At the ripe ol’ age of 41 I’ve been around the makeup trend block a few times. I’ve overdrawn my eye brows, wore a shade of lipstick that was cringe-worthy, attempted fake lashes and looked like a muppet character… yup, I’ve had my fair share of flops. As I’ve gotten older with a few fine lines, puffy eyes, and a desperate need for skin hydration I’ve perfected some pro tips to achieve that no-makeup makeup look that we all crave. It’s the “I’m natural, covered, and glowing” vibe that translates into confidence on the daily. Here’s my go-to approach to get that dewy, hydrated, flawless look in under 10 minutes.
Prep Your Skin for a Clean, Dewy Glow
The key to the perfect no-makeup look starts with a well-prepped base. Hydrated and smooth skin lays the foundation for everything else.
Cleanse and Hydrate: Start with a gentle cleanser to remove impurities, followed by a hydrating serum or moisturizer to lock in moisture. Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid that plump the skin and reduce fine lines. I personally love Cera-Ve’s Hydrating Facial Cleanser and follow it up with Caudalie’s Vinoperfect Brightening Serum. After all those years in the sun playing soccer, I definitely have dark spots a-brewing and this combo hydrates, brightens, and assists in fading the spots. Another Vitamin C serum I’ve used (and loved) is from Spanish Brand, Isdin, and is called Flavo-C Serum. It’s incredible for both hydration and brightening at the same time without being heavy or pore-clogging.
Prime for a Dewy Finish: Choose a lightweight, illuminating primer to give your skin that healthy, glass-like glow. This step is crucial to create a smooth canvas and keep your makeup in place all day. I’m going to be controversial here, but trust me. It’s Aquaphor Advanced Therapy that does it for me. Not only is my skin hydrated and protected but it provided an incredible base for that dewy glow I’m trying to achieve.
SPF Protection: Never skip sunscreen, even if you’re indoors. A broad-spectrum SPF protects your skin from UV damage and acts as a barrier between your skin and makeup. EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 both protects from harmful UV rays and assists in providing you that fresh face through nourishing vitamin B3.
Create a Flawless, Smooth Base
Creating a natural-looking base that doesn’t crease under the eyes or settle into fine lines is all about choosing the right products and application techniques.
Choose the Right Foundation: Opt for a lightweight foundation or tinted moisturizer that offers buildable coverage without feeling heavy. Westman Atelier offers an excellent clean beauty liquid foundation that provides a natural, seamless finish while nourishing the skin. I buy mine around the corner at my local Woo Cosmetics here in Charlotte. Love those ladies… tell them Erica sent you if you’re in town and wanna pop in!
Conceal Strategically: Focus on areas that need brightening, like under the eyes and around the nose. Use a hydrating concealer that doesn’t crease, and blend it with a damp sponge for a flawless look. There’s been a myriad of trends in concealer with the Kardashians giving us that alien-faced vibe in the early 2000’s. That’s not what we’re after, Babe. When choosing a concealer shade go for one that has a slightly pinkish tone with the right formula to blend seamlessly. My go-to’s are Trish McEvoy’s Instant Eye Lift and good ol’ Maybelline’s Brightening Concealer in shade 160. You need to carefully place your concealer based upon what you’re trying to conceal… duh. For me, it’s right at the inner part of my eye, down the sides of my nose, and angled upwards on the outer parts of my eyes near my temples.
Contour, Honey: To accentuate the angles of your face (right where you want them) you’ll need an arsenal of contour tools. I prefer Westman Atelier’s contour stick in the Biscuit shade. I apply it to my cheek bones, my eyelids, the crown of my head at my hairline, my cupid’s bow, and right under my lower lip and then blend like there’s no tomorrow.
Cream Blush for a Natural Flush: Cream blushes blend effortlessly into the skin, providing a youthful glow. I’m gonna sound a bit extra for this but I use three types of blush to achieve my look. Once I’ve applied my contour, I layer on Westman Atelier’s Baby Cheeks blush stick on the Petal Shade and blend. I then apply a small pea-sized amount of Chantecaille’s Cheek Gellée in shade Happy on the upper part of my cheek bones towards the outer parts of my eyes to create a shimmering highlighted look. This combo and all previously applied steps will give you that lifted look without giving clown-face. I round it all out with some powdered blush from Westman Atelier to achieve a blurred and flawless finish and again, focus on placing the product upwards on my cheek bones towards my templates with a little placement on my nose.
3Enhance Your Eyes
Everyone’s eyes are shaped differently and I think that’s beautiful. My eyes are big and bright. Green with blonde eyelashes. Love a bright but almost smokey look to accentuate them. My go-to palette (a major drug store budget find) is by Elf Cosmetics known as the Bite-Size Eyeshadow Palette in the Cream and Sugar combo. Here’s what I do…
Highlight the Inner lid: I like to put a tad bit of concealer on my lid for a base and to highlight the inner lid. I then go over it with a light cream shade from the palette.
Contour the Outer Lid: Once I’ve highlighted the inner lid, I then take the two shades of bronzy brown and gently move the product at the outer creases creating a shadowed vibe, which I find makes the green in my eyes pop even more.
Use an Angled Brush for Powdered Liner on the lid: I like to use an angled brush and the darkest shade of brown in the palette to line my upper lid oh-so-subtly. I find I have more control and create a softer look this way.
Use an Eyeliner Pen at the Water Line: To further accentuate my eyes and bring in some contrast, I use this Maybelline liner.
Finish with Your Favorite Mascara: Again, major Maybelline fan over here with SkyHigh in rotation these days.
Finish with a Fresh, Hydrated Glow
To complete your no makeup look, focus on enhancing your skin’s natural radiance.
Set Without Overdoing It: Use a translucent setting powder only on areas prone to shine, like the T-zone. This ensures a dewy finish without making your skin look oily. I use Laura Mercier’s Translucent Loose Setting Powder.
Highlight Your High Points: A cream highlighter on the tops of your cheekbones, brow bone, and down the bridge of your nose creates a soft, natural glow. Westman Atelier comes in at the top again for me with their Lit Up Highlight Stick in Nectar.
Hydrate Your Lips: Finish with a hydrating lip balm or a nude gloss to keep your lips looking fresh and full. Tarte’s Maracuja Juicy Lipstick in rose was gifted to me by a friend and I just can’t get enough!
Pro Tips for a Flawless “No-Makeup” Makeup Look
Keep It Simple: Use multi-purpose products to save time.
Focus on Hydration: Well-moisturized skin looks plump and youthful.
Enhance, Don’t Hide: Embrace your natural features and use makeup to enhance them.
Blend Blend Blend: Proper blending ensures a natural, flawless finish.
Ultimately the no-makeup makeup look is about accentuating those gorgeous features that make you, you! Love your eyes? Showcase them! Got killer cheekbones? Slay Queen with that contour! With the right products and a few simple steps, you can enjoy a clean, simple, and powerful look that radiates confidence.
Let me know what questions you have about makeup and skincare sources. I’ve bought many but have narrowed-in on my go-to’s that I just can’t live without. And by all means, if YOU have any pro-tips send them my way, boo 😉
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