Legs Talk: Caroline Barnes

Regarded as one of the most revered international makeup artists in the beauty world, Caroline has worked with A-Listers like Emma Watson, Lily James and Kylie Minogue to create effortless red-carpet looks.

Renowned for her fresh and understated approach to beauty, Caroline uses makeup and skincare as a catalyst for positivity and is known for confidence boosting through beauty.

Our founder Kate Shapland spoke with Caroline about the best tips for applying makeup to mature skin, her daily wellbeing habits and her favourite products right now.

Makeup tips for older skin?

Lots and lots of hydration, and keeping the skin really, really hydrated with skincare first. You can't use makeup to cover a dry skin. You have to address that. Don't think I'm going to get a lovely skin tint to kind of make my skin look a bit more hydrated. Keep it light, where you need it. So if you want to cover up any redness in your skin, pigmentation, then you want to use an opaque concealer and that comes up sometimes in a solid form which you can just tap your finger and you can just press it on that area, and just a fine little bit of powder. In fact we were talking about this lovely Tatcha powder here. This is a rice powder, and again it does everything that you want a powder to do, it mattifies and it elongates the makeup. But it doesn't create that kind of heaviness on the skin and bring out the fine lines as sometimes it can dehydrate the skin, so that's a really lovely formula. This is a really lovely product called Sculpted by Aimee. Really great colour range, and it's thin.

What's the finish like?

Very soft and hydrated. Very natural. But it gives a little bit of coverage. It just means that you can kind of get that sort of 15 denier finish to your skin. So it kind of like evens out the skin tone.

What colours would you recommend for me?

Oh loads. So I've got some really nice colours here. I've got a new, really beautiful, Estée Lauder. This would be my red, my winter red for you. There is this new find I've got from a company called Refy, and this is a double ended product. Here you have said lip liner, this side is a flat paddle application. It's sort of quite silicone like.

So that goes over the lip liner?

Yes. You put it all over the lip liner and it creates like a blurring effect, but it also sets the lip liner. So it's a bit like a modern day lip coat. The next one is Trinny London Miracle Balm. My top lip is quite feathered, again I like to wear lipstick, and this is like a very sort of like fine pore filler.

What would that fills in those little lines?

Yeah. I put it on my lips but now it's going to my cheeks, because it just creates this lovely smoothness. And then you put your colour on and it will stay in place. It's completely translucent so it works for the darkest or the palest of skins. Also works across the face if you've got large pores, and that's something that's really annoying because they're quite obvious and people you know are conscious of them. But if you put this over the top and then powder it down and keep everything matte, don't use any glow products, you'll find that the texture of your skin then disappears. If you've got texture on your skin then you need to keep it matte. That is key. And it's basically just keeping that nice kind of shine on the outside of your face and keeping your T-zone matte.

I love the cream blushers by Elf. I think they stand up to the test of competing against Rare Beauty and Hourglass, I think they're just as good. The colours are brilliant and it's like £4 and you just place the colour on the apples of your cheeks. If you look directly in the mirror, make sure your mirror isn't down there, you're not doing your makeup like that because that's the most dissatisfying angle for you to put makeup on, just make sure your mirror is always straight up and towards the light. Try and turn the mirror or even just get one with suctions that goes on the window. That means that when you put your makeup on you feel good about how you look because you do look good with light coming straight onto your face. I just rediscovered Wunderbrow that just lasts the whole day, it doesn't move. So if you have a hole in your eyebrows and your hair is thinning on your eyebrows, and even if you use an eyebrow gel to thicken the existing hair, you still have patches so that's really good.

What are your wellbeing habits?

Definitely since Covid, running. I love running and I love being outside. Luckily we live near lots of commons here in South London, and I don't really run, I mean I run 5k but that probably takes me about 35 minutes. I'm not fast at all, but I absolutely love it.

Have you got a leg routine?

Shaving. Since I've met you, my body brushing has become a thing especially in the winter when they go a bit crocodile. I do it in the shower and sometimes before, and the difference is amazing. The softness of the skin and just the kind of like energy that it gives you, and then obviously the cellulite cream,  is just a dream. It smells so amazing.

Lastly, who is you leg icon and makeup icon?

My leg icon would have to be Naomi Campbell. Beautiful tone and so long. Cross between David Bowie and Madonna, obviously. And that's what I love. The kind of alter ego and the transformation.