Flawless makeup isn’t just about mastering the perfect brow, contouring or pulling off a bold red lip. What happens before you get to your makeup kit matters too - your skincare routine. These two go hand-in-hand. 

Let’s dive into the ultimate skincare routine for your most glow complexion yet plus a few extra sneaky tips to get your #skingoals...with or without makeup!

Cleanse (daily morning and evening)

It all begins with cleanser - the most basic, non-negotiable step in every effective skincare routine. The right formula will cleanse your skin without stripping essential, healthy oils.

When your skin loses too many of the natural oils it needs, your face is going to feel tight, irritated, and skin will get flaky. Layering makeup on top can make things worse. 

Oily skin types can opt for a formulation that controls oil but still leaves skin hydrated - without that tight feeling. 

Use a face brush or microfibre cleansing mitt to boost your cleansing results, especially at night.

Apply an antioxidant serum (morning and evening)

Adding a serum (or two) is really going to level up your skincare regime and all skin types can benefit from using an antioxidant-rich serum. 

What’s the big deal about serums? They’re super potent formulations that double down on delivering antioxidants and other active ingredients to the skin. 

The concentration of active ingredients in serums is higher than those in moisturising creams and lotions. This means they get more of the good stuff deeper into your skin. 

An antioxidant serum will boost the brightness of skin, hydrate, smooth your complexion and just generally help you achieve that dewy glow with or without makeup.  

Apply your serum to freshly cleansed skin before you moisturise and follow product directions to apply. 

Moisturise (morning and evening)

Hydration is everything if you want to pull off a flawless makeup look or rock a bare-skinned glow. 

Moisturiser does two important things - it smoothes the skin’s surface and provides a deep hit of hydration. 

This means your application of foundation, bronzer, and highlighter will be much smoother and hydrated skin will improve the look of your makeup overall. 

Try PONi Unicorn Champagne Highlighter and Unicorn Chocolate Bronzer

When choosing your moisturising cream, facial oil or gel keep an eye out for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, cetyl and stearyl alcohol, squalane, and lactic acid. 

These are the hydration boosting and moisture trapping ingredients you want on your face. 

Always let your moisturiser absorb into the skin first - wait 60 seconds or so - before applying concealer, foundation or bb cream. 

If you’ve got oily skin, you might think you can skip the moisturising step. Bad idea.

Applying makeup directly to oily skin will have it ‘slipping off’ in no time. The right moisturiser will improve makeup’s staying power and also help to mattify the skin for a shine-free base. 

If your moisturiser doesn’t include SPF protection, follow this step with an application of sunscreen. Choosing a mineral foundation will also boost the SPF for the skin.

Exfoliate (weekly)

Exfoliation is a must-do weekly step in the best skincare routine.

It clears away dead skin cells and helps unblock pores to reveal a fresher, glowier looking complexion. 

Go easy! Over exfoliation can leave skin irritated and red -  definitely not a great look for underneath makeup. Depending on your skin type, exfoliating once or twice a week is usually your best bet. 

You’ve got a couple of exfoliation methods to choose from - 

Physical exfoliation:

Scrubs and cleansers with small, exfoliating particles or granules which you massage into your skin to buff away dead cells. Tools like konjac sponges, microfibre face cloths and facial brushes are also types of physical exfoliants, as is microdermabrasion. 

Chemical exfoliation: 

Chemical exfoliation is achieved with products that include AHAs (alpha-hydroxy acids) and BHAs (beta hydroxy acids). They work by dissolving the dead cells from the surface of the skin revealing a brighter, clearer complexion. 

If it’s perfect brows you’re after (who isn’t?) exfoliation can improve the look of your natural brows plus make the application of brow products easier. 

Try PONi’s much-loved Brow Magic for easy, shapely arches.

Exfoliating around your brows clears any dead skin cells - preventing ingrown hairs forming - and smoothes the entire area. 

There are also whispers around the internet that it may help promote brow growth, too. What have you got to lose?

