Cara B. Design & Wellness is owned and operated by Cara B. Drescher, Licensed Esthetician & Makeup Artist.  A 2003 graduate of The Lansdale School of Cosmetology, Cara’s professional background includes work at high end salons and spas in the Philadelphia Metro area and the Main Line, as well as freelance work for local photographers, models, hairstylists, and more.  In addition to skincare and makeup, she is a Pennsylvania Licensed and Nationally Certified Massage Therapist and Continuing Education Provider.  

 

DIY Bridal Makeup Tutorial Part 2: Natural Makeup

 

by Cara Bendler Drescher

 

In my last blog post, I focused on neutral bridal makeup. This week, we’re going au natural! Natural makeup should have a soft look, with a gentle, natural looking glow. When you hear the term “natural,” colors like peachy, light neutrals, & light earthy tones come to mind. You can add a little bit of color to natural makeup (eye shadow primarily) to help make the eyes pop a bit, but the color should be subtle. The goals of natural makeup are: soft, natural, relaxed, & smooth. I chose natural makeup for our second model, Jaime, because I wanted her natural beauty to shine through.

 

As mentioned in last week’s post, keep in mind while viewing the tutorials that every face is unique. You may find you share similar features, or absolutely none at all. Treat my DIY like your new best friend in such cases – it will help guide you to a glowing natural look in no time!  Finally – if you kept up with me last week, you’ll notice that many of the tips and techniques I touch on are related. The trick in application is mastering the basics, which are the same, no matter how soft of dramatic the look, then focusing on the final touches which make all the difference in the world. Let’s get started!

 

Part I: Foundation, Concealer, & Contouring

 

 

 

Step 1: Cleanse and moisturize your skin, using a proper cleanser and moisturizer for your specific skin type (dry, oily, combination, sensitive, mature, etc.)

 

 

Step 2: Find your matching foundation:

As discussed in last week’s post, the first step in choosing the proper foundation color for your skin, is determining what your undertones are. There are 3 undertone colors: pink/cool, yellow/warm, and neutral.

 

There are a number of ways to determine undertone, and one of the best ways to do this is, is simply look at the veins in your wrist.

• Veins that appear blue will usually belong to people with pink/cool undertones.
• Veins that appear green will usually belong to people with yellow/warm undertones.
• Neutral undertones create a blue-green color to the veins.

 

Another way to determine undertone, is looking at your jewelry.

• People with pink/cool undertones, will usually look best in silver jewelry.
• People with yellow/warm undertones, will usually look best in gold jewelry.
• Neutral undertones will look good in both gold and silver jewelry.

 

Our model, Jaime, has very fair skin with pink undertones. In my professional Makeup Kit, I carry Make Up For Ever’s cream foundation palette. I chose Ivory on Jaime, which was an exact match for her skin tone.

 

 

Step 3: Application Process

There are various tools to use when applying foundation. Choosing which tool to use, depends on the type of foundation, as well as the look you are striving for.

• Fingers: Best for liquid foundation.
• Sponge/Wedge: Best for liquid or cream foundation.
• Beauty Blender: Similar to a makeup wedge, but works better.
• Brush: Best for cream and powder foundations, though a different type of brush is used for powder and for cream.

 

For the Make Up For Ever cream foundation, I chose a synthetic foundation brush to apply the foundation to Jaime’s skin. It’s very important to blend the foundation into the skin going down the neck, as the skin on the neck will almost always be a slightly different shade than the skin on the face.

 

Step 4: Choosing a concealer

Concealer (or ‘cover up’) has various purposes, and the two most common are under eye concealer and blemish concealer.

 

The purpose of under eye concealer is to conceal darkness just below the eyes (dark circles). It comes in 3 basic formulations: Liquid, cream and powder

 

Alternatively, the purpose of blemish concealer is to cover blemishes. And thank goodness for it! You can find it in the same 3 basic formulations: Liquid, cream and powder

 

When choosing a concealer color, you want to go about a shade lighter than your foundation choice.

 

***TIP: Sometimes, color correction is needed if the circles under the eyes are very dark or purplish. In this instance, you’ll want to apply a color corrector that will neutralize the underlying color. How to choose a neutralizer that suits your skin? Here’s my simple trick:

• Orange neutralizes blue
• Green neutralizes red
• Brown neutralizes pink

 

Step 5: Application Process

There are multiple ways to apply concealer and it all depends on the formulation of the concealer.

