8 Natural Make up tips for daily application that doesnt look overdone

One thing you must know about me is this.

I am not a makeup person. Never had any talent for it or interest. My makeup prep rarely went beyond applying some mascara and perfunctory lipstick. Even that was sometimes a pain. It took me years to develop a strategy that I was comfortable with in this area. In doing this, I also learned a few things. Nothing earth-shattering but they are nice to know stuff. So my post today might be just elementary to some of you if you are well advanced in the beauty department. But I would be happy if there are still some of you left who are yet to see the light and wouldn’t mind some basic make up lessons. To those I say, you might find my everyday make up tips useful!

8 Natural Make Up Techniques for Dummies

The best makeup looks are the ones that don’t look overdone; they’re applied in such a way that the woman looks luminous and lit from within. A few choice cosmetic items, and a few minutes in the morning, will help achieve this look.

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For someone new to makeup and starting from scratch, this list will be great to have on hand on the next trip the department or drugstore. Or order them right out of Amazon.

A silicone based primer, like Smashbox Photo Finish Primer or GOSH Velvet Touch Foundation Primer

A sheer to medium coverage foundation or tinted moisturizer, like Christian Dior Nude Fresh Glow Hydrating Makeup SPF 10

A lightweight, translucent powder, like Rimmel’s Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Transluscent

A peachy pink blush, like MAC Peachykeen

Two shades of eye shadow: a soft champagne and a muted, matte brown

A deep brown eyeliner, like Clinique Creamshaper in Chocolate Lustre

Black mascara, like Cover Girl Lash Exact

A lipstick or lip balm within one or two shades of your own lips. Try Benefit Good to Go Silky Finish lipstick.

Natural Makeup Techniques

Start with a freshly washed and moisturized face. For those with drier skin types, a thicker moisturizer is best – it will help keep makeup from settling into any fine lines, and will help the skin from feeling as if it’s “cracking.” For those with oilier skin types, a moisturizer is also a necessity – robbing any type of skin of moisture will actually cause the skin to rebel and create even more sebum, therefore making a face look even greasier throughout the day.

Brushes are best, but disposable sponges or fingers to apply tinted moisturizer or foundation is an acceptable alternative. After applying a small amount of primer evenly across the face (skipping eyelids and lips), dot small amounts of foundation on the forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin. Distribute the foundation evenly, so it simply evens out the skin tone. Overapplying foundation is easy; along with overapplication comes that notorious and unattractive cake-like finish.

Dust a bit of powder over the entire face to help set the liquid – if skin oily, this is an especially important step. The primer will do its job and help the liquid foundation stay on, but the powder helps to mattify the foundation and keep the reflective finish at bay.

Using a blush brush, apply some peachy pink blush to the apples of cheeks, blending outward toward the temple. Don’t be overzealous with blush application, either; cheeks should appear naturally flushed, the way one looks when she steps in from the cold.

Next, the eyes. Apply the champagne shadow all over the lid and brow bone. The slight shimmer will help “open” up the eye, allowing for a wider, brighter-eyed look. Next, apply the muted brown shadow to the crease, where there is natural darkness and depth. Blend until there is very little distinction between the champagne and brown shadows.

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Make sure the eyeliner is sharpened to a fine point, and line the eyes as close to the lash line as possible. The key here is to make the lashes appear longer and thicker – the thin brown liner will help to achieve that. If liner is applied to the bottom lash line, it should be done with a very light hand, and lined only from the outer corner to the middle of the eye.

If lashes are naturally curly, great – all that’s needed is a swipe of the mascara wand. But if lashes are straight and point down, an investment in a great lash curler (try Shiseido’s version) is recommended. Lashes truly are like awnings – opening them up will make a face look more alive, more awake, and definitely fresher.

Lastly, the lips. A pink or peach shade one or two shades deeper than the natural lip color is best. It will not only look natural and youthful, but application won’t require extreme precision (nor will it require a lipliner).

There! In six or seven minutes, a gorgeous face. You – just a little better.