[sleepy]

If your skin is really fair, like mine, the best solution for the foundation is to go to Prescriptives counter and have them mix the foundation for you according to your skin tone. I initially wanted to buy already existing foundation, but then after I tried everything out, it was either too yellow or too dark etc. For me Prescriptives is #1 with natural looking foundations (and I tried a lot of them). Bobby Brown foundations are also OK if you are looking for a cheaper alternative. If you really want to cover up breakouts, nothing natural works, the best solution for that is MAC studio fix. I use it only on days when I feel my face cannot be fixed

As for makeup, MAC people do tend to go for more dramatic looks, but I went there and asked for natural look and they did a great job. If the makeup artist is good, she/he will not push the look the doesn't fit you. Also, Bobby Brown counters do great natural looks.

[Sunniva]

I only use a little tinted moisturizer on my skin. It gived me a natural glow and can also be used to correct faceshapes. As you might know, the "perfect" faceshape is the oval. Tinted moisturizer can actually make your face look more oval. Okey, I know I'm a lousy drawer, but I've tried to illustrate where I apply the tinted moisturizer.

Oblong/long facehshape:

The brownish thing is supposed to be the mosturizer. I apply it on my forehead (along the hairline), on my chin and under my cheekbones. This makes my face look wider and shorter. (Remember to blend well!)



Square faceshape:

The next drawing is supposed to illustrate a square faceshape, and again, the brownish things are the tinted moisturizer. Apply it along the jawline and on the sides of your forehead. This will make your faceshape look narrower and more rounded.



My moisturizer is from Cosmica, a Swedish brand. I don't think you can buy Cosmica anywhere outside Scandinavia, but I've read good reports on Clarins Hydra-Care Tinted Moisturizer. I also think cheaper brands like L'Oreal and Nivea sell tinted moisturizer.

Blush is important if you want your skin to look healthy and natural. I think your fair skin will look good if you apply a little pink blush on your cheekbones. I like Body Shops' blush sticks. Some prefer powder, but I think blush sticks stay on longer. Smile when you look in the mirror, and apply it on the highest place on your cheekbone. Gently rub it up along the cheekbone.

That was the skin.

To make your eyes stand out, all you need is a little mascara, and maybe a white eyeliner. I like L'Oreals Panoramic Curl mascara. It actually curls your eyelashes a little bit, and gives volume. A white eyeliner "opens" your eyes, I like the one from H&M.

When it comes to lips, I prefer lipstick. I usually apply a little red lipstick on my finger, and dot it on my lips for a natural effect.

Good luck

[newprincesita]

Quote:

Originally Posted by softgrey i love this look... this is how me and all my friends wear makeup... almost none to speak of... just a little touch.. *and we are all thirty something as well... i'll be back in a bit... when i have more time.. but i don't think we have a thread like this already......

Looking forwards to your advice, Softgrey. Your opinions are always spot on.

My main problem is undereye and blemish coverage, because I REALLY need it and I can´t do it in a subtle way.

Maybe I´m a little bit obsessed, but I think a grown up woman should minimize her bags and blemishes before she goes out.
And believe, without any makeup on, I can look tired at the best, or sick at the worst.

I need advice on how to use the minimum possible of makeup to look decent, even if I´m in jeans and t shirt.

[xmodel citizen]

Looking natural is all about the application. Personally, I apply a light mosturizer all over my face and then let it settle. This is very important, because if you don't let it soak in you can get a weird buildup.

Then, I take a light liquid foundation, and apply it with a sponge, starting towards the inside of my face and then blending out. A little highlighter stick blended on your browbones and cheekbones can also help to freshen you up.

Personally, I'm nopt a big fan of concealer. I have fair skin and freckles (I'm a redhead), so it tends to look unnatural. You really should try to hide the imperfections. You can't truly hide then, you should just try and bring the focus to other areas. This is what makes the look truly natural.

Then, I dust my face with a loose transulcent powder. Then you can just dust a natural lookign blush up from the apples of your cheeks up into your hairline.

How you do your eyeshadow is up to you, but I'd say avoid black eyeliner. It's very harsh.

Hope that helps! I'm a makeup addict, but no one ever believes that I wear all of the products that I do. I like to keep it nice and natural.

[Kimkhuu]

What I do when I go for the minimal makeup look (which is now everyday):

Skin prepping: Concealer (Almay Skin Clearing Concealer in Medium) SAME color as skin first on imperfections, under eyes and around nose area. On top of it, I put oil free moisturizer (Chanel Hydramax Oil Free hydrating Gel) well blended to make concealer unoticeable.

