Crafting the perfect dramatic nighttime look is easier than you think. Instead of completely redoing your makeup in the evening, just add a few finishing touches to your “day makeup” and you’re ready to go!
First, we’ll show you how to craft a fresh, natural daytime look.
After moisturizing your face, use a cream concealer, such as Covergirl + Olay Concealer Balm, for any blemishes, discoloration or under-eye circles. For a natural and non-cake-y finish, gently drab the concealer directly onto the problem area and blend out the cover-up using your fingers.
To prevent my skin from appearing shiny through out the day, I use an oil-absorbing powder foundation. My personal favorite is L’Oreal Paris True Match Super-Blendable Powder. Using a fluffy brush, swirl the foundation in a circular motion onto your skin. In general, powder foundations are perfect for creating a flawless matte finish.
Next, while smiling, I apply Clinique’s powder blush in Precious Posey to the apples of your cheeks. Warm, shimmery blushes, such as this one, will give the face a sheer-yet-flirty flush of color.
To define your eyes, use a medium sized shadow brush to run a small amount of a soft brown colored eye shadow, like Mauve from Lorac PRO Palette, as a cut crease. This helps to emphasize the natural contours of the eye.
Using an angle brush, press a matte black eye shadow into the lash line to thicken the appearance of your eyelashes. Then, apply three coats of Urban Decay’s Big Fatty Mascara to add volume and length to your lashes.
To give your skin a dewy, light-from-within look, take a cream highlight, such as Benefit’s Watt’s Up, and apply it to your cheek bones, nose and brow bone. While this step isn’t essential, it gives a bounce and healthy glow to the skin.
Here is the final product of my “day time” look.
Now that we have a simple, natural-looking base perfect for everyday wear, we can easily transition in a more glamorous “going out” look. To add a bit of dimension and intrigue to your eye makeup, pat a sparkly nude color like Champagne from Lorac PRO Palette onto your eyelids.
Then, create a cat eye, using a product like Kat Von D’s Autograph Liquid Eyeliner. If you have not yet mastered liquid eyeliner, I would suggest a gel liner, as it is easier to use and is much more forgiving when a mistake is made.
To give a bit of warmth and definition to the face, apply a small amount of a matte bronzer, like Rimmel London Natural Bronzer in Sun Bronze, to the hollows of your cheeks.
Finally, apply a color like Rebel by Mac, a dark raspberry lipstick, to your lips. This vampy, pinkish berry color is more playful and unexpected than run-of-the-mill red. Additionally, this lipstick is extremely long-lasting, so it is perfect for eating and drinking.