There’s just something about being lazy and bored that inspires me to put on a full face of makeup. I mean, sweatpants, full glam and no plans? Name a more iconic trio, I’ll wait.
This is especially true right now — with this newfound down time at home, there’s a lot of pressure to be productive or to stay entertained, and social distancing can definitely start to feel draining. One of my favorite ways to pass the time and maintain a sense of normalcy is to do my makeup. Being able to play with color and pamper myself has really boosted my mood, and because I’m not leaving