Eyes: A very thin liquid black eyeliner (L'Oreal liquid eyeliner in black) stroke on top of eyelid (a bit thinner in the inner corner of eye and getting VERY slightly thicker toward the end and the line ends at the end of the eye, non extended). One coat of mascara (L'Oreal Voluminous mascara). Brows are groomed with two coats of clear brow gel (MAC Brow Set in Clear). One coat is to brush the hair up. One minute later, a second coat to brush them straight following the growing direction of brows and to set them in place.

Lips: One swipe of moisturizing lipstick (Clinique Different lipstick in Twinkle) in a shade that's slightly more rosy than my lips.

What I do to go fancy, but still within the minimal/natural makeup mood. A few of my options are to extend the black eyeliner a bit towards the end of the eye (a la Francoise Hardy) or to add a second coat of mascara or to add a very pale rose powder blush to my cheeks.

Voila....!

[softgrey]

i think that the thread tht this was merged into is different than the question i was going to respond to...
...

i though twe were going for minimal--meaning very little...make up...
not using tons of foundations powders highlighters and concealers to achieve a 'natural' look......


*now i don't know how to respond...

so let me just say- YSL touche eclat #1...
changed my life...

[xmodel citizen]

^^ That's why natural makeup is so difficult! I was reading an article about Laura Mercier, and she was saying that it takes twice as much time and products to achieve a "natural" look than it does to do something more dramatic.

That being said, Laura Mericer products are amaaaazing! They're very expensive, but her concealer is worth the money and looks VERY natural.

[softgrey]

that might be true..

but you ALWAYS have the option of achieving a natural look NATURALLY...
i know plenty of make up artists- and they NEVER wear a full face of make up on a daily basis....

that kind of stuff- the natural look using TONS of make up is reserved for special events and nights out...

*most of us aren't on the red carpet on a regular basis, you know?..
and we don't need to do all that nonsense- spend all that time...and all that $$$ to get ready everyday...

plus- i never think any sort of foundation is 'natural'...
it's not natural if you can't see the person's actual skin...imo...

*the most i would do is a tinted moisturiser...with sunblock...
maybe something that has a tiny bit of sparkle to it to reflect light and make your skin more radiant...

but no foundation...
maybe just a light dusting of loose powder with a brush to absorb extra oil...

[Kimkhuu]

Some of us aren't blessed with perfectly clear complexions and must rely on concealers and all the creams and powders..... What I usually do is use a concealer on imperfections and moisturizer on top of it to make it better.

I wish I could simply go out bare face or simply with a little moisturizer....

[xmodel citizen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kimkhuu Some of us aren't blessed with perfectly clear complexions and must rely on concealers and all the creams and powders..... What I usually do is use a concealer on imperfections and moisturizer on top of it to make it better. I wish I could simply go out bare face or simply with a little moisturizer....

Exactly! My skin's been pretty bad lately, lots of pimples, so I have to wear all of that stuff. Eek! You don't want to see me without makeup!

[sleepy]

Exactly my point. On days when my face looks perfect, I just put a bit of concealer under my eyes and a bit of Prescriptives foundation with a touch of blush and neutral lipstick and I look great. On the other hand, when I have a breakout, there is nominimal makeup that can achieve natural look. I have to use MAC foundation that actually covers my face and all the redness and imperfections. So, if you have perfect complexion all the time, any light foundation will do it. My only observation is that powder makes my skin look really bad at all times. If I want to look natural, I just apply liquid foundation and maybe a bit of powder around the T-zone.

[Kimkhuu]

A few minimal makeup looks from the F/W 06.07 runway

Calvin Klein F/W 06.07
Source: style.com


Marc Jacobs F/W 06.07
Source: style.com

[Kimkhuu]

Balenciaga F/W 06.07
Source: style.com


Jil Sander F/W 06.07
Source: style.com

[Kimkhuu]

Preen F/W 06.07
Source: elle.com


Junya Watanabe F/W 06.07
Source: style.com

[Blanche DuBois]

I loved this thread
but I thought I would get a list of things I need to buy...

For instance: I wanna have this look everyday

Chloe s/s 2005, style.com

How do I get this look?
Which products should I wear? (I do not mean what brands, but what exactly?)
I only use a foundation in cream, but I have oil skin, so is that good??
should I put concealer, foundation and powder? and then blush?
isn't that too much?

I need a list of thing to make may skin looks great, not the eyes or mouth, just the canvas that it is our skin.