reduces shine to keep things matte all day) and layer that on top of your sunscreen, because you’re wearing sunscreen, right? Then it is time for your foundation. Go for a long-wearing option that will take anything you throw at it. The secret to sweat proof makeup? Top off your base with the Translucent Mineral Powder from our sister brand, esmi Skin Minerals. Use the Kabuki Brush to gently press the translucent powder into the face and trust us, your stunning makeup ain’t going anywhere. Oh, and keep the translucent powder in your bag for on-the-go touch ups during those extra hot days. Eyes and Brows With the right products, your brows will be saying “keep it moving, sweat” in no time. The Mane Stain Brow Creme is seriously some of the best waterproof makeup. This long lasting brow product builds colour and fullness - sparse brows no more! Use the Pro Brow Brush to brush your brows up, then dip the angled end into the product and fill in with short, hair-like strokes. Lock your arches in with the Zebra Clear Brow Gel and sweat doesn’t stand a chance. If you love a bold eyeshadow look (umm, hello talented!), you’re going to need a base to keep it in place, because you worked hard on that. Want to know a secret? The Brow Pop! makes the best eyeshadow primer. Swipe it over your lids and lock it in with that translucent powder from before. Then you’re good to work your magic on your lids for the ultimate sweat proof makeup. While we love a smudged eyeliner look, it’s not a vibe if it is thanks to sweat. The Pegasus Liquid Eye Liner is water resistant and won’t run. Whether you want something a little low key or a graphic liner look, this beauty is going to be your new favourite. Speaking of passing on panda eyes, The White Knight Mascara is a smudge-proof and an incredible waterproof makeup option. It is the best tubing mascara thanks to its volumising and lengthening talents - seriously, check out all of those five star reviews. If you’re worried about your mascara running on summer days, you’re totally safe! Just because it is warm outside doesn’t mean you can’t rock a killer makeup look that lasts all day. Shop all of our products here for the ultimate sweat proof makeup.
Why Choose A Powder Contour?
An age-old question that has divided people for centuries: cream or powder contour? Okay, that’s a little dramatic but hey, we’re really passionate about this! When it comes to giving you cheekbones that could cut class, we all know that contour is the holy-grail product, but whether you reach for a cream or powder contour, that’s really up to you. Each has its pros and cons, so let’s dive in… Cream Contour Cream contour is here for all of you that love to take things up to 11. Sucking your cheeks in and applying cream contour to the hollows is going to give you a dramatic look that will have your Instagram blowing up. Create a light shadow effect with a couple of dabs of cream, or really step it up with a full sweep of colour. If you’ve got skin on the dryer side and you find that powder contour can grab at any dry or flaky patches, cream contour might just be the answer to your prayers. It won’t collect on dry skin and will make you look gorgeous and glowy. While we love ourselves a cream contour, it can have some drawbacks you should know about before going wild with it. If you’re new to the world of contour (welcome, we’re so glad you’re here!), creams can be a little more difficult to use and blend. If you’re not totally across how to use it, cream contour has the potential to be unforgiving. Plus, if you’ve got oily skin, cream contours can shift throughout the day. Powder Contour There’s a reason powder contouring has a cult-like following. It is super easy to apply so whether you’re a contour beginner or a seasoned pro, you’ll be able to create a defined look. Powder contour also lends itself to a more natural, yes-I-really-am-this-snatched look which is perfect for everyday makeup. If you’ve got a case of oily skin, powder contour is stepping in to be your new best friend. It won’t move throughout the day so no matter how shiny you are, you’ll still look like you were carved by gods. Having said that, if you’ve got dry skin, don’t despair, a powder contour will work just as well paired with a dewy foundation, without drying you out even more. Contouring with powder can also give you a sun-kissed wash of colour when (very lightly) brushed over the face with a large powder brush. In this case though, please, please go gentle and tap off any excess powder. So, how do you apply powder contour? So glad you asked. The first step is to grab your powder contour. May we suggest the PONi Cosmetics Unicorn Chocolate Bronzer? The silky texture effortlessly blends and creates the perfect glow. For brushes, either a big, fluffy one or an angled brush will do the trick. Dip your brush in, tap off any excess powder, then visualise a three (trust us, there is method in the madness). Starting from the corner of your forehead, a little further towards the centre of your head than your temple, draw a three. Sweep your brush from the top point, around the edge of your face, under your cheekbones, back out towards the bottom of the ear and then under the jawline. In a matter of seconds you’ll have a chiselled jawline and cheekbones - easy! No matter which side of the cream vs. powder contour debate you’re on, carving out your face has never been easier. Shop our contour here to achieve cheeks for days!
