If you have been wondering how to do simple makeup, this guide is for you. In this tutorial on simple makeup for everyday use, we will give you all the steps you need to know in order to easily apply basic makeup.
1. Start with daily routine care
No matter what your skin type is, regular cleansing, toning and moisturizing is essential to keep the skin clear. This will help set the stage for makeup so that your skin is ready and primed for the colors. Use a good cleanser twice a day made especially for your skin type. This will keep acne away. Follow this up with a witch hazel based toner to remove hidden impurities. Use a sunscreen during the day and a moisturizing cream or lotion at night. Use dermatologically approved hypoallergenic and non comedogenic products only. Also try and exfoliate weekly. Exfoliation removes dead skin cells to regenerate younger looking skin. There are 4 ways of exfoliating: cream, granular, chemical and enzyme based. For mature skin, cream exfoliation works best. More aggressive exfoliation can be obtained at a spa or a dermatologist’s clinic. Use face masks weekly; the ones made for your skin type can replenish lost moisture and provide elasticity and suppleness to the skin.
2. Buy the right tools
Here are some makeup tools you need for daily simple makeup.
- Well lit mirror
- Cotton wool
- Facial tissues
- Cotton swabs
- Makeup applicator wands
- Facial tissues
- Makeup brushes
- Sponges
- Baby oil or makeup remover
- Mist bottle with fresh water
- Baby wipes or makeup remover moistened wipes
- Cold cream
- Makeup items: concealer, eye shadow, mascara, primer, foundation, eye liner, eye brow pencil, lip pencil, lipstick, lip gloss. (we will describe the products below as well as tips to buy them.)
- Moisturizer (your favorite). Ideally it should have SPF for day time use. It should also be hypoallergenic and nonacnegenic.
3. Tips to buy the right makeup products and colors
- Foundation- Choose one shade darker than the color you wish to achieve on the face.
- Eyeliner- either liquid or the felt tip liner pen.
- Contouring colors- One shade lighter than your foundation for the highlights and one shade darker for the contour.
- Lip pencil- any color that you want your lips to be.
- Lip gloss
4. Apply the foundation
Foundation is an essential part of simple makeup. To apply foundation, start by adding “punctuation marks of the foundation” all over the face. Here are the marks to make: make a dot on the forehead, a narrow line along the nose, and commas around the corner of the nose and a period on the chin. Next, start blending the foundation with either cotton wool or makeup brushes. To make the contour sharper, blend it using colored makeup pencil and add the line to the edge and smudge it. Gently blot the excess with a tissue.
5. Use cover stick for spots and blemishes
Using the concealer stick, apply it to the dark circles and spots. Use a clean finger to blend the cover into the skin.
6. Wait for a few minutes before powdering down the foundation
Ideally you must wait for at least 3 minutes before proceeding. This allows the foundation to set. Now you need to powder down the foundation. Apply some loose powder on surgical cotton-wool and gently roll the cotton on the foundation.
7. Draw the eyebrows
Use a sharpened eyebrow pencil with a slightly blunt tip. Draw the lines to imitate the hair growth on the eyebrows. Alternatively, use an old toothbrush to spread out some mascara in the sparse eyebrows. If you have extra hairs, tweeze or thread them out. It is best to seek help from a professional to avoid sparse eyebrows.
8. Use eyelash comb and mascara
Use an eyelash comb to separate the eyelashes. Now apply mascara to the upper lashes. It is always better to apply mascara after applying foundation so that the eyelashes stand out against the background and help you choose the remaining colors. If you apply excess or make a mistake, gently apply some baby oil or dip a swab in water and correct the mistake.
9. Apply the eyeliner
Note: avoid using the eye liner in case you plan on wearing false eyelashes. Define the eyes by drawing a thick line above the tear duct on both the lower and upper lid. Decide on the thickness of the liner based on the depth of eyes you want.
10. Apply the eye shadow
To apply the eye shadow of your choice, first pick some powder on the makeup brush, swab or want. Then dust it off on the heel of your hand to avoid getting uneven color on the eyes. Blend the edges as desired.
11. Color the lips
First draw the outline of the lips completely by using the lipstick as a crayon. Fill in the center with the lip pencil. Lip pencil remains on longer and does not end up on glasses or other things your lips touch. Once you have colored your lips, purse them and place a finger in the mouth pulling it out immediately. This way, the color does not end up on the teeth.
12. Time to contour
Start by highlighting the apples of the cheeks. You can also highlight the temples and lengthen the lines of the neck. Contour color is bolder so make sure you blend it evenly. Use a clean brush to blend the contour color and the highlight color.
13. Powder the makeup
At this point, your entire makeup is done. Simply powder the completed makeup with loose powder and as explained above, use some cotton to apply it evenly.
14. Mist the makeup
Take the facial mist spray and spray all over the makeup to avoid a dried up look.
And that’s it! Those are the steps to apply simple makeup. You can add touch-ups through the day using foundation and lipstick, especially if you plan on being active or outdoors. To remove the makeup, use baby oil dabbed on clean cotton wool. Cleanse the face twice after this step. You can even use a toner immediately after.