Top makeup artist Ruby Hammer knows a thing or two about reviving a jet lagged, partied out or simply exhausted face. Here, she spills her makeup secrets for the times you need to look fresh, polished and Zoom-ready incredibly fast (like when you’ve overslept.)
Avoid Hydration Drainers
Having travelled the world for shoots and top fashion campaigns, Ruby knows a thing or two about reviving tired skin. Whether you are travelling or literally walking downstairs to your ‘office’ her no-no is alcohol, “If you really want to look fabulous, then do not have an alcoholic drink,” she says “Especially in the air, because it will make dehydration so much worse which will make you look worse.”
And her advice (for when we start flying again) is not to reach for the salty snacks. “Try not to have too much sodium or salt as it puffs you up in the ankles and the face,” she warns. This may mean you think about carrying your own healthier versions with you.
How to de-puff your face
If you find that you are prone to puffiness when you wake up, then Ruby suggests using a Jade roller, “I think these are fabulous,” she says, “You can roll the skin and under the eyes with it and using this means you then need to use less product.” One of our favourites is the Hayo’u Beauty Restorer a moulded piece of polished Jade which releases puffiness and re-boots cabin-suffocated skin. It stays cold too so is immensely refreshing on a fatigued face.
The Flash Facial
When you’re tired, Ruby is a big fan of applying light, fresh-looking makeup rather than caking it on, which she says won’t make you look more awake and could actually achieve the opposite.
Whether you are on a long haul flight or are waking in the night with young children, she suggests giving yourself a mini facial to revive skin. She suggests cleaning your face, then applying a dry sheet mask such as Charlotte Tilbury’s Instant Magic Facial Dry Sheet Mask or Trish McEvoy’s Instant Solutions Reusable Dry Sheet Mask, both of which are very handy on the go if you don’t like the feel or the mess of the wet gloopy ones. if you’re at home, apply one of these whilst you’re drying your hair – even five minutes will help boost your skin.
Ruby is also a big fan of Sisley’s Express Flower Gel Mask which really plumps up skin in just 3 minutes, “If your skin looks lovely and hydrated,” she says, “You only need a touch of moisturiser afterwards.”
She always travels with a product such as Egyptian Magic All Purpose Skin Cream, which is an all-purpose multitasking ointment you can use on cuticles, stray eyebrows or dry lips. “It’s important to make sure your lips don’t look cracked and malnourished if you need to look polished,” she says.
Bright Eyes
We don’t know a makeup artist who is not a fan of eyedrops for their ability to brighten red, scratchy eyes. ‘You definitely need some killer eye drops,” says Ruby, “When I’m in Italy I stock up on a brand called Imidazyl, and when I’m in the US I buy Lumify Eye Drops from Bausch and Lomb. I absolutely swear by them – they are a specialist eye care company and nearly every makeup artist I know uses them. They instantly relieve redness and make eyes sparkle – if you can bring your eyes back to life you’re half way there.”
Touching Base
Ruby stresses the importance of not applying a heavy base of makeup unless you really need it because it can actually make tired skin look even more fatigued. ‘You don’t need to do full foundation, what you need is a really great concealer’ she says. Ruby is a huge fan of the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer which she suggests using in place of base, but where you really need it – around the eyes, the nose, the chin and to cover any blemishes.
Face masks can leave your skin shiny so she then suggests taking the shine off with a blot proof paper or a powder. One of our favourites is Fenty’s Invisimatte Blotting Paper, which comes on a roller dispenser you can refill.
Go for Glow
No glow? No problem. It’s easy to fake one with a touch of cream blush. Ruby loves using Bobbi Brown’s Pot Rouge, (which you can also apply to lips) or Jillian Dempsey’s Cheek Tint. Alternatively she loves Trish McEvoy’s Beauty Booster Lip and Cheek Balm. If you aren’t a fan of cream blushers, Ruby says you can beat a powder blusher for control and staying power.
Brighter Eyes
You don’t need to pile on thick, heavy eye makeup to brighten tired eyes, “You need to look clean and crisp, not like you’re going out to a nightclub,’ says Ruby. However what she does recommend is a lick of mascara and a neutral or mink-coloured eyeshadow. Ruby suggests Bobbi Brown’s Eye Shadows which come in many shades of neutral but also Maybelline’s The Nudes Eyeshadow Palette, which is amazing value for money. Dust lightly over the upper eyelid with Ruby’s Magnetic Brush Set, which cleverly contains three brushes in with different shaped tips.
‘Go for a mascara that gives volume and definition, not flakiness and clogging,’ says Ruby who loves the Hourglass Extreme Caution Lash Mascara, a beauty editor favourite.
Lip Tricks
Continuing the fresh-faced look, Ruby suggests skipping lip liner and full blown lipstick in favour of a sheer, coloured balm. One of her absolute favourites is the Tom Ford Beauty Sheer Lip Color which comes in various shades.
Aroma-therapy
Finally, Ruby suggests having an aromatherapy oil roller ball on hand such as the Revive Morning Rollerball from Aromatherapy Associates, which not only will smell incredible but it can lift your mood. ‘Inhale deeply a few times,” she says, “And you’re good to go.”
Ruby’s Magnetic Brush Set is available at rubyhammer.com
