The whole idea behind nude makeup is to enhance your natural beauty. Also known as the no makeup look, this is perfect for a simple get-together or an official meeting. This makeup is for the times when you want your face to look presentable but not too flashy. The Week spoke to Binita Shah, makeup artist at GlowtoGlow, The Beauty Studio, Hadigau, Kathmandu to find out the secrets of a perfect nude makeup look.   

The basics

The first thing you need to keep in mind is to moisturize your face. Moisturizing is extremely essential, especially for those who have dry skin. “After you moisturize, use a corrector or concealer to hide any dark spots or imperfections under your eyes or on your nose,” says Shah.

Use a primer to smoothen your skin after which you must apply foundation. “Remember, the foundation must match your skin tone,” says Shah. Take help from the cosmetics salesperson if you do not know which shade is perfect for your skin type. The primer helps remove roughness from your skin and the foundation will make your skin look smooth and uniform.

If you have oily skin, remember to use a compact powder. This powder will even help you even out and perfect your complexion.  There are the very basics of attaining a nude makeup look. You can’t skip a single step, else your makeup will look unfinished and rough. 

Attractive eyes

Eye makeup plays an important role in enhancing your nude look. “Be very careful with your eyes,” says Shah. There is no need to put an eye shadow if you are going for a nude makeup look. But in case you want to use it, chose colors that suit your skin tone. Do not go for bright, vivid colors such as pink or red. You may also use highlighter on your eyelids to give it a bright glow. 

You can get a flawless nude makeup look without putting eyeliner. However, if you use choose to use it, do not make your liner too thick. Be careful not to change the shape of your eyes by putting on an eyeliner. Mascara, however, is essential. Double coated mascara will completely enhance your no makeup look.

“Coming to your eyebrows, use an eyebrow pencil that is closest to the shade of your eyebrows, she says. For example, a brown eyebrow pencil should be used for brownish eyebrows. The outer corner of your eyebrows should be darker and the inner corner should be lighter. For those who have very thin eyebrows, try matching the color of your eyebrow to your hair color. 

For rosy cheeks

“It is important to enhance your cheeks by applying a slight blush,” says Shah. The color of your blush should match the natural pinkness of your skin tone. In case you do not know which shade will suit your skin type, place the blush palate beside your cheeks and try to use the color closest to your skin tone. If you are going to buy a blush, ask your cosmetics salesperson to help you out with the tone that suits you best. To apply your blusher perfectly, you must start the application from your cheek bone and go gently up to your hairline. Repeat this process several times to get the perfect blush. 

Shine

“Highlighting your face gives it a natural glow and makes your face look attractive,” says Shah.  There are a few essential spots on your face that need to be highlighted. First highlight by drawing a thin line down the middle of your nose.

Highlight your cheek bone as well as your cupid’s bow which lies right above your upper lip. Also remember to move the brush against your forehead. Highlighting plays an important role in enhancing the nude makeup look.

The shade of the highlighter you use must also match your skin tone. “The trick behind getting the perfect shine is by using fewer colors and brushing it against your skin several times,” says Shah. There are liquid and powder formulas both that work to add the perfect sheer light effect to the skin to make it look beautifully radiant. Apply it to the brow bone, cheeks and cheekbones, center of the nose and cupid’s bow to accentuate these areas.

Contouring

Do not contour your face heavily if you are going for a nude makeup look. “Slightly contouring your face will make it look structured whereas heavy contouring will give you an artificial look that goes completely against the nude makeup look you are aiming for,” says Shah. However, you must learn to contour right. There are many easy YouTube tutorials for that. Shah suggests taking the time to learn some basic tips and tricks.   

Find your perfect lip shade

Lipsticks for a nude look are usually pale in color. There are many nude shades of lipsticks available in the market. Try getting a shade that matches the tone of your natural lips. “You can use peach, light pink and light rose if you wish to,” says Lama. “If you want to go for a fancy event and do not want much makeup, just put on nude makeup and a bright lipstick. And you are good to go,” says Shah. 

 
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