Thanks to some heavy guns which were recently added to my skincare arsenal (Guerlain Abeille Royale Youth Serum, Sisley Botanical Facial Mask with Tropical Resins, La Roche Posay Effaclar K and Effaclar A.I.), I have not suffered a major breakout in weeks. The scars and pigmentation from old blemishes will take a lot longer to clear, of course, but at least for the moment, I don't feel like cringing every time I look at my own unmade-up face in the mirror.
So, perfect time to show you what difference minimal coverage and, more importantly, brows can make.
The above image on the left is me freshly washed, moisturised and prepped, but without any makeup on. Note the sallowness around the eyes (liver disease? or not enough sleep? the hypochondriac in me wonders), and the sparse and uneven brows.
Now look at the other photo of me (right), only minutes later with the bare essentials on:
Step 1: a light foundation (Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua) applied with my hands, concentrating on the T-zone;
Step 2: concealer (Cle de Peau), applied with fingertips under the eyes, on the eyelid and around the nose; and finally
Step 3: brow pencil (Shu Uemura Hard 9) to define and fill in my brows.
The difference is easily achieved and yet dramatic on a face like mine, enhancing the reality of my skin and features by compensating for their weaknesses, without giving the appearance of "visible" makeup. If not quite bright-eyed - this was before my morning coffee - I look instantly better, more polished, healthy and awake.
To complete the "minimal makeup" look, I would need only a hint of blush and some lip balm. Then, and only then, am I ready to pop outside for some breakfast and to pick up my dry cleaning.
* * *
Edited to add:
Okay, that was a lie. This (left) is what I actually wore when I went out the door. With the bare bones of the look already in place, what is anything else really but the garnish? But for the sake of full disclosure, here is what I added:
- A not-too-heavy balm on the eyelids for a bit of gloss, a trick taken from Dick Page's book. I used Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream Lip Protectant.
- Black eyeliner (MUFE Aqua Eyes 0L).
- A light coat of a natural-looking mascara (Shiseido Perfect Mascara in brown). Although barely noticeable, if you're going to wear eyeliner, you may as well balance it with some subtle mascara.
- Some pale pink eyeshadow, patted into the makeshift eye-gloss with a finger, to brighten the eyes. I used a pale blush/highlighter, Shu Uemura P42 Glow On.
- Red lipstick, in this case Cle de Peau Beaute R2 Red Abundance Ultra Rich Lipstick.
After base and brows, red lipstick gives you the most bang for your buck, high impact for very little effort, or even the appearance of effort. And for a lazy Saturday morning, what more do you really need?
Image note: This is not a vanity post. All photos were taken on my iPhone 4, which is the only camera I can find at home. None of them have been retouched.
I love this kind of light coverage. I'm still working out the compromise between base and the re-application of sunscreen though.This will be gorgeous with a red lip in summer.
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy indeed how much of a difference very little makeup can make, too often we don't realize that and we pile up the stuff when it's unnecessary! You look beautiful, and I'm pretty sure liver diseases don't cause dark undereye circles ;-)
ReplyDelete@demps, I just edited the post to add a photo of the final final look, which did indeed include red lipstick! I love wearing this kind of makeup on the weekends.
ReplyDeleteI don't have the type of skin that burns easily, so I'm not as scrupulous with reapplying sunscreen during the day as I probably should be. I suppose one way would be to use a powder with SPF during the day...but that might start to look cakey after a while, and I don't know how effective that protection would be.
@Musing, in Eastern/Chinese medicine at least, shadows and yellowness around the eyes is a possible sign of liver disease, as I am constantly reminded by my mother. :)
ReplyDeleteI love experimenting with crazy colours and graphic shapes...but I'm not Lady Gaga. I don't wear outlandish clothes, and there is no persona in me that feels comfortable in extremely heavy, obvious makeup.
{Argh, submitted too soon. Edited to add}
ReplyDeleteCosign with your notes on minimalism. I've especially found that a light hand in applying mascara - whatever the color or formula - results int the most drastic changes for the positive. Beautiful!
That is a glorious red lipstick! I prefer the look of bare skin/a light base to a heavier coverage on me too. The whole look is very pretty and fresh.
ReplyDelete@Julie, there are definitely some women who can carry off heavy mascara. People of South Asian and Middle Eastern descent, often genetically blessed in natural lashes, will get away with khol and dramatic, dark lashes far better than I would, with my relatively smaller eyes and short, fine eyelashes. In general, though, I prefer natural-looking lashes. It's more modern, like you're not trying too hard.
