By MyLondon Beauty Team

Let’s be honest: mornings in London don’t leave much room for a 10-step makeup routine. Whether you're dodging raindrops in Shoreditch or sipping your first flat white near Notting Hill Gate, you want your face to look effortless, polished — and ideally still intact by 6 PM.

We’ve put together 10 simple yet game-changing makeup tips every London girl should have in her back pocket. Tested, loved, and completely commuter-proof.

1. Tinted Moisturiser Is Your Best Friend

Heavy foundation + city smog = clogged pores. Opt for a lightweight tinted moisturiser or skin tint. Bonus points if it has SPF (even on cloudy days — yes, really).

✨ Editor pick: NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser — glowy, breathable, and perfect for Zone 1-6.

2. Use a Cream Blush for That ‘Just Walked Through Hyde Park’ Flush

Cream blush melts into the skin and gives that fresh-from-a-brisk-walk glow. Tap it on your cheeks, blend with fingers, and voilà — healthy colour without powdery edges.

3. Master the Art of Concealer Mapping

Instead of slathering it under your entire eye, apply concealer only on the inner and outer corners, and around the nose — it brightens naturally and avoids creasing.

4. Brows = Built-In Face Lift

A quick brush through your brows with tinted gel is quicker than pencil and gives that "clean girl" structure instantly. Bushy, brushed-up brows are still ruling London.

5. Eyeliner Hack: Tightlining Over Cat-Eyes

Instead of struggling with a shaky cat-eye in your bathroom mirror, try tightlining. Glide a waterproof liner between your top lashes — makes your eyes pop without looking like makeup.

6. Buy a Dual-Ended Brush for Commute Touch-Ups

One end for powder, one for blush — slip it into your bag and keep shine in check post-lunch meeting. (Or pre-Tesco run, no judgement.)

7. Stick to Three Signature Shades

You don’t need 15 eyeshadow colours. Find your go-to lid shimmer, crease shade, and highlight tone — and rotate them. Effortlessly chic, zero overwhelm.

8. Use Lipstick as Blush (and Vice Versa)

This is peak multitasking. Dab a creamy lipstick on your cheeks or blend your liquid blush onto your lips for a tonal look that feels elevated, not try-hard.

9. Set Strategically, Not All Over

Powder your T-zone or under the eyes only — this keeps your natural glow intact and avoids that mid-day cake-face situation.

10. Always Carry a Hydrating Mist

London air — dry in the Tube, damp on the street. A handbag-sized face mist revives your look and your mood. Bonus: it makes your makeup melt together like a dream.

Final Thoughts

Makeup in London isn't about perfection — it's about practicality, polish, and knowing what works for your lifestyle. These tips are about making you feel like you, just a little more radiant. So the next time you’re running late for brunch in Soho, know this: you’ve got the glow. And that’s always enough.

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