This is ideal if you’re wanting your skin to look like your skin, but better
There are days that call for vivid makeup looks and a full face of colour, and there are days when you want to subtly play up your features with a low-key look. And with the country facing varying levels of lockdown, the latter is likely to be more in demand. If you’re looking to nail a natural, glowing finish for those last-minute Zoom meetings, the answer lies in your makeup bag. In search of further tips, tricks and insider-only hacks, we found our way to celebrity makeup artists Arti Nayar—Sonam Kapoor’s go-to name—and Mitali Vakil, whose brushes have worked on the faces of Ananya Panday, Parineeti Chopra and more. Here’s what we learned.
1) Prep and prime
The road to the perfect no-makeup makeup look starts with an adequate base—and in Nayar’s book, that translates into a thorough hand with prep and prime. “If you do both these things well, your foundation will blend well and look as natural as possible. You’ll also find that tools such as an applicator, blender or buffing brush will help your foundation, especially liquid formulas, look more natural and blend in better,” she advises.
2) Conceal and cover
The job of a good concealer is to stay invisible, but the road doesn’t end with simply opting for the right shade—Nayar also advises diligence when choosing your texture. She says, “I find that liquid formulas give a more natural-looking finish, whereas creams are a bit heavier. But of course, remember to choose your shade wisely as the right colour concealer can often negate the need for foundation at all.”
3) Eye makeup must-haves
Once you’ve created an even canvas for your makeup, you’ll want to turn your attention to your eyes. She recommends stocking up on a few essentials to define your eyes without looking like you put in much effort: “Brown kajal, mascara, a good eyelash curler and a nude eyeshadow. This is all that you need to give your eyelids an even base,” says Nayar.
4) Skip the second coat of mascara
If you are looking to open your eyes without the time to recreate an elaborate eye makeup look, Nayar has a few tricks up her sleeve. “Add a little bit of brown kajal on the outer corner of the eye and smudge it lightly with your finger. So when you put mascara, it doesn’t look like you’ve done elaborate eye makeup—it offers the equivalent of two coats of mascara while making your eyes look more open,” she recommends.
5) Lashes for days
Vakil also advocates the need to choosing mascaras that suit your specific needs. “If you have sparse lashes, use a volumising mascara instead of lengthening and curling. Likewise, if you have short lashes, use lengthening formulas. This will ensure that your lashes always look healthy and natural, and not spidery,” she says.
6) Keep it sheer
When attempting a natural makeup look, keeping things light is key. Over her years in the industry, Vakil has developed a few hacks of her own for achieving a glowing finish. “One of the things that I like to do is adding a touch of Vaseline to my base for a sheer, natural finish. It gives me the power to blend in the makeup till it disappears into the skin,” she shares.
7) My lips but better
If you’re hoping to create the perfect pout without looking like you tried too hard, Vakil recommends sticking to colours that are the closest match to your natural lip colour. She adds, “You’ll find that creamy luminous textures always look better than dry matte ones for a natural-looking finish.”
8) Contour needn’t be OTT
While Instagram tutorials often look to contour for creating a fully sculpted face, Vakil believes that contouring needn’t be restricted to go-bold-or-go-home. Her top advice for adding some definition to your face on the sly? “Try using a cream contour and mixing it with a little bit of your chosen foundation, and you will see the difference for yourself,” she suggests.
9) Lip balms are everything
If you’re opting for a natural look, Nayar believes that your makeup kit is never complete without a good lip balm for a hydrated finish. “I have also discovered that if you put a bit of lipstick on your finger and rub it on your lips as a lip balm, it gives a beautiful lip stain that looks like your natural colour,” she divulges.
10) Don’t skimp on skincare
Ultimately, she believes that the best route to acing natural makeup is to work in tandem with your skincare routine. “Take care of your skin, drink water, take your supplements and listen to your dermatologist. So when you do put makeup, you’ll find that you need a lesser amount on your face which is always good news,” she advises.