ReplyDelete@Grace, the pigmentation of the CdP Ultra Rich Lipsticks is ridiculous. That was one swipe of the lipstick I was wearing in the photo, if you can believe it. I absolutely love them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dain and her preference for naturalism when it comes to base, instead of poreless perfection. Because my skin looks nowhere as clear and luminous as hers, though, as well as being marked with various scars, the resultant "naturalism" on me requires a lot more product than it does on Dain. The general principle, though - "go with however little you can get away With" - still applies.
Gosh, I love that red lipstick! Gorgeous!! Thankyou for the edit.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, powder SPF represents a terrible health hazard if it is inhaled, so I usually avoid powders or sprays. I am a little over-scrupulous with my sun protection, it's true, but the Australian sun has taken its toll on my skin already ;)
There is always tinted moisturizer with SPF. Face of Australia, Invisible Zinc, Fleur de Mer, etc.
ReplyDeleteVery pretty! In the last two years, I have been going overboard with my make up around the eyes. I don't use base and concealer, but I can see your point about their use! Today it's Sunday, so I'll try this approach. And add red lipstick!
ReplyDeleteIt just goes to show how little is required to instantly look polished and let us love what we see in the mirror. Your finished result is beautiful without really looking like makeup at all.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the brows, too. Essential. For me, the last required step would be something at least moderately tinted on my lips before I am ready to face the world.
As for the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream, I keep hearing about people using this on their eyes after first watching it in a Pixiwoo video. and I think it's about time I try it--especially now that my lids are less oily. Oh, and don't feel alone, somewhere along in my aging process I noticed that my eyelids had become a different color from the rest of my facial skin. I've heard it called "teabag stain" and that just about sums it up. :P
It's when the sclera of the eyes turn yellow that you have to worry about liver disease, not the skin.
And now I am worried about the "terrible health hazard if it is inhaled," regarding powdered SPF. I actually use one by Jane Iredale.
This may not be a tenable option if you've got naturally thin brows, but I've found the best solution has been to grow mine in. I mainly struggle with errant hairs that grow every which way—and pin straight Asian hair resists gel—but since I've started wearing them fuller, I can pluck them as they naturally align. An unexpected bonus. They need much less enhancement; I can even go bare, as in the KGD review.
ReplyDeleteWith naturalism, I think women trip on self-perception rather than technique.
@Joolz, I didn't start wearing base until a year or so after I began wearing makeup. But once you do, it's hard to go back. Foundation and/or concealer makes such a noticeable improvement; even when you're not making a big, bright statement with your eye makeup, you're not going to want to forget about the base unless your skin is already model-perfect.
ReplyDelete@ZP, I have the Eight Hour Cream in the formula which is intended for lips. It's very emollient, rose-coloured and lightly scented, and comes in a shallow, lightweight aluminium tin that (I think) you can only get in airport dutyfree. The colour and the scent both remind me of turkish delight. I use it to prep my lips in the morning before lipstick. When I'm caught on a plane or travelling with nothing else to hand, it's also good for dry skin, blisters, squeaky bike chains, etc.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that Pixiwoo had featured it on one of their videos. Dick Page, however, often uses a lip conditioner (and nothing else) on the models eyes in his fashion show looks. It comes off as fresh, sporty, youthful.
Eyeshadow rarely creases on me, so when I'm lazy, I also mix the 8 Hour Cream with a dark pencil or eyeshadow on the back on my hand to produce a cream colour with a lot of slip, which is then easy to apply to the eyes or lips with the fingers.
It's a very Australian obsession, this concern with sun protection. I'm not surprised that Australia produces so many products with high SPF, including some very decent tinted moisturisers, like Becca and Fleur de Mer.
@Dain, my brows are naturally thin and patchy, and I touch them with my tweezers as little as I can as it is; instead, I pluck mainly the area underneath the brow.
ReplyDelete@Zuzu's Petals The gloss/balm on the lids dates back to the early Calvin Klein shows in the 90s, when Kate Moss was the muse. The original influence is indeed Dick Page, but it has disseminated into the standard vocabulary that makeup artists often reference.
ReplyDeleteI've tried the Invisible Zinc TM and couldn't get past the smell. Did you find that too? Also, I don't use chemical sunscreens, as research has shown that they break down very quickly in sunlight (after about an hour) and release hormone disruptors into the bloodsteam (hello oxybenzone). I use physical sunscreens, ideally with around 20% Zinc Oxide, as studies show it's the best sun protection available.
ReplyDeleteThankyou for replying - I appreciate that whinging about sunscreen is not the best way to win friends and influence people ;)