Get the look: natural makeup

There’s nothing more lovely than a fresh, clean face in a neutral palette. Nikki Goldstein
asks three top make-up artists to reveal their tips and techniques for creating this look.

Applying a natural make-up look is more difficult than it appears. There’s a lot of technique involved in mastering the texture of the skin and applying the right colours and products.

Without help, working out and perfecting the tricks of the trade would take an age. We’ve done the groundwork and gathered these time-saving tips from three top hair and
make-up artists, so you can achieve a natural look with professional polish.

Great daily make-up

For beautiful, natural make-up, it’s best to start with the basics. “It’s essential to have a good, healthy diet and lots of water,” says Lucy Baldock, a Sydney make-up artist who has developed her own cosmetics range. “It sounds like a cliché, but it’s true that good skin comes from within.”

Chris Coonrod, who has worked on photographic shoots all over the world says, “One of the hardest things to camouflage is pigmentation.” He believes prevention is the best cure and recommends using a daily sunscreen, such as Dermalogica Solar Defense Booster SPF 30, $54.

Bobbi Brown, a renowned international make-up artist with her own cosmetics range says, “A good make-up routine should start with good skincare. These basic products should be a part of your everyday regime: cleanser – if your skin isn’t cleansed properly it shows; sunscreen – wear a sunscreen year round, not just in summer; moisturiser – this is the most important step to look fresh with or without make-up; eye cream – the skin around the eyes is more delicate than the rest of your face and has special needs.”

As a general rule apply make-up in daylight, an arm’s width away from the mirror.

Beware of bathroom light; it’s often lit from above and will cast shadows on your face. If you need to use a magnifying mirror to apply your make-up, make sure you don’t attack innocent blemishes and don’t over-scrutinise your complexion. Even young skin looks imperfect in a magnifying mirror. Your make-up is only as good as the tools you use. Invest in good brushes and don’t skimp on skincare or foundation. 

A good foundation

“If I had to pick one product that most dramatically improves a woman’s appearance, it would be under-eye concealer because of the way it magically brightens the face,” says Bobbi. She advises using a small-headed brush with firm bristles to apply a generous amount of concealer under the eye, along the lash line and innermost corner of the eye. Gently tap the concealer with the pad of your index finger to blend it in.

If you do have pigmentation, blemishes or an uneven skin tone, dab a concealer such as Clinique Airbrush Concealer, $40, on to the marks and lightly pat the product into the skin with your fingertips. Chris likes to use Dermalogica Day Bright SPF 15, $84.50, over a moisturiser and under your foundation to prime the skin and even out the tone. Concealer is then applied over the top.

To perfect the creamy complexion that epitomises this season’s look, you’ll need to reach for a foundation that covers blemishes and leaves the skin looking dewy and flawless. Chris likes M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid SPF15, $48, because it gives a natural, yet matt finish.

“Foundation is my trick to achieving a smooth and even complexion,” says Bobbi. Yellow-toned foundations usually look best on all skin tones, but to ensure you get the right shade swipe a few shades on the side of your face and check your reflection in natural light. The shade that disappears is the right one”

Even in winter, Lucy likes to warm up the complexion a little with some bronzing powder dusted over the cheeks, temples, chin and forehead. Try Natio Brush On Bronzer, $15.25, for a light shimmer. “Powder is a great eraser,” Lucy says. “If you apply too much blush or eyeshadow, you can tone it down with translucent powder.” We like Napoleon Perdis Loose Powder, $45, which absorbs oil and gives a sheer, even finish.

“Don’t use heavy make-up on places where there are fine lines, under eyes and around the mouth,” she adds. “The pigments collect in the lines and can accentuate the wrinkles.” Always wait a minute or two between applying moisturiser and foundation. If there’s too much lubrication, foundation won’t set properly and will look cakey.

Before applying foundation, spritz your face with a hydrating product such as Jurlique Rosewater Freshener, $32, an essential oil spray. It smells wonderful and has an immediate calming effect on the nervous system.

Always blend foundation out towards the hairline and chin – and make sure you’ve dissolved all the pigments into your skin with your fingers, a brush or sponge.

Keep a powder compact, such as Becca Fine Pressed Powder, $62, in your handbag for daily touch-ups and lightly dab it on shiny spots.

There are times when it’s impossible to reapply make-up to your entire face, but it needs to be freshened up. Nivea Refreshing Facial Wipes, $7.50, allow you to remove some of your make-up, or all of it, without leaving a greasy slick on your face.

Affirm your individual beauty every time you look at yourself in the mirror. Don’t focus on small imperfections and flaws.

