For years, my make-up routine has been fairly heavy-handed. A typical workday look includes two layers of BB cream (by YSL and Dr. Jart), a slick of bronzer (by Kevyn Aucoin)/highlighter (by Burberry)/blusher, a full-blown smokey eye (using Bobbi Brown cream eye shadow in Stone and Charlotte Tilbury eye quad in The Sophisticate). The whole ritual takes about 20 minutes, which is about 15 minutes too long during the summer.
But when I recently ran out of both my usual BB creams simultaneously, I test-drove some short-cuts for my routine. My goal: to cut out some products, reduce my reliance on dramatic eye looks and gain the confidence to show my skin rather than covering it.
Here’s the bare face. I’m only wearing serum by Clinique and SPF by Avène. (By the way, none of these photos have any filters.)
And here’s my finished result (again, no filter):
Overall, I was delighted with the fresh-faced dewy results. Here’s how I did it:
First, I mixed a a squirt of Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation (left) with a smidge of Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer (right). (I opted not to use the foundation with SPF, as I was already wearing SPF 50 with my moisturizer — but the foundation is available with SPF 15.)
Despite the thin formula, the combination provides surprisingly even coverage. The shimmer in the sheer formula is extremely flattering and made my skin look flushed and healthy, like I had gone for a run on a tropical island.
Next, I dabbed a tiny bit of Bobbi Brown Corrector in the under-eye area. (This is purely optional, but I haven’t been getting the greatest sleep lately.) This formula makes the eyes pop and look more awake.
As I mentioned, my eye make-u is usually pretty intense. Typically, I use 4-5 brushes and blitz through several pots of cream and powder shadows. After years of over-done looks, I’m in the mood for minimalism with a little pizazz.
I recently discovered Milk Makeup, a new brand created by the proprietors of a major photography studio in NYC and LA. The make-up line is affordable and extremely editorial — meaning this stuff looks as great in photographs as it does in the package.
My favorite product in the line is Eye Vinyl, a glossy coat for eyelids. Think of it as a shiny raincoat for your face — just enough shimmer and glint without the drama.
Red lips are my kryptonite — I will wear crimson lipstick anywhere, even the grocery store. But lately, I’m in the mood for something more subtle. This glossy lipstick by Burberry is a neutral, but with insane multi-dimensionality.
I topped the rest of the look with a quick pop of cream blush, clear brow gel and a coat of mascara. The look was durable and lasted all day — as evidenced by this photo then toward the end of the day.
Have you mastered a no-make-up look? I’d love to hear about it.