Sans Makeup, S'il Vous Plaît (NYT)

[GasolineRainbow]

There is absolutely no reason to look like you're wearing foundation anymore, because there are so many new formulas that are sheer yet have good coverage. I'm lucky to have smooth skin, but my skintone is very uneven, with a lot of redness. I have been wearing makeup for a number of years, and it took me a while to get it right, but now I swear it looks very natural. The trick is to find the right formula, right shade, and then use it only on the areas that need it (in my case that's the so-called tea zone). I'm currently using Bobbi Brown Tinted Balm, a light dusting of Dr. Hauschka translucent powder, and Givenchy Mister Light under my eyes. People complement me on my skin all the time - if only they knew!

 

[*HoneyBee*]

Hmmm... this is a very interesting thread because I got to read everyone's opinions on this whole makeup and sans makeup looks.

I myself wear what you would call heavy makeup.
I don't do it to 'cover' my imperfections, since I don't believe I have much anyway! But I do it because I like to portray a certain 'look'. It is the look that makes me feel more like 'me' and portrays my personality to the world.

I'm not American or French, I'm middle eastern, but I don't think it matters what I am because the argument of makeup is not dependable on where you come from... it is purely an individual issue.

 

[Virginielle]

I'm currently using Bobbi Brown Tinted Balm, a light dusting of Dr. Hauschka translucent powder, and Givenchy Mister Light under my eyes.

How is the Bobbi Brown stuff? I am currently using Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer and might be open to switching. I like as natural-looking a coverage as I can manage.

 

[GasolineRainbow]

^^^ It's great stuff, I love it! Like a second skin. Very expensive (about 55 euros) but worth it. Great color selection, smooth, sheer but buildable, doesn't break me out. It has a 25 SPF as well, which is always good. It's only a recent purchase though, and I have a feeling its texture might be a bit too heavy for the summer heat. Also, I haven't tested how it photographs yet (products with spf often leave skin with a whitish cast in pictures). But other than that, a definite thumbs up.

 

[Fabulyss]

^^^ It's great stuff, I love it! Like a second skin. Very expensive (about 55 euros) but worth it. Great color selection, smooth, sheer but buildable, doesn't break me out. It has a 25 SPF as well, which is always good. It's only a recent purchase though, and I have a feeling its texture might be a bit too heavy for the summer heat. Also, I haven't tested how it photographs yet (products with spf often leave skin with a whitish cast in pictures). But other than that, a definite thumbs up.

^Are you talking about the stuff in the glass jar?? I bought it and absolutely loved it but it's so heavy I fear it causes breakouts Fantastic finish though.

 

[GasolineRainbow]

^^ Yes, the stuff in the jar. Luckily it doesn't break me out, but I agree that it's quite heavy, so I see how it could do so.

 

[Tushka_BeLLa]

I've really been wanting to try the Bobbi Brown balm! What is Givenchy Mister Light?

 

[Street_a_Licious]

Givenchy's version of Touche Eclat.

 

[Les_Sucettes]

Unless someone has perfect skin it always looks better with a bit of natural make-up. Gives it a more polished look, I never meet anyone that looked better without at least a tiny bit of make-up unless they are children or very young. And from a certain age make is necessary to bring life to the face.

I love the flawless natural look, but my skin is far from great so I do use all the products in existence to look that I'm not wearing any, I love it when people comment how lucky I am because i have porcelain skin, yeah right, my skin is just terrible.

 

[unipine]

the makeup i wear is limited to mascara and lip stain. i wear concealer under my eyes on sleepy days, but thankfully i don't and have never had skin problems.

funny that this thread kicked up again lately because i've been noticing more and more the excessive amount of makeup a lot of girls wear around here. it looks so heavy and weighed down that i almost want to cringe when i see it.

 

[kissablekae]

^ yeah mee too i see a lot of girls with excessive makeup all the time. i cant stand it! one of my male coworkers saw this girl who came in with horrible black eyeshadow all over her lids and declared "damn she looks like an alien"..nothing wrong with black eyeshadow but it was really just much too much!

when i had my Communications/Public Speaking class, i felt it was very important to look presentable..especially on the days i would be speaking because i think its important to look nice. Little things like blush make a world of a difference in making you look "nicer"(for lack of a better word)/friendlier. Its like being a performer on stage, you want to make sure the audience sees your face and expressions, might as well make the best of it! but now im done with the class so now i feel like i can go back to the normal bare minimum look which is concealer(to conceal my tired hardworking college student look), smudge of brown eyeliner(to make lashes look fuller), and mascara to open the eyes.

