5 Tips For Mastering No-Makeup Makeup
No-makeup makeup. It's the type of beauty term that you think, "What's the point? If you don't want to look like you have on makeup, don't wear it!" I get it. But as a beauty reporter, I can tell you that one of the most in-demand looks is no-makeup makeup, and it's because not everyone can roll out of bed with gorgeous skin and doe eyes, à la Gigi Hadid or Joan Smalls.
There are a few things you can do to enhance your look without appearing too made up, and a lot of it has to do with the application of your makeup. I ventured to the Today show this week, where I chatted with Tamron Hall about how to create this look at home.
1. Keep Your Foundation Light
I'm not saying avoid foundation by any means, but when it's caked on, it's a dead giveaway that you're wearing makeup. Test three shades on your cheek so you get the perfect match, and when applying, follow the five-dot method.
2. Spot Conceal
Instead of going nuts with concealer, focus only on the small areas you need it. The trick here is to apply it after your foundation, not before. Further, to keep it put all day long, eliminate excess oil with powder, then apply the concealer on top.
3. Open Up Your Eyes
Avoid shadows that are too bold, and stick to earthy, neutral shades. Buff out shadow with your finger to avoid hairlines. And use liner to make your lashes look longer and fuller — apply to the top lash line and top waterline, too. For mascara, dust your lashes with powder before you apply it, which will help keep your mascara from being too wet and clumpy.
4. Highlight
Highlighting accentuates your best features, and it also keeps your skin looking dewy instead of matte and dry.
5. Use a Tinted Lip Balm
Instead of trying to match your lip color to your skin tone, focus on staying within one to two shades of your natural lip color. Balms are translucent, so they're a great way to hydrate your lips and add a little color.
See all of these tricks in action in the segment above, and let me know if you have other tips for mastering this look.
On Kirbie: Keepsake Neverland dress in Rose Fig ($169), Steve Madden heels