The Secret to Natural, "No Makeup" Makeup

Nothing to Disclose



I'm a fan of makeup that doesn't really look like makeup. I don't want to have someone say to me that my makeup looks great (unless they mean my eye shadow, I'm ok with that), instead I want them to notice that I look like myself, only on a clear skinned, well rested day!

I asked some amazing makeup artists for their favorite tips for natural, "no makeup" makeup. Here are their favorite tips, complete with some great product choices!


Laura, blogs at My Newest Addiction, and she is available as a makeup artist
A nice light foundation. My current favorite is the Lumene CC Cream. It doesn't go on heavy but it does a great job correcting discoloration and doesn't need to be set with a powder. I would also use a brown mascara and a tinted lip balm.

Christina Farrell also blogs at The Makeup Blogger
Find an illuminating moisturizer and full coverage concealer that will work for your skin type. I love Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer.

Brianna Gonzalez, also blogs at Briksia
Lightly filling in your brows, adding some mascara, and applying concealer where you need it is essential for the "no makeup" look. Also, a dab of cream concealer on the cheeks is important to add some life into your skin.

Misha Shahzada
Instead of applying foundation all over the face for full coverage, try using a concealer where needed. This will help give a raw feel to the skin, while still covering up blemishes.


Lindsey Rivera
"No makeup" makeup is one of my favorite looks to do, and it can be one of the hardest! Calvin Klein once said "The best thing is to look natural, but it takes makeup to look natural."

Prepping the skin is extremely important. I usually clean the face with Bioderma Crealine, and apply moisturizer and/or primer. I use Makeup Forever HD Elixir on any dry spots. The best "no makeup" foundation for everyday wear would be a tinted moisturizer. You can make your own by mixing your current foundation with any moisturizer. Spot conceal blemishes, discolorations and dark circles.

Curl your lashes and apply a few coats of mascara. I like cream blush for no makeup looks because it makes you look more glowy from within, and natural. When you see powder on the skin, it looks like makeup. Creams blend more seamlessly. Inglot creme blushes are great. I also love Stila Convertible colors (you can also use these on your lips). Patti Dubroff has lip balm pencils that are perfect for no makeup looks. They are a balm but lightly tinted and super natural.

Norah Salazar blogs at Norah Loves Makeup, and she is available as a makeup artist
For a no-makeup makeup look, stick to tinted moisturizer and blush, it looks fresh and your skin is protected with spf and moisture all at once.

Sheila, blogs at The Painted Ladies, and she is available as a makeup artist
Make sure your skin is well- primed before hand and use an extremely light touch. I recommend using BB creams with a touch of translucent powder to set foundation and cream blushes and eyeshadows.


Meg Raiano
My favorite shadow for a 'no makeup' makeup look is definitely theBalm cosmetics Mary-Lou Manizer. Coupled with a really light bb cream, the Benefit Benetint liquid blush, and a dewey lip gloss or chapstick - this look will make you look flawless without looking like you're wearing makeup.

Kim Porter, you can also purchase her products at Kim Porter Cosmetics
For the perfect "no makeup" look I like to apply concealer, mascara, creme blush, and a sheer gloss.

Kim Porter
• Start with a clean canvas
• Prime or moisturize
• Apply the foundation where you need it.
• Cover blemishes and dark circles with concealers
• Make sure you blend
• Powder the areas that need shine and oil reduction (T-zone, sides of nose)
• Bronzer
• Mascara

Ivy Boyd blogs at Wake Up For Makeup
Try using an illuminator/luminizer. Either apply on high points of face or mix a tiny drop into foundation for a subtle, healthy glow.


Regina Ventimiglia
Too Faced 3 Way Lash Lining Tool to create tiny little unconnected dots in the upper lash line to really give the illusion of volumized, thicker lashes.

A few drops of Tarte Maracuja Oil mixed with Sun Beam by Benefit applied to the face or SkinPerfect Primer by Dermalogica mixed with 2-3 drops of their Skin Hydrating Booster..Talk about a glow!!

Shannon Van Horn
• Moisturizer- MAC Strobe Cream or Strobe liquid mixed with regular moisturizer gives a great glow
• Makeup Forever Liquid Lift concealer is my fave currently. Nice and creamy, can also work sheered out as a foundation.
• Mascara- I try new ones all the time. Right now, I'm into Maybelline Falsies Flared
• Bronzer- I love Mark by Avon in Golden
• Lip Gloss - My current obsession is MUF (Makeup Forever) # 23 supergloss

Stephanie Flor
• Add highlighter in all the right areas
• Curl the lashes
• Don't forget lip balm

Dimitri James founder of Skinn Cosmetics
• A modern treatment foundation like Skinn's Plasma Fusion Foundation applied with a good foundation blending brush.
• Lancôme Definicils Mascara in black.
• Smashbox's O-Gloss Intuitive Lip Gloss.