Unless someone has perfect skin it always looks better with a bit of natural make-up. Gives it a more polished look, I never meet anyone that looked better without at least a tiny bit of make-up unless they are children or very young. And from a certain age make is necessary to bring life to the face.

i find this very true as well, the only people ive seen who look good without makeup is like you said children and models like Catherine McNeil etc

 

[HeatherAnne]

^ Big fan of brown eyeliner during the day, so many people wear heavy black liquid eyeliner and it just so harsh for the day (of course there are exceptions, so I hope not to offend anyone!)

 

[spiritedwildfire]

How is the Bobbi Brown stuff? I am currently using Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer and might be open to switching. I like as natural-looking a coverage as I can manage.

How do you like Laura Mercier?? That's a natural line right? A make up artist used it on my face once and I loved how it looked, but haven't bought any yet. What do you like about it, or dislike?? Thanks.

 

[miaou]

I don't wear makeup because it feels heavy on my face and makes me oily...Plus, I have the great luck of having adult acne right now (well, I guess it's only fair since I didn't break out at all when I was a teenager!), and I feel that wearing makeup will only aggravate it. The only annoyance I have with being sans makeup is that without undereye concealer, I look extremely tired. But, I look to Ms. Carine Roitfeld as inspiration because she has some pretty serious undereye circles and doesn't cover them up at all!

 

[Virginielle]

How do you like Laura Mercier?? That's a natural line right? A make up artist used it on my face once and I loved how it looked, but haven't bought any yet. What do you like about it, or dislike?? Thanks.

I've recently decided that Laura Mercier is the best. I have been wearing tinted moisturizer since high school and have tried all of the following:
Benefit YouRebel
Lancome AquaTeint
Shiseido The Skincare
CoverGirl
Stila
and Laura Mercier

Laura Mercier goes on the most matte (which is what I like), and actually feels like a moisturizer (some of the others feel too much like foundation and skin gets dry as the day goes on). It smells nicer than the others and during the day I don't get the impression that I'm wearing a whole lot of makeup at all. It's buildable coverage, which is nice, because I have some blotchiness on my cheeks and adding an extra layer of the stuff still looks good. It's sheer though, and definitely natural looking. I wear the tinted moisturizer with concealer over it, and that hides almost all of my imperfections without looking heavy.

The only reason I wanted to switch was because during the winter I get too pale for her NUDE shade, but not pale enough for PORCELAIN. The color was just slightly off, which defeats the purpose, in my opinion. If too dark or two pale, it starts to look as though you're wearing makeup, and tinted moisturizer was made for the minimal makeup crowd!

 

[spiritedwildfire]

The only reason I wanted to switch was because during the winter I get too pale for her NUDE shade, but not pale enough for PORCELAIN. The color was just slightly off, which defeats the purpose, in my opinion. If too dark or two pale, it starts to look as though you're wearing makeup, and tinted moisturizer was made for the minimal makeup crowd!

Thanks so much!! Your feedback really helps!
I think I'll see if the Sephora near me carries it, so I can try some on my skin. Thanks so much for your input! I think it will be good for summer. Right now all I use is Tarte powder on my skin, and would like something with a little more polish. After I try it, I'll give some feedback (dont know when tho ) I have trouble with shades matching as well, I'm pale, but have undertones that make a lot of makeup look ghostly on me..

 

[ambidextrous]

I hate having to put makeup on to look decent (like not so sleep deprived or sick), but I love playing with it, wearing colored eyeshadows, glitter..., it's like art if you don't have to care what others will think about you (like "OMG a wh*re, a clown" whatever, just paint your face features as you would paint on paper...

 

[winterise]

Laura Mercier goes on the most matte (which is what I like), and actually feels like a moisturizer (some of the others feel too much like foundation and skin gets dry as the day goes on). It smells nicer than the others and during the day I don't get the impression that I'm wearing a whole lot of makeup at all. It's buildable coverage, which is nice, because I have some blotchiness on my cheeks and adding an extra layer of the stuff still looks good. It's sheer though, and definitely natural looking. I wear the tinted moisturizer with concealer over it, and that hides almost all of my imperfections without looking heavy.

Do you use the oil free tinted moisturizer or her regular one?

 

[Erin]

^^ Makeup can definitely be fun... and to me, those colors and stuff have its place... but lately I have been more into mint green on my eyelids... peach blush... but it's not a look I go for every day.

 

[Cindysaurus]

i've really decreased the amount of makeup i use everyday once i saw myself in the mirror one morning before school; i felt so unnatural and fake. it really freaked me out. now i try to put on as little as possible; a little gold shimmer or white eyeliner in the inner corners of my eyes so that i look alive and some lip tint. i do wear stuff like blush and mascara on the weekends when i'm doing something special, though.