• Fingers: Best for liquid and cream
• Brush: Best for liquid, cream and powder
• A beauty blender or wedge is suitable for liquid or cream

 

For Jaime, I chose a cream concealer for under her eyes, as her already glowing complection was spot free! She also didn’t require any color correction under her eyes. I used the same palette that I used for her foundation, as the formulation makes this product quite versatile.

 

In order to get the most accurate color to match under her eyes, I chose her foundation color (Ivory) and added some white to lighten it a bit. Once the colors were mixed, I had her look straight up and I applied the color with a smaller synthetic concealer brush, and then blended with my fingertip.

 

***TIP: When applying under eye concealer to your own skin, blend it with your ring finger. This finger has the least amount of muscle, so it is naturally weaker, and ensures that the blending looks more flawless!

 

 

 

*Note, this photo includes under eye concealer as well as eye primer

 

Part 2: Eye makeup & eyebrows

Step 1: Choose your color palette. Since we are doing natural makeup on Jaime, the focus is going to be on bringing out her eye color, by using soft, contrasting colors.

 

Choose your color palette based on your eye color. To bring out your eye color, focus on a color palette that is opposite of your eye color. The best colors to use on any eye color for natural makeup will be variations of light neutrals, like browns, and taupes.

• Blue eyes: Use a neutral with an orange undertone.
• Green eyes: Select a neutral with a red undertone.
• Hazel eyes: Opt for a neutral with a red undertone to bring out the green, use a neutral with a yellow undertone to bring out the brown
• Brown eyes: As they are more versatile that the other eye colors, because brown is neutral, they can be paired with any undertone that you are attracted to.

 

For Jaime’s hazel eyes, I chose to focus on soft purple and silver to bring out the flecks of green.

 

Step 2: Apply primer

Always make sure to apply a primer to the eyelid prior to applying eyeshadow. While there are many very good, very popular eye primers out there, you can also use foundation and you’ll get the same results. I used Lorac Behind the Scenes Eye Primer on Jaime.

 

 

Step 3: Brow bone highlighter

Highlighter should be applied directly under the highest arch of the eyebrow. Applying highlighter directly under the brow, on the brow bone, emphasizes the brow bone.

 

I chose 2 colors for the brow bone, white from the Lorac Pro palette and Snow from the Lorac Pro II palette. I applied White first, directly under the brow bone, and then added Snow to brighten the color.

 

 

 

Step 4: Base Color

For a base color, you want to select a shade that you can layer other colors on top of and still have the base color shine through.

 

I chose her base color to be Dusty Lilac from my Mary Kay Mineral Eyeshadow Palette. This color has a very light purple/silver shade to it, which gives us a great base to start with!

 

 

 

 

 Step 5: Crease color

The color you choose for the crease will have the same effect that the contouring has on the face. The idea is to help give more shape to the eyelid.

 

For Jaime, I chose Plum from the Lorac Pro 2 palette because of its darker purple matte color, which will help contour Jaime’s eyes. The purple color will also pop the green in her eyes.

 

Finally, I also added a small amount of sparkle by adding Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on eyeshadow in Delinquent. This color has more red in it, which will also accentuate the green in her eyes.

 

 

Step 6: Eyelid highlight color

The color you choose for the eyelid highlight color will have a similar effect as highlighting had on the face. It will make the eyelid more prominent, and give it a more rounded shape.

 

I added Silver from the Lorac Pro 2 Palette, directly to the center of her eyelid.

 

 

 

Step 7: Inner corner highlighter

Highlighting the inner corner of the eye will help make the eyes pop even more. I chose Snow from the Lorac Pro II palette, and gently dusted it on the inner corner of the eye.

 

Step 8: Blend

Blend all eyeshadow on the lid once it is in place – and make sure to use an eyeshadow blending brush. Trust me, it makes a HUGE difference.

 

Step 9: Eyeliner

For Jaime, I chose 2 different eyeliners. For the top and bottom lash line of her eye, I chose Maybelline Master Drama in Vibrant Violet. On the top lash line, I added Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on eyeshadow in Delinquent.

