If you really think about it, isn’t it rather weird that we want to apply makeup that doesn’t look like we are wearing makeup? Nonetheless, there is just something about the natural, glowy look that gets everyone’s heart beating.
Obviously, for the no-makeup look, the goal is to look as natural as possible, not in a just-rolled-out-of-bed way but rather a I-drink-loads-of-water-and-eat-only-veggies kind of vibe.
The most obvious giveaway is makeup sitting weird on your skin, clumping, flaking or pilling. The easiest way to avoid this is by starting with a good skincare routine. We hear it a lot but your makeup really is only as good as your skin underneath.
Most importantly, your skin needs moisture. Whether you’re more oily or dry, if your skin is properly moisturised it’ll look nice and plump. So using a moisturiser before makeup is a must. And of course, SPF all the way. No matter where you are and what you’re doing, SPF is a non-negotiable.
The goal is to look as natural as possible, not in a just-rolled-out-of-bed way but rather a I-drink-loads-of-water-and-eat-only-veggies kind of vibe.
Once you have a good base going, you can start with the actual makeup. To keep it looking as natural as possible, think less powders and more cream and liquid products as they sit differently on the skin.
I tend to skip foundation and just spot conceal in the areas that need it most and working that in with a stippling brush for maximum but still natural coverage.
My go-to concealer that I have been using for at least five years is the ‘Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer;’ it’s super pigmented, but doesn’t sit on your skin weirdly like some do.
For the most natural look, cream or liquid blushes are beautiful, as they don’t settle into pores as much as certain powder blushes do. I absolutely adore the Fenty Cream blushes, they have the most gorgeous texture and shades and you can easily blend them with either your fingers or a brush.
Even though they are less natural I am still partial to the classic Nars powder blushes, once again using the shade ‘Deep Throat’ for at least five years now.
I really enjoy blush, if I could I’d put it all over my body (which to be honest I do anyways.) For the most natural finish I take it all the way from my temples all over the high points of my cheeks, down the apples of my cheek and of course all over my nose.
When I was younger I had very light blonde hair and while that didn’t last past age 10, my eyebrows somehow never darkened. So for me if I don’t have my eyebrows done, I just look really odd. Filling them in with a brow pencil with little hair-like strokes in a shade that matches your roots and then using a tinted gel a shade darker to accentuate the hairs makes them look the most natural. The ones that I always come back to are the Anastasia ‘Brow Wiz’ and the Benefit ‘Gimme Brow.’
Eye makeup can be quite difficult to keep natural, so using shades that you already used on other parts of your face (bronzer and blush) keeps it the most natural. For Mascara the Benefit ‘They’re Real’ tinted primer is lovely, as it doesn’t clump at all and just looks like you have stunning natural lashes.
Lastly, lips. Also one of my favourite parts of my makeup routine. A lip stain is beautiful to keep them looking natural. Benefit has lots of shades but Benetint has been my go-to for years.
I tend to skip lipstick and go straight to gloss, because I find lipstick on me tends to be the biggest giveaway that I am wearing makeup. My most recent purchase is the ‘Fenty Heat Gloss’ in Hot Cherry, a shade that looks just like its name. It has the tiniest plumping tingle and no glitter or shimmer so it just looks and feels beautiful.
