Naked or Not: A Hint of Makeup

Photo: Ben Ritter

No makeup-makeup is everyone’s favorite look these days. Glowing skin, big bright eyes, and a flush of color where the sun hits has turned into the ideal—and with good reason. When done right, a little bit of makeup goes a long way, and nothing’s more flattering than enhancing your own best assets instead of trying to paint on new ones. It’s why an increasing number of brands are releasing “nude” or “naked” collections, and why foundation, blush, and bronzer formulas keep getting better at letting your own skin shine through. Below, our guide to your best self in less than 10 minutes.

Step One
Use a tinted moisturizer, like Neutrogena Healthy Skin Tinted Moisturizer($12) or Laura Mercier’s beloved Tinted Moisturizer with Broad Spectrum SPF ($43). It’s the best way to even out your skin without piling on makeup. Once you’re wearing foundation, you’re outside the realm of no makeup makeup.

Step Two
Make good use of concealer, as needed! Dot concealer under the eyes and over any imperfections. Try a lightweight formula like L’Oreal True Match Crayon Concealer ($8) or Giorgio Armani Maestro Eraser Concealer ($42).

Step Three
Pencil in your brows to properly frame your face. Use a pencil that’s the same color as your hair to fill in your brows from the arch to the end. Get one with a spoolie brush, like Anastasia’s Perfect Brow Pencil ($23), to make blending easy.

Step Four
Sweep blush onto the apples of your cheeks to brighten up your face. Coral’s the most flattering color on our model, but choose the best shade for your complexion.

Step Five
Smudge a bit of liner into your lashline to make your lashes appear extra thick at the root and make your eyes appear wider. Reach for an-easy-to-blend pencil like Rimmel’s Soft Kohl Liner ($4) or Chanel’s Le Crayon Kohl ($29).

Step Six
Use one to two coats of black mascara on the top lashes and one on the bottom. Lancome’s Definicils ($28) defines your lashes. Try BenefitsBADGal Mascara ($19) if you prefer thicker fringe.

Step Seven
A sheer lip balm lets your own color shine through. Since it’s summer, invest in one with SPF like Jouer’s Sheer Lipstick SPF 15 ($22) or Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15 ($23)—both come in a range of colors.