Wearing make-up or not, in the summer time it is easy to look healthy and glowing just by catching a few of those sunny rays here and there. Better eating will probably make the difference as well, as most people will tend to eat more raw fresh fruit, veg and salads naturally. In the winter, people tend to go for more warm comforting foods which may not be so great for the skin and general wellbeing. So making a conscious effort to eat healthy is important.
Keeping hydrated with fluids is essential for both wellbeing as well as the skin looking plumped up and youthful. So drinking water, green teas and black teas can have great beneficial properties. Remember that too much coffee can dehydrate as it will act as a diuretic.
We are aware that the central heating or air conditioning in stores or the home can also dehydrate and strip the skin of its natural moisture, so it is essential we replenish with rich moisturising creams regularly and daily. Vaseline Intensive Care or basics like Nivea and Dove will work effectively.
You may want to look like you are not wearing much make-up during the day and to achieve that look is actually harder than going for a full make-up look. There are a few tricks of the trade to get a real natural look.
Start by cleansing and moisturising your face and neck area. Allow your moisturiser to absorb and settle a few minutes before you actually apply your make-up.
Conceal – Use a concealer or light foundation to suit your skin tone and shade on any dark pigmentation areas such as under the eyes, on top of eyelids, maybe around the chin or lower cheek areas. You may find you need two different shades, a slightly lighter one for under the eyes and on eyelids. You can use the other shade solo on some of the other areas or you may find you may have to mix the two shades to achieve the right shade to blend in with your skin varying tones. Try not to apply on the whole facial areas but merely on the areas that really need it if you want to achieve this ultra natural look. Revlon, Sheercover or Bare Minerals work perfectly for this.
Next using a large kabuki brush, use a mineral powder shade and apply lightly in circular motion, around the whole face, even on the areas you did not apply concealer or foundation. The mineral powder, if the right shade, is so fine and natural it will not even look like you have any on.
Eyes – Use pencil eyeliner for day as this can be smudged out gently for a softer look. Apply a soft black/charcoal grey or dark brown on outer corners of eyes and a slightly lighter or autumn shade of green or berry leaf on the inner corners. This will give just enough definition to the eye area without overpowering the eye area. Follow this with some good lashes of mascara that defines and separates the lashes so that it does not look clumpy and false. Maybelline Push Up Drama, L’Oreal Volume Million Lashes or YSL Volume Shocking mascara works great for this.
Eyebrows – use a wax pencil or brow liner tip pen to match original hair colour that will match skin tone and brush upwards and outwards in short sharp strokes.
Lips – use a lip liner that will help hold the lipstick inside the pipeline area. GOSH have a great variety of colours. Use a light rose or mocha brown shade that resembles your lip shade. Follow this with a lipstick that resembles and matches your natural lip colour, add moisturising lip balm without being too glossy if you want that ultra natural look. Estee Lauder and Maybelline have a large nude buff colour selection.
This should take around five to ten minutes to do from start to finish once you have mastered the technique. Worth it for that confident beautiful day glow!
Love and Sparkles
Samsara x