

How To Flawlessly Achieve The "No Makeup” Makeup Look
They say sometimes you gotta fake it until you make it.
It's taken me quite some time to achieve “clear" skin, and even now it's still a work in progress. But now that I'm happy with the way my skin is looking, I've been perfecting the “no makeup" makeup look, and I have some tips on how you can achieve it too.
The key is choosing a concealer the same color as your skin as opposed to a lighter shade that you would normally use to highlight. I recently found a concealer by Smashbox that blends into my skin for a near perfect match, making it appear as though I have nothing on. It covers my dark circles and dark spots from picking pimples, and really evens everything out.
Now, let's get into the essentials that you need. Starting with the skin, I use NARS Skin Optimal Brightening Concentrate and the Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream concealer. I follow up with my Anastasia Brow Wiz Pencil in “Brunette" finished with the Anastasia Brow Gel and coat my lashes with Lancome's Hypnose Drama mascara. To compliment clean skin, I love to rock a bright red matte lip. My signature is the NARS matte lip pencil in “Dragon Girl," but lately I've really been into the brick red shade in “Cruella."
Here's a step-by-step tutorial for you beauties.
Step 1
After moisturizing, apply the NARS Optimal Brightening Concentrate on areas where the sun would naturally hit your face. Dab little dots on your cheekbones, down the bridge of your nose, your chin, and middle of your forehead. Blend evenly.
Step 2
Next, take the Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream and apply under your eyes, around your nose to conceal any redness, and on any dark spots or problem areas. Blend using your ring finger in gentle tapping motions to gently push the product into your skin for a flawless finish.
You should get a result similar to this:
Step 3
Manicured brows are so important to really pull this look off. I get mine threaded, then softly fill sparse areas in with my favorite brow pencil, the Anastasia Brow Wiz in “Brunette". To keep my brows in place, I'll follow up with the Anastasia Brow Gel. Any clear brow gel, including drugstore brands, are sufficient enough to use and still get the job done!
Step 4
Because this look is simple and clean, you need a few coats of mascara to give you that open doe-eyed effect. To make my lashes appear fuller, I start with one even coat, then apply an additional two coats in an “up and out motion" just to the outer corners.
Bonus:
If you want to add some drama, top off your fresh face with a yummy pout. Go bold or go nude, both are winners. Matte lippies are really in right now, and my go-to this Spring has been NARS “Cruella". It's a beautiful brick red that looks great on darker skin tones.
Tip: Always exfoliate and apply a light balm before you apply your lip color to keep your pout hydrated and smooth.
Now get out there and flaunt that newfound “I woke up like this" skin of yours. You're killin em babe
What are some of your favorite products to use to get that no makeup, makeup look?
Originally posted on McKenzieRenae.com.
- How to Do Natural Makeup | Real Simple ›
- Naturally flawless: how to get the 'no makeup makeup' look ... ›
- No-Makeup Makeup: How To Achieve A Natural Look | Glamour UK ›
- The Best No-Makeup Makeup Kit Ever | Allure ›
- 10 Products to Achieve the Elusive No-Makeup Makeup Look ›
- How to Do No-Makeup Makeup the Easy Way | StyleCaster ›
- How to Nail the No-Makeup Makeup Look Once and for All | Byrdie ›
Smile, Sis! These Five Improvements Can Upgrade Your Oral Hygiene Instantly
This article is in partnership with Sensodyne.
Our teeth are connected to so many things - our nutrition, our confidence, and our overall mood. We often take for granted how important healthy teeth are, until issues like tooth sensitivity or gum recession come to remind us. Like most things related to our bodies, prevention is the best medicine. Here are five things you can do immediately to improve your oral hygiene, prevent tooth sensitivity, and avoid dental issues down the road.
1) Go Easy On the Rough Brushing: Brushing your teeth is and always will be priority number one in the oral hygiene department. No surprises there! However, there is such a thing as applying too much pressure when brushing…and that can lead to problems over time. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and brush in smooth, circular motions. It may seem counterintuitive, but a gentle approach to brushing is the most effective way to clean those pearly whites without wearing away enamel and exposing sensitive areas of the teeth.
2) Use A Desensitizing Toothpaste: As everyone knows, mouth pain can be highly uncomfortable; but tooth sensitivity is a whole different beast. Hot weather favorites like ice cream and popsicles have the ability to trigger tooth sensitivity, which might make you want to stay away from icy foods altogether. But as always, prevention is the best medicine here. Switching to a toothpaste like Sensodyne’s Sensitivity & Gum toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth will help build a protective layer over sensitive areas of the tooth. Over time, those sharp sensations that occur with extremely cold foods will subside, and you’ll be back to treating yourself to your icy faves like this one!