Elaina Badro
Concealer concealer concealer! I like to mix concealer with a bit of moisturizer to keep it from looking too heavy. Use a bit of bronzer to warm up the face and a natural tint of lipstick.

Gabriel DeSantino
Mix your foundation with moisturizer for a sheer natural finish, the multi pot on eyes, lips and cheeks gives a subtle wash of color without looking done, curl lashes and apply one coat of mascara.

1

The Favorite Eye Shadow Shades of Makeup Artists: Emma White

Affiliate Links



I love using MAC’s Vanilla as a full base color with multiple combinations like two of Urban Decay colors Snatch blended softly into MAC Vanilla, with heavy liner, paired with a dramatic lash and Carbon Black Mascara. I also enjoy the look using MAC Vanilla as the base coat then on the inner lid and lash line use the light metallic pink from Two-Faced’s Thief of Hearts duo, on the middle of the lid and outer lid use the burgundy plum color then to finish use MAC Carbon on the outer crease and blend into outer lash line with black liner on the water line.

Dior Nude Luminescence, Dior Brown Fever, Urban Decay Naked 2 (I love using the Naked 2 palette often; there are countless combinations I use from it!), and MAC Vanilla are all colors that I use frequently for highlighting or contouring.

Emma White is a Special Effects, Glamour Make-up Artist & Master Cosmetologist, with a passion for positively changing people’s lives. After nine years doing special effects make-up at Sloss “Fright” Furnace in Birmingham, she worked for two years at M.A.C Cosmetics doing on-set make-up design for photo shoots, runway, & hair shows throughout the Southeast. As a 2009 CON*tourage group stylist, Emma became a personal stylist to many "characters" for www.RockEgos.com including, Dr. Rockzo, Axl Rose & Prince. Emma's eclectic career includes A Little Bit of Heaven, Green Lantern, After, and The Vampire Diaries.
In 2012, Emma started a pin-up, glamour-styling & photography company called, Divine Hysteria & is currently working on publishing her first book of artistic works. The Divine Hysteria website launches in September 2013.

Affiliate Links

4

The Go-To Shades of Makeup Artists: Meli Pennington

1. Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes in Pearly Brown 2L. I can dot this among the upper lashes and blend to define the lashline without an obvious effect. I also apply it with a brow brush to fill in sparse brows - it stays put!

2. Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner in Black. I go through a lot of black pen liner. This one goes on nice and dark and lasts really well. Plus it's fairly inexpensive, so replacing them often is no big deal.

3. African Moringa Miracle Oil. This light oil blends with any skin type and since it's 100% pure it's great for overworked or sensitive skin.

4. RCMA Cream Foundation ( color is KO -1) This is a big makeup artist secret - this cream has almost 50% pigment! I use it full strength as a concealer, and blend it way down into the skin where needed.

5. Nars Loose Powder in Beach. This is a nice tone for golden to tanned skin - it's sheer enough to be applied only on shiny areas but doesn't 'white out' like a paler powder.

6. Too Faced Full Bloom Lip and Cheek Color. Ok, I confess that I really use a theatrical burn color palette and mix my own shades, which are almost always one of three colors: a raspberry pink, a clear coral, or a muted beige pink. Too Faced offers these three shades in a ready-to-wear formulation.

7. Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow in Rosy Tan 754. This is as close to a perfect neutral palette as I've seen - there are two taupes and a chocolate brown to add dimension to the eye, and the light pink is good for tired looking eyes.. But the real winner is the ivory shimmer - it's a perfect highlighting color, not too harsh, and hard to find.

8. Milani Crystal Gloss in 12-Secret. I like to mix my colors, so I keep a fairly basic kit. This gloss blends well with color, and by itself will give a softly beige-y tint. It tastes good. Plus it's cheep! I replace it often.

9. MAC Lipstick in Dubonnet. A classic, rich red. I'll blend it into balm for a stain, add a little to a bright pink to deepen it, or go all out for a deep, mysterious red lip. And I wear it myself a lot too!

10. Maybelline Great Lash Big Mascara, in Blackest Black. I try lots of mascaras, and come back to Great Lash and remember why I love it. This version has a big brush for more separation.


Meli Pennington is a makeup artist and beauty/culture blogger living in New York. She has worked on editorial shoots for most major magazines, including Glamour, Elle, Allure, and Teen Vogue. You can find Meli at her blog, Wild Beauty, where she writes about beauty and culture.