Rub the area right around your brows (not directly over them) using gentle, circular motions with your regular face exfoliation product. 

Mask (weekly)

Face masks are easy to use, fun (hands up for a little ‘me’ time) and can help with everything from breakouts and tackling signs of ageing to hydration and all-round nourishment. 

As a bonus, masks also help all of your other skincare products work more effectively. 

Like exfoliation, going over the top with masking will cause skin irritation. 

Choose a mask right for your skin type and as a general rule, once or twice a week is usually best but always follow product directions. 

If you’re applying makeup for a special occasion or just want to give yourself the extra spesh treatment before a night out, include a hydrating mask in your pre-makeup routine. Hello plump, dewy skin!

Bonus tips for your best ever skincare routine 

Brush your lips

A soft-looking pout is gonna make your lip balm glide on easier and x10 how good your lip makeup looks. 

Try PONi Lip Magic Balm for creamy pink pout perfection

Gently brushing your lips with a toothbrush helps exfoliate and brush away any flaky skin while boosting blood flow for a naturally rosier pout. 

Curl your lashes

This lil’ trick will open up your eyes and help them look a little brighter. Add lashings of White Knight smudge-proof, volumising, tubing mascara to polish off your look. 

DIY face massage

A DIY facial massage is a lovely way to treat yourself to something a little extra luxe in your skin routine that will instantly improve your glow. 

Give yourself a facial massage before applying moisturiser or try a jade roller. It quickly boosts blood flow to the skin and over time can really improve the overall tone of the skin. 

Commit to a good skincare routine and you won’t be sorry. Naturally glowy, gorgeous skin improves every makeup look.

First, Get The Colour Right

Apply A Primer (And Set With Powder) 

Your Eyeshadow Brushes Matters

Start With A Neutral Shade

Focus On The Crease With A Darker Colour 

Highlight Above The Crease

Add A ‘Wide Awake’ Touch To Your Inner Eye

Bonus Tips On How To Apply Eyeshadow 

Lusting after glossy, thick eyebrows but feeling defeated by your own thin, straggly arches?

If you’ve gone OTT with plucking, are the victim of a bad wax or your natural brows are just pretty damn disappointing, try our tips on how to grow your eyebrows to reach their ‘full’ potential!

Use an eyebrow growth serum

Including an eyebrow growth serum in your routine is our numero uno tip to grow your eyebrows as quickly as possible and transform those sparse, straggly hairs into thicker arches. 

How does eyebrow serum work?

Eyebrow growth serums contain good-for-brows ingredients like peptides which boost the activity of the hair follicle to stimulate thicker and longer eyebrow hairs, vitamins to strengthen hair, and amino acids and plant oils to help prevent existing brow hair from falling out. 

Containing no harmful ingredients, PONi’s Lash & Brow Growth Serum is a brow boosting formula of oils, peptides, and vitamins to improve the length and thickness of sparse eyebrows.

Try the castor oil trick

Google ‘how to make eyebrows grow’ and half the internet swears by using castor oil as a natural way to boost eyebrow growth. 

The other half isn’t so sure. 

There isn’t actually any published scientific evidence linking castor oil and hair growth but if your eyebrow situation is less than lush, it’s worth a shot. 

How can castor oil help grow thick eyebrows? Castor oil is a vegetable oil packed with omega -9 essential fatty acids that are uber nourishing for the skin, anti-inflammatory and can improve circulation, which may help with hair growth. 

Here’s what to do -

Put a few drops of castor oil onto a clean spoolie or cotton tip. Stroke the castor oil into the clean, dry brow area and follow with a brow massage. You’ll want to do this at night because castor oil is thick and painting your eyebrows with it is not a look you want to rock during the day. 

Massage your eyebrows to boost circulation

When you’re applying an eyebrow growth serum or trying the castor oil trick, boost your thick eyebrow potential by massaging the serum or oil into your brow area. 

Massage stimulates blood flow which can encourage hair growth. 

