How To Minimise Daily Makeup Part 1.

Origins VitaZing; Clarins Flash Balm
Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer
Bobbi Brown Concealer Kit
NARS Deep Throat
MAC Lightscapade MSF

If, like most, you have a full makeup routine each day, it can be easy to slap on a little extra blusher, draw your eyebrows on thicker or cake on foundation over time. Before you know it, you resemble Jodie Marsh and you know it’s time to take action!
In recent months, I’ve been wearing minimal makeup. I still wear a “full face” daily, but my makeup is a lot more fresh and natural. I’m going to give you a run down of my favourite products and how to cut down on the layers. This is part one – part two is on its way and will focus on eye makeup.

A good base is essential for helping makeup last (which in turn means less makeup is used), I swear by Origins VitaZings moisturiser – it has a sheer tint which gives a brilliant glow, leaving your skin fresh and healthy looking. I find that if I start my day with this, my base falls in to place and I use less of everything, especially foundation and concealer.

To prime and leave my skin looking healthy, I use Clarins Flash Balm. This is the ultimate primer for a glowing base. My skin is normal/oily but I use products which give a satin finish rather than matte, I never find they leave me looking oily. Flash Balm is ideal for all skin types, it smoothes and brightens tired and dull skin. I adore this product and I always use it when my skin needs a boost. Flash Balm is an all time favourite and I really recommend this if you want a healthy finish.

My current favourite foundation is Laura Mercier Silk Creme, a long lasting foundation with great coverage and a natural finish. This covers all without looking caked, I use a small amount and apply it with my fingers, buffing in with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush. This foundation is buildable, so if you have areas (like myself) which are prone to a blemishes or redness, you can apply a little bit more in these areas and still have an overall natural looking base. For me, areas like my cheeks and forehead don’t require much coverage, so rather than apply a thick layer all over, it makes sense to leave makeup looking light and fresh in these areas.

Silk Creme lasts incredibly well and I don’t feel the need to use powder. Powder can give makeup a caked look, rather than a “less is more” natural glow, my advice is to only use powder if you really need it and even then, only on the areas you really need it – such as your T-Zone. On days I do wear powder, I think it takes away a lot of the glowing look I’ve tried hard to achieve, my makeup looks a lot more natural without it.

Concealer for me is essential as I do have a few blemishes that need a little extra coverage, I usually use less foundation for a natural look and use concealer where it’s needed, rather than slap on foundation all over and be left with a thick, unnatural looking base. Collections Lasting Perfection concealer is one of the best I’ve tried and a great way to cover all without looking heavy. Make sure your concealer matches your foundation perfectly, as too dark or too light can highlight and make it more obvious! I dab a small amount on and use a brush to buff in lightly. You’ll be surprised at how healthier you look with less foundation and concealer where you need it.

Bobbi Browns Concealer Kit is a light concealer which covers dark circles like nothing else. I’ve been using this for years now and it’s brilliant, it blends in so well and completes my whole base.

Using less blusher is one of the best things I’ve done, a product like NARS Deep Throat has a little bit of shimmer and a light pink flush for a really natural but healthy finish. Apply blusher lightly along your cheek bones, I avoid the apples of my cheeks as I think this looks too much. Remember we’re only trying to give ourselves a natural flush, not two bright stripes across our cheeks. I use Real Techniques Stippling brush to really blend in my blusher and create a natural, subtle glow.

When using matte or cream blushers, I like to add a subtle highlight to my cheekbones. At the moment I love MAC Lightscapade MSF, a really fine powder which just enough sheen to give the perfect highlight. I use a highlighter most days and I regularly get comments on how “glowing” I look, so I do recommend using highlighter if you don’t already.

I hope you found Part 1 helpful, I shall be putting up Part 2 (eye makeup) soon. I have felt a lot better since wearing more natural makeup, so these are just a few tips and tricks for you all.

What are your thoughts on minimal makeup?