The internet is bursting with makeup tips. Just try searching for “What are the basic steps of makeup?” on Google. You’ll likely find a step-by-step video for every look you desire, from looking red-carpet-ready to copying a famous cartoon character. You might be surprised to realise that the natural aesthetic is one of the hardest to pull off. But you can do it! With these tips, you can discover how to do makeup for an effortless glow that will brighten even the dullest days.
Start With a Good Moisturiser
No foundation or concealer can hide a dry, dehydrated complexion. Makeup looks best and slides better on healthy, moisturised skin. After cleansing your face thoroughly, apply moisturiser to nourish your skin for a smoother, more polished look. This step gives you a clean canvas to work with.
Try incorporating a hydrating serum into your routine to give your skin a dewy glow. Hyaluronic acid is terrific for hydration, while vitamin C is known for its brightening properties. Look for a product containing any or both ingredients.
To keep your skin from caking up, use a face mist when you feel your skin drying up or if your makeup is melting off. A thoroughly moisturised base will help you achieve and maintain perfect makeup, no matter what look you’re going for.
Brighten Your Base
Once you’ve prepped your skin, get ready to amplify the glow. Opt for a brightening primer instead of a mattifying one to give your skin a smoother finish. It will allow makeup to glide on easily and make it last from apéritif to after-party.
Choosing the right foundation shade can be tricky, so find one closest to your original skin tone. If your skin is acidic, go up two shades lighter to avoid makeup turning dark minutes after application. For an extra boost of brightness, mix your foundation with a drop of liquid highlighter to give your skin a subtle glow.
On no-makeup days, ditch the foundation and use concealer to lighten dark spots and blemishes. As with all makeup, choosing the right shade is essential. Use a concealer that is a shade or two lighter to brighten the face instead of just blending in.
Go Light on the Blush
Avoid dark shades of blush with deep undertones from wine-rich merlots and fiery reds. Give your face a nice, rosy flush with lighter palettes, such as coral or pink. The goal is to look flushed as if you spent a day outdoors or at the gym.
Blush placement is everything. Smile and sweep your blush brush across the apples of your cheeks, blending and working your way up to your cheekbones. Finish off with some bronzer slightly underneath your cheekbones and around the outer edges of your face to add depth and drama.
Make Your Eyes Pop
When it comes to doing the eyes, most people aren’t quite sure how to do makeup. Determine which shades go best with your eye colour. For instance, purple eye shadow will open up green eyes. On the other hand, those with blue eyes will benefit most from bronze or brown shades, while brown eyes will pop with a touch of blue or burgundy.
Soften Your Eyeliner
Eyeliner can be tricky. To brighten up your face, instead of tracing your entire lid with jet-black eyeliner, use a coffee or dark brown shade to line the corners so you avoid weighing your eyes down. The idea is to open your eyes and give them a lift. Make sure you drag eyeliner outwards and stop just after your lashes do.
Complement your dark brown eyeliner with mascara in a similar black/brown tint. Pro tip: heat your eyelash curler with a blow dryer for 10 to 20 seconds to help lock in the curl. Make sure you cool it down to a warm touchable temperature before curling.
Apply one to two coats of mascara to lengthen and plump the appearance of your lashes. It creates a look that strikes the perfect balance between coy and cool. For maximum volume, wiggle your mascara brush as you apply and use a Q-tip to remove any excess clumps or smudges around the eye.
Polish Your Pout
Want to add a little luminosity to your lips? Finish off your favourite lipstick by dabbing lip gloss at the centre of your lips. Instead of lining your lips from end to end like how you would with lipstick, focus on glossing just the middle to make your lips look fuller.
The secret to pulling your whole look together is to wear your makeup with your best accessory, a perfect smile. Nothing is more striking than a brilliant set of teeth. Visit your dentist to see what you can do to maximise your smile. Perhaps you can try dental aligners, such as ClearCorrect, which offers a gentle and discreet approach to solving a whole host of orthodontic issues, such as gaps, misaligned bites and other conditions that might keep you from flashing your disarming smile. Visit ClearCorrect for more information.
There isn’t a rule book on how to do makeup step-by-step, but you can certainly brush up on the basics. Makeup is supposed to bring out your best features, so don’t slather loads on to hide behind. A bright, natural look never goes out of style and with the help of these tips, neither will your new glow-up.
