Achieve The Perfect No Makeup, Makeup Look

Occasionally there are times where you want to look presentable, but a full face of makeup just isn’t an option. For me it was school photo days. I went to an all girl’s high school with a very strict ‘no makeup’ policy, and on photo day they would enforce this by spraying you in the face with water. Unfortunately for me I made the same mistake year after year, wore a whole face of makeup only to get sprayed in the face and have my picture look like a big mess. If only I had known then the no-makeup, makeup tricks I know now.

Base

If you have mixed skin like me, it’s vitally important to wear a moisturiser. It keeps your face looking fresh and stops the dry parts flaking. Even with oily skin moisturiser is a must, just make sure it’s an oil free one, and take blotting paper to clean up any excess oil during the day.

The Yes To Grapefruit Even Tone Moisturiser is great moisturiser for targeting tired looking skin and morning puffiness. It also contains SPF which everyone should wear daily! Shop it now in the bellanbox store.

Once your moisturiser has set in, apply your favourite primer. For the longest time I brushed off primer as a fancy moisturiser. How wrong I was! Not only are primers a great base for makeup, but they leave your skin looking smooth and pore-less. Once I started using it I never went back.

Face

If you can only invest in one high priced beauty product, make it a concealer that matches your skin tone. Only covering blemishes and under eye circles can make all the difference. There’s no need to cover everything up, it’s much more natural to let some marks show, but cover the ones that bother you most.

This step is optional, but if you’re feeling a little under the weather or your face is naturally very pale, you might want to use a tiny bit of blush. A non-shimmery, cream blush is the most natural looking. Warm it between your fingers and pat it over the apples of your cheeks, or wherever you blush naturally.

Eyebrows

They say hair frames the face, and eyebrows frame the eyes. Doing your brows with a good quality eyebrow pencil, powder or gel can make a huge difference to your whole face.

If you’re on the lookout for new brow products, it’s worth trying Anastasia. Known all around the world for their brow products, their brow gel was also a huge favourite in the May bellabox. We've got a huge range of Anastasia products available in the bellabox store.

Eyes

If you have dark lashes, it’s worth using a creamy eye pencil to tightline the upper waterline with black, and the bottom waterline with a white/off-white liner. It really widens your eyes and makes your lashes look a lot thicker. If you’re rocking the fair lashes, just go with the white liner, as the black might look a little unnatural.

The Eye Of Horus Goddess Smokey Eye Pencil is perfect for tight lining the upper lid, because it’s super smooth and 100% waterproof. We've got it in the bellabox store here.

Lips.

If you’ve still got the white eyeliner handy from your eyes, add a tiny bit on your cupid’s bow to make your lips appear fuller. It’s always worth paying a bit more for creamy liners because they’re more versatile.

Lastly apply your favourite lip balm, tinted or plain. It’s important to keep your lips from drying out so you can keep smiling all day, because after all, a smile is really the best no-makeup trick out there.

The ever popular Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm is a super reliable and really inexpensive way to keep your lips hydrated.

And you’re done! You might not have to worry about school photos anymore, but it’s always handy to keep these tricks up your sleeve. Maybe it’s good for a family dinner, picking the kids up from school or coffee with the gals. Let us know what your no-makeup, makeup day is in the comments!

- Lucy Murphy