3) Floss, Rinse, Brush. (And In That Order!): Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you do, but how you do it”? Well, the same thing applies to taking care of your teeth. Even if you are flossing and brushing religiously, you could be missing out on some of the benefits simply because you aren’t doing so in the right order. Flossing is best to do before brushing because it removes food particles and plaque from places your toothbrush can’t reach. After a proper flossing sesh, it is important to rinse out your mouth with water after. Finally, you can whip out your toothbrush and get to brushing. Though many of us commonly rinse with water after brushing to remove excess toothpaste, it may not be the best thing for our teeth. That’s because fluoride, the active ingredient in toothpaste that protects your enamel, works best when it gets to sit on the teeth and continue working its magic. Rinsing with water after brushing doesn’t let the toothpaste go to work like it really can. Changing up your order may take some getting used to, but over time, you’ll see the difference.
4) Stay Hydrated: Upping your water supply is a no-fail way to level up your health overall, and your teeth are no exception to this rule. Drinking water not only helps maintain a healthy pH balance in your mouth, but it also washes away residue and acids that can cause enamel erosion. It also helps you steer clear of dry mouth, which is a gateway to bad breath. And who needs that?
5) Show Your Gums Some Love: When it comes to improving your smile, you may be laser-focused on getting your teeth whiter, straighter, and overall healthier. Rightfully so, as these are all attributes of a megawatt smile; but you certainly don’t want to leave gum health out of the equation. If you neglect your gums, you’ll start to notice the effects of plaque buildup, which can irritate the gums and cause gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. Seeing blood while brushing and flossing is a tell-tale sign that your gums are suffering. You may also experience gum recession — a condition where the gum tissue surrounding your teeth pulls back, exposing more of your tooth. Brushing at least twice a day with a gum-protecting toothpaste like Sensodyne Sensitivity and Gum, coupled with regular dentist visits, will keep your gums shining as bright as those pearly whites.
Smile, Sis! These Five Improvements Can Upgrade Your Oral Hygiene Instantly
This article is in partnership with Sensodyne.
Our teeth are connected to so many things - our nutrition, our confidence, and our overall mood. We often take for granted how important healthy teeth are, until issues like tooth sensitivity or gum recession come to remind us. Like most things related to our bodies, prevention is the best medicine. Here are five things you can do immediately to improve your oral hygiene, prevent tooth sensitivity, and avoid dental issues down the road.
1) Go Easy On the Rough Brushing: Brushing your teeth is and always will be priority number one in the oral hygiene department. No surprises there! However, there is such a thing as applying too much pressure when brushing…and that can lead to problems over time. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and brush in smooth, circular motions. It may seem counterintuitive, but a gentle approach to brushing is the most effective way to clean those pearly whites without wearing away enamel and exposing sensitive areas of the teeth.
2) Use A Desensitizing Toothpaste: As everyone knows, mouth pain can be highly uncomfortable; but tooth sensitivity is a whole different beast. Hot weather favorites like ice cream and popsicles have the ability to trigger tooth sensitivity, which might make you want to stay away from icy foods altogether. But as always, prevention is the best medicine here. Switching to a toothpaste like Sensodyne’s Sensitivity & Gum toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth will help build a protective layer over sensitive areas of the tooth. Over time, those sharp sensations that occur with extremely cold foods will subside, and you’ll be back to treating yourself to your icy faves like this one!
3) Floss, Rinse, Brush. (And In That Order!): Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you do, but how you do it”? Well, the same thing applies to taking care of your teeth. Even if you are flossing and brushing religiously, you could be missing out on some of the benefits simply because you aren’t doing so in the right order. Flossing is best to do before brushing because it removes food particles and plaque from places your toothbrush can’t reach. After a proper flossing sesh, it is important to rinse out your mouth with water after. Finally, you can whip out your toothbrush and get to brushing. Though many of us commonly rinse with water after brushing to remove excess toothpaste, it may not be the best thing for our teeth. That’s because fluoride, the active ingredient in toothpaste that protects your enamel, works best when it gets to sit on the teeth and continue working its magic. Rinsing with water after brushing doesn’t let the toothpaste go to work like it really can. Changing up your order may take some getting used to, but over time, you’ll see the difference.
4) Stay Hydrated: Upping your water supply is a no-fail way to level up your health overall, and your teeth are no exception to this rule. Drinking water not only helps maintain a healthy pH balance in your mouth, but it also washes away residue and acids that can cause enamel erosion. It also helps you steer clear of dry mouth, which is a gateway to bad breath. And who needs that?
5) Show Your Gums Some Love: When it comes to improving your smile, you may be laser-focused on getting your teeth whiter, straighter, and overall healthier. Rightfully so, as these are all attributes of a megawatt smile; but you certainly don’t want to leave gum health out of the equation. If you neglect your gums, you’ll start to notice the effects of plaque buildup, which can irritate the gums and cause gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. Seeing blood while brushing and flossing is a tell-tale sign that your gums are suffering. You may also experience gum recession — a condition where the gum tissue surrounding your teeth pulls back, exposing more of your tooth. Brushing at least twice a day with a gum-protecting toothpaste like Sensodyne Sensitivity and Gum, coupled with regular dentist visits, will keep your gums shining as bright as those pearly whites.