When it comes to makeup, sometimes the natural look makes the biggest statement. Neutral toned makeup includes eyeshadows and lip shades in the range of natural skin colors, such as mauve, peach, beige, taupe, champagne, and bronzes. They flatter all skin tones and are the most versatile shades. When worn correctly, neutrals are anything but boring. The guide below will show you how to use neutral makeup to give your natural look a little something extra.
A flattering neutral makeup look depends on bright and natural looking skin. To give your skin a glowing effect, apply an illuminator, such as this one from NYX, underneath your foundation. Don’t let dark circles weigh down your eye look. Apply an eye brightener or a brightening concealer underneath your eyes and blend it downwards towards your cheekbones in an inverted triangle shape.
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Neutral makeup is all about blurring the line between your makeup and your natural facial features. When selecting a blush, avoid one that is overly shimmery or bright, and instead choose one that mimics your face’s natural flush. To ensure your blush blends in seamlessly with the rest of your face, go over the boundary of the blush with your foundation brush or sponge, without adding any additional product.
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For a stunning natural look, a soft brow is key. To keep your brows natural, choose a brow powder instead of a pencil, as pencils tend to be harsher. Apply the product using short hair-like strokes with an angled brush. If you have a dual-toned eyebrow powder kit, such as this one from Anastasia or this one from Milani, use the lighter color in front of the arch and use the darker color to fill in the tail, making sure to blend the colors together with a spooley. Because powders tend to diminish the brows’ dimension, finish with a clear brow gel to define the hairs and add movement.
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To make your shadow stand out, choose a shade that is either lighter or darker than your natural skin tone. For added intensity, apply a cream shadow in a color similar to your lid shade underneath the powder shadow as a base. (For an affordable choice, try these cream gel eye shadows by Maybelline to avoid fading in your lid shade, apply your crease shade first, and then with a flat brush pack the lid shade over the center of the lid and into the corner. Then lightly go over the crease once more to blend out any harsh lines. This way, a fallout from the crease will not dampen the vibrancy of the lid shade.
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To add an extra pop to your neutral eye look, highlight the brow bone and inner corner of the eye using a bright white eyeshadow or your facial highlighter.
Although crisp liquid liner makes a dramatic statement, don’t underestimate what a more discreet liner can do. For a softer, smokier look, try an eyeliner pencil. Black contrasts neutral eyeshadow more sharply, whereas colors such as brown and gray blend in more seamlessly. No matter which color you choose, always remember to blend out the liner well. With a smudging brush, smudge the liner using side to side motions to evenly distribute the product and then with downward motions to cover any gaps.
Defined lashes are a must for any natural look. For long and thick lashes, layer a defining mascara over a volumizing mascara. This will thicken the lashes and remove clumps. If you wish to wear false lashes, choose a wispy, natural looking lash, cut it in half, apply each half to the outer half of each eye for a toned-down look.
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To open the eyes, try lining your lower waterline with a nude or white pencil. This will give the look of bigger, more awake eyes, whereas black liner in the waterline tends to close the eyes.
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For a flattering natural lip look, choose a shade that is just a smidge darker than your natural lip color. Mattes are a lovely choice, but if you want to add a bit of glossiness, try applying a lip gloss in a similar shade to only the centers of your upper and lower lips and then blend in the color.
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For a more natural look, skip the chiseled cheekbones and deep contour, and instead use the 3 E method to achieve a soft, warm glow. Taking a contouring brush and a matte, warm-toned bronzer, such as this one from NYX, buff the bronzer in the shape of a 3 on the right side of your face and an E on the left side of your face, starting at your forehead, bowing inwards around the cheekbones, and ending along the jawline.
Get The Look:
Neutral makeup can be as minimal or glamorous as you would like, making it appropriate for any occasion. For a more natural look, opt for matte or pearl eyeshadows in soft taupe, peach, or champagne tones. For a more dramatic look, choose shimmery lid shadows and darker lid and crease colors, such as bronzes and deep chocolates. With a single neutral eyeshadow palette, you can create a wide range of looks to suit any occasion.
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