A/W make up Trends: Au natural flawless skin
Our faces are one of the main areas that can need an extra lift this coming season and here we have some handy hints and highstreet finds for ensuring you look your best no matter what the winter throws at us.
Before applying any make up onto the face, cleansing and preparing the skin is so important but often overlooked.
Find yourself a good cleanser and a blemish stick or red reducing cream to help calm the skin and create a good even base for applying a foundation to the face.
One of the main make up trends for a/w 2011 is nude, natural and flawless skin. Though it may sound simple, it can be hard to find the balance between the au naturale look but keeping enough colour in the face to look healthy all season.
As the freezing cold and wintery winds hit our faces it can result in dry skin or redness. One of the best ways to hydrate the face and add colour is to use a tinted moisturiser. If you find a good one, like this No7 product, then you'll be looking after your skin as well as looking great. Apply this in the areas most needed for you, it may be the cheeks, chin, under the eyes with a foundation brush, dabbing it onto the skin.
Olivia Palermo achieves her radiant looking complexion by using this £18.50 Benefit bottle of highlighter and if it's good enough for that flawless skin, it's good enough for us!
Another great tip for adding tone to the face is by using a highlighter in the areas at the corner of the nose and under the eyes. This clears the look of dark circles and instantly lifts the face and better reflects like, leaving you with a healthy glow. For any blemishes, use a concealer stick, dabbing on only a little to keep the colour on the face consistent otherwise it will stand out rather than blend away.
Though you make think that bronzers are only used in summer, it can be used for a/w make up to add a natural colour to the face. You don't need lots, but a brush over the cheek bones and a little on the temple goes a long way to adding glow and tone to the face in a natural looking way.
From Clinique at Debenhams £22.50
Pick a gradual bronzer like this one from Clinique and you can add as much colour to your face as you like without having to be restricted to the one shade - meaning you'll get more use out of it when the warmer weather returns.
If you've been following the runway shows, then you will have noticed the baby doll blusher trend that some designers including Marc Jacobs have used in their shows. If you're lucky enough to have beautiful porceline, pot-doll skin then a good pink blusher will look lovely on your face. Keep the rest of your features neutral, matte, nude lips and a good extendable mascara to really define the lash and the shape of the eye.
From Maybelline at Boots £5.19
I personally recommend the Maybelline Expert Wear blush as it is light on the face and is long lasting with very little needed. The range in shades are also excellent if your skin is quite difficult to judge for shading.
From Laura Geller at QVC £19
There is nothing worse than being pushed for time between work and an evening appointment and sporting a day of dated, fading make up. Rather than reapplying another layer of foundation or compact powder onto your face and clogging your pores, why not use a primer in the areas your face most needs attention. This livens up the face and has the effect of a brand new face of make up with very little effort or negativity to the skin.
The Laura Geller Champagne Spackle Primer from QVC has excellent reviews for its great finish and light weight texture. If you're looking for a product that will instantly add light and vibrancy to a tired face then this is the one for you!
Always remember to thoroughly wash make up off before going to bed and using a good moisuriser to combat the effects of the day on the skin.
And there you have it, you're a clean, blank canvas for the next day.
FemaleFirst Jenna Fordie twitter: @Jenna_FAM
Tagged in Fashion Trends