Know What's in Your Makeup
Know What’s in Your Makeup Of course, you always want your makeup to perform, after all, you’ve got places to go and people to see and you can’t be looking shiny or patchy! Having said that, your makeup is sitting on your face for hours on end, so the last thing you want is for it to be packed with ingredients that are not only bad for your skin, but bad for the environment. Be honest, do you know what your makeup is made of? If you’re anything like us, you’re a bit obsessed with the ingredients that are going on your face and body. That’s why we’re going to do a deep dive into makeup ingredients to avoid and the ones you should be reaching for instead. Time to get your magnifying glass out and take a look at the ingredients in your makeup… Top Ingredients to Avoid Parabens Parabens are preservatives and get a really bad wrap in the cosmetics world, and for good reason. They can really mess with your hormones. Now take a deep breath. Most cosmetics, if they contain parabens, contain only a very small amount, but they can be quite irritating for those of us with sensitive skin, so best to avoid butyl, propyl and ethyl parabens where possible. Non-Natural Fragrances Some cosmetic brands like to throw ‘fragrance’ in the ingredients list, but here’s an insider secret: that is just a fancy word for a whole bunch of chemicals in makeup that have a scent. Oftentimes, these chemicals are not disclosed and could be causing some serious irritation. Our products contain no synthetic fragrances because caring for your skin is way more important than what it smells like. Phthalates Speaking of fragrances, phthalates are chemicals in makeup often found under the guise of perfumes. In some extreme cases, it can cause cancers and disrupt hormones. Plus, it is harmful to the environment as it can accumulate in waterways and aquatic animals. No thanks! It is slowly being phased out, thank goodness, but it is still worth being cautious of synthetic fragrances. Other names it could be hiding under include DEP, DBP or DEHP. Formaldehyde Releasers Formaldehyde is a known carcinogenic and can cause allergies and sensitivity. It is rarely found in cosmetics, but some ingredients can decompose and release formaldehyde. Eeek! The makeup ingredients known to commonly release formaldehyde include DMDM hydantoin, bronopol and diazolidinyl urea, so best to avoid these. Certain Sulfates Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) are makeup ingredients to avoid. They can cause sensitivity, irritation, reactions, allergies and the dreaded acne. Definitely makeup ingredients to say “see ya” to. What to Look For In Makeup Now onto the good news: there are some really great ingredients in cosmetics out there. PONi Cosmetics products are formulated with only the best ingredients so you don’t need to worry about any risk to your health or any skin sensitivity. Our gorgeous PONi customers come first, always! Our Lip Magic Balm is rich in ingredients like castor oil to protect your lips and deeply moisturise them. No quick reliefs here, just long-lasting nourishment. Our White Knight Mascara and Lash and Brow Growth Serum contain biotin, and here at PONi HQ, we’re big fans. It is a natural hair growth stimulator, helping promote full lashes and brows. Seriously, you’re going to wonder how you survived without biotin before. Cruelty-Free Ingredients We’re always proud to say that our products are all cruelty-free, meaning we never, ever test on animals. We could be biased, but we would only use cruelty-free makeup - there’s no real need to test on animals, so why would we? You might also be on the hunt for vegan makeup if you want to make animal welfare a focus of your makeup routine (we love to see it!). In the skin care world, that means the product contains no animal products including beeswax, lanolin or gelatin, just as some examples. The important thing to remember is that products can be vegan without being cruelty-free. Likewise, they can be cruelty-free without being vegan. So if you want complete animal welfare to be a priority of your makeup bag, look for products that are both! We work hard to create cosmetics that are free from any nasty ingredients so you can love the way they perform and how they treat your skin. If you want to know more, chat to our customer service team or check out the list of ingredients on each product. Shop our full range here. Want to learn more about the makeup you love? Makeup: Expectations vs Reality 6 Reasons We Love Cruelty Free Makeup What is Tubing Mascara?
