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Makeup advice

crazyone

Veteran

On a daily basis, I wear *no* makeup. And in the last few years, I've even dialed down my makeup wearing for special occasions. The thing is, I live in New England and work in science...so most of my friends and women around me also never wear makeup. But I think is like to start wearing a little. The first two pics are me with a bare face (excuse the messy hair!). Based on those pics, I think the biggest boost to my look would be mascara and eyeliner and perhaps undereye concealer. And I need to get my eyebrows done but that is something I do anyway. The last pic is from an event in SF where I had a free MAC makeover but the makeup in that case is quite heavy and I didn't get any eye makeup done, which makes the look kind of unbalanced.

What would be your suggestions for me, for a light daily look? Specific product suggestions also welcome.

I have also bought some Laura Mercier products (the tinted moisturizer and the radiance primer) but haven't tried them yet.

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General

26 replies

Latest reply was from crazyone

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Mascara and gloss, and you are good to go.

elpgal

Veteran

You look beautiful! But I agree with Angie re mascara. Lot of oomph without much effort.

Peri

Veteran

Angie is technically right. But well, if you are wanting more fun than that...

Definitely the tinted moisturizer. Evening out skin tone makes us look a lot more polished but still very natural.
An easy wash of soft eyeshadow, one color. Something like a Laura Mercier Caviar Stick. Or for a fantastic budget friendly option, L'Oreal Color Riche mono shadows. They are a sort of cream-powder blend and just smooth on with your fingers. Cafe Au Lait would look soft and natural on you.
A black eye pencil for liner. Kohl types give a soft look and are smudge-able but that is also a problem. Most brands do a long lasting pencil so you can find this at any price range. Black eyeshadow used with a fine brush can make a really soft eyeliner...beautiful but less long lasting.
Mascara definitely.
Creamy pinkish nude lipstick. You'd have to go to a counter for that because there are so many shades and it is really easy to go very wrong with nude! The right shade can be the best look in the world...the wrong one, the worst. You can waste a ton of money experimenting at the drugstore, or just go to a MAC or LM counter and buy one perfect one. Don't go too matte with nudes...that's trendy now but with nudes can look very unnatural instead of natural.

There...still easy and natural, but a lot more fun!

crazyone

Veteran

Angie and elpgal: thanks! I will definitely try wearing mascara today as I am going to put in my contacts (too lazy to do so most weekdays).

Peri: wow, thanks for the detailed advice! Just one question...do you think the pinkish nude lipstick would work for me? My lips are naturally quite pigmented so I find that only more pignmented shades work for me. I will definitely check out the caviar stick type of eyeshadow...I do have some eyeshadow and wear it for special occasions but I find the whole process kind of fussy because it involves different colors and different brushes and then finger blending.

The one thing I have never tried in my life is blush! I used to have moderate acne until a few years ago and felt like blush would just accentuate that.

Peri

Veteran

That's why you need to go to a counter! I'm talking about "nude for you" which might translate as a medium rose. Just a shade that is close to your lip color but one step deeper for some shine and richness. The nudes you have tried and thought didn't work were probably what everyone thinks of as nude...like a peach-tan no color kind of shade. Thats why I said nudes can be great or horrible and are the hardest shades to get right. Why is "tan white girl" color called "nude" when it would only be the right nude for a tan white girl??! I'm super pale and generic nude always looks orange on me. My nude is a pale rose.

I find gloss to be a pain because of the sticky factor and the lack of staying power. I much prefer a cream type. The "chubby stick" kind that are everywhere now are great because they have more color than gloss but are still fairly sheer. Hmmm..I bet Clinique Super Strawberry Chubby Stick would be great on you. Or something like that but one step deeper. Don't waste your time and money at the drugstore here...go to a counter!

I don;t think you need blush. You have amazing eyes...play those up and add polish with lipstick. Keep cheeks neutral.

crazyone

Veteran

Ok, this is with the Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer, the Fresh sugar rose lip treatment, and some MAC mascara. The applicator on the mascara was not good though so I kind of messed that up.

And Peri, thanks for the advice on lips and cheeks

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Joyce B

Veteran

I am not a makeup expert but that picture looks great, nice and light but polished.

Peri

Veteran

Fantastic! That's what I meant by nude for you! Perfect natural lip color. The tinted moisturizer is perfect too.

Can't wait to see when you try the color wash eyeshadow and some soft eyeliner. I really think your eyes should be the thing you focus on, they are so beautiful. You can go much "more" with the mascara and still look natural! Do you use an eyelash curler? A 30 second trick that can make so much difference.

rachylou

Veteran

Ok ok... everyone jump down my throat ... This tinted moisturizer feels *too* mattifying to me. I feel a dewier look would be more flattering and polished... And more mascara... And a glossier lip...

crazyone

Veteran

Rachy, I've already applied more mascara since taking that picture, since I also had the same impression. and I do often do glossier lips, but didn't feel like doing it today. As for my skin, I'm sure I'll become dewier once I start sweating: I'll probably be walking 5-6 miles outside today ;-). I find that tinted moisturizers often take a bit of time to oxidize on my face and really blend in. I wonder if another thing to do would be to mix in some physical block sunscreen (which I should have done anyway).

shedev

Veteran

That shade of lipcolor is really pretty on you.