Try this massage for a few minutes - press at a spot in the middle of an eyebrow and, without releasing your finger, begin making circular movements, gradually widening the radius. Repeat with the other brow. 

Avoid plucking and waxing 

If you want to grow out your eyebrows, you’ll have to go easy on plucking and waxing for at least 6 weeks. When new hair is left alone and not tweezed it will begin to grow closer to the brow line. 

Here’s a little fun brow fact: eyebrows go through a three-stage process of growth. 

Anagen is the active phase of hair growth and for brow hair takes 30 - 45 days. Don't pluck hair that begins to appear, even if it’s underneath the brow. Have patience and make random stragglers growing underneath seem less apparent by using a little concealer to cover them up. 

The second stage - the Catagen phase - is when the hair stops growing and detaches itself from the blood supply; it’s then called ‘club hair’. The final stage is the Telogen phase which lasts over three months - when strands are released and fall out.

Eat your way to thicker brows

Wondering how to get thicker eyebrows? Pay attention to what you’re putting on your fork!

Make sure you’re loading your plate up with plenty of healthy fats from plant-based oils, nuts and seeds as well as chowing down whole grains, veggies and fruit packed with fibre.

The results of a balanced diet show up in your face - including healthier-looking brows!  The best vitamins and nutrients for nourishing your hair include - 

Omega 3 fatty acids - salmon, chia seeds, walnuts, and flaxseeds.

Protein - eggs, almonds, and chicken breast.

Iron - green vegetables, for example, spinach, legumes, and red meat.

Zinc - red meat, cashews and surprisingly, dark chocolate contains reasonable amounts of zinc.

Vitamins A, C, D, and E - leafy green vegetables, carrots, and fatty fish such as salmon and sardines.

Take a high-quality hair growth supplement 

Hair growth supplements don’t only help nourish thicker, glossier hair on your head - they can speed up hair growth in general, which means your eyebrows will benefit too!

There are plenty of options for hair, skin and nails supplements that contain biotin. Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin that's part of the vitamin B family and plays a major role in the health of your hair, skin, and nails.

It goes without saying to always check with your doctor first before taking any supplements.

A final tip for your mission to thick eyebrows

Be patient! Your brows won’t magically transform overnight but commit to a routine of brow TLC and reaching your full brow potential will definitely be worth the wait.

Perfect brows can change your entire look and it’s worth going that extra beauty mile to get them right! Behold, our ultimate cheat sheet on how to get perfect brows. 

Work with your face shape

Brows aren’t a one-size-fits-all kind of deal. The perfect brows have to work with your own face shape and we’ve got a few quick pointers on how to get it right!

Round face - Create a high arch following a straight line to the peak of the brow as this will help open up your face. Avoid a rounded / curved eyebrow shape. 

Square face -  Square faces can pull off a curved or more angled brow but steer clear of thin brows and elongate the line to avoid a ‘short’ brow. 

Heart shaped face - A lower arch works with heart shapes. Don’t go too high with the arch or you’ll really lengthen the face. For perfect brows keep the curves of the arch soft.

Oval face - If you have this balanced face shape, lucky you! You can pull off the classic full, softly angled brow beautifully. 

Follow the 3 universal brow rules

No matter the shape of your face, there are 3 golden rules to follow when defining your perfect eyebrows.

Rule 1 - The arch of your brow - whether it be angular or more curved and soft - should be around two thirds of the way along your brow line, never in the centre.

Rule 2 - Find the right place to start your brow. Lay an eyebrow pencil vertical along your nose - the point where it reaches the bridge of your nose is where the brow should begin.

Rule 3 -  Get the tail right. Place an eyebrow pencil in a line that runs from the outer side of your nostril to the corner of your eye. This is the ideal ending point for your brow. 

Brush your brows upwards 

Using a clean, dry spoolie your brows upward as it makes them look fuller and gives them more texture. You create a ‘feathered’ appearance - natural looking, fine hair strokes that you can’t achieve if you brush sideways. 

Eyebrows are also easier to fill in afterwards when they’re brushed upwards. 

