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Off to Reading or Leeds? Here's your guide to festival make-up (without the toxins)

BBC News Health ·
Off to Reading or Leeds? Here's your guide to festival make-up (without the toxins)

Festival season is here - with Reading and Leeds taking place this weekend. So now's the time to perfect neon make-up.

Bright graphic eyeliner, vampy lips and holographic highlighter are some of this year's biggest beauty trends for the main stage.

But some of these make-up products, which are being sold by third-party sellers on online marketplaces such as TikTok Shop, can contain a host of toxic chemicals, warns the Chartered Trading Standards Institute , external .

So here's what to look out for – and how to stay safe while serving festival glam.

How to get the look: Dominic Skinner, make-up artist and judge on the hit BBC show Glow Up, came into the BBC's London offices to show us how to achieve the perfect festival look and make it dance and party-proof.

If you want colours to "pop", he says use a white eye pencil on the skin first and then press bright eyeshadows on top.

What to be aware of: Banned ingredients can cause bad rashes and allergic reactions, so check the label and avoid products that say they're "not for cosmetic use" - even if they say they're for the skin.

Also look out for banned colourants, like Solvent Yellow 172, CI 45161 (Basic Red 1:1) and CI 45174 (Basic Violet 11:1).

Be cautious of cheap products or sellers you've never heard of, says Skinner.

"There are some items that are UV reflective, glow-in-the-dark or neon that are made by cosmetics brands but are quietly labelled as a 'non-cosmetic paint'," he adds.

How to get the look: Fairycore-inspired make-up is in, which means sparkles, face gems and glitter.

Don't go for subtle, says Skinner. "The 'no make-up look' is gone. Clean girl is out!"

There's a child-like quality to festival make-up, he says, so embrace it - think playful colour and crystals.

To stand out, he suggests using glitter in hair partings or your shoulders.

Read the full article on BBC News Health ›

5News aggregated this summary from the outlet’s public feed. The full article, with all the context, is on www.bbc.co.uk — the content belongs to BBC News Health.

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