How to Get Perfect, Glowing Skin (Part II)

If you read Part I of this series, you’ll know that I believe skincare is paramount. Good skincare, eyelash curlers, and mascara are all a girl needs (and yes, I practice what I preach)! That said, however, there are times when we crave a little extra oomph. Maybe you’re feeling subpar and want to freshen up a sick-day complexion. Perhaps you want to amp it up for photos, a performance, or a night out dancing! Whatever it is, here’s my recipe for the perfect glow-y complexion:

You’ll notice that there’s no foundation pictured in the products above: I don’t believe in foundation or concealer. Part of it can be attributed to my utter lack of patience for finding “the perfect foundation/concealer,” but again, it goes back to my philosophy that makeup should never cover, but only enhance. I’m okay with a few blemishes here and there, skin is skin; things happen. I don’t like how heavy makeup feels on my skin either, but if I were being photographed professionally, or was to appear on stage for an important performance, I just might reach for a foundation then. Should that be the case, I’d opt for either the Makeup Forever Face & Body Liquid Makeup or Makeup Forever HD Invisible Cover Foundation.

I love a contoured face for evenings, the dark (and photography) generally blurs features. I’ve just discovered MAC Sculpting Powder in “Shadowy,” it’s incredibly easy to use: I just and “3/E” motion on either side of my face and along the sides of my nose, the final result is quite soft and looks fairly natural even in natural daylight. (For stage purposes, however, I’d obviously be a bit more liberal with every step.) I then bronze up just a bit by sweeping Tarte Amazonian Clay Matte Waterproof Bronzer to both enhance and soften the taupe contouring powder.

NARS Madly is my go-to blush for day or night; it looks so natural but makes you look tawny and glow-y and like you’ve just had a little romp. Madly is what I affectionately call the perfect “blonzer:” one part blush, one part bronzer. It’s beautiful on it’s own, but when used in conjunction with a few contouring products, it does wonders. When I’m especially tan, or am on stage, I prefer bright blush to lift the complexion. I’m enamored with Makeup Forever Blush in No. 22: it’s a fresh, peach-coral with more orange undertones than pink that suits my golden complexion perfectly. Again, this color is lovely paired with a natural tan alone, but it sculpts the face beautifully with a bit of a contour.

I highlight with a light sweep of VS Makeup highlighter (it’s not on the web, unfortunately). I’ve tried a number of high-end ones and found them all to be too chunky, glittery, or simply not worth the money—again, even for a night out or a performance, I’d rather my makeup look as natural as possible—and nearly settled for a Laura Mercier baked quad. (It was stunning, but I couldn’t bear to spend 40-something bones on something I’d use only for special occasions). I’m so happy I stumbled upon the Victoria’s Secret one, it gives a similar effect as the infamous Dior Amber Diamond but is a little less peachy-bronze in shade. Use a light hand and it looks fairly natural for daytime, too. I swipe it over the tops of my cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose, under my eyebrows, and in the inner corners of my eyes.

The secret to radiant makeup, however, is this Mario Badescu Rosewater Spray. It’s magical. On bare skin it brightens, freshens and revitalizes. On even the most made up of faces, this facial spray melds and blends everything together seamlessly as the finishing touch. It’s gorgeous, it’s a Martha Stewart favorite, it’s my personal must-have.

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xx