Monday, September 10, 2018

Quick Guide: Everyday Makeup

With everyone back to school and back to work, I thought I would share my current guide to Everyday Makeup.  I did create a back to school makeup look, and I have done a tutorial using the Urban Decay Naked Petite Heat Palette before. However, this post is more of a guide to my current makeup look when I want to throw something on that looks polished and professional,  but doesn't look like I am wearing a ton of makeup. Because I wear this look, or something like it, pretty frequently,  I can apply it in a very short amount of time. 

Your "everyday makeup look" should be something that makes you feel good. This look is all about presenting a better version of yourself, while still looking like you

Let's get started!


Prep:
Apply moisturizer with a duo fiber brush,  followed by a touch of primer through the T-zone and under eyes. I just rub in the primer with my fingers to get it really worked into the skin. I also apply lip balm at this point. This step is especially important if wearing a matte lipstick, as it will prevent the lips from looking too dry. 


Face Base:
I dotted my Milani foundation around my face and neck, and buffed it in with a buffing brush that was sprayed with setting spray.

Next, I applied just a little bit of concealer under my eyes and to any dark areas on my face, more as a highlight than a cover up. This step could probably be skipped since I will apply concealer later, but I find my dark circles distracting,  and like an even canvas to work with.
 
Brows:
To start grooming my brows, I brush them up using my Real Techniques brow brush (the bristled end of the brow brush/lash comb tool). I use a dark brown pommade on an angled brush and focus the color on the arch, especially under the brow for a defined structure. Then using my Kelley Quan Wave Brush I apply an ash brown brow powder to any sparse areas using light feathery strokes. I then pick up my Real Techniques brow brush once more and use it to blend the product through my brows.

Using a cotton swab, I clean up around the brows before using a matte pencil highlighter from Milani and a flat concealer brush to further define my brows. You can use a concealer for this step if you prefer, just pick one that has a brightening effect.  For the flat concealer brush, I like using one with longer bristles that have more flexibility to them. This allows me to get the highlighter right up under the brows very closely without getting product in the brow hairs themselves. 


Eyes:
I used a nude creamy eye primer from NYX to prep the lids for shadow. Again, you can use a matte concealer for this step, or if your eyelids are dry, skip it altogether. 
For powder eyeshadow,  I used 3 matte colors from the Urban Decay Naked Petite Heat Palette; Vibrate (soft nude), Heist (rich cayenne) and Strike (rich reddish-brown). As always, you can use any eyeshadow in your collection, just choose matte, warm shadows as they will work best for the type of look we are trying to achieve. 

To start the eyeshadow look, I applied Vibrate using a blending brush to set the primer. If you don't have this palette, use any matte shadow that is just a touch darker than your skin tone. I started at the lash line blending upward. Just a thin coat of this color will do. Next, I picked up Heist on the tip of the same blending brush and began at the outer corner of the eye blending it on using short circular motions. The color was applied through the crease of the eye, with a little bit being swept onto the eyelid. It is important to stabilize the skin so the shadow blends on smoothly. I like a rich warm tone for this step because it helps define the eye emphasizing the natural blue in my eyes. 


Use a clean brush to blend out the edges. Everything should look seamless and hazy. Using a very thin angled brush, I applied the darkest color in the palette (Strike) to the upper lash line. If you want a more defined liner, you can dampen your brush, but I don't think it is necessary with these shadows as they are quite pigmented. I only bring the liner about 3/4 of the way in. Using whatever is left on the brush, I gently press the color under my lower lash line, keeping the color along the outer 3/4 only. Make sure the color on the bottom lash line connects with the liner on top. I used a cotton swab to smudge the color, reapplying and smudging as desired.

For full lashes, I applied a few coats of Milani Big and Bigger Lashes Mascara to top and bottom lashes after curling them with a metal lash curler. 


Face Color:
Using foundation and concealer evens out the skin, but it also removes any color from the face. Color cosmetics can help add the color back in a more strategic way. To finish up the face, I applied Fenty Beauty Matchstix cream color in Amber,  blending it out with a pointed foundation brush. Amber is a very natural looking contour color on my skin tone. The pointed foundation brush I used is a shape and size that mimics fingers. You can certainly blend the color in with your fingers instead of a brush if desired. To clean up and brighten the under eye area, I added a healthy dose of my Aveda inner light concealer to highlight my face.  This is such an underrated product. The color, texture and long lasting formula make this concealer a must-have product for my everyday look.  I set the concealer using a flat sponge and a colorless loose setting powder.  I used a very small amount of powder. The purpose of the powder in this look is to set the concealer, and provide a base for my powder blush. Too much powder can emphasize fine lines and make the skin look cakey.

Using my angled blush brush from the Crown Brush Syntho Series (see my synthetic brush guide for affiliate link & discount code), I gently swept on a bit of Milani Baked Powder Blush in Corallina. This blush has gold shimmer in it, so I don't need a separate highlighter, which is one of the reasons I love this product for everyday. Milani makes some of the best blushes on the market. The color selection, textures available, and affordable price point make them a go-to product for professional makeup artists and beginners alike. They offer colors that work for every skin tone, and many of their colors are universally flattering, which is especially helpful for makeup artists.  

Lips:
I applied Fenty Beauty Mattemoiselle Matte Lipstick in Freckle Fiesta (matte terracotta) directly from the tube to the center of the bottom lip. I pressed my lips together to spread it to my top lip, and then blended the color out using a Bdellium Tools Bold Lip Brush.  You can use your finger if you prefer, but I have always favored the precision of a lip brush.  I did not want the lip to have that overly "perfect" vibe, but was aiming for a more low maintenance look. Using the leftover concealer on my concealer brush, I cleaned up around the edges of my lips, not for a crisp edge, but just to clean up any smudges and add a bit of a highlight. 

Here is the finished look:

As you can see, the focus is clear, even skin, a bold brow and lovely lips that create a polished look. This look is professional,  without looking like I tried too hard. I only had to toss my lipstick in my bag for touchups and I was good to go for the rest of the day. If going out at night, smudge on some dark eyeliner and pat on some lip gloss for evening cocktails. 

This is such a pretty look for Autumn. I love terracotta,  rust, and other warm peppery colors this time of year. Fall also allows me to shed the balmy products of summer and replace them with richly pigmented hues. The warmth of the colors helps us forget how cool it will be outside soon! For more Fall friendly ideas, be sure to read my previous post.

What is your everyday makeup look this time of year? How do you revise your routine for cooler temperatures?


*Note: This post contains products purchased by me, and some sent for consideration by the company. I do not get paid to write reviews or accept money from any brands in exchange for mentioning them in my posts. 

I do have an affiliate link & discount code with Crown Brush. If you choose to shop through this link/use my code, I may make a very small commission. This helps support the site, and enables me to continue bringing you content you love. If you would like to learn more about how you can receive a discount on Crown Brush products, please contact me on Twitter @MakeupMatters1 for personalized recommendations. As a service, I help makeup lovers and artists building their kit decide which brushes work best for them. I do have posts outlining some of my favorites, but I think it is more beneficial to help you discover your favorites instead. 

No comments:

Post a Comment

Comments/Questions are highly encouraged. However please refrain from posting links to other sites. I cannot always respond personally to every post, but appreciate and read them all.