 

***TIP: If you wear contact lenses, do not line the waterline on the bottom or top lash line. If you do not wear contact lenses and would like to line the waterline, I advise using white only. White eyeliner will serve to give the illusion of larger eyes.

 

 

Step 10: Mascara

Regardless of the color or length of your eyelashes, mascara is always important. Mascara adds definition to the eye, making the lashes appear larger and fuller. My go to mascara for bridal makeup is L’oreal Voluminous in Carbon Black. Always coat the top lashes first, and then follow with the bottom lashes.

 

***TIP: Do not use waterproof mascara on a regular basis. Waterproof mascara can dry out the lashes when used on a regular basis.

 

Step 11: Eyebrows

Filling in the brows is important to help them stand out and look a little more defined. When filling in brows, fill in sparse areas, but don’t overfill. The idea is to give a natural shape to the brows, not to create a different shape. Always make sure to soften the brows when filling in the sparse areas, and don’t create severe lines.

 

To help define Jaime’s brows, I used color from the Senna Brow Book. Because the colors aren’t labeled in the Senna Brow Book, I’ve indicated which color I used. I chose a grayish brown color, because it matches Jaime’s eyebrow hair perfectly. And after I applied the color, I used Tweezerman Brow Mousse to help her eyebrows stay put. The brow mousse works like a gel for the eyebrows, without drying crunchy. It works like a charm!

 

 

 

Part III: Blush/Rouge & Lip Color

 

Step 1: Choosing a blush formulation

Choosing a blush formulation is dependent on various factors including weather, skin type and personal preference. There is a wide array of formulations available for blush, including:

• Cream: Best for dry skin
• Gel: Best for oily skin
• Tint: Best for oily skin
• Stain: Best for oily skin
• Powder: Best for normal skin (not too oily, not too dry)

 

I prefer cream blush in my kit, as I find I have better control over the blending and application.

 

Step 2: Choosing a proper color

When choosing a blush color, choose a color that best matches your natural flush color. The purpose of blush is to give you a natural looking flush.

 

For Jaime, I chose NYX Cream Blush in Magnolia.

 

 

 

Step 3: Application Process

When applying any formulation of blush, apply directly to your cheekbones. The best way to get the proper effect, is to smile and apply blush to the apples of your cheeks. Once you do this, gently swipe the color up your cheekbone on the outer side of the face.

 

***TIP: I stressed this in my last post, and it merits mentioning again – do not apply blush in the hollow of your cheek! This 80s trend is not flattering on anyone.

 

 

Step 4: Choosing a Lip Color

When choosing a lip color, it’s best to choose a color that picks up some of your skin’s undertones.

 

For Jaime, I chose Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC) Lip Tar in Vintage. This color looks different on everyone, but has a burgundy tone to it. It’s deep when applied heavily, but when applied lightly, it adds just the right amount of color to the lips.

 

Step 5: Application Process

When applying lip color, it’s important to apply a lip liner first to help keep the color from feathering at the edges. Because it can be difficult to find a matching lip liner, I prefer to use invisible/clear lip liner. Start by lining the edges of the lips with the lip liner of your choice.

 

 

 

Be aware of lip shape, including asymmetry. To give the appearance of a fuller lip, line the lip just outside of the natural color of the lip. To give the appearance of a thinner lip, line the lip just inside the natural color of the lip.

 

And don’t forget: Always apply lip color with a lip brush instead of directly from the tube. This will give a more natural look.

 

***TIP: You can also use a cotton swab instead of a lip brush to apply color, especially with the OCC Lip Tars. After applying lip color, blot lips with a tissue, and then apply more color. To help the color stay longer, repeat this process 4-5 times! For a matte look, apply lip color, blot, and leave as is. For a glossy look, apply a clear, or sparkly lipgloss on top of the lip color.

 

Step 6: Finishing Powder

Always finish a makeup look with finishing/translucent powder. My go to powder is NYX HD Studio Finishing powder in SFP01. Dust the powder all over the face to set the makeup in place.

 

 

 

 

Tying the knot? Schedule your makeup session with Cara at carabdesignstudio@gmail.com or for more information, visit carabdesignandwellness.com.