FOTD – Neutral Minimal Makeup Look

Here is a pretty standard FOTD (Face of the Day) from yesterday, which is very much a normal, basic type of look that I conveniently manage to slap together for those usual slack, everyday kinds of non-eventful days.  :-<   You know, like when I am not going anywhere special, but still feel the need to establish a no-fuss makeup look that cleverly masks any unsightly flaws and imperfections, whilst triggering the fictitious illusion of clear, healthy, flawless-looking skin, minus looking ‘all made up’.  *-:)

Here are the products I used:  (*)

BASE

Laura Mercier Oil Free Foundation Primer  

This gloriously lightweight, lotion style primer leaves my skin considerably soft, while smoothing out any abnormalities.  I like teaming this primer with liquid foundations, yet I am partial to it during those warmer, summer days when I need to avoid anything too rich and heavy coating my skin.  The formulation compliments my oily skin and keeps it relatively shine-free throughout the day, bereft drying it right out.  It helps my makeup glide on seamlessly, encouraging it to appear fresher and to remain in place for much longer.  :)

gloMinerals Protective Liquid Foundations Matte II

This is one of the few mineral foundations in a liquid version that I regularly rely on in summer because it’s a match made in heaven for my oily complexion, which won’t melt straight off in the heat.  #:-S   The special formulation is enhanced with additional skin care ingredients to treat and protect my skin.  It’s also oh so light, therefore I don’t experience that suffocating feel like so many of the heavier cover-ups.  :)>-  Instead, this foundation wears superbly comfortable, bolstering to prevent congestion and possible breakouts by allowing my pores to breathe.  Even though I admit it feels lightweight with an airy texture on my skin, don’t for a minute think this will compromise the coverage and performance.  :-S  Not at all!  [-X  I actually only need very little of this highly pigmented, mineral blend to achieve maximum coverage, resulting in a complexion that is utterly flawless, with an ever-so-natural looking, soft matte-finish.  ;)

Australis Cosmetics Ready Set Go Finishing Powder

The finely milled white loose powder has a supremely soft texture, so I like to apply it with my velour puff, prior to dusting my face with a large, fluffy powder brush to remove any excess.  I’m amazed that such a basic-looking, budget priced powder is so effective at setting my makeup and transforming my oily skin by instantly absorbing any excess surface oils and keeping them at bay for a shine-free appearance that eliminates the need for continual touch-ups.  I often select this powder to use following liquid foundations because it imparts such a smooth, silky, matte finish to accomplish ‘complexion perfection’ with the greatest of ease.  :D.

FACE

Clinique Almost Bronzer SPF 15 - Medium

This is my ‘go to’ bronzer, boasting dual-toned colours that make it very versatile and suitable for not only different complexions but also for adapting to irregular skin changes throughout the various seasons.  The contrasting shades, featuring a light and medium hued bronze, are perfect when used individually as a blush or bronzer; otherwise, they will combine conveniently for contouring and highlighting the entire face.  This delicately pigmented duo, blends seemingly with my skin tone to effectuate a healthy, natural-looking, sheer tint of colour, which resembles a gorgeous ‘almost there’ sun-kissed glow.  =D>

Arbonne Blush – Taffeta

I have previously reviewed this particular blush in a bit more depth a while back, if you want to read more, simply click here.  This is a brightly coloured powder blush, which has a semi-sheer colour payoff (that is buildable for a bolder, more vivid appearance) to gently buff into the skin, inspiring a beautifully feminine, lightweight, matte-like finish.  Just a light dusting of this smooth, pigment packed powder is all I need per application, because a little goes a long way and when blended delicately it discards minimal fallout.  I love how this blush provides a natural ‘pinched-cheek’ effect that is soft and dainty, complimenting my skin tone and staying in place all day without fading.  ;;)

