When it comes to makeup, we all know that less is always more – after all, that overdone pancake look will never, ever be in vogue! The trick is to enhance your natural beauty instead of going over the top. We help you look well put together and totally au naturel with a few tips on looking like you’re wearing no makeup, even if you are! These steps are perfect for looking naturally gorgeous every day – give them a try!
1. Fake Flawless Skin
Nope, heavy foundations, layers of concealer and cakey powders may cover up those blemishes, but will never give that barely there effect. Instead, try a tinted moisturizer for your everyday look. It will give you sheer coverage for those spots and lines, while moisturizing and giving you a natural-looking finish. Just make sure to blend it in meticulously, and the colour should be a perfect match to your natural skin tone. To find the right match, test it on your jawline and neck at the makeup counter (and not on your wrist) to see how close it is to your natural colour.
POPxo Recommends: Lotus Herbals Nutraglow Daily Tinted Moisturiser SPF 25 (Rs 420)
2. Primer Is Always A Good Idea
A good primer has plenty of benefits, the biggest being that it will prevent your makeup looking super-cakey and unattractive. Instead, it will help your base look smooth and even, and help it stay on for much longer. It’s definitely a must when you want that natural-looking finish.
POPxo Recommends: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Primer Skin Transformer (Rs 1,020)
3. Big, Bright Eyes
Thick eyeliner and lots of clumpy mascara is too dramatic to ever look underdone. Instead, a super-thin line, as close to your lashes as possible, is enough for some subtle definition. Use an eyelash curler to help open up your eyes and add just one coat of mascara. Clear mascara is definitely more natural-looking than black. To make your eyes look super-alert and bright, one trick is to use a brown or nude eyepencil along your waterline. You can sweep on some flesh-coloured eyeshadow to help make your eyes look bigger and give you a polished finish.
POPxo Recommends: Oriflame Kohl Pencil – Nude 1.3 G (Rs 245), Maybelline New York Great Lash Clear Mascara for Lash and Brow (Rs 808), Lakme Eye Color Quartet, Route (Rs 422)
4. Groom Those Brows
Messy, ungroomed brows can definitely ruin the naturally flawless look you’re aiming for. Make sure to get them shaped regularly and have an eyebrow brush in your makeup kit to brush them into place. Add a bit of clear mascara to your brows to enhance their shape. If you need to use a brow pencil to fill them in, make sure it is brown or a few shades lighter than your natural brow colour instead of a harsh black, which will make them look anything but natural. (Don’t forget to read our guide on perfecting your eyebrows at home!)
POPxo Recommends: NYX Auto Eyebrow Pencil 05 Dark Brown (Rs 860)
5. Add That Dewy Glow
To light up your complexion and fake some gorgeous radiance, mix a bronzer or luminizer into your moisturizer for a natural-looking sun-kissed glow. Make sure to use an oil-free, lightweight moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated, and not a thick, greasy formula. Also, use a white eyeshadow along your browbone, cheekbones and Cupid’s bow, and blend to brighten up your face like a highlighter would. You can do the same with a bit of lip balm if you don’t want to use eyeshadow.
POPxo Recommends: Neutrogena Oil Free Moisturizer (Rs 349), Maybelline Fit Me! Bronzer Medium Bronze (Rs 851), Star’s Cosmetics Silver-2 Cream Eye Shadow 8G (Rs 150)
6. Subtle Colour For Your Lips and Cheeks
Obviously you’ll want to give your sparkly lip gloss or red lipstick a miss when you don’t want to look too done up – a nice lip stain is a much better option then. You can add some to your cheeks as well for a natural, rosy glow, making you look super-fresh. You can also stain your lips by putting on your fave lippie and then wiping it off after a few minutes; it will leave behind a subtle tinge, which is perfect for the look you’re aiming for.
POPxo Recommends: The Body Shop Lip And Cheek Stain (Rs 850)
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