“Whether you are sixteen or over sixty, remember,
understatement is the rule of a fine makeup artist.”
– Helena Rubenstein.
She’s dead right – makeup isn’t meant to be applied with a heavy hand (even if the more-is-more camp are determined to prove otherwise on YouTube).
Gosh, even science says the natural look is best. We don’t really need a lab coat to tell us that, but it is interesting to find out why humans are most in awe of understated beauty: apparently we find subtle makeup most attractive because it creates a discreet contrast in skin tone, a hallmark of youth. Basically, natural makeup makes us look younger.
Easy to do when we are in our youth (a slick of gloss and mascara and you’re out the door), but mastering natural makeup requires a little effort as we get older.
Here’s a few clever tricks to pulling it off with ease:
* Brush brows down first – that way you can see where the gaps are and are less likely to end up with a heavy line. Use a brow powder or short strokes with a pencil to fill out any sparse areas, then brush the brows upwards again with a brow brush.
* Blend eyeliner well (no harsh lines!). Soften it even more by smudging a little eyeshadow over the top.
* Instead of lining the entire lip area with pencil (very drying, I’m afraid), rub the tip of the lip liner over a gloss brush to pick up a little colour and pencil it over your lips.
* Spend two-thirds of your application time on your base – if you ace glowing skin, everything else is easy. A foundation blending brush is the simplest way to get a flawless, airbrushed look. Setting foundation with powder can help it last, but can highlight lines if you have mature skin (try a light spritz of face mist before and after instead).
* Subtle warm tones instantly add sunshine to skin. Apply bronzer along the hairline and at the temples – it adds definition and makes eyes look brighter, but is almost invisible to the eye here.
* Blush is essential, whatever your age. Warm peachy tones work well for an all-natural look while pink will add an instant flush of youth.
Are you a natural makeup fan? Do you need a helping hand to making it work for you? I can show you all the tricks of the trade in a Beauty Masterclass.