Makeup

How to choose a makeup gift set

Gift sets are the most common purchase here and the easiest to get wrong, because the piece count tells you nothing about whether it will be used.

• Neutrals are the safe choice. Nude, pink and warm-toned palettes suit most people; bright multi-colour sets only work if you know the recipient wears colour.
• Foundation and air cushion products are the riskiest inclusion, because shade matching is difficult even in person. A set built around eyes and lips is a safer gift.
• Count what's genuinely usable. A 190-colour palette contains a lot of shades nobody wears. It's bought for the variety and the value, not because all 190 get used.
• Brushes are the safest gift of all. No shade matching, no expiry, and most people own worse brushes than they'd choose.

How to choose brushes that last

• Synthetic bristles work better with liquids and creams and are easier to clean. Natural bristles hold powder better. Most modern sets are synthetic, which suits most routines.
• Check the ferrule: the metal band. It should be crimped tightly with no gap; a loose ferrule is where brushes shed and fall apart.
• Density matters more than size. A dense brush deposits more product; a fluffy one blends. A set needs both.
• Five brushes covers most routines: foundation, powder, blush, a flat eyeshadow brush and a blending brush. Larger sets add specialisation rather than capability.

How to wash brushes, and why weekly matters

Brushes collect old product, oil and dead skin, and a dirty brush is often behind breakouts that get blamed on the makeup itself.

• Wash weekly with a gentle shampoo or brush cleanser in lukewarm water
• Point the bristles down, never up: water running into the ferrule dissolves the glue and the brush sheds within months
• Reshape while damp and dry flat, ideally with the bristles overhanging the edge of a surface so air circulates
• Never dry upright in a pot, which is the fastest way to ruin a set
• Sponges need washing after every use: they hold moisture and bacteria far more readily than brushes

Children's makeup: what to check

Several products here are washable play sets designed for children. These are different from adult cosmetics and shouldn't be substituted for each other.

• Look for washable and non-toxic stated explicitly, and an age range on the product page
• Adult cosmetics aren't formulated or tested for children's skin, which is thinner and more reactive
• Patch test even children's sets: apply a little to the inner arm and wait 24 hours before use on the face
• Check the age guidance. One kit here is marked for children aged 3 and over, and small lids and compacts can be a choking hazard for younger children.
• Supervise use and remove fully before bed with a gentle cleanser or wipe

How to make makeup last through the day

• Let moisturiser absorb fully before foundation: a few minutes. Applying over damp skin is why makeup slides by lunchtime.
• Thin layers, well blended, outlast thick ones. More product doesn't mean more coverage; it means more creasing.
• Set only what moves (under the eyes, around the nose) rather than powdering the whole face, which flattens everything.
• Blot with tissue rather than adding more. Layering foundation over the day's wear is what creates a heavy look by evening.

How to know when to throw makeup out

Look for the PAO symbol on the packaging, a small open jar with a number, meaning months after opening. Typical guidance: mascara 3 to 6 months, liquid foundation 6 to 12, powders and eyeshadows 12 to 24. Regardless of the date, discard anything that has changed in smell, colour or texture, and never use eye products after an eye infection.