What you need: Recommendation:
1. Cheektint 1. Herbench Paint Box Pretty When Pinched
2. Concealer 2. Mac Studio Sculpt concealer
3. Face powder 3. Maybelline shine-free powder foundation
4. Powder highlighter 4. Mac Crushed Pigments in a light vanilla shade
5. Smudge-proof eyeliner 5. Prestige (BeautyBar) retractable brown pencil liner
6. Eyelash curler 6. Shu Uemura eyelash curler
7. Gel mascara 7. Any. I use Loreal lash serum
8. Lip gloss 8. Maybelline gloss in Passion Fruit
*Prepping makeup tips are always standard, as mentioned in my previous blog “Ria’s Two-Minute Makeover for Dummies”—clean face, hydrate, and groom your eyebrows.
Application:
*first 3 steps are exactly the same as my previous blog.
1. Dab a bead of tint on your cheeks, and slowly spread out to the apples of your cheeks in a circular motion. This can be tricky, because you need to even it out before the product dries on your skin. Make sure there’s no clear indication where the tint ends—blend well so it fades towards the edges. If needed, apply a small amount on your lips as well.
2. If necessary, apply concealer under your eyes using the tip of your ring finger. Take your time in doing this. The skin in this area is very sensitive, so make sure you PAT the concealer till it evens out, instead of spreading it out hurriedly and risk stretching the skin.
3. To set, gently dab powder on the spot under your eyes, then on the T-zone. Make sure that you pick a shade matching your own skin tone. And I truly mean this: if you wish to be fair-skinned, using a shade too light for your skin tone is NOT the answer.
4. Dip the very tip of your forefinger into the powder highlighter, and dab onto the inner corners of your eyes. Some highlighting shadows need to be used wet, so as to adhere properly, and appear more brilliant on the skin. Make sure you blend throughout the corners of the eyes. I call this makeup tip the “muta” effect haha—it may sound ridiculous, but I promise, it brightens up your eyes without wasting time and effort on a full-on eye makeup. This also gives a fresh, dewy effect if you apply it on the tip of your cheekbones, and spread them out towards your temples.
5. Line the top of your upper lashline using a smudge-proof pencil liner. The reason I use smudge-proof, is so I don’t have to worry about it for the rest of the day. I can cry or sweat without having to deal with raccoon eyes—very low maintenance, without any need for retouch. It is important to remember though, that it is smudge-proof and not waterproof. Actually in any case, you should refrain from rubbing your eyes using your fingers, tissue, or anything for that matter—it’s not a permanent tattoo. If you feel that you are tearing up for whatever reason, dab gently and directly with a facial tissue, as opposed to wiping it off. Personally, I don’t use dark liner on the lower rims of my eyes because I like to look fresh. And at times I use white liner on that area--a great makeup tip to brighten and widen my eyes. But if the dark rims work for you, then go right ahead!
6. Curl your eyelashes. And instead of pressing on your lashes really hard, try making short, light crimps while moving the curler up towards the ends of your eyelashes.
7. Apply gel mascara on your curled lashes. Wiggle the brush through the strands, making sure you coat each lash in every direction. Do not use petroleum jelly as what I have directed in my previous blog. Since you’ll be wearing eyeliner, it is important not to use anything oil-based on your lashes so as not to smudge or erase it. Personally I don’t like to use real mascara—black or brown on a daily basis. I like to give my lashes a good rest on non-special days. Plus I don’t want to look made-up—I like to pretend I wake up like this every morning, so I always opt for the natural look :p
8. Finally, slather on a bit of lip gloss! Don’t scrimp on the shine—you may pick a natural shade that has a little sparkle (like my Maybelline recommendation), or use a high-shine gloss like MAC cosmetics lip glass. But better to use a good quality gloss that’s high on brilliance, rather than applying it too thick and risk looking like you’re drooling on yourself :D one tip I can give to keep its high shine, is to avoid blotting your lips together. Some women have developed this habit of pressing their lips together when wearing gloss or lipstick, thinking it helps keep the product on their lips. But in reality, it just erases and wears the product off, unless you’re using a matted lipstick.
And voila! This makeup works wonders because it makes you look oh-so naturally beautiful without spending much time in front of the mirror. I’ve perfected this look, eliminating unnecessary steps to make sure it is perfect for every woman on-the-go: i.e. buying retractable pencil liner instead of the wooden ones that you still have to sharpen; using cheektint as opposed to powder blush, which wears off throughout the day, etc. This makeup lasts the entire day, with the only thing in need of retouch is the lip gloss (if you ate some of it during lunch) and maybe, a little powder on the T-zone, for those with hyperactive oil/sweat glands.
Like I’ve mentioned in my previous blog, this Five-Minute Makeup is my standard default look on an everyday basis. It is uncomplicated, no fuss, and very natural. I have also posted my embarrassing before and after photos, for you to note the difference of what a mere five minutes can do. Try it out guys! I’d love to hear back from you :) watch out for my next entries on “How To Get This Look” and other before and after photos from some of my shoots. Stay tuned!
*FYI, this was NOT photoshopped haha
*FYI, this was NOT photoshopped haha
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| before |
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| five minutes later |
