The verdict is in! Natural makeup is the personal pick among men and women alike. Ready to dial back your beauty regime? Check out Part Two of our interview with Rebecca Spera, host of Mirror Mirror on the Live Well Network. Read what tips the beauty expert has to offer up below!
What are some ways we can limit our makeup use?
It really comes down to how we feel when we look in the mirror and it takes time. First, try substitutions. Perhaps try a light coverage foundation or BB or CC Cream instead of full coverage foundation. For concealer, try a lighter hand and just dab the product into the areas that absolutely need it - a little bit goes a long way. For eyes, take the number of products you currently use, and reduce it to no more than four. That includes mascara! The best part - not only will it look fabulous, but you'll save time!
How much makeup should we wear to the office, versus out on a date?
Leave the dark and colorful shadows and bright and bold lip colors at home when you head to the office! An office look, for most career genres, should be more natural. Go for light to medium neutral shades for the eyes and choose a lip color a few shades darker than your lips. You can, of course, lean towards pink, coral, and even red, but keep it toned down for work. For a night on the town, you can bring out the smoky eye and glamorous red lip - just not at the same time!
What advice can you give to women who are used to being heavy-handed with their makeup application?
It isn't easy to start wearing less makeup. We often get used to that camouflaged look and don't like the way we look without it. I think every woman is different, but if I had to decide, I'd say start with coverage products for the face. I'd work on just adding foundation to the center of the face (t-zone area) and brushing it outward, rather than applying foundation all over. When you start with applying at the center, you can blend it in with the skin, so it almost disappears.
To apply foundation, use a dabbing motion and not a wiping motion. Start with just one pump and then add on from there. Next, lighten up the eyes. Start removing the darker shades and any heavy eyeliner, especially for the bottom lash line. Also, choose only one shimmer color for eye makeup. Too much shimmer starts to clump and create creases on the lids, which isn't flattering for anyone. Also, try a tinted gloss instead of lots of lip product for a more natural look.
Any additional tips and tricks?
More makeup means more products, which means more money spent! And, I can add, as a woman who works in TV, I often wear too much makeup...on purpose. It gets everywhere! My collar turns the shade of my foundation, I hug someone and leave my makeup behind (sorry!), so it can leave me in fashion emergency situations, which can create an expensive dry-cleaning bill. In this case, more is more, but not for the positive!