1

The Favorite Shades of Makeup Artists: Rebecca Prior from Napoleon Perdis

1. Auto Pilot Pre-Foundation Primer: One product I could not be without for any makeover be it bridal, runway, editorial, etc is Auto Pilot Primer. Primer is the bridging category between skincare and makeup and it's an essential step in makeup preparation. Not only does it keep makeup smoother for longer, it makes makeup application that much easier. Napoleon says "Not to Prime is a Crime," and I agree 100 percent!

2. Pro Palette Concealer: I always like to reach for a concealer that is the perfect balance of coverage, color, and smoothness and I find the Pro Palette concealer does all of these things. It allows quick coverage with minimal product, the combination of three colors allows you to customize to any area of the face, and most importantly - the product stays smooth and keeps the under eye area looking hydrated and not dry.

3. Boudoir Mist Spray Foundation: This is a miracle in a can! I use this lightweight, water-resistant product for anything from creating a quick, easy base, to bronzing a body to covering tattoos and stretch marks. This product has added the finishing touches to many a makeup look on so many occasions. It really is a backstage essential for me.

4. Mesmer-Eyes Mascara: This is my all time favorite mascara. I think people can underestimate how much ability lashes have to complete, change, or add character to a look. Whether you are going for silver screen goddess glamour, or runway, or reality - I like the Mesmer-Eyes Mascara because it allows you to create anything from super fine, separated, wispy lashes to fluttery lashes of faux proportions.

5. Mattifying Mineral Powder: Again, no matter the job, you need a powder you can rely on to keep shine at bay while still leaving the skin looking fresh and not dry or cakey - especially these days with the unforgiving nature of high definition. There is nothing more cringe-worthy as a makeup artist than seeing your work on camera or under the lights with shine to rival a disco ball. I love the Mattifying Mineral Primer; it is a super fine loose powder that keeps shine away while reducing the appearance of pores. A good powder is something you need on every job, all the time. All sexes, all ages, I use this product on everyone.

6. Ultimate Contour Palette: This is an item we like to call a "lingerie item" - and another essential. Just like lingerie, it goes on before the rest of the outfit/makeup to ensure that what ever you put on over the top looks amazing. This product allows you to become a sculptor and recreate the dimensions of the face to make different areas of the face more defined, or less prominent. What I like the most is that it has been cleverly developed so the texture of each of the shades in the palette will help give the most flattering results.

7. Loose Eye Dust: Loose Dusts are another favorite of mine because of their versatility. These highly pigmented pots of color can be used as eye shadows, face highlighters, they can be mixed through with glosses or lip lacquers to create instant customized color, and can even be mixed with a bonding agent to make metallic liquid liners. I love that you can apply them in a sheer wash of color, or press them on for dramatic intensity. I have every color of the rainbow but I use Honey Child the most as the gold undertone looks flattering on every skintone.

8. China Doll Gel Liner in Equinox: The versatility of this product is amazing. I can achieve a soft smudged liner, super fine crisp liner, or base to a smokey eye with just a few brush strokes - and once this product is dry IT STAYS PUT! If I could only have one eye liner in my kit, this would be the one. I have even used it on brows many times.

9. Red Lipstick: A blue based red lipstick like DéVine Goddess Aphrodite is always a staple for my kit. Red is a classic and will never go out of fashion, but I love that you can vary the shade dependent on the season or trend by mixing in a black gel eye liner. Doing this means you can have anything from a fire engine red to a berry red, scarlet or wine, to bordeaux - just depending on how much black you mix through.

10. Makeup Brushes: It is virtually impossible to do your craft well if you do not have the correct tools - to this day when I am teaching a class I say if there is anything you can NEVER forget, it is your brushes. These tools help to create different effects, get the job done accurately, and save time and product when it comes to application. I have multiples of my favorites that I use all the time. I love the Napoleon Perdis 10r Sculpting Brush, it can make any eye technique or look appear blended and fused within seconds.


Rebecca Prior has been in the makeup industry for 14 years and has been with Napoleon Perdis for almost 11 years after graduating in 1999 from the Napoleon Perdis Makeup Academy with a Diploma in Entertainment Makeup in Sydney, Australia. Rebecca is now based in Los Angeles and finds the Hollywood atmosphere a source of great inspiration, with endless movie premiers, red carpet events and glamour at every turn. Her passion lies in glamour makeup and this has seen her leading makeup teams at Australian and New York Fashion Week. In addition to working as an editorial artist, her makeup brushes have also touched the faces of many celebrities and world class models.

