Vlog on and learn from the masters

I know there are a lot of you out there who follow You Tube make up tutorials.

They can be great, but equally there is a lot of rubbish out there that give bad advice and take you on a merry dance with looks and products.

As a professional, I find the good ones very useful as a way to keep up with new products.

There are so many being released all the time that I’ve found vlogging on is the best shortcut to get straight to the good stuff.

I just don’t have the time to browse all the time, so they can do it for me.

I tend to stick to the same Vloggers though and have done for a few years. They are all

I decided to hit the make up counters recently to see what all the fuss is re some new products on the market.

My findings are very honest, but it’s just my opinion of course. Some are fabulous and some ... let’s just say not so ab fab.

First up was Plump It. You guessed it, a lip plumper.

I read lots of reviews saying it was ‘the best plumper they had ever tried’, ‘can’t live without it’ , ‘amazing’ etc. In fact, I didn’t come across a single mediocre review never mind a poor one.

So I ordered it and ... it is not great! It feels nice and moisturising when you first apply it then, as expected, it starts to tingle and sting slightly.

I waited a good five minutes before running to the mirror to discover... absolutely nothing. I thought I’d used too little so applied another coat.

That hurt! It began to sting to the point I tried licking it off quick, big mistake! So a disappointing result for Plump It.

Not to worry, next up was the brand NYX which is available at larger Boots stores.

I’d heard great things about this brand so I decided to try a few items. I got their dark circle concealer as it’s so difficult to find one that doesn’t leave your under eye area looking dry and crinkly.

The miracle ingredient here seems to be coconut oil and it’s by far the best one I have used.

I tend to use Bobbi Brown correctors but I loved this because it is so moisturising. And if you have a more mature skin, then this is for you.

It glides on a dream and says put with amazing coverage. I am delighted with this. One for me and one for the work kit. 10/10 NYX.

I also purchased NYX Born to Glow liquid illuminator in Gleam.

It’s supposed to add a lovely summer experienced make up artists whose opinions I value.

Each has their very own style but what I love the most is that they get straight to the point.

I hate nothing more than clicking on a channel, only to be bored to death by the Vlogger harping on about her breakfast, home, why she decided to style her hair a certain way and what shoes she’s wearing.

I don’t care, get to the point. To me that’s what separates the pro’s from the make up“enthusiasts”. So here are my faves: Jordan Liberty: A professional make up artist who is direct, to the point and a fount of knowledge.

I’ve discovered we love and use a lot of the same products which is glow to your skin and is available in a variety of shades. I buffed it on with a stipple brush and voilà, gorgeous!!

It made my skin glow without looking too sparkly or shiny, it just left it looking healthy, so another 10/10 to NYX

Vivid Brights liquid liner was next so I plumped for violet. My eyes are green so this is a great shade to enhance the colour. Another hit, it’s fabulous!

Its very pigmented with a great felt tip nice. Most of all, he beautifies his models and doesn’t buy into the whole“insta-makeup”look which just masks the face rather than enhance it. His channel is in a visually great studio setting too.

Lisa Eldridge: Celebrity Make up Artist and a class act in my opinion.

If there is anything she doesn’t know when it comes to makeup, then it really isn’t worth knowing.

She keeps her tutorials simple, clean and gets straight to the point. No chit chat about rubbish, just clear steps with a great insight into the must-have products.

Wayne Goss: A lovely guy who used to work at Bobbi Brown. We have that in common. He chats a lot but does tend to stick to the subject, most of the time. I forgive type brush for easy application. They have about 10 shades to choose from and they are all gorgeous. This is more of a statement look, they’re not called Vivid Brights for nothing. It’s also has amazing staying power. 10/10 again for NYX. Finally I wanted to try their lip primer as liquid lipsticks and matte shades are so popular just now.

It definitely makes the lipstick feel him though because his knowledge about make up techniques is fabulous. If you are looking for make up advice for yourself and not as a professional, I’d look to Wayne. He covers just about everything. You can scroll through all his video’s and pick what suits you.

Hagai Avdar: A very talented Make up artist and photographer. Not for beginners, but just to observe some of his amazing creations, check him out.

I am never done learning. The best make up artists in the world talk of how they continue to learn every day. Looks, style and products change up all the time so I have to keep up. The fab four above certainly help me do that. If you would like to find out more about Laura’s work, the services she provides, book an appointment,have her test your products or answer a make-up query, go to www. lauradawsonmakeup.com or contact her on laura@ lauradawsonmakeup. com