Choose your eyebrow makeup 

Powder, creme or pencil? Or a mix ‘n’ match combination? The eyebrow makeup you choose is crucial for nailing a flawless arch. 

Eyebrow pencils are great for beginners and perfect for natural looking brows with softly defined arches that aren’t overly done or sharp-looking. Eyebrow pencil also makes a great base for brow powder to be applied over the top. 

Eyebrow powder does a brilliant job at filling in those sparse areas. If your brows are in pretty great shape naturally aside from a few thin spots, you might just need a little eyebrow powder to fill those areas in. Using powder also adds volume to your natural hair and works over the top of eyebrow pencil to add texture. 

Eyebrow creme is a quick way to fill in sparse brows for a natural look. If you’re already rocking a set of thick brows, creme will create a bolder, glam look. Use a brow brush for a precise creme application. 

Use a natural looking shade

If you've chosen a brow creme or powder, go for a color that is the same shade as your brows or a little darker. 

If a brow pencil is your tool of choice, opt for one shade lighter than your hair for a softer look; unless you’re really fair. In that case, go a little deeper with the shade as slightly darker brows will frame your face enhance your eyes more than a really light brow. 

Still stressed about finding the shade for your perfect brows? Our Brow Magic is a universal brow pencil solves all your colour uncertainties - one colour suits all. Bingo.

Start in the centre

Perfect eyebrows aren’t one monotone block of colour, so when it comes to hue, aim for a gradient effect. 

Begin applying your brow product at the arch, and build the colour there. Move along to the front and then finish up at the end, where the colour should taper off. Our Brow Duo Powder will help you nail that natural looking gradient.

Add a little highlighter

If you love a clean, shapely brow use a little highlighter under the brow bone. A soft tone with a subtle shimmer will help define the brow line without looking over the top. Our PONi Unicorn Champagne Highlighter works beautifully when you apply with the angled end of our Pro Brow Brush. 

Set with a clear brow gel

Finally, lock those perfect brows in place with a clear brow gel. Gently brush the brow gel spoolie over the hairs to set your arches and keep them looking perfection all day long! 

Stand back

After you get up close and personal with the mirror to create your brow, take a big step back (at  least a few feet) and survey your brow handiwork. This will give you some perspective on how your brows fit in with your entire face and the rest of your makeup look. 

Finally...thicken your brows naturally 

If you weren’t exactly blessed by the brow gods we’ve got good news. Our Lash And Brow Growth Serum boosts brow thickness and darkness naturally to fill in those sparse patches and barely there hairs that drive you crazy.

We’ve got some tricks and easy fixes to solve the biggest beauty woes of your everyday makeup routine.

Problem #1 - Your foundation disappears or looks caked on

Your base sets the tone for the rest of your everyday makeup look, so it’s important to get it right! This anti-caking tip is loved by many makeup gurus and may actually change your life. 

Mix two to three drops of oil with your foundation before you apply it. Cold-pressed Moroccan argan oil or cold-pressed rosehip are great options. 

Why? It adds extra hydration to the skin and makes it appear more luminous, avoiding that caked on look. Adding oil won’t change the formulation of your foundation and powder applied later will look flawless, not clumpy.

You might already know it’s a bit of a crime not to prime when it comes to giving your foundation real, long-lasting staying power. But even with a primer, are you finding that foundation slides off areas like your nose, chin, upper lip, and centre forehead? 

Try using an eyeshadow primer in these areas instead and your usual primer everywhere else. 

An eyeshadow primer that dries down to a matte finish will lock in your foundation in areas it usually slides off. 

Problem #2: You’ve chosen the wrong colours

When you pick the colour of your foundation, you need to think about 2 things, tone, and undertone.

 The tone is light, medium, dark while the undertone is actually the ‘hidden’ colour. A big problem with your everyday makeup routine is choosing a foundation with the right tone, but the wrong undertone.