Guide to Timeless Makeup for Mature Women
Over time makeup trends change and so do our faces, not just physically but our tastes also change. Hands up if you are still wearing a similar style of makeup now, much later in life, as when you were younger, perhaps even a teen! Below are my top tips for makeup wearers who are 50 plus. Skin Prep For Makeup Over 50 As we get older our skin types can change, often towards the drier side. If you are still on the oily side after 50, embrace it, this usually results in skin appearing more youthful later in life. For drier skin types, make sure you’re using skin care that is nourishing & hydrating, a favourite of mine is the esmi Hyaluronic Hydrating Serum teamed with their 24K Gold Nourishing Oil for a boost of hydration and moisturisation, as after all, our makeup is only as good as the skin it is applied to! Foundation Selection For Mature Makeup Determine what coverage you would like, for example a tint will be more natural whereas a foundation provides more coverage. If you are on the drier side, steer clear of foundations that are on the extreme matte side. Matte products can dull the skin down, make it appear more dry and are more suitable for a normal to oily skin type. Instead, opt for something more dewy. You may ask, what about luminous foundations? Luminous products typically have a shinier finish & will enhance any fine lines and texture in the skin which is not ideal when creating a flawless base. Lastly, the heavier the coverage the more the product will rest in fine lines as the day goes on, in particular under the eyes and smile lines (apply less product in these areas if you can). You can easily maintain this throughout the day by pushing the product back into the skin with your finger tips. To powder or not? Applying too much powder can dry and flatten the skin. It can also enhance any fine lines and facial hair. If the skin is on the drier side, using a powder to set is probably not even necessary but more so a habit from when our skin was younger. I only really set with powder in areas that feel sticky to touch and this provides longevity of the makeup. Cheek Makeup For Women Over 50 Blush: On a drier skin type I love nothing more than an injection of hydration with the use of a cream blush. They are so easy to use, a little goes a long way and you can even use your fingers to apply them. Adding colour to the cheeks instantly gives you a more healthy appearance. A trick I love for my 50 plus clients is to place your blush a little higher to lift the face and if you don’t have a cream blush at home, try a lipstick! Avoid shimmery blushes as again, shimmer enhances texture. Highlighter: I don’t recommend highlighter when applying makeup for older women as anything shimmery will enhance fine lines such as crows feet. This also applies to eyeshadows - keep them matte. Eye Makeup For Mature Women The more makeup you apply on someone you can potentially age them - this applies to any age. A teenager can look 25 and a 45 year old could also look potentially older if too much makeup is applied. This doesn’t mean that makeup for older women means no more smokie eyes, but I do believe that as long as it is executed well, anything is possible! For the time poor in all of us an easy hack I do on myself is to use a bronzer or blush also on your eyes. It’s so quick and foolproof & doesn’t need to be executed with precision. The PONi Unicorn Chocolate Bronzer works perfectly as an eyeshadow as it features an ombre of bronze tones so you can blend from a light to deeper tone all from the one pan. When it comes to lining the eyes, have you ever considered a brown instead of the staple black? This achieves a softer look and requires less skill as is not as stark as black. Try smudging your liner out to keep it soft and this also hides any mistakes. If your eyes are hooded, make sure whatever you’re using is waterproof so it doesn’t transfer anywhere else. Lastly, wake those eyes up with some mascara. Give your lashes a curl to instantly open your eyes and if you do suffer from panda eyes, a tubular mascara will be your new best friend. I have used in my professional kit for years the PONi Cosmetics White Knight Mascara. Smudging will be a thing of the past, I guarantee it. On that note, there is no blanket rule for every face, have fun with it, try new things and when in doubt seek the advice of a professional makeup artist to guide you into your next look!
