The Natural Look

The first Make Up look I'll be covering is the most basic, and possibly the most important - the natural, "no make up" look. It's a quick and easy way to get yourself looking good, without the "made up" look. A great one for summer!!

STEP 1: FOUNDATION

Using a clean make up sponge (you can buy them in packs from any chemist - a cheap and hygienic way to apply your foundation smoothly!) apply a small amount of tinted moisturiser or thin liquid foundation. Starting with the bulk of the product at the nose & cheeks, work your way out to the edges of your face. As you work your way out the product should be getting thinner, avoiding nasty make up lines around the neck & chin areas.

If your foundation has a dry finish or your skin tends to be a little dry you won't need to use powder. Otherwise dust a small amount of loose translucent powder over your face and neck with a big, soft powder brush.

Extra tips:
*Always moisturise before applying foundation, unless your doctor/ dermatologist has told you otherwise. Take the time to find a moisturiser that suits your skin type, there's plenty of choice!

*If you don't like wearing foundation, just skip straight to the powder after moisturising.

STEP 2: EYES

For this look you can leave the eyes fairly plain. Just apply a touch of beige eyeshadow (either shimmer or matte) along the lashline, then using a clean brush (if you use a brush, just dust the excess eyeshadow off with a tissue) or applicator blend it out over the whole eyelid. Otherwise skip the eyeshadow altogether and head straight for the mascara!! Wipe the excess mascara off your brush before applying to avoid clumps. When applying mascara be sure to start right at the roots of the eyelashes. If your lashes are sticking together, gently squeeze them between your index finger and thumb (don't pull them!). This should remove unwanted clumps and leave lashes looking even and natural.

Extra tips:
*If your hair is fair, try ditching the black mascara for a dark brown, or even clear mascara. Your eyes will still stand out, but will look a lot more natural.

STEP 3: CHEEKS

If you're one of those lucky girls with naturally rosy cheeks, or just not into the idea of blush, feel free to skip this section! Otherwise, grab yourself a blush brush and apply a small amount (pat the brush into the colour, then onto the back of your hand to remove excess colour) to the apples of your cheeks (the round, chubby bits that stick out when you smile). Clean your brush off with a tissue and blend it out a little.

Extra tips:
*Apply your blush with a smile - this will help even application. Avoid going up onto the cheek bones for this look - when you blush naturally, the colour is on the apples of your cheeks.
*Stick with pink tones, as this will look more natural than browns/bronzes.

STEP 4: LIPS

Forget lipstick or lipliner, go straight for the gloss! Using your finger or a lip brush, apply a clear or pinkish lip gloss. If you feel you need a little more colour, choose a pink/ lip coloured lipstick (this goes on before the gloss). To apply this, pat your index finger onto the lipstick, and then onto your lips. This will make them look naturally rosy. Apply gloss as required!

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Have fun with your make up, and only go with what you feel comfortable with. Remember there are not set rules, these are only guidelines!!! Check the glossary for explanations and descriptions of some of the words and products in this section. Enjoy!