Creating No Makeup...Makeup.

 The first skill every new artist should master

When I was starting out as a makeup artist, all I wanted to do was use colour and stick things to models faces. Feathers, rhinestones, petals...you name it. From watching new makeup artists emerge over the years, this seems to be a right of passage we all go through and looking back at the shots when you have been working for a few years is pretty funny. Take this old shot of mine as an example. This was from my first proper test shoot. 

At the time, I was so unbelievably excited about this shoot. My friends and family raved over it as they are obliged to do and I thought I was great. It was a fun shoot and at the time it really showcased my skills but it put me in a certain category of artist. An Internet Artist. A hobbyist. An amateur. Not because of the photography or style but purely because I created a look that would date before I left the shoot!

I didn't realise that then, obviously. Had I used that shoot to develop my skills in doing a beautiful, flawless natural look I no doubt would have been booking clients much earlier. In the real working world, clients (the guys with the big bucks) would have been terrified of this look. They want -and need- to see an artist who can make a model look flawless, save them money on retouching and ultimately make it look like there wasnt a makeup artist involved at all. This is how new artists should be spending their testing time at the begining. Sure its boring. Its not creative etc etc but it is the biggest skill you can show as an artist. The skill of restraint.

With all this in mind here is how I create a "no makeup" looking makeup.

Photo by Keith Clouston. Model is Vanessa @ Premier

Products you will need:

• Simple Cleansing Wipes
• Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentrate
• Make Up For Ever HD Primer in Blue
• Benefit POREfessional
• Make Up For Ever Lift Concealer in #1
• Make Up For Ever Face and Body Foundation in #20
• Yaby Pink Corrective Concealer (Cherry Blossom) as a blush
• Benefit HighBeam
• Make Up For Ever Waterproof Brow Corrector in #0
• Bobbi Brown eyeshadow in Bone
• Vaseline Lip Balm in Rosy Lips
• Make Up For Ever Mist and Fix

Step 1: Prep

I started by wiping over the face with cleansing wipes and smoothed on a tiny, pea sized amount of Embryolisse. (Note: I always allow the moisturiser to settle a little before going right in with a primer or a foundation and usually do some hair prep (if I am doing hair) or hand the model over to the hairstylist.) Once the moisturiser had worked its magic, I then used a small, flat foundation brush to apply the primer to the middle of the face and blended outwards. I used the blue toned primer in this case because it brightens the complexion and Vanessa had been travelling so much with work she was calling herself a "Fashion Gypsy" so her skin needed a little pick me up.

Step 2: Skin Work

Stila Brush in #2

I added a little POREfessional to any areas that looked like they had larger pores. In this instance, Vanessa's skin was beautiful on its own so it was just a little around the nose and chin. Using a precision concealer brush -the one pictured by Stila is my favourite- I used Lift concealer on any blemishes, redness and under the eye. I let it set a little then pat over it to blend any edges. 

I then used Yaby concealer in Cherry Blossom as a blush. I applied this quite heavily BEFORE I applied her foundation. This gives the appearence of the blush coming from "within" rather than being an obviously applied product. 

The Face and Body shade I chose for Vanessa, matched her skin perfectly so I didnt have to mix. When doing a "no makeup" look, it is extremely important to match the foundation exactly to the colour of the face*. This means you only have to apply it where it's needed rather than all over the face. I started at the centre of her face using a flat foundation brush (Benefit's in this case) and blended out over the cheeks, a little on the chin and between her eyebrows. Then I buffed over it with the Real Technique's stippling brush to really sheer it out.

To enhance the natural highlights on Vanessas skin, I tapped a little HighBeam onto her cheekbones and used a small brush to apply it to her cupids bow. I love doing this, its so flattering!

*Most of the time I match to the chest so both face and body look a uniform colour but not when doing a makeup as natural as this.

 

Step 3: Finishing Touches

Perfect neutral...Bone.

I swept some Bone eyeshadow over her lids to absorb any oil and even the skin tone then filled in any gaps in her eyebrows using a stiff angled brush and MUFE's brow corrector. The #0 is so perfect for redheads, as you can see. To bring out Vanessa's eyes a little I felt the look needed her lashes to be slightly darker but I didn't want them to look like they were loaded with mascara, so I used a small fan brush and more of the brow corrector and painted her lashes from root to tip then combed through them with a clean spoolie. Lips were just a sheer flush of Vaseline. Finally, I spritzed over the whole face with some Mist and Fix and also sprayed some on a brow comb and set her brows in place.

I would love to hear your tips and tricks for creating a flawless natural face, so feel free to share them (and any questions) in the comments below!