Hate to break it to you, but your favorite red lipstick that looked so good on date night won’t necessarily get you your dream job. As a makeup artist, I’ve done plenty of interview makeup for clients. Here’s my hard-fought words of wisdom, just for you.
The professional guru website Business Insider says this about interview makeup: “Smooth, even-toned, fresh-looking skin. Mascara. No heavy eyeliner, ideally none. Light lipstick.” So lets put this into practice. Choose your skin tone and read up!
1. Light-toned skin (Shades 1-2)
Going with heavy foundations is a no-no – make sure it looks dewy and fresh. If your hair is blonde, use dark brown mascara (Estee Lauder Sumptuous Mascara in Brown, $27.50). If you have dark hair like me, go for black. Find a lipstick that’s just a shade darker than your natural lip (Lancôme Color Design in Vintage Rose $23, or Clinique Long Last in Natural Beauty $17). Finish with some light peach blush and your favorite neutral eye look.
2. Medium Skin (Shades 3-4)
Wear a foundation that matches your skin – even if you like a lighter or darker look, you want to look seamless and natural. Swipe a matte bronzer around the sides of your face (Rimmel Natural Bronzer $4) and add a plum or raisin blush to your cheekbones (MAC blush in Raizin $17). Complete with black mascara and a medium nude lip (Estee Lauder Pure Color Shine in Fairest $30).
3. Dark Skin (Shades 5-6)
Get a dazzling glow with a little bit of highlighter (MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Global Glow $32). Brush it down your nose and cheekbones for a lit-from-within look. Find a classic nude or ruby lipstick (Clinique Different Lipstick in Plum Brandy $17 or Lancôme L’Absolut Rouge in Aubergine Velvet $30.50). Use a color-pop blush (Estee Lauder Poppy Passion $30) and a warm, gold eyeshadow accented with dark brown in the crease.
Unfortunately, I can’t see your face, so go get matched by a professional! Here’s some last-minute tips before you go:
- For all skin tones and types, invest in a nice foundation or BB cream – think Lancôme, Clinique or Bobbi Brown. While drugstore stuff is cheap, it tends to be noticeably reddish and dry.
- Lighter-coverage foundation is better foundation when it comes to interviews! Don’t use a heavy powder unless you have very oily skin, and avoid extreme highlighting and contouring. Some is fine, but you don’t want a red-carpet look for a professional interview.
- Eyeliner should be lightly applied and tightly ride the upper lash line.
- Don’t worry about the interview. You will do just fine, and you will look beautiful. A smile is your best accessory, so listen to a few confidence-boosting anthems and go for it!