Ever want to pull off that natural “no-makeup” look, without worrying about what happens when you have none at all? A little secretive editing of your look can go a long way to helping you feel confident in settings where you don’t want to wear too much makeup, and here we’re going to look at some of the low-key tips and products that you can use to do just that.
The following tips can be great for professional occasions or slightly more private events where you’re not expected to doll yourself up to the max, but you still don’t exactly want to be without makeup.
Forgo that foundation
If you’re used to relying on foundation every day, this might sound like a shocking tip, but when it comes to maintaining a natural complexion, there are certainly better options than making use of it. Taking care of your skin and brightening your complexion with things like an exfoliant might be the better step. Of course, you still want to protect your skin, so you should consider investing in a decent oil-free sunscreen as well. Foundation without the makeup to add depth to it can look very flat on your face, quite far from the natural look you might be aiming for.
The right choice of concealer
Even when you’re not trying to add too much colour, drama, or contour to your face, you might still want to do something about those pesky little imperfections that can get in the way of your look. To that end, choosing the right full-wear concealer can play an important role. A lot of women choose a concealer that’s designed to match the tone and tint of their skin after they’ve already put on their foundation, so you might need to find the type that better matches your skin at its natural, uninterrupted tone, instead.
A little love for your lips
You might not want to go with a full lipstick when you’re trying to keep things looking natural, but that doesn’t mean that you have to leave them completely bare. Instead of lipstick, you can look at the potential of lip tint makeup, instead. Lip tints tend to come in colours that are much closer to natural human lips, making for a lighter touch, but they still draw out a little extra vibrancy and contrast from your lips to keep them looking full, soft, and gorgeous. Plus, they tend to be a little more “kiss-proof” than lipstick so if romance is on the cards, they can be perfect.
Flutter-worthy lashes
You don’t need to entirely forget the mascara if you want to add a little depth and volume to your lashes. You can keep your eyes looking expressive and gorgeous without having to go big with your lashes, however. Instead, you can apply your mascara as you normally would, but use cotton buds with just a touch of makeup remover. Lightly run your lashes through the cotton buds and it can pull away from the bulk of the mascara without leaving your lashes bare.
Give yourself a little glow
If you think that your face looks a little flat without any help, then the product that might help you the most is a good highlighting balm. These products don’t change the colour or contrast of your facial features all that much, but instead add a nice dewiness to your skin, which can help when placed at the points that you want to stand out, such as the top of your cheekbones. Don’t use a highlighter as they tend to do the effect a little more strongly than you want, but instead look at creams.
Blush naturally
Doing too much work on your cheeks can make it very clear that you’re using makeup. Even a light powder can be more visible than you want, so instead, consider using a cream-based blush that you can apply easily with your finger. You want to make sure that you apply it where it’s natural, as well. If you want to see the areas of your face that naturally blush, do a quick exercise. Apply the blush where your face naturally starts to redden first so that it doesn’t look immediately recognizable.
Of course, if you are confident in your ability to pull off the no-makeup look for real, then you can go ahead. However, for most women, the tips above can off the enhancements that help them feel a little more comfortable while still looking natural.