You can tell what colour your undertone is by taking a look at the colour of the veins on your wrist. If they have a greenish hue, you have a yellow undertone and a bluish hue means you have more of a cool tone. If you can’t really tell, you’re likely to have a neutral undertone, which is a combination of both.

When it comes to eyeshadow colour, here’s a quick guide to nailing the right hue for everyday makeup. 

Blue eyes: Purple and lavender can make your eyes look grey /blue. Rust with teal or brown colours is also a good choice to make blue eyes pop.

Green eyes: A mustard or peach colour will make your eyes look brighter. Team with chocolate, taupe or gold shadow for a nighttime look.

Brown eyes: A gorgeous choice is a rich brown or burgundy. You can take your pick of navy or midnight blue too. 

Problem #3 - You’re stuck in a makeup rut 

Giving your everyday makeup look an overhaul can really be quite intimidating. It might seem safer to stick with the everyday makeup routine you’ve had for years...but are you missing out? 

Updating your look can be fun, confidence boosting and it doesn’t have to be as overwhelming! It’s also important if you’ve had a dramatic change in hair colour.

One of your best resources to update your everyday makeup routine is YouTube. There are a gazillion video tutorials for every look you can think of. Search YouTube for a look you’d like to try, like ‘smokey eye’ or ‘simple makeup for everyday’ and pick a video - and a YouTuber - that resonates with you. 

Spend some time practicing new techniques and as your old makeup runs update it with new colours or brands. This is also a good opportunity to make the swap to cruelty free options!

Problem #4 - Your highlighting, not hiding, fine lines 

Are you applying a lot of concealer really close to the lash line of your eye? This isn’t helping your wrinkle hiding efforts. 

The majority of fine lines and wrinkles appear around our eyes but it's an area that has a lot of movement. 

The more product you apply there, the more it will crease and make those fine lines even more prominent. Instead, taper off the concealer application a little before the lash line. 

This will also make your eyes appear a little bigger whereas taking the concealer right up to the edge can close them up. 

Problem #5 -  You’re not cleaning your makeup tools regularly

Using dirty makeup tools in your everyday makeup routine is a big problem. Let’s be honest...how often do you clean yours? 

Avoiding breakouts and acne is the biggest reason to keep tools clean. Bacteria and dead skin cells get caught up in the bristles and foams of your makeup applicators. Using dirty brushes on clean skin will clog your pores, spread bacteria and bring those breakouts on. 

Colour application of eyeshadows, blush, and highlighters is also better with clean tools. Shades become muddied with all different colours if you don’t wash your brushes frequently. 

Wash your sponge applicators as part of  everyday makeup routine and brushes on a weekly basis. 

Problem #6 - Forgetting your brows

A great pair of brows does wonders for your face and if you don’t believe us just Google ‘celebrities without brows’.

Don’t forget to show your brows some love! Even if you do very little else with your face get your brows right and you’ll nail a simple everyday makeup look that is polished yet natural. Check out our brow dos and don’ts right here. 

Having easy to use brow tools with epic staying power in your makeup arsenal will make nailing the perfect brow effortless!

Makeup an art form. Whether you’re creating a bold or natural look, it takes practice to nail it. No matter how many YouTube tutorials or Pinterest boards you’ve stalked, sometimes the new look you try won’t exactly hit the mark. Here’s a few common makeup fails when it comes to expectations versus reality….. and their fixes! 

The Bold Lip 

Expectation: Bold, beautiful lips Reality: Bobo the clown 

TIPS TO GET IT RIGHT

Always prep your lips first. Buff away any dry flaky skin with a tissue and apply lip balm. Leave enough time for the balm to absorb and blot excess away. Never apply lipstick straight on top of balm.  

Don’t apply lip liner first. Apply lipstick with a brush, really working the colour in, then tidy the outer edges with liner.

Do blot your lips with a tissue then reapply the lip colour for a bold lip that lasts. Don’t underestimate the power of blotting!

Do use an angle brush to blend concealer around your lip line to ‘clean’ up any edges and colour bleeding. 

Choosing the right lip colour 

Knowing your skin’s undertone is key to choosing the right colours to meet your bold lip expectations. Orange based reds work well for warm coloured skin tones. For cool skin tones, opt for reds with a blue base for a truly flattering effect. 

Winged Eyeliner

Expectation: The purrfect cat eye with a polished flick Reality: Uneven, sloppy wings

 TIPS TO GET IT RIGHT

Avoid applying eyeliner to a bare, unprepped eye. The liner will mix with the natural oils of your skin and smudge into your upper lid. Use an eyeshadow primer first followed by a translucent powder to set the area. 

Shaky hands? The ‘tape’ technique is a foolproof way to create a wobble-free wing. 

Use a small piece of scotch tape as a stencil and place it on the skin around the eye the eye where you’d like the wing to go. Then draw along the tape. Even if it’s a little wobbly, it will end up as a straight line once the tape is removed. Note to self: Avoid sticking the tape down hard, your eye area is delicate!

Don’t raise your eyebrow while applying winged eyeliner. You’ll only end up lining an area that will be hidden or creased once the eyebrow is relaxed. Result? An unflattering, droopy wing shape. 

Choosing the right eyeliner

We LOVE eyeliner but choosing the right one isn’t always easy! For beginners, liquid eyeliners are a great option because the product is dispersed evenly across the eyes, easy to hold and they come in felt, sponge or brush tip.

Brows

Expectation: Beautifully defined, natural looking  Reality: Harsh, fake looking

TIPS TO GET IT RIGHT

Don’t draw on your brows in a hard straight line. This look is super harsh. It’s better to feather the brows, make smaller, shorter strokes in the natural shape of your brow.

Avoid ‘squaring’ off your brows when filling them in. It doesn’t look natural. Instead, follow the shape of your brow.

Don’t brush your eyebrows downward, this drags the eye down. Brush them upwards to lift up the eye and the brow.

Try not to smother your brows in too much makeup. Allow your natural hairs to pop up, creating a more natural look. Using a tinted brow gel or a soft  brow powder are great options to enhance your natural shape without flooding the brow with makeup. 

Choosing the right brow colour

The colour of your brow makeup is so important. It can mean the difference between nailing a Cara Delevingne’esque look or a brows gone bad Pinterest board. 

For natural looking but defined brows, if you have dark brown or black hair, select a colour one or two shades lighter. On the flip side, if you have blonde or light brown hair, opt for a colour one or two shades darker. Or, try our universal Brow Magic; one colour suits all!

When It’s Hot Outside

Expectation: A beautiful bronzed glow. Reality: A face that’s more slick than shimmer.

TIPS TO GET IT RIGHT

Do choose a non-greasy sunscreen to apply under makeup because….sunscreen ALWAYS matters. 

Don’t skip the primer. When you’re a little sweaty, things can get creasy real quick! Primer takes just a moment to apply and will keep your look in place all day. 

Opt for a brow powder, rather than pencil, for maximum staying power in the heat. 

Don’t cover every inch of your face with bronzer. You’ll end up faked baked, not bronzed goddess. Instead, apply bronzer to the areas the sun hits naturally: cheekbones, forehead, chin, and nose.

Choosing heat proof makeup shades

The right makeup product matters in the heat. Switch to more sheer versions of your favourite lip and eye colours. A lighter look suits warmer weather more than those rich, dark colours. 

Contouring 

Expectation: Highlight your natural bone structure. Reality: You’ve drawn an actual skull line on your face. 

TIPS TO GET IT RIGHT

The golden rule of contouring? Blending is your best friend. We’ll say it again, blend, blend, blend.

Be selective. Choose just one area to contour; jaws, nose, cheekbones etc, rather than trying to do it all.  

Save it for a special event. Unless you’re part of the Kardashian clan, contouring isn’t necessarily a look you’d rock for on a grocery trip to the supermarket. 

Choosing the right contour shade

Your choice of contour makeup product will make or break your look. Your contour shade is most believable when it’s a shade or two darker than your actual foundation.