Making Up with Makeup

Beauty editor Rosie Green on why she expects her makeup to multi-task as skincare (and her Tropic favourites that do just that)… 

Makeup. As feel-good fixes go, it’s up there with watching Daniel Craig emerge from the sea in swim trunks, a cold glass of rosé on a hot day or the smell of baked cookies fresh out of the oven. 

I don’t need to tell you of the power of bronzer, eyeliner, mascara and blusher to transform your face, and in turn, transform your day. Who doesn’t rejoice in makeup’s ability to enhance beauty, to boost confidence and fake eight hours of sleep (when in reality you got sub-five).  

But is makeup good for the skin? The standard response is… not so much. Perhaps that viewpoint comes from all the adjectives that swirl around it – suffocating, clogging, drying, cakey. Our mothers talked about trowelling it on. 

For decades makeup and skincare sat at the opposite ends of the ‘care’ spectrum. The former compromising the work of the latter. When they were first introduced, foundations were called ‘pancake.’ They were heavy, mask-like, sitting on top of the skin (rather than blending in with it). For the oil prone, breakouts were exacerbated, pores were blocked, skin irritated. For those with dry skin, the moisture-zapping formulations left skin feeling thirsty and looking dehydrated and aged. 

When ‘all day’ formulations surged in popularity this only increased. Yes, your makeup now lasted twelve hours, but the pay-off was flaky lips, parched skin and brittle lashes. 

In the noughties there was a rebellion against the perceived fakery of makeup and skin became the star. “Let it shine through” was the mantra of the style set. It was chic to go makeup free. Glowy became an adjective in its own right. I was backstage at countless fashion shows where makeup artists eschewed their products and sent the models down the catwalk with nothing but a devil-may-care attitude and lip balm. 

This was great for the sixteen year old supermodels, but more challenging for the rest of us. So, makeup couldn’t stay down for long. And when it returned (thank the Lord), the cosmetics industry had upped their game. Right at the forefront of this was Tropic.   

A company known for caring passionately about people and the planet, but also for believing that makeup shouldn’t compromise the skin, but actively improve it. Tropic’s makeup has skincare benefits as standard. Which is why I love its Beauty Booster Sheer Foundation. Melting into the skin, it’s a youth-boosting, radiance enhancing wash of colour that subtly improves your skin condition over time. It has a serum-like texture and contains hydrating aloe vera, protecting antioxidants and a broad-spectrum SPF which defends against sun damage. Short term, you get skin that looks like it's been lit by the best lighting Hollywood has to offer. Long term, you get improved clarity and suppleness. 

Some of my other favourites? Mineral Foundation – a powder makeup that creates a light-as-a-feather veil on the skin, blurs blemishes and offers free radical and UV protection. Fixing Gel Mascara, a miracle in a tube which not only lengthens and volumises lashes, but also contains jojoba oil and peptides to make them long and strong. 

And finally, each of my handbags contains a Tropic Lip Fudge, a lip conditioner that comes in multiple shades to suit everyone and all occasions. They add a touch of polish, a pop of colour and a nourishing hit of hydration that works to plump out fine lines like lip filler. They also boast 26 lip-conditioning plant extracts to keep your pout soft and kissable.

Now that’s what I call a win, win, win, win….