Ask The Beauty Editor: How Can I Touch Up My Makeup In Between NZ Fashion Week Shows?

Dear Beauty Editor,

I’m heading along to Fashion Week this year for the first time — I can’t wait! I’ve managed to secure tickets to two shows on the same day and want to appear polished at both. How can I touch up my makeup so that I still look as if I’ve just left the house, when in reality I’ve been rushing around all day?

Thank you!

Fashion Week First Timer

Dear Fashion Week First Timer,

Exciting, indeed! This week’s schedule is impressive to say the least and I hope you have the Viva Next Gen show on your radar!

To save on room in your bag (or make more space for snacks), your best bet is to stash multi-purpose products that can seamlessly touch up eyes, lips and cheeks in a single swipe, or a foundation that serves dual purpose as a concealer to hide imperfections and leave your base looking fresh.

Versatility is the driving force behind Aleph, the locally made makeup brand founded by Emma Peters, with each product in the range able to be adapted to perfect different areas of the face.

Emma’s edit of products to stash in your handbag includes the Aleph Cheek/Lip Tint in the newest shade Emanate; Concealer/Foundation; and Serum/Primer.

The universally flattering shade looks different on everyone, Emma assures me. “The amazing thing is, you can have a row of 10 people wearing it, and it looks like a different shade on everyone. It’s a beautiful one-stop shop, and suits being used as an eyeshadow as well,” she says.

Other excellent options include the RMS Beauty Lip2Cheek, $65, or the Bobbi Brown Creamy Colour for Cheeks and Lips, $66, which lend a natural flush of colour to cheeks and lips, creating a beautiful monochromatic look.

In her many years in the industry, Emma says she struggled to find a foundation that looked just as beautiful after being worn for hours as it did when freshly applied, so she developed her own.

“For some reason it’s even better as a touch-up than it is after having gotten ready first thing in the morning,” she says of the Aleph Concealer/Foundation.

Emma loves to mix a drop of the Aleph Serum/Primer into the Concealer/Foundation pot for an extra boost of hydration. “This gives you extra coverage and extra hydration, and somehow it looks even better as a second layer later in the day. I don’t know what sort of magic this is but it’s all you need for a really stunning, full-coverage glow,” she says.

Also worth noting is the Milk Makeup Flex Foundation Stick, $63. The perfectly portable foundation stick is easy to swipe on while you’re on the go. Similarly, the Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear Stick Foundation, $73, boasts a silky, blendable texture, meaning it won’t budge any other makeup on your face if you’re touching up.

Forget packing any makeup brushes, Emma says a flawless finish can be easily achieved with fingertips alone. “I’m all about my fingers, I find it much easier and unless you’ve got a nice case for your brushes it can get a bit messy on the run,” she says. “Clean fingers are the perfect blending tool when you’re busy rushing in between shows.”

Better still, the warmth from your fingers can help the product to blend seamlessly into skin and works especially well with products designed to melt to the skin’s temperature.

“That’s why I often find working from the back of my hand is good because the heat gives [the product] a little bit of activation. When it’s in the pot, it’s firmer, but when it goes on the skin it just melts and stays on, as opposed to something that gets a bit stickier and slides off the skin after it’s been applied,” Emma says.

Ash

Add to cart

Aleph Cheek/Lip Tint in the newest shade Emanate, $58.

RMS Beauty Lip2Cheek, $65.

Bobbi Brown Crushed Creamy Colour for Cheeks and Lips, $66.

Aleph Concealer/Foundation, $62.

Milk Makeup Flex Foundation Stick, $63.

Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear Stick Foundation, $73.

Aleph Serum/Primer, $72.