Don’t be too cheeky

“I am obsessed with blush because I think it makes everyone look prettier; not to mention the fact it’s an instant face brightener,” says Bobbi. “A woman should have at least two blush colours: a natural one and a ‘pop’ of colour. Your natural shade of blush should look like your cheeks when you’re naturally flushed (or after you’ve exercised). Your pop of colour should be brighter and clearer (that is, less muted) – for example, pink, coral, rose or plum.”

Chris, however, warns against using too much blush and suggests using minimal colour on the cheeks. “I like to see skin, not a lot of powdery blush,” he explains. One of the best make-up tools is Bloom Cheek Tint, $20, a gel-like formula that gives you a healthy, natural glow. “A dab of blush on the nose will give you a healthy, outdoorsy look,” Chris adds.

Lucy believes a cream blush is good for daytime when you want to look ultra-natural. But for extra pizzazz at night she likes a shimmering powder blush that enhances the skin’s natural glow. “Brush it over the apples of your cheeks and over the temples and underneath your chin,” she says.

The eyes have it

“I love powder eyeshadow because it’s versatile and easy to work with,” says Bobbi. Choose from soft matt (an all-around flattering option) or shimmery (find a formula that’s more sheer than frosted).

Cotton buds are always handy for blending shadow or smudging eyeliner. Use an eyelash curler, but don’t torture the lashes; squeeze them gently.

Keep your eye pencil in the fridge if you want a fine, precise line. If you’re going for a softer, thicker line just run the tip of the pencil over the ball of your finger to warm it up. Apply mascara with the brush tip held vertically instead of horizontally to separate individual lashes. Try Australis Mega Lash Mascara, $9.95, to give the appearance of thicker lashes.

By dabbing a soft eyeliner such as Maybelline Expert Eyes Soft Liner Pencil, $13.50, into the upper and lower eyelashes you can give the eye definition without the harshness of a line. 

For night, try using a liquid eyeliner such as Avon Perfect Wear Liquid Eyewriter Eyeliner, $18.99, which has been formulated to provide a glossy black line. The eyes can be outlined to add drama, but keep the line fine to maintain a soft and subtle look.

Frame the face

Eyebrows frame the face; their shape and state of grooming can alter your look dramatically. “Don’t pluck your eyebrows to within an inch of their life,” says Lucy. “Follow the natural curve of the brow and pluck only the strays.”

If your eyebrows are pale, Bobbi suggests using a brow pencil or shadow in a light ash blonde shade to define them. If your eyebrows are medium to light brown, opt for sable or mahogany. If they’re black, go for a dark brown. If your eyebrows are reddish, use taupe or reddish brown and if they’re grey or white use slate or light grey.

“The eyebrows are the hardest thing to get right,” says Chris. “When they’re wrong it can change your whole face. Thin eyebrows age a person; bushy eyebrows make you look younger; and arched eyebrows give the face a sophisticated look. I mix two colours when I paint eyebrows in; the darker colour goes underneath and a lighter colour is applied on top.” We love the Bobbi Brown Limited Edition Brow Kit, $80, which includes two eyebrow colours, a mini brow brush and mini tweezers.

Matt eyeshadow applied with a slant-tipped brush can work as well as a brow shadow. For those who want a perfectly groomed look, Lucy suggests extending the ends of the brows with shadow. “This will frame the eyes and give the face an elegant finish,” she says.

Perfect your pout

“You don’t need to line the mouth all the way around to create a fuller looking pout,” says Lucy. She recommends just filling in the areas where the lips need most plumping – usually the centre of the mouth – with a soft, natural liner and smudging it over the lips to create a nude finish. “Add gloss, balm or a sheer lipgloss to polish off the look,” she says.

“As we get older lip colour fades, but it’s easy to fix,” says Bobbi. Her advice is to find a lipstick the same shade as your lips that blends into the bottom lip without appearing orange or brown. To add colour and vibrancy to lips choose a medium-toned pink, rose, berry or apricot.

Chris suggests applying lipstick with a brush. “When you apply lipstick directly from the tube your body heat melts the lipstick and you end up with too much product,” he explains.

Lucy advises using a sunscreen on your lips daily. Some lipsticks contain UV filters, such as Clinique Moisture Sheer Lipstick SPF 15, $36. It also contains shea butter to protect
and condition the lips and antioxidants to fight ageing.

 

Photography: Gavin O’Neill. Make-up: Chris Coonrood. Hair: Gaye Hiette. Styling: Nadene Duncan.