Napoleon Perdis

1

The Favorite Shades of Makeup Artists: Sona Martinez

As a makeup artist and skin care professional, I adhere to two principles: using wholesome, nourishing and high-quality makeup and practicing a good skin care regimen. I love using Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics and medical-grade skin care products—such as MD Forte’, Vivite, Revision and Jan Marini. Healthy, glowing skin creates the perfect canvas for flawless makeup application.

Following are my 10 favorite products. Unless noted, shades must be matched to the individual

1. Mineral Primer: A colorless base that helps enhance the performance of your foundation throughout the day. Fills in fine lines and pores to create an even surface for foundation application.

2. Ultimate Concealer. A lightweight concealer that does everything from hiding blemishes and discoloration to brightening the under eye area.

3. Natural Mineral Foundation. An ultra-fine, luxurious foundation that provides great coverage and soft radiance.

4. Brow Artiste. Perfectly groomed brows frame the face, bring forward the eyes and help complete your look. Comes in multiple shades that are matched to the individual, but the Brunette shade is the most versatile.

5. Luminous Cream Blush. An oil-free, textured blush that gives a subtle, yet radiant, glow. Favorite shade: Pink Cashmere.

6. Pressed Mineral Eye Shadow Quad. Eye shadow quad in Vintage is a beautiful array of deep purple shades. A rich purple shade is the perfect blend of blue and red, which compliments everyone and is a dynamic color for day or night.

7. Eye Illuminating Duo Pencil. A multipurpose pencil designed to accentuate, brighten and reflect light for gorgeous, radiant skin.

8. Hi-Def Translucent Setting Powder. Sets your foundation and keeps your face looking flawless all day.

9. Sheer Lipgloss. Adds shine to lips while keeping them soft and subtle. Favorite shade: Reflection.

10. Outrageous Lashes Mineral Lengthening Mascara. A conditioning and “volumizing” mascara that creates outrageously long, thick lashes. Favorite shade: Blackout

Selecting the perfect shade of makeup is essential for a natural, beautiful look, and I highly encourage women to meet with a professional makeup artist to learn the best match for their skin tone and hair color.

Sona Martinez is a licensed Master Cosmetologist and has worked as a freelance hair and make-up artist for over nine years. Her work includes professional photo shoots, commercial and video production, print advertising, and fashion editorials. Although she maintains a clientele list across the nation, she is primarily based at About Face Skin Care in Snellville, GA.

2

The Favorite Shades of Makeup Artists: Mikki Farrar

You know those Favorite Beauty Products of Beauty Experts posts that I do? I fully admit that my favorite part is seeing which makeup shades people use. On Pinterest, I can look at the images of palettes people put together for hours (oooh, you added Shroom?) So, I've decided to ask the biggest experts out there, makeup artists, which products are the ones that they seem to return to over and over. Which are the most versatile, work best for brides, or seem to be so basic that everyone should own them?

First up is Mikki Farrar. I'm so honored to feature her!


1. MAC Mineralize Powders in "Light, Medium Dark, and Dark" are amazing when used to set your liquid foundations. They provide the Powder finish without the Powdery look.

2. Body Bling by Scott Barnes, is an all time favorite. This luminizer can be used anywhere on the body providing a perfect glow. Try mixing it with your foundation, all you need is a small amount to make a big difference. Comes in one shade.

3. MAC LIPMIX these fun lip pigments come in several shades from Blue, Black, Yellow, White to Red. Wear alone for a matte finish, or add a gloss.

4. MAC Eyeshadow
• Brule is an everyday go to, to highlight the brow bone and any other part of the eye. Can also be used as a base coat shadow.

• Embark is a beautiful brown shade with a hint of red. Great for a natural eye, or can be used along with darker colors to neutralize the look.

• Shadowy Lady is a purple mauve color, I use this shadow to create that perfect smokey eye.

• Carbon is a matte black, that can be used along with other shadows to finish off a smokey eye, or wet your eyeliner brush run it along the Carbon shadow and use as an eyeliner.

5. Chanel Rouge Allure in "67 Excessive", a beautiful shade of red, great year around.

6. Guelain Kiss Kiss Pure Comfort Lipstick in "131 Prune" is a perfect Prune color for those of us that like to go bold with the lips.

7. Maybelline New York Dream Bouncy Blush in (20 Peach Satin) is light weight like a powder but goes onto skin like a cream giving a beautiful glow.



Mikki Farrar is a 15 year veteran of the beauty industry. Mikki is a TV/Film makeup artist and continues to work at Turner Networks, Discovery Channel, Weather Channel, HGTV, Bravo and VH1.

2