Adelfa

Veteran

You are so pretty and have such nice skin that you hardly need makeup. But I do like the polish it gives. I agree about the eyes--add soft eyeliner and the color wash eyeshadow. Lips are great too. However now it's time to save Rachy and invite others to jump down my throat--to me the tinted moisturizer looks half a shade too light. Your own complexion is richer and nicer.

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

Pretty!

Your eyes are beautiful and definitely need more accentuation. Try a pencil eye liner to line the bottom lid. The effect is soft. Then a pen liquid liner to line the upper lid. That gives a thin line; perfect to just frame the eyes. And 2 coats of mascara.

The other option is to tight-line the upper lid (where you actually add color to the waterline or below the lashes, not above the lashes). I do that with my soft, smudge-able eye pencil (kohl like) but Angie & many others use a powder with a brush for that. It's a more natural look as it makes eyes look bigger & the lashes thicker. I like to do this for a no-makeup look during daytime.

Below is a photo I took a long time back when I was learning basic eye makeup. You can see both options and the difference they make. Some mascara has 'spread' as I was learning to also put mascara on my lower lashes back then....so excuse that! #2 & 3 are a close-up of my face from back then. I am wearing exactly the same things - tinted moisturizer, lipstick, eye pencil, and mascara.

I had really bad acne until a few years back and I have scars. That's never stopped me from wearing blush though. However, my fav blush is a very light, natural looking pink that only adds a healthy glow to my cheeks. I look like a clown in most other blushes (I don't end up blending properly because I'm color blind and can't actually see the color of blush at all!) but the one I love and am confident only adds a healthy glow - I use that often

Your tinted moisturizer & lipstick are perfect for you!

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crazyone

Veteran

Added a new pic in different lighting...I think the tinted moisturizer color is fine, what do you ladies think? just got my eyebrows done. Lipstick has already disappeared unfortunately

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Adelfa

Veteran

Oh yes, in that lighting your skin looks like you! Love it!

rachylou

Veteran

The colour looks good. And your eyebrows too Still craving shine...yes, I'm incorrigible...you have to forgive me...

crazyone

Veteran

Adelfa: thanks! My face can look very different based on lighting.

Rachy: I hear you, I kind of like the shine I'm getting in my barefaced shot. Maybe the primer will help with that? This is just the tinted moisturizer on top of my normal serum. I also bought the radiance primer but haven't tried that yet.

Jane

Veteran

Gorgeous! You have great eyebrows and the whites of your eyes are super white. The fresh sugar rose lip treatment is lovely, as is the mascara.

crazyone

Veteran

Rachy, just for you, a bolder lip color. Though still not a super glossy one. This is a liquid lipstick from Lush that has iridescent highlights that I love.

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Style Fan

Veteran

I love the mascara, brows and lip colour. I would do eye liner as Manny suggested. Curl your lashes. Sorry for being blunt but I really don't think you need the tinted moisturizer. Your skin is gorgeous on its own.

rachylou

Veteran

Oh yes. I think this is very shined & polished lol. Pun intended. I thank you for indulging me.

Vix

Veteran

Hi CO --

You're certainly making this easy on everyone given your natural good looks!

For me, the bare minimum that makes a person look well-rested is ideal! So I'd just play around, road test, see what your tolerance for product application is in the mornings etc. You may find you have a couple of looks that go from less to more layered, and our preferences may not be yours.

Not sure if you used any products on your "done" brows but if not don't sweat it unless you have some unruly ones that need a little taming. To me your eyes and lips stand out on their own so while they look even better played up you may decide skin is your #1 focus. Conversely you may go for eyes/lips to get a lot of bang for little effort!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Love that last photo...but really, you are so pretty and have such beautiful features that you could do just about anything and look great!

Peri

Veteran

Back after an afternoon/evening away. You look lovely! The thing about makeup is, there are tons of ways to look great. You don't have to decide one way. Personally I think it is so much easier than clothes! All my advice above was based on you wanting to look polished but natural, for feeling comfortable around women who didn't wear any. But you can do as much or as little as you want...play! Makeup is easy, it washes off.

Anonymous

Wow, your brows look phenomenal! They really add a lot of polish.
And I love the nude-to-you lipstick.
.
I'm no makeup expert but I like a metallic shimery light-coloured eye shadow near my lash line for day.

crazyone

Veteran

Peri: thanks for all your advice! I took it all in the spirit it was meant I actually find clothes much easier, but glad there are people who feel differently! BTW, Nordstrom is having a Trish McEvoy sale so I ordered an eyeshadow stick in a bronze-y color, the tubing mascara, and also an eye-lift product.

StyleFan: I am extremely flattered by your "blunt advice"! For a long time I had not so great skin on my face, and still think of my complexion as being fairly uneven.