This week we answer our first reader make-up and beauty question.
Melanie asks:
What is a 5-10 minute make up look I can use for work? Simple but classy. I want my skin to shine and my eyes to sparkle.
Well Melanie, just for you I have worked out a 6-step plan, and included some options if you have more time. So here we go.
When I approach my morning make-up routine the first thing I think about is how much time I have and then I add or subtract steps accordingly. For an easy basic morning make-up routine I recommend the following.
Step 1 – Start with clean freshly moisturized skin. If you washed your face the night before, which is something I highly advise, then you can just apply your favorite moisturizer in the morning. It’s important to use the same moisture base as your foundation if you are using one. Ex. if you use a water based foundation, then you need to use a water based moisturizer. If your foundation is oil based, then use an oil based moisturizer.
Step 2 – Foundation. Apply the foundation of your choice with your fingers or a foundation brush. I prefer a brush and my favorite one right now is M.A.C.’s # 130. Make sure you cover your eyelids and blend the foundation down to your neck so you don’t end up with a line where your face ends and your neck begins. My skin has hyper-pigmentation so I use a medium coverage, but if you have an even skin tone then you may want to skip this step and go straight to concealer.
Step 3 – Concealer. I like to use a concealer under the eye and then anywhere else I feel I need it. Look at your face for any red spots or blemishes and using a tiny brush, you can use a lip brush, gently pat the concealer into your skin and blend around it. Less is more in this case. Places to focus on are on each side of the nose and the inner corner of each eye. I blend my concealer down into the tops of my cheeks to avoid raccoon eye and to give a nice highlight to the center of my face.
Step 4 – Blush. I use a cream blush but if you have oily skin I would stick with a powder. Apply a peach or pinky blush on the apples of your cheeks. This gives a fresh youthful look, and using a cream blush or a powder blush with a slight sheen adds to the effect. Step 5 – Eyebrows. Eyebrows frame the face and give a very finished look if done well. I see so many neglected eyebrows walking around I want to really emphasize what a defined tidy eyebrow can achieve. I use a pencil just to gently define my brows. Then I brush down the hairs before I fill in and brush them back up again after I’m done.
Step 6 – Mascara, powder & lipgloss. Three of my favorite products. If you wear nothing else wear mascara. It makes all the difference. Powder sets your make-up so it will last much longer than without it. Now add whatever lip product you like to use. I am wearing lip balm and carry with me a couple of lip glosses that I use throughout the day.
If you want to amp up your look you can add a darker lipstick like this lovely plum color or a burgundy depending on your complexion.
Melanie, I hope this helps and please let me know if any of you have any questions.
Keep sending in those make-up and beauty questions. We will have another answer for you in two weeks.
