The simplest ways to enhance your natural beauty

How to look beautiful in a matter of minutes

Women's Health Contributing Editor / December 27 2016

Fast brows, berry lips, luminous skin. Easy, natural, uncomplicated beauty is on trend. Here’s how to pull it off.

1

Lips

A statement lip is one of the easiest entry-level trends to try. If you’re gun-shy when it comes to red, berry is for you. “Berry/wine shades are so perfect because these are the only colours in the spectrum that are both cool and warm – so will suit any skin tone,” says Priceline Pharmacy Makeup Director Rae Morris. To find your perfect shade, don’t scrub your options across the back of your hand at the cosmetics counter. Your lip and the back of your hand couldn’t be more different – lips have a blue/red undertone, whereas hands are relatively nude or neutral. Instead, use the tip of your finger, which is close to both the texture and colour of your lips, says Morris. “You should be able to get the shade you want with one stroke across the top of your finger. If not – pick another shade,” she says. Try Maybelline New York Vivid Matte Liquid in Berry Boost.

Maybelline NY Vivid Matte Liquid in Berry Boost

2

Brows

Your eyebrows have the power to change your entire face – for better or worse. Too dark – you’re a caricature. Too light, your face will lack definition and strength. So how can you make the most of your brows when you have a) two minutes, max; b) a toddler swinging off your leg; c) zero skills; d) possibly, all of the above. Work with what you’ve got. “If you have areas in your brows that are less dense than others, use a brow pencil or matching brow gel with an angled brow brush and only fill in the gaps – don’t trace the entire brow,” says Morris. “This way you get the shape while maintaining a natural look, and it can be done in a minute.” Another quick tip – try brow mascara. It can be applied quickly to temporarily lighten or darken brows. Colour tip: Match your brow pencil or product to your actual brow colour – not your desired colour – the difference will be too obvious, says Morris. If you don’t like your natural colour, get them tinted by a professional and match your product to that. Try Ardell Brow Sculpting Gel.

Ardell Brow Sculpting Gel

3

Skin

Emoji nail art may come and go – but perfect skin is evergreen. How to prep for a dewy, flawless complexion that screams health? “When applying makeup, the rule is you only want one product between you and your foundation,” says Morris. The more cream on your face, the harder it is for your makeup to sink in. And when your foundation ‘sits’ on top of your skin like a hat – you lose the natural look. Prep with a multi-purpose primer that contains moisturiser and SPF. Then, add a few drops of creamy gold or shimmery bronze liquid luminiser to your foundation. If you have good skin – apply it all over your face. Lined or blemished skin? Keep the luminosity to your cheekbones, upper eyelids and down the bridge of your nose, says Morris. Try Nude by Nature Touch of Glow Highlight Stick.

Nude by Nature Touch of Glow Highlight Stick

Want to embrace the makeup-free trend? Follow the lead of these celebs who have been spotted sans makeup.

For more beauty tips from Women's Health, check out womenshealth.com.au

Main image credit: Getty

Chelsea is BEAUTYcrew’s Contributing Editor. She has a sweet spot for anything that claims to make skin glow and won’t leave the house without a slick of mascara. Chelsea has 10 years of experience as a beauty editor and her words can be found on BEAUTYcrew, Women’s Health, Daily Addict, The Joye and Primped.