Makeup Tricks

If you see a beauty fanatic or makeup junkie sporting the fresh faced look or luminous skin, chances are they've combined an array of products to achieve this look. Despite the effort of MAC and Giorgio Armani cosmetics to try and bottle this look into one product, it is best achieved by using a couple of ingredients to make it super duper! But like i always say, it starts with flawless complexion; it doesn't mean that your skin has to be spotless - let's face it, only a handful of humans and aliens alike have perfectly clear complexion - but it certainly has to look healthy and mositurised.

When i want to achieve the no-makeup look, i tend to use concealer, foundation, highlighter, blush and moisturiser! I personally don't believe in tinted moisturisers as i think it's a waste of money because you can only create one look from it. Instead, buy yourself a liquid foundation and powder. You can always mix your moisturiser with your foundation to make it more sheer and wear your foundation on its own when you need more coverage. In order to get the luminous look, a highlighter is the key ingredient in this concoction. I usually mix a drop of highlighter, foundation and moisturiser to get the perfect blend of healthy glow....whenever i do this, i always get asked what i've done to my skin as my makeup doesn't look obvious. Unfortunately, i havent done this in weeks as my Giorgio Armani highlighter has run out. There are also other highlighters on the market such as the one from Becca Cosmetics and Napoleon Perdis Liquid Viel.

It is easy to overdose on highlighter and end up looking like a sequined face so use sparingly. If you're not interested in mixing it in with your foundation, you can just dot it lightly on your cheeks to make it pop...but you must BLEND IT IN!!! You don't want a start and finish line when it comes to your makeup as it doesn't look natural at all, the best thing to aim for is a seamless transition with no obvious demarcations.

As for concealers, hmmm...that's a touch and go issue for me as i've always hated concealers but i've realised that stick foundations certainly do the trick. I would not recommend a MAC concealer as they tend to cake and create lines underneath your eyes making you look older so you might want to try Bobbi Brown as theirs has more moisture in it. Make sure you do put on some eye cream/moisturiser before wearing concealer underneath your eyes so you don't tug on your skin.

An extremely cheap alternative to creating a highlighter effect on your cheeks is to mix a golden eyeshadow with clear lipgloss or vaseline and slowly blend it onto your cheeks. but if you're going to use this method, you're better off applying it UNDERNEATH your foundation because if you put it after applying your foundation, you'll get the streak effect with is NOT HOT!!! Bobbi Brown has shimmer bricks which in my opinion are solid versions of highlighters.

Source: Photo