MY TEENAGE nieces told me that their classmates as young as 14 have started wearing full makeup. I personally find this too early to start wearing a lot of makeup to school, but of course, it’s up to the girls and their parents.
If you are in the later years of high school or college, just a touch of makeup is enough. These tips will work for those who are already employed but prefer as little makeup as possible.
Eyebrows
If you are already blessed with lush brows, keep them neat with regular tweezing or, if your pain tolerance permits, threading. For those of us who need assistance, brow pencil is an easy way to fill in any sparse areas and define the shape of the brow. Use a light hand especially when wearing little or no other makeup, or all the focus might be on your brows instead of the whole face.
Cheeks
A touch of blush makes anyone appear youthful and fresh with minimal effort. If you’re still practicing, try something with medium to light pigmentation, which is easier to use than something that is really dark or bright. I find cream blush, whether from a stick, pan or pot, the quickest for everyday. I just dab one to two dots per cheek, then blend. Everyone also loves cheek stains, which are great for a very natural flush, but with some formulas you must work fast or it will get streaky.
Lashes
On days I don’t bother with mascara, I always find there’s a major difference without much effort by using an eyelash curler. Lifted lashes immediately make eyes appear wider and more awake. Whatever lash curler you decide to use, the technique is to curl at the base and in the middle of the lashes. Press down gently a few times instead of one hard curl to avoid that unnatural “L” shape.
Lip Color
Last but certainly not least, choose a tinted lip balm or whatever lipstick makes you feel confident. Lip color is the easiest thing we can enhance, and you can pick from tints, sticks, bullets, liquids—whatever feels most comfortable to you.