EYES

NYX Auto Eyebrow Pencil – Dark Brown

I like to keep my eyebrows well groomed because as the saying goes; ‘eyebrows frame your face’, notably your peepers, which are claimed to be ‘the windows to your sole’.  Well-shaped brows will furthermore balance the rest of your facial features.  Although my own brows are along way from being ‘well-shaped’, they have come a long way since the days of plucking the living daylights out of them! :-O  Now, more than ever, whilst they are growing, I rely on my trusty eyebrow pencil to fill in my sparse brows, depending on the waxy consistency to better mould the shape and hold the hairs in neatly in place.  The attached brush on the flip side, maintains the tidy appearance, guaranteeing my brows retain that permanent ‘wow’ factor’.  \:D/  Something worth noting, is this dark brown shade is, as a matter of fact, a pretty accurate match, comparable to my light-medium brown coloured brows, so beware that the highly saturated colour, is lighter than expected, therfore you may need a darker hue than normal.  /:)

Revlon High Dimension Eyeliner - Bronze Flash 03

I absolutely adore my coloured pencil style eyeliners,  :x  which are currently my favourite (or most sort after) makeup product.  I have quite a collection of eyeliners, flaunting a spectrum of shades and brands that I constantly mix and match to suit my mood, for an eternity, I only ever used black liners, now though I will always incorporate a befitting colour to spruce up my daily look.  Pencil eyeliners have really stepped up in the past couple of years, developing into various ultra rich, creamy formulas that apply and feel just like a liquid liner.  Gone are the days of nearly scratching out your eyeball trying to get a smidgen of colour out of the hard, sharp-tipped pencil that despite ample effort, just wouldn’t transfer at all.  ~X(   These soft, extremely smooth liners glide onto the lash line with ease as well as the waterline, providing lasting staying power that won’t budge.  In addition, the undeniably, bona fide colour payoff, which is exactly what I lust, supplies the slick of defining colour to my waterline that makes my eyes ‘pop’.  >:D<

Almay Intense I-Color Mascara - Black Emerald for Hazel Eyes

For daytime wear, I opt for simple, inexpensive mascara to inject some colour into my lashes and plump them up a tad, without becoming too dramatic or OTT (over the top).  When I first spotted this mascara, I thought it would ideally replace the green-eye mascara I had previously employed, from another brand, which worked well and suited my lash requirements during the day.  I have now determined that this one certainly doesn’t disappoint!  The large brush with a tapered tip evenly coats and separates each individual lash, with no flaking, clumping or smudging, and it’s buildable, permitting for additional coats that can be successively layered for a greater impact.  The gentle formulation is kindy non-irritating to sensitive eyes and while it lasts looking fresh and in place throughout the day, it washes off with ease to avoid the dreaded panda eyes.  Earning its place as one of my preferred daytime mascaras, because it’s merciful and caring to the delicate optics, along with the ability to still create a natural, fuller appearance to the lashes that brighten and emphasise my eyes.  B-)

LIPS

Blistex Strawberry Lip Balm

I often need to prime my lips prior to applying my lippy, so I use a lip balm, which hydrates my lips and smoothes the surface, which is especially essential for dry, chapped lips, filling in any lines, wrinkles or ridges, so my lipstick adheres better and prevents any feathering, smudging or creasing.  I often reach for this handy wind-up tube, with added sunscreen to protect my lips from sun damage, as well as shielding them from the elements.  Infused with natural fruit extracts, the formula smells and tastes like yummy, sweet strawberries. (mmm strawberries  =P~  ) The thick texture, which initially coats my lips, dries quickly and conditions my kissers without leaving any sticky, tacky residue behind.  This addition of this delightfully scrumptious balm to my makeup ritual ensures my lips are perfectly moisturised, soothed and polished ready to bear some colour.  :-*