5 Minute Makeup Routine
Wake up. Scroll Instagram. Eat breakfast. Drink a coffee. Shower. Get dressed. Is that the time already?? We get it, life is busy! You don’t always have time for a 50 step makeup routine but you still want to look amazing (because why wouldn’t you?). Don’t worry, we’ve got you. We’ve mastered the art of the everyday five minute makeup routine and we’re sharing our secrets. Fast Makeup Tips Good Skincare Routine We hate to break it to you, even if you're the greatest makeup artist with top-shelf products, without a solid skincare routine, your glam is never going to look its best. We’re talking hydrating if you’re on the dryer side, or mattifying if you tend to look a little shiny by midday. Need a little help in this department? Our sister esmi Skin Minerals has your back. Having a good skincare routine is going to do wonders for your makeup and make the process a lot more hassle-free. Who doesn’t want that? Easy Application Products When you’re running out the door to make it to the bus, or you’ve woken up 10 minutes before your big online presentation (don’t worry, we’ve all been there), the last thing you want is a product that is going to make you work for it. Products that blend easily and don’t require much precision (today is not the day for a perfectly sharp winged liner) are your best friends. Multi-Purpose Makeup Speaking of streamlining the whole process, products that aren’t one hit wonders are a must. A beautiful bronzer doubles as the perfect wash of colour on your eyes. Pair that with your favourite highlighter on the inner corners of your eyes and you’ve got yourself a simple, yet stunning look. A quick glam and a lighter makeup bag? Um, yes please! Stick to the Basics A flawless base? Check. A sunkissed glow? Yup. Lashes that could stop traffic? That too! The key to a 5 minute makeup routine is keeping things ultra simple. Save that killer cut crease for when you’ve got a little more time up your sleeve. For now, just make sure the basics are covered and you’re ready to seize the day! Simple Makeup for Everyday Step One: Better Your Base We’re sure you’ve heard it before, but the best way to crush your 5 minute makeup routine is to nail your base. Start with a cleansed face and treat your skin with your favourite skin care products. If you’ve got dry or dehydrated skin, it is especially important to have a plump, hydrated base. Reach for your esmi Hyaluronic Acid. If you’re doing your speedy makeup in the morning, make sure you’re slathering on sunscreen. Repeat after us: never, ever forget SPF! Step Two: Choose Your Foundation Wisely If you’re looking for a simple base that doesn’t require blending for days, get familiar with a loose mineral foundation. Not only is it suuuuper easy to apply, it will look natural and won’t clog your pores like a liquid foundation can. Oh, and it is much easier to find your perfect shade match. Triple bonus! Step Three: A Bronzed Goddess Scrambling to get out the door but want to look like you've spent a week at the beach? A glowy bronzer makes the perfect multi-use product to get you on your way sooner. May we suggest the Unicorn Chocolate Bronzer. You can thank us later. Apply to your cheeks as a soft contour to define the face. The key is brushing in a ‘3’ motion on each side of your face, starting at your temple, coming in under your cheekbones, and back out and under your jawline. Then do a quick sweep over your eyelids to deepen and define your eyes. Is there anything a bronzer can’t do? Maybe fold your laundry but that’s about it. Step Four: Bat Those Lashes We’re big believers that no look is complete without long and fluttering lashes. Pop on a couple of coats of the White Knight Mascara for some killer volume and length. No matter how your day goes, your lashes will always be on point and that’s what really matters, right? Step Five: Final Touches Finish your 5 minute look by brushing up your brows with our Zebra Clear Brow Gel to keep them cute and fluffy. Sweep the Lip Magic Balm across your lips for your unique tint. And while you’re there, use your finger to dab a bit on your cheeks to liven up your face.. Now look in the mirror, tell yourself you look incredible, because honey you really do. Shop PONi Cosmetics for all the products you need for a stunning 5 minute makeup routine: Zebra Clear Brow Gel The White Knight Mascara Unicorn Chocolate Bronzer Lip Magic Balm
