Glowing skin is arguably one of the most coveted trends in skincare and makeup. If your skin has a natural glow, it suggests that you’re hip with hot yoga and green smoothies. If your makeup has an effortless-looking glow (not greasy, not glittery), then congratulations, you won at makeup!
The latter can be especially difficult to achieve, however. Despite the wealth of “illuminating” products at our fingertips, we often get in our own way. Case and point: My skin has been looking a little dry lately, so this morning, I layered my foundation over a light layer of facial oil. It looked great…for about two hours. Now I’m reaching for my blotting papers and wondering how it’s possible that just yesterday I looked like I’d been living in the desert without a drop of water. Someone help me and my hopeless glow attempts!
If you can relate (please tell me I’m not the only hot mess out there!), the following expert tips from top makeup artists may help steer you in the right direction. I know I’ll be giving them a try!
1. Be crème de la crème: “Some women shy away from crème formulas, finding them hard to use or questioning their staying power, but they go a long way to making skin appear alive and healthy, create a youthful radiance, and prevent skin from looking flat,” Rebecca Williams explains. “They are super easy to apply, even with fingertips, and can be layered with powder formulas for additional staying power.”
2. Get crafty with blush. “Apply two shades of blush for the perfect flush of youth. Pink, or anything in the red family, should be placed on the apple of the cheek; it will give the effect of blood coming to the surface,” James Vincent explains. “Peach, coral, or anything in the orange family should be applied to the highest point of the cheekbone; that gives the effect of heat rising. Finish by bringing a matte bronzer to the skin where sun hits the face (forehead, cheekbone, bridge of nose, and chin).”
Here’s another winning tip from Vincent: “Add your favorite blush to the cheeks before you apply foundation for a glow that looks like it’s coming from beneath the skin. A bright, warm pink at the apple is perfect for any complexion.”
3. Less is more. “Use the right product and don’t use too much of it,” Francois Nars advises. “I know that’s a really simple statement, but the more you put on, the more you cover. So use a good product in a light formula. Start with little, then if you need a little bit more, use more. Transparency is more sexy than a full, pancake finish.”
4. Repurpose your shimmery eyeshadow. “For a luminous skin effect, mix your foundation with a golden or a pearly white eyeshadow,” Nicolas Degennes suggests. “It gives your complexion a radiance beyond compare.” Radiance beyond compare…#goals.
5. Blend with a plan. “By applying five dots of foundation—one each on your cheeks, forehead, chin, and neck—and distributing outward in circular motions using a foundation brush will give you a flawless result,” Ermahn Ospina says.
6. A little water does the trick. “Mix water into foundation right before application,” Rebecca Restrepo suggests. “It adds moisture without any excess oil and makes the skin look even more radiant.” Who would have thought?
7. Diffuse. “After applying foundation, spray a skin-soothing mist onto the large, take the flat side of a damp Beautyblender and press it into your skin all over to diffuse the look of ‘makeup’ and give you a very natural, hydrated complexion,” Michael Anthony explains.
What are your tips for a flawless glow?
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