HOW TO: FLAWLESS DEWY SKIN, NUETRAL EYES
Step 1: Prep + Prime
Prep skin by exfoliating the face with a facial exfoliating scrub (St Ives), following that apply favourite moisturiser (Formula 10.0.6 - Picture perfect day), allowing a couple of minutes for the moisturiser to be absorbed into the skin before applying your skin primer. When applying your primer (Napoleon Perdis - Auto pilot primer) really focus on your T zone (forehead, nose, chin) as well as your cheeks (most obvious pores are found there). With most face primers, a little goes a long way !
Step 2: Base (foundation, contour and highlight)
After the skin has been prepped and primed, you can now begin applying your base. I used two foundations (Avon - Liquid Luminous in Cream & Maybelline - Fit me smooth+dewy in 220) one being lighter in shade then the other one. The Avon foundation is a more darker and deeper shade when compared to the Fit me foundation, focus this on the outside perimeters of the face only using a flat foundation brush. Using the Maybelline foundation, apply to the centre of the face using the dame flat foundation brush.
Blend out the two foundations using a moist (I use Avéne - Thermal spring water) beauty blender (Real Techniques), spray the spring water directly onto the blender sponge. Starting with the centre of the face (the lighter foundation), using quick, bouncing motions work the lighter foundation into the skin first, gradually moving towards the outside of the face (the darker foundation) blending the two shades together, creating a subtle natural shadow (contour) and highlight.
Base is done! Time to move on into more specific contouring and highlighting, to really emphasise and carve out features of the face. To contour, use a cream product, as we are trying to achieve a very dewy finish. For this, you can use a concealer 2-4 shades darker then your foundation shade (ELF - Complete coverage concealer in dark ).
Using a small concealer brush, accurately apply sharp lines with the dark concealer onto the hollow area of your cheek (this can be found by sucking in your cheeks and pouting your lips), around the forehead, following the jawline, down the neck and lightly around the sides of the nose.
Grab a concealer (maybe line - Fit me in Fair Claire) that is about 2 shades lighter then your foundation shade, using a small concealer brush begin "drawing" triangles. Begin by drawing a small triangle on the forehead, with one of the three points of the triangle in-between your brows. Proceed by drawing a triangle under each eye, and one small triangle on the chin. Using the same concealer brush apply a small amount of product to the bridge of your nose, a little bit on the tip of the nose and on your cupids bow (above your lips).
After you have applied all your contour and highlight to the desired spots, once again, using a moist beauty blender begin blending everything out, starting again with the light concealer meeting with the darker and blending the two out. Really work the products in, making sure not to leave any harsh, noticeable lines or smudges.
To add a natural glow to the skin use a liquid illuminator (BYS - Strobe) apply with clean fingers to the tops of the cheeks, the brow bone, above the brow bone, tip of the nose, cupids bow and chin.
Step 3: Brows & Eyes
Keep your brows very natural and light for this look, using a pencil, wax or powder (Benefit - Browzings in light) will do just fine, or if you are that one in a million with Godly given full brows (totally jealous) then just comb through them.
For this look you want to stick to very neutral shades, both matte and shimmery.
Using a big fluffy eyeshadow brush and a bronze shadow (Benefit - Hoola bronzer), roughly apply to eyelid, really focusing the product in the crease (this does not have to be neat or precise), using the same bronze colour but now a flat shadow brush drag the shadow under the eyes, meeting the two in the outer corner of the eye. Using a mixture of a golden and a champaign shadow (Too Faced - Natural eyes in Silk teddy & honey pot) apply with patting motions to the centre of your lid using a smaller flat shadow brush, extending into the inner corner of the eye. Now grabbing a white shadow (Heaven) and mixing this with the champaign(Silk teddy) shadow used before, apply this to the inner corner and drag this to the centre of the bottom eye lid, using the same mixture highlight the brow bone. To deepen the look you want to use a deeper brown shade (cashmere bunny), and focus this colour in the outer V of your eye.
Once the shadows are complete, it's time to curl and apply 2 coats of your favourite mascara (Clinique - high length mascara in Black)
Step 4: Set, pout & and your out
Nearly done ladies and gents !
When setting your face whilst trying to achieve a dewy look, make sure to use either a veil or a translucent setting powder (ModelsPrefer - Mineral powder in soft focus). Using a big fluffy powder brush lightly swirl the brush into the powder, making sure to tap off any excess and very lightly dab onto the skin, focusing majority of the product on the T zone (as this is where you will begin to sweat and get oily first), and then dabbing what is left on the brush to the rest of your face. This will set your makeup in place, with out removing the dewiness and the glow you created before.
Add some colour to the face by using a peachy blush (Clinique blush - Aglow), opt for using one with a bit of shimmer in it, as this will further add more glow to the face. Using a small blush brush apply to the apples of the cheek and upwards to the cheek bones (this will lift the face).
As for the pout, nude is always best for neutral eyes, but again this is personal preference ! I used a lip cream (Essense - matte effect in soft nude)
xx d