Becca Nude Lip Liner Pencil - Nougart

This remarkably handy, double-ended liner, with its ultra soft, creamy consistency, is a functional multi-use lip pencil consisting of a skin-toned light beige hue on one end, with the dual side bearing a lip-toned beige that is a few shades darker.  I am always using the light end when I makeup my lips, regardless of which colour I plan on sporting, because the skin coloured shade is a spot on  match that compliments my own skin tone faultlessly, to highlight my cupids bow.  The darker side however, I don’t use as often, yet it does come in useful for lining and filling my lips to create a base to team with certain lipsticks to obtain a more precise, long-lasting, lip look. This liner has a soft, creamy texture that’s easily sharpened to maintain a fine point, prompting it to glide on so smooth and evenly without dragging on my lips.  It’s an exceptionally good quality lip liner and despite being rather pricey up front, it‘s the best I’ve ever tried, promising a gorgeous, natural-looking lip definition.  :)

Benefit Full Finish Lipstick – Lady’s Choice

I am not usually very fond of nude lips; however, this is my ideal lip colour of choice, when I do feel like rocking a realistic, true-hue, nude lip.  What I like most about this sleek, easy to apply lipstick is its deeply moisturising formula, with an especially rich, urber creamy, butter-like texture, fully loaded with pigment for an abundance of saturated colour and a subtle, slightly glossy, shimmer-free finish.  The reason I am personally not fussed on a nude lip is that I am not overly confident that the neutral hues even suit me.  When I first tried this shade, it seemed to look like my lips had done the vanishing act and magically disappeared.  :-O  It also make me look washed out and somewhat sickly. (eww! not a good look  :-&  )  I have since discovered though, if I pair a slightly darker liner to the outline of my lips and fill in my natural lip colour, forging a base underneath, the colour becomes more flattering and amazingly gives the impression that my thin lips are a little plumper than normal.  :D  It’s really starting to grow on me this one (at least for the minimal makeup days), but I’m still keen as to try out some of the different colour options from the same range.  ;)

LAST WORD

The above mentioned combination of cosmetics, constitutes the basis of my regular makeup ritual that I generally use on a day-to-day basis.  (Yes, I have to admit; rarely a day goes by when I don’t wear makeup!  :-O   :">  What! I hear you say, LOL!  :))  But, seriously, I feel sooooo naked without my ‘face’ on, hence why I feel the need to disguise my defects behind a ‘barely there’ makeup look.  Whew, #:-S  at least with  makeup I can  tryyyyyy and appear ‘natural-ISH’, shh it’s our little secret, hehe  ;))  )  On those uneventful days when there is nothing planned. I don’t often bother concocting a special eye shadow creation or upping the drama factor too much, unless I have places to go and people to see, in which case it’s indeed time to ‘rev’ things up a bit.  Under those circumstances, I’ll possibly go the ‘full hog’ and get really creative, or if you prefer, indulge in some ornamental fun!   <:-P

Another excuse as to why I don’t really dig neutral-looking makeup on myself too much, is because I am a big fan of lots of colour and I tend to feel a bit ‘plain Jane’ when I wear the more ‘au natural’ hues.  It comes down to my skin tone as well, coz while these shades can look spectacular on others (particularly models in the glossy mags or on the catwalk) I just can’t pull it off well at all.   :-/   Kind of like…meh, whatever!’  :|  I think it’s ok (average), but at the end of the day, it’s definitely NOT a look I would go to town in and it doesn’t excite me very much either… boring!   (:|  That’s just me, I am of the belief that makeup is all about FUN!!!   :)>-

There you have my opinion, so how about you guys, what do you think?  Can you pull off an awesome nude lip or neutral makeup look?  Does it suit you…or, do you wanna bat on my team, preferring to adorn yourself amidst a rainbow of exciting, inspirational, slightly crazy tinctures?  :O)  Umm,  :-/  well. maybe not ALL the shades from under the rainbow at once, but you know what I mean, super eye-catching, colour galore, YAY!   \:D/  What kind of makeup look do you like to adopt for an average, fuss-free day?  Is it something different to a look you might create to hit the town?  Tell me more, tell me more, please share!!    ;)  :) 

The two FOTD images are my own and the product images are all generics.