Love is in the air!
Whether you love it or hate it, yes some of us singles hate it, its always good to know how to play up your beauty routine so your man doesn’t run away, but instead is drawn to your, natural Valentine’s Day beauty. Yes, Natural!
image via pinterest
Most men I know always say they love their gal natural.
They love women fresh out of the shower or swimming at the beach, not so overdone with lots and lots of makeup.
Then when I relay this message to the girls, they say to me ‘Yeah Right!’
Where is the happy balance? Men like natural, women want glam.
MB Pro Tip
If tonight is your Valentines Day Date Night, don’t all of a sudden try a whole new makeup look or suddenly spice it up and go all vamp.
What if he really likes you how you are naturally? This is most probably the case, so style it up without amping it up. Polished not prostitute wins every time!
Valentines Day, the day of love, it is almost like a wedding. You don’t want to look made up, but still incredibly gorgeous!
The level you currently wear your makeup, whether light, medium to heavy, is really the level your makeup should be on such a day, just with extra care, more contouring and blending and maybe one new feature – a liquid line perhaps to define your eyes or a pop lip, like a sexy Red!
image via pinterest
A red lip alone will always win a mans heart over. That is if it is not bleeding or all over your teeth!
A red lip does require that little extra effort, but when applied correctly, what a winner!
It is seductive, sexy, glamorous, chic and on trend all in one!
Did you know that the more ‘blue’ based your red lip is, the whiter your teeth looks – always a bonus.
If you know your teeth aren’t the whitest, a nude, brown or orange lip maybe isn’t for you on Valentines Day!
Any Blue-based shades in pinks, some wines, but especially Red will give you a beaming smile and bring some wanted attention to your mouth on such a ‘Love’ day.
I do love Taylor’s signature red lip and liquid liner combo. Sexy, yet natural and nothing is overdone.
Don’t look like you have spent hours in the bathroom getting ready, even if you did!
Skin
No guy wants to be able to see your foundation. He should be thinking, wow she has great skin, not, I can see her foundation.
Only cover what is needed to be covered, in terms of foundation and concealer, letting real skin show is ok and is what I do with many of my clients either at a shoot or on a Red Carpet.
MB Pro Tip
Don’t think you need to cover the entire face with the same coverage to make it even, with the right product and shade. I really try to only use minimal, or mix the product into my moisturizer so everything bonds very close to the skin, making it invisible.
MAC Cosmetics: Prep + Prime BB Beauty Balm SPF 50 $44
BB Creams are my first choice for the skin as they brighten, freshen, smooth and even the skin tone. Then if I need that little extra around the nose, mouth or of course, under the eyes, I use a concealer.
Bobbi Brown: Creamy Concealer Kit $54
Most of us have dark shadows; so we need to cover this with a deeper pigment, peach for lighter skins and orange for darker skin tones.
Once you have corrected the concern of dark circles and hidden them, its then you can use a light concealer over the top to brighten the area.
Bobbi Brown: Bronzing Powder $62
Contouring is a must for any makeup. It really is the way to sculpt and lift your features for best face shape. A bronzer is my fave way to achieve this, as they are more likely to blend well into the skin, being a complexion product.
Just a little shading, applying downwards from your hairline, running under the cheekbone towards the apple of cheek/nostrils is perfect.
Applying the other direction can cause too much ‘shade’ tone to the front of the face, looking muddy – no thanks!
Eyes
Not much has to happen to the eyes when the skin is looking so good. Besides, the big dark smokey eye look is slowly decreasing in makeup trends and your man I am sure would want to actually see your eyes and lovingly batting lashes over a black shadow popped onto your eyelid!
When applying your contour to your cheek area, add a little bronzer as a wash over the eyelid, but concentrate extra pigment into the eye socket area.
This is actually better being applied with your eyes open, so you can see the natural fold of your skin in that area. Shading here lifts and removes any heaviness that can be present.
Add a little shimmer, and yes, only a little, right onto the eyeball area – the mobile eyelid – as this will add light and some flirtyiness to the eyes when blinking.
I prefer bronze/gold tones to silver, but it depends on your outfit’s accessories.
This is layered over the base shade of bronzer and should separate the eyelid from socket nicely for the perfectly balanced, but not stripy eye.
Next is a liquid liner.
Not the easiest to always achieve, but it is so feminine and sexy!
Estée Lauder: Little Black Liner $48
It is best to not try and do a crazy flick or wing on date night, but a teeny uplift at the end is very appealing.
When the eye is open, just gently trace, or mark your finish point, we don’t want any dropping eyeliner and applying the outer wing when the eyes are open will not do this as the skin is in position.
Once this has been mapped out, it’s just gently applying the line across the lash line.
MB Pro Tip
If you are a novice at this, try applying your pencil kohl eyeliner first as a stencil, base line, then trace over the top.
Clinique: Lash Power™ Flutter-To-Full Mascara $42
Add Mascara and brush up your brows and you are set with a classic eye that never goes wrong. It is the longest re-occurring eye trend; it must be doing something right ladies!
Lips
The luscious lips. Kissable, plump, sexy. Don’t you just think of a bold red lip?
Use your fingertip to dab in colour, start off barely there, then intensify as you please.
I do like to use my fingertip anyway, it bonds pigment to the lip very well for lasting power.
Now, your man may love your red lip, but not on him!
So, to avoid this, do not layer your red lip on with a lip brush or just by the actual packaging.
Dior: Rouge Dior – Couture Colour from Satin to Matte in ‘Red Smile’ $52
This will create a build up of product, just sitting on top of your lip, waiting to transfer onto him after your date night kiss!
Instead, pat, dab, press, whatever it takes for this shade to bond to your lip, so it stains and then creates less transfer with no product build up. Yes, I know, I think of everything.
MB Pro Tip
Only apply a lip liner after you have applied your lipstick, if even needed, mainly to sharpen the edges and cupids bow. This will give an edge, but it won’t over power the lipstick, which should always be your hero.
Follow Michael Brown: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram