Ever seen those gorgeous, glamazonian models casually moseying about, faces fresh as daisies? Well, for a few lucky ones, it’s down to genetics (insert your curses here) but for most, that effortless face took more than a little effort.
‘You but better’ makeup is making a runway comeback, but we’re pretty sure it never went away to begin with. No-makeup makeup, supermodel skin and #wokeuplikethis are few of the many monikers for the evergreen trend that everyone who’s anyone loves to wear.
And with our simple cheat-sheet, you can too – no glam squad required!
Here’s Nykaa’s how-to for beauty’s favorite go-to:
PREP, PRIME, PERFECT
While there aren’t any shortcuts to great skin, there are always ways to give it that supernatural boost.
First prep your pores with an alcohol-free toner that reduces the appearance of pores and binds your skin’s natural moisture. Our favorite is Kama Ayurveda’s Pure Rose Water, but if you have acne-prone or oily skin, you might want to go with Kiehl’s Cucumber Herbal Alcohol-Free Toner, designed to soothe your specific concerns.
Moisturizer is non-negotiable, of course – patchwork’s only cute on quilts. With the advent of summer, you might want to settle on something lightweight. Another priority is picking one that plays nice with makeup. Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream, a cult favorite, is weightless, super emollient and generally suits all skin types.
If you’re a glow-getter, add a lightweight face oil to your prep routine to give your skin that robust, dewy finish. We love the all-natural Avon Nutra Effects Miracle Glow Oil – all you need is four drops, dabbed gently into your skin with an open palm.
PS: Experiment with the order of applying your moisturizer and face oil. For people with oilier skin, applying a face oil first tends to work better; for dryer skin types, putting your oil on after your moisturizer ensures the moisture gets locked in.
SECOND SKIN FIRSTS
A flawless face of makeup is only as good as its first layer. Just because you don't have naturally gorgeous skin doesn't mean you can't fake it. How? Well, it's all about that base!
Have dark circles or pigmentation that needs concealing? Use a failsafe color-corrector like L.A. Girl’s Pro Conceal HD to cancel out any hard-to-cover pigmentation or dark spots.
Remember, this is an au natural look, so you don’t want to cake on your foundation, but achieve a sheer, peep-through but even-toned base. NYX Professional Makeup’s Total Control Drop Foundation is a great option, especially if you need to customise your base to get higher coverage.
Now, our gamechanger: remember that facial oil from before? Put a drop of it in your foundation and use your hands (or a beauty blender) to massage the mix over your face in sweeping strokes. Buh-bye highlighter – you’re good to glow! If required, dab a little more concealer or foundation on problem spots when you’re done.
At this point, we’d suggest you don’t spoil all that drool-worthy dewiness with compact, but if you really require it, use a large brush, not a sponge, to apply it in light circular motions.
MAKEUP FAKE-UP
We know it’s difficult to open up your makeup kit and have to show restraint with all those pretty products, but less is definitely more with this look, so bear with us!
First, boss brows. Rather than using a pencil, fill in your brows with a pomade like Freedom Pro’s Brow Pomade for natural, fuller-looking brows – depending on what you’re working with, you can either create statement boy brows – thick and carefully dishevelled, or neaten and define your natural arch.
Then, dab a little highlighter on the centre of your lids – inner corners, optional but always a welcome touch. Pick a matte brown eyeshadow like NYX Professional Makeup Hot Singles Eye Shadow in Own the Night (a few shades darker than your lid) to define your crease. What this is going to do is create the illusion of larger lids.
If you have small eyes, tight-line the underside of your upper lashes with Wet n Wild Color Icon Kohl Liner Pencil - Simma Brown Now! – you can pull it out towards the edges ever to slightly to augment your eyes. Your best friend, mascara comes next, followed by a swipe of nude liner on your waterline to really go for larger-than-life doe-y, peepers.
Finally, imbue a post-workout flush (without the workout) with The Body Shop Like & Cheek Velvet Stick in Poppy Nude or Coral. Apply a little to the centre of your lips for a just-bitten stain, and a little bit more on your cheeks to get a natural, nubile blush. Remember, placement is everything, and since this is a no-makeup look , you want to stick to the apples of your cheeks. If you have a round face, you can cheat a little and start right below the outer edges of your eyes, drawing the blush upwards towards your hairline.
PS: Make sure to pick a blush that mimics the color of your cheeks when you get flushed. If you have dry skin, use a cream-based blush like Ruby Organics Crème Blush. Oily skin types, stick to a powder blush like Maybelline New York Fit Me Blush, but tap of the excess before you put it on.
