How to Get The Natural Makeup Look, Naturally

The natural, or nude look in makeup is a great daytime look. Instead of looking heavily made-up, which is ageing, use these steps to create your own naturally enhanced beauty, and look like yourself, only better. All the steps in this article use completely natural ways to enhance your look, either with tools of the trade, or with non-toxic chemical-free makeup.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Moisturizer that works for your skin
• Cleanser that works for your skin
• Eyelash curler (try Shu Uemura or the Pocket Lash Curler by Japonesque
• Natural Lip Balm/Gloss (for suggested brands, see below)
• Natural Mineral Makeup (see below)
• Natural Blush (see below)
• Lash Conditioner (Jane Iredale makes a completely non-toxic version)
• Tweezers

1. All Natural Face Cleanser by Nonie of Beverly Hills Cleanse your face. To maintain optimum moisture and enhance your skin's own natural glow, which is essential for this look, choose a non-drying cleanser. Look in health food stores for non-toxic brands. Some suggested ones are: AHA! Skin Cleanser by Nonie of Beverly Hills, and moisturizing soap bars containing essential oils and olive oil or coconut oil. The advantage of a cleanser containing AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) is that it helps remove dead skin cells to reveal your healthiest skin layer.
2. Squalene Oil available Online by Skin Journey (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9825556) Moisturize. The number of moisturizers available on the market is mind-boggling, ranging from cheap drugstore brands (with cheap ingredients) to expensive, hyped-up brands available at luxury stores (which may also have cheap ingredients, and you end up paying for marketing). A good rule is to only put on your skin that which is safe enough to eat. Some excellent all natural products are out there, but watch out for those that claim to be natural but contain parabens or preservatives. A few suggestions are: Caudalie energizing concentrate(100% oil) and squalene oil by Skin Journey (see resources in links below). If you intend to follow this step with any makeup, wait at least 15 minutes for the oils to absorb into your skin and provide a polished surface for makeup application.
3. Mineral Makeup by ID Bare Escentuals Use concealer and mineral makeup ONLY if you feel uncomfortable with blemishes, spots, or scars. A lot of the time, we are the only ones who notice these things, so skip this step and get used to the natural you! If you must, then try some natural products. BareEscentuals creates natural mineral makeup that is readily available, but take care to read the labels on what you buy, since natural doesn't mean it doesn't contain harmful or chemical ingredients. A great website to learn more about how to avoid artificial ingredients and fillers in mineral makeup is http://premiumminerals.com/ NVEY ECO brand creates an all natural concealer if you want more than powder coverage, but usually mineral makeup covers quite well and gives your skin a breathable yet lustrous finish.
4. Heart Shaped Portable Tweezers by Sedu (http://www.folica.com/Sedu_Heart_Shap_d2276.html) Tweeze Eyebrows. There are many resources on the web on how to do this, so I will not cover it here. The important thing is to find your natural arch and keep it clean by maintaining stray hairs. This step can do wonders for attaining a natural and beautiful look. If you have trouble keeping your brow's shape, try dabbing a little clear lip balm to smooth them in place (Burt's Bee's makes a great lipbalm for this which is all natural).
5. Japonesque Portable Eyelash Curler Curl lashes. This makes such a great difference, that it would be wise to carry a portable lash curler in one's purse. Curling the lashes opens up eyes and makes a person look brighter, younger, and more awake. Some suggested brands are: Shu Uemura (for home) and Japonesque (for a portable purse-sized curler). Mascara is not necessary, unless you have light-colored lashes that look washed out without some color. In that case, find an all-natural brand, such as Suncoat Naturals, available at www.naturalbeautysolutions.net.
6. Nvey Eco Brand Compact Blush available at www.holisticbeauty.com Blush Naturally. For this step, I like to double the use of my lip gloss or colored lip balm. It works great! If you choose to buy a dedicated blush, go to NVEY ECO for powdered blush, or go to an all-natural makeup website to find more options. Every mineral makeup manufacturer creates colored versions to use as blush, so you could even try the Premium Mineral makeup mentioned in step 3.
7. Burt's Bees Super Shiny Natural Lip Gloss (www.burtsbees.com) Finish off with the natural lip balm or gloss of your choice, for moist and healthy-looking lips. Natural lip balms are everywhere, so don't comprimise with something that has harmful ingredients--remember, they WILL get swallowed. Burt's Bees makes colored lip balms, and you could even dab Vitamin E oil on your lips for a natural, shiny gloss. Some other suggestions are Jojoba oil, available in small, portable bottles, and Beauty Wise Lip Shine (also from www.holisticbeauty.com).