Make-up minimalists, this one’s for you. If you aren’t a fan of full-coverage foundations, voluminous lashes or bold eye and lip shades, that’s okay. Make-up can be used in an understated way and still have a massive impact on your overall look. We’re here to show you how subtle make-up can still make a statement.
To begin, focus on the areas you’d like to enhance and work from there. We suggest picking universal, neutral shades that suit your skin tone and blend in easily. Try our selection of easy-to-try tips and tricks below to bring out the best in your features.
Go For Gold
Gold is the most universal make-up shade you can find. If blending isn’t your forte, then you’re in luck. Gold hues are foolproof when it comes to blending, as they’re metallic. We recommend using a creamy formulated golden eyeshadow stick. It makes application a breeze and limits fall-out. To keep this look as minimal as possible, choose one of the following places to apply your gold eyeshadow – your brow bones or the inner corner of your eyes. Try just a smudge on the tops of your cheek bones and blend in with your fingers. Or you can line your eyelids and gently blend it out with an eyeshadow brush. This product is high up on our summer must-haves list.
Plump That Pout
Ready to add more va-va-voom to your pout – without the hassle of a lippy? Choose a nude or taupe-coloured lip liner and delicately line your top and bottom lips. Then, either using your fingers or a lipstick brush, blend the liner into the rest of your lips. To finish the look, apply a dollop of clear lip gloss in the centre of your top lip. This will give the illusion of a voluminous pout. We love lip liners because they have more longevity than lipsticks, don’t bleed and give more precision once applied.
Just A Tint
If you’re looking for a product to even out your skin tone or mask redness, but don’t want the hassle or heaviness of a foundation, try a tinted moisturiser. They’re lightweight, easy to apply and are known best for their ‘no make-up, make-up’ effect on the skin. You can apply it with a sponge, make-up brush or your fingers. We also love that this one from Bobbi Brown contains a SPF 15.
The Power Brow
A filled-in brow has the ability to change your entire look, in all the right ways. They’re the anchors of your face and the first thing that people notice. If you have light-coloured brow hairs, start off small by using a brow pencil to fill in the gaps, where hairs are sparse. Use feather-like strokes when filling in your brows instead of pressing hard, as you would an eyeliner. Remember, the purpose of the brow pencil is to resemble your brow hairs. Use the spooly on the other end of your pencil to brush your brows in place. Having perfectly defined brows can add length and definition to your face.
The Kitten Eye
Looking for some date-night make-up inspo? Try the kitten eye. It’s just like a regular cat-eye look, but on a smaller scale. Cat-eye looks have a bold top and bottom wing that’s dramatic – and often tricky to replicate. The kitten eye is a lot easier to create, with only a small flick having to be done on each eye. It’s also ideal for those who have hooded eyelids, as it has a lifting effect. Point the tip of your liquid eyeliner towards your ear and then press it outside the corner of your eye and slowly drag it along the top lid towards the centre. After reaching the middle, stop. Start again from your tear duct and move it to connect the lines. This method works better than one swoop.
