How to Apply Makeup for the Office

Applying makeup for the office can be tricky. What looks good in the bathroom mirror and in the car on the way to work can look terrible under the sickly fluorescent lights found in most offices. Indoor fluorescent lights tend to make faces look sallow, sickly and green. Follow the tips below for applying makeup for the office.

Things You'll Need

• Brown/ black mascara
• Brown/ black eyeliner
• Warm toned base
• Rose or apricot blush
• Peach gloss or lipstick
• Warm eye shadow

Instructions

1. Use a foundation that offsets the greenish tones of fluorescent lighting. It should have warm, gold tones. Stay away from pink-toned bases that can appear muddy and orange in these harsh lights.

2. Color cheeks with a warm blush. It needs to be a rose or apricot colored blush. Red and pink tones, once again, look too harsh in these lights.

3. Use peach-colored lipstick or gloss. Earth tones tend to look very muddy and dirty in the fluorescent lighting found in most offices. Try a sheer or shimmery one. Avoid taupe and beige shades.

4. Apply warm-toned eye shadows. Lighter shades work better. Once again, look for rose, peach or gold tones to offset the green lighting. Avoid overly dark shades, or cold tones like blues and grays.

5. Try lighter eye makeup. Fluorescent lighting found in most offices shows every detail of makeup, so natural eye makeup looks the most flattering. Black eyeliner and mascara can look cold and unnatural. If you are light in complexion, try brown mascara and eyeliner. If this is too light, try black/brown shades.