I love wearing make-up.  I play with colors and styles. I’ve been seen with glitter on my cheek bones, metallic gold eye lashes, and even beads in my lashes. It is just plain fun for me, and I ALWAYS have it on when I leave the house.   In fact, you can not catch me with a bare face even at the beach, and I showed up at the hospital to have all 3 of my babies with a full face of make-up. 

But some days, wearing a bunch of make-up is not very practical and not very necessary.  I’ve had requests for the recipe to a fresh and easy face.  So I am going to give you my recipe for my super casual days and days at the beach or by the pool.

Healthy Skin

The better you care for your skin, the healthier it will be and the less make-up you will need. Cleanse, tone and moisturize your face morning and night.  Your evenning routine will re-juvenate your skin as you sleep. Your morning routine will prep you for make-up and protect you during the day.  Don’t skip the moisturizer even if you have oily skin.  If I am planning a day that I will be in the sun alot I will use an SPF 45 or 60 sunscreen instead of my normal daytime moisturizer.

Facial Hair

Take care of it.   Fine hair anywhere on your face other than your brows and lashes can cause dark spots and shadows.  Keep your eyebrows well groomed and clean so that they gracefully frame your eyes.  Since you are looking for a minimalist look, you need to take advantage of every asset and brows are definitely an asset if they are well maintained.

Make-Up

Here are my no-fuss steps to a simple face:

    1.    On these days I like to use a Pressed Powder Foundation. Especially when I’m wearing heavy sunscreen.  Heavy sunscreens are often a bit sticky and can attracked dirt.  So I like to set them with a pressed powder foundation.  This really helps protect your skin from the sun, wind and dirt.  These are also nice and portable for touch ups after jumping out of the pool.  Be sure to pick a color that blends  well  with your skin color.  Don’t try to give yourself a tan with your foundation, it will look fake.

 

    2.  Next I like to add a nice glow to my cheeks. Bronzers can give you a more natural looking summer tan glow.  Ever so lightly dust your cheeks with it using an oversized blush brush.  You can  also gently touch it on your nose, cheeks and chin.  Then take a very soft blush in pale pink or peach and gently circle it on the apples of your cheeks and wash it over your eye lids.

  

    3.   Find a nice brown eye shadow that is just a shade lighter than your eye brows.  Take a fine angled brush and use it to fill in your eyebrows.  This wil help give your face some definition.  If your brows need extra structure (there is not a lot there to begin with) wet your brush first before applying.  You can  use that same brown eye shadow and same wet brush to line your eye lids. "Draw" it completely across your top lid, making it thiner on your inner lid and thicker to the outside. Do the same on your lower lid, but make it lighter and only bring it about half way across, leaving the inside light and bright.

 

    4.  Lashes are a necessity.  They are the final definition to make your eyes pop.  I highly recommend curling your lashes because it will open up your eyes and make them much bigger.  If you’ve never tried it, please do,  you won’t regret it.  It takes a little practice, but once you get the hang of it, it takes less than 30 seconds.  Then top off your new curly lashes with several coats of a good water proof mascara that won’t run when you take a quick dip in the pool.

 

    5.  Finish off with your lips. Lip glosses are always soft and pretty, but not always practical for active day wear, they come off easily and don’t protect your lips at all. A simple lip balm with sunscreen will protect your lips and give a little shine.  If you’d like some color I’d recommend a tinted sheer lip color with a sun screen in it like Aritstry’s Sheer Lip Colors with SPF 15.  It will last longer than a gloss, give you some color and protect you like a lip balm.

     

 

Fresh, clean and easy and great for those active days!!!

Let me know if you need more help with any of this or if you’d like specific recommendations.  I carry my favorites and can hook you up.

Lori