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I’ve often wondered how morning TV hosts manage to look so glowy, fabulous and awake at five in the morning while I look like I’ve just tumbled through a bush.
We’re all about girl power today! #9Today
A photo posted by thetodayshow (@thetodayshow) on Sep 19, 2016 at 1:47pm PDT
Seriously. LOOK.
Then one morning a few weeks ago, as I was packed like a sardine with the sweat of several strangers seeping onto me on public transport, I stumbled upon their “secret” thanks to A Current Affair host and journalist Leila McKinnon.
In an interview with Honey, McKinnon revealed that it wasn’t daily yoga, green juice or activated almonds that made every TV host look so damn good, but rather the Mecca Cosmetica Lit From Within Primer, $38, a product you’ll find in almost every TV makeup artist’s kit.
Can you hear the angels sing? Image: Mecca
"Unless you are 16 years old and actually lit from within by freshness, vitality and surging hormones, illuminating creams are not optional," she said.
"On television they gently shimmer making us all look like vegan teetotallers who close their eyes at dusk and wake up to a dawn yoga class."
Obviously, I had to get my hands on the magical elixir.
Hair on fleek for #aca9 @acurrentaffair9 @bynormie
A photo posted by Leila McKinnon (@leilamckinnon) on Oct 6, 2016 at 12:49am PDT
The perfect opportunity to try it out came last Sunday when I was doing a market stall to clear out my wardrobe. It had seemed a good idea at the time - my 4:30am alarm had me thinking otherwise.
I woke up looking like this.
Why. WHY. Image: Supplied
My eyes were sleep swollen, my skin dull and I looked like I'd just rolled out of bed. (I had, but that's not the point.)
I squirted a (large) pea-sized amount of the primer onto my hand, it was a shiny, metallic pink colour you'd imagine a unicorn's tears would resemble. Forgoing brushes or beauty blenders (this was 4:32am remember) I applied it all over my face with my fingers focusing on areas like my chin, the middle of my forehead and above my cheekbones.
Instantly I looked revitalised. Awake. Half-decent. Dewy. It didn't quite look like I'd consumed kale and practiced yoga daily, but for a week at least.
I then applied my normal foundation on top, which provided further coverage but still let some of that dewy glow shine through.
(Left) wearing just the primer. (Right) Wearing primer and foundation. Image: Supplied
It didn't disappoint.
I've become slightly addicted to its youthful, healthy glow and it's quickly become my staple primer, especially when early mornings are involved.
Depending on how much glow you want, alter the amount before you apply your foundation, but you really don't need more than two squirts at most. (Watch: The Glow tried shaving-balm-as-primer. Post continues after video.)
I've also taken to wearing it on its own to make skin look refreshed - a visual representation of splashing cold water on your face.
I may not be on the TV every morning (thank goodness!) but at least I've got the required dewy glow.
Image: Instagram/@thetodayshow,
