A beauty and makeup veteran who’s worked on fashion pages and famous faces — Zipho Ntloko knows the ins and outs of creating the best made-up look while still looking fresh and glowy. 
How would you describe your everyday makeup look?
Depending on my mood and my schedule, I usually alternate between a natural, dewy ‘barely there’ makeup look or a ‘soft glam’ look if I have at least an hour to spend blending out my face.
Okay, so break down your go-to products to get this look and the order they’re applied in?
It’s a process so prepare yourself… 😂
Skin. This is essential. Your skin is your canvas so I always have to prep it adequately.
1. Face mist. One that’ll revive and revitalise my skin’s texture. I alternate between two at the moment and they consist of soothing ingredients like thermal spring water, rose water, cucumber, and aloe vera.
2. Chanel Ultra Le Teint Foundation while my skin is still wet from the face mist for a dewy finish.
3. Benefit Boi-ing Cakeless Concealer down the bridge of my nose as a highlighter, between the brows, under the eyes, above the Cupid’s bow, and a little on the centre of my chin.
4. Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Setting Powder OR Chick Cosmetics BAKED! Holiday Setting Powder to set the concealer.
5. Pears Pure & Gentle Natural Glycerine Transparent Soap and Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil OR Maybelline Brow Ultra Slim Pencil. I lay the hairs down with the glycerine soap, fill them in with the pencil, and set the look with a clear brow gel.
6. MAC Powder Kiss Soft Matte Eyeshadow in Rusty Brown.
7. Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Eye Pencil in a Coffee Brown to line and tight line my eyes.
8. Maybelline Colossal Big Shot Mascara for upper lashes and Glossier Lengthening Mascara for lower lashes.
9. L’Oreal Infallible Powder Foundation in Mahogany for contouring along the cheekbones, forehead, nose, jawline, and chin.
10. Fenty Beauty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter Duo in Ginger Binge or Moscow Mule as a blush, and a highlighter in one.
11. MAC Cork or Chestnut Lip Liner.
12. MAC Dangerous Curves Lip Glass.
13. Maybelline Lasting Fix Makeup Setting Spray.
How has your everyday makeup look evolved over the last few years? And have there been any dramatic changes of late?
I’ve appreciated the notion of less is more when it comes to foundation. I used to love wearing heavy amounts of foundation (I really did cake it on) but over the last few years, I’ve grown to love a more second-skin approach — only covering and concealing where necessary.
I have also become a lot more experimental with colour on the eyes. I’m obsessed with vibrant pops of pigment on the lids such as yellow, blue, green, red (any bright colour of the rainbow tbh) paired with a neutral face. Add some clear gloss over as a top coat and you’ll exude big editorial energy.
What make-up products can’t you live without?
- Foundation: Chanel Ultra Le Teint
- Concealer: Benefit Cakeless Concealer
- Brows: Pears Pure & Gentle Natural Glycerine Transparent Soap
- Lips: Fenty Beauty Glass Bomb Gloss and MAC Dangerous Curves Lip Glass
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All-rounder: Elizabeth Arden Fragrance Free Eight Hour Cream (for cuticles, brows, eye gloss, cheek highlighter, lip gloss, everything.)
When deciding what makeup looks to do, where do you draw your inspiration from?
I usually go to my “saved” folder on my Instagram app, which consists of a lot of my inspo and I then pick an eyeshadow, liner, and lip colour that compliments my outfit. I also follow this amazing hashtag on IG called #runwaymakeup — where you’ll find some stunning editorial-inspired beauty looks.
What’s your best tip for a day-to-night makeup transition?
- Keep concealer, pressed powder, a black kohl eyeliner crayon, volumising mascara, and gloss in your handbag always.
- Use the eyeliner crayon to tight line the eyes and create a quickie smoky eye effect.
- Volumising mascara on the upper and lower lashes will emphasise your smokey look and open up the eyes.
- Apply concealer to cover up dark circles and blemishes.
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Gloss, because gloss really is the girl she says she is. Dab some on your cheekbones too for a fresh-faced glow.
Hottest make-up application tip?
I love a good feathery, bushy brow and the soap brow technique works wonders in achieving this.
If you could take only two products with you to an event, what would they be?
My micro bags usually can only fit two full-size products, this typically being my MAC Skin Finish Powder Foundation and Dangerous Curves Lip Glass for the occasional touch-up.
Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions Zipho - we love you!
If you want to get some major makeup look inspo from Zipho, you can follow her on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/zipho.ntloko/
(Photography by Lufuno Ramadwa @queenluffie for @sedzanimedia)