In January I announced a new beauty series we’re starting called 10 Easy + Affordable Beauty Tips, all taught by our resident hair and makeup stylist to the stars, Christie Somers, and fabulous photographer Alisia Packard (you can read more about them in my about page here).
Our first lesson last month was all about Creating the Perfect Curl, and today Christie’s going to give us the ins and outs of a perfect 5 minute makeup routine (since that’s usually all the time we have to spend on our face in the morning). You’ll also see her recommended products and a few tips she’s learned doing makeup for over a decade. Here are Christie’s instructions paired with Alisia’s images (and this time Christie is modeling herself, isn’t she gorgeous?!?):
Written and modeled by Christie Somers, Photographed by Alisia Packard
Since we are all busy ladies, we thought it would be nice to give you a guide to 5 min makeup for the everyday woman. In my job, I get the benefit of talking to women all day long and it seems many people misunderstand the point of wearing make-up. The point isn’t to wear make-up just to wear make-up. It’s meant to enhance our best features and distract from our less favorite ones. For example, the point of eyeliner is to open up and draw attention to ones eyes. But many women put a thick black line straight across their eye without taking into consideration how applying it achieves the desired effect. While there is definitely a place for having fun with your make-up (smokey eyes, red lips–and don’t worry we will get to those!), you want to keep your every day look pretty natural and simple. We want to look like a slightly better version of ourselves, not entirely different people.
My must have items for every day make up are…
1. Foundation. The foundation I love is called Tarte. It’s great for all skin types and climates. It’s important not to scrimp on foundation. In my experience, cheap foundations sit on your skin and look cakey. Tarte is made out of Amazon clay and you will not break out even if you have acne prone skin.
2. Blush/Bronzer. I like many different brands. Bobbi Brown and MAC are amongst my favorites. STAY AWAY FROM SHIMMER AND GLITTER unless you’re 16 or a cheerleader.
3. Mascara. I love Bobbi Brown everything mascara. The tube lasts six months and the mascara doesn’t get under your eyes by the end of the day so I am happy to pay a little extra for it.
4. Lip stick/crayons/gloss. Options are limitless. I love the lip crayons found at Sally’s Beauty Supply . They stay on forever and are only $1.50 right now! Champagne bronze and Coral shimmer are two of my favorite colors. If you’re willing to spend a little more, the Bobbi Brown lip crayons are also great!
If you’re older than a teeny bopper, stay away from uber gloss.
Let’s see how it’s done:
Step 1:
Squeeze a pea size worth of make-up onto your hand. You can either use your finger or a foundation brush to apply. I like to use a foundation brush because you get a more natural finish. Avoid sponges because they will soak up a lot of your product. And you will be buying foundation twice as often.
I first apply foundation to my problem areas (since there is more product on the brush in the beginning) and then I work my way out.
Spread evenly all over your face. Don’t forget under your eyes. Don’t forget to blend it under your chin and up into your hair line so you don’t have obvious lines. On that note, when buying foundation the best thing to do is apply a little on your cheek and choose the color that dissolves into your skin the best.
Step 2: Next, blush. When applying blush, imagine drawing a 3 on your face. Starting with your cheekbone (where you want most of the color to be concentrated). Next your jaw line.
And finally a dab on your forehead. The idea is to apply it where the sun would hit. You can do this with either blush or bronzer depending your skin tone and the time of year. In the winter I use blush and in the summer I use bronzer. Blush and bronzer are meant to be used for contouring and adding a touch of color to keep it your face from looking matte.
Next you want to add a little rosiness to the ball of your cheek. Choose a baby pink blush.
The best way to know where to place this is by smiling and applying right to the ball of your cheek. This may seem like a small detail, but it makes a big difference.
Step 3: The next step is mascara. When looking for a good mascara, make sure you find one that won’t run by the end of the day. In my experience, any Bobbi Brown does well. I like to apply my mascara to the top and bottom eyelashes. I apply underneath the lashes first and then over top. That will help create length and thickness in your eyelashes.
Step 4: And finally, your lips. Before I put on any of my make-up I put on lip balm. There are two that I like. LaMere (which isn’t cheap but lasts a long time) and Jack Black (which has SPF 25 and won’t break the bank). Applying it before you start your make-up gives it time to settle in and absorb so your lip color doesn’t wipe right off.
Then apply whatever you’re feeling that day. Lip crayons are my every day go to, given their longevity. Lip color is a fun way to mix up every day make-up. So get creative!