Make-up needn’t be complicated, and sometimes, it’s the simple makeup looks that work the hardest. Streamlining your make-up look not only saves time as you’re rushing out of the door, but as a result, it can also look more refined and understated. It’s the equivalent of removing an accessory when your outfit is looking a little OTT, right?
Having badgered make-up artists backstage at a number of fashion weeks and photoshoots, one thing I’ve always noticed is that they’ll often highlight one feature on the face, with everything else pared-back. It might be immaculately groomed eyebrows, a French-girl red lip with minimal eye-makeup, or perfectly glowing skin that takes centre-stage (ie, some no makeup-makeup trickery at work). These are the principles that keep your makeup looking modern and fresh.
With summer on the horizon, now is the perfect time to refresh your makeup. I caught up with expert makeup artist Lan Nguyen-Grealis on simple makeup looks that won’t make you late in the mornings.
A statement red lip looks effortless when done the French way, explains expert makeup artist, Lan Nguyen-Grealis. “A good French lip can be achieved by pouting your lip and adding lipstick to the centre of the mouth, then blending by tapping gently outwards,” she says. This look is less about creating a perfect lip and more so about diffusing the colour for a nonchalant look. Lan recommends keeping the rest of your makeup simple to keep it looking modern.
This liquid lipstick is velvety and lightweight – perfect for the French-girl red lip.
This lip stain creates a long-lasting flush to lips.
Brows can really frame the face and filling in your eyebrows is a really simple way to elevate your makeup look. Use an eyebrow spoolie to brush hairs upwards and outwards to open up your eyes. Then, use a brow pencil to fill in any sparse areas and set with an eyebrow gel to seal the deal.
Charlotte Tilbury comes out as one of the best makeup brands among beauty editors, and this brow pencil is one of the best. The pencil end is teeny-tiny, so you can draw in believable brow hairs.
Make like Hailey Bieber and opt for a smoked brown wing. Unlike black liquid eyeliner, this is much easier to do and low maintenance in comparison. Take an angled eyeshadow brush and draw outwards from your outer corner, following your upper lash-line. Add mascara and a neutral lip and bam, you’ve got a polished look.
This pigmented eyeshadow can be dialled up or down for daytime or evening.
Blusher is one of the easiest ways to update your makeup look. “A good blush should brighten up the skin,” explains Lan. “Choosing the colour is easy. Pinch your skin slightly to get the blood to the surface and match your blush to this colour for the most natural look. Bright colours can work well for tanned skin, deep red tones can work on dark skin and cold blue tones can work on pale skin,” she says.
You’ll be hard-passed to find any beauty editor who doesn’t love this blusher. The lightweight formula blends into the skin effortlessly for a natural flush, and comes in shades for every skin tone.
Simple doesn’t need to mean boring! With summer around the corner, why not experiment with a touch of colour on the eyes for a fun yet easy makeup look. Think minimalist placement to keep the look fresh.
This waterproof formula will stay put. Draw on the inner corners of the eyes or line along the lash line for a pop of colour.
When in doubt, a dewy makeup look will always be a winner. “Dewy skin starts with a good prep,” says Lan. “Mix moisturizer with a bit of highlighter for dewy skin. A balmy highlighter is great for the higher part of the cheekbones. Apply a little across the temples and centre of nose and finish with a spritz of face mist on top to give a fresh, dewy look.”
This clear balm highlighter imparts an expensive looking gloss to cheekbones without any glitzy shimmer.
An easy way to look pulled together is with a muted pink lipstick. A matte lipstick looks modern and is long-wearing for busy days when you want to look polished. We love this pairing with a winged eyeliner, too. It’s one of our favourite pretty makeup looks.
This muted rose shade can easily take you from desk to drinks.
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