5 Must-Have Makeup Looks By The BBC's Glow Up Winner
After eight long weeks, the 2022 winner of the BBC’s Glow Up: Britain’s Next Make-Up Star has finally been revealed and Yong-Chin Breslin took the crown. Throughout the competition, Yong-Chin went brush to brush with nine other hopefuls, but the Glaswegian impressed the judges, including the beauty doyenne Val Garland, with her creative and daring eye makeup. To celebrate her win, Yong-Chin created her five summer eye makeup looks exclusively for Space NK and shared her insider tricks…
The Graphic Flick
An elegant feline flick is a classic beauty look. Give it a fresh spin for 2022 by taking a graphic approach and elongating your flick. A long-lasting, jet-black liquid liner like Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Matte Liquid Liner, £17 - it goes on smoothly with zero drag. “While this look is easier to create if you have almond-shaped eyes, rounder eyes can achieve an equally flattering effect by taking the liner to the outer corners of the eye,” says Yong-Chin.
Yong-Chin’s top tip: “To make sure both sides are equal, start with your bad side and do your eyeliner with your eyes open looking straight forward.”
The Smudged Effect
There’s always the worry that your smudged liner will veer a little too close to the panda-eye effect, but Yong-Chin’s take on the Nineties trend has a more considered, structured approach. “To create a perfect smudged eyeliner use a black gel liner (we love Hourglass Voyeur Waterproof Gel Eyeliner, £27) and draw the shape of the liner before using a small fluffy brush and blending in small circular motions,” directs Yong-Chin. “Set your liner with eyeshadow and remember to blend with control.”
Yong-Chin’s top tip: “You don’t have to match the eyeshadow to your liner - I used a dark gun metal blue on Ololade to add the subtlest shimmer.” Look to Chantecaille Chrome Luxe Eye Duo, £50 and Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Eye Palette, £43 for a range of metallic blues, greys and burgundies to experiment with.
The Trio Of Lines
Make a statement with not one, or two, but three striking lines to define and shape your eyes. “Play around with the shape of the liner, especially around the crease of your eyelid,” says Yong-Chin. “You can create angles and shapes that really transform your eye.” If you want to dial it down, simply take away a line, or opt for a subtler colour. We love Laura Mercier Longwear Eye Pencil, £22 and Charlotte Tilbury Walk Of No Shame Eyeliner, £21.
Yong-Chin’s top tip: “Use an eye primer such as Rare Beauty Always An Optimist Weightless Eye Primer, £17 to create a smooth base and prevent your liner from smudging - regardless of how warm the weather is.
The Blue Block
“Bright colours can be daunting if you’re not used to wearing them, but impactful shades can be softened by creating a rounded edge,” says Yong-Chin. Use an eyeshadow of your choice, or Charlotte Tilbury Double Ended Liner, £23 and Shiseido Kajal Ink Artist, £24 if you want to channel blue hues, and apply across your eyelid, using a small brush to shape the out corners. Keep the rest of your eye makeup soft with a natural finish mascara (cue Sweed Lashes Lash Lift Mascara, £22) and fine liner. We highly recommend going big with your nails though for an extra flash of colour - we love Nailberry Santorini Oxygenated Nail Lacquer, £15.
Yong-Chin’s top tip: “Experiment with warm and cool tones to really make your eyes pop. For example, if you have brown eyes, go for blue and purple tones. Those with blue eyes could try oranges and pinks, while green eyes should look for purples and ambers.” If you want to go for a super-strong look, check out NARS High Pigment Longwear Eyeliner, £20 in Sunset Boulevard - the bold yellow hue is a festival makeup must-have. And, if you’re still wary of going too bold, Anastasia Beverly Hills Nouveau Palette, £48 has softer but not less impactful shades to try out.
The Pink Wash
If you’re looking for something that takes minimal time and effort, then this is the look for you. A wash of punchy pink (or any bold hue that takes your fancy) across your eyelids will not only make you feel pulled together, but it’ll lift your mood too, we promise. “Whether you’re using a cream or powder eyeshadow, I recommend using a fluffy brush to buff out the edges to create a wash effect. You achieve a softer finish with a brush rather than your fingers,” says Yong-Chin.
Yong-Chin’s top tip: “To ensure your eyeshadow is set for the day, layer your products. Top a cream eyeshadow with a bold powder (we always reach for Kevyn Aucoin The Neo-Blush, £28).”
If you missed series 4 of Glow Up, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.
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