Simple + Natural Beauty 101

When I meet models and photographers, they often comment about the lack of makeup that I wear and are often surprised at that fact that I am a makeup artist. Truth is, my approach to everyday makeup is simplistic and modern (less is more) but, I guess they expect for me to walk on set ready for the Oscars. At the end of the day, my work speaks for itself and all questions and doubts are answered about my ability to create their desired look.

I believe in a clean, simple and luminous face that highlights your best features. Focus on facial skin health and use everyday makeup to enhance instead of covering up what is naturally beautiful. Makeup is supposed to be fun, and I encourage the use of color - while keeping it simple. 

Sometimes there calls for a little bit more makeup for special occasions and for the occasional blemish left behind by an irritating pimple. But here, I'd like to share with you my simplistic beauty and makeup routine.

Before the Makeup Prep: 

#1 Wash Your Face Every Night - no matter what! 

#2 Use An Overnight Moisturizer: Your body repairs itself while you sleep, and I'm often surprised to find my most beautiful moments in the mirror when I wake up. There is little inflammation, pores vanish and there's a lot of clarity. (Actually SLEEP itself is a skin revitalizer, so get your beauty rest.)

#3 Exfoliate Weekly

#4 Apply an Eye Cream night and day.

#5 Use a Daily SPF 30+ Lightweight Moisturizer under makeup to help foundation adhere and look more natural.

#6 Keep eyebrows and other unsightly facial hair groomed and clean. Do not over tweeze your brows, modern eyebrows are full and usually related to youthfulness. 

#7 Don't forget your lips - brush them with an extra toothbrush right after you brush your teeth and apply Vaseline or your lip moisturizer of choice at night.

#8 Moisturize feet, knees, elbows, hands and ankles with something like cocoa butter every night before you hit the sack. 

Natural Makeup:

#1a -  If you have a somewhat clear and even complexion but may have an unsightly pimple to cover up every now and then, or just want to help brighten your under eye area, you can get away with just using concealer. However, this concealer MUST match your complexion exactly. When shopping for an exact match concealer, always use natural light to help judge which shade is best for you - which means stepping outside of the department store to chose the best match. Apply concealer with a moist triangular sponge wedge shape helps to reach the lower lash line. (Try MAC's Studio Sculpt Concealer.)

#1b - If you desire a foundation because you have a bit of uneven skin tone and texture, I recommend using a liquid foundation to enhance youthfulness and glow. Leave the powder foundation to the newscasters! Make Up Forever's new HD Invisible Cover Foundation ($40) is a dream and comes in the best ranges for skin of  color that I have ever witnessed.  

#2a Adding a bronzer on top of bare skin and/or foundation gives you another level of dimension that brings back the natural depth and dimension to your skin. Bronzer should be applied to the hollows of cheek, temple, hair line, chin, and swept lightly across your cheeks and the bridge of your nose. You can go without blush if you want a simple look with just bronzer, but I like to add a little color (peach/coral) right at the center/apple of the cheek. Bronzer and cheek color brings life back into your face. 

#2b An alternative to bronzer would be an a product like NARS Orgasm Illuminator ($29 for 1.1oz but so worth it) which defeats a lackluster complexion with colors of peach and flecks of gold. Apply this product at the high places on your face; forehead, temples, brow bone, top of your cheek bone, the tip and bridge of your nose and chin. Those are the locations that light reflects off of your face the most. 

#3 Sweep a couple coats of mascara on the lashes, and don't forget the bottom lashes for a wide eyed effect. (To kick it up just a notch, try a dark brown or soft black eyeliner and apply as close as you can get it to your lash line. That will lift your eye.)

#4 Apply a coat of lip gloss, satin or lustre lipstick (without glitter) that is close to your natural lip color, and VOILA!

Makeup needs not to be complicated and dosen't have to take over 5 minutes to complete in the morning. Primers, shadows, lip liners, etc, can all be skipped when you're just trying to enhance what you got while not looking "made up". Following these tips will give you exactly the clean and simple effect. I wish that I could include step by step photographs and video but when I have a chance to find a muse for demonstration I'll repost with those visual aids...

Enjoy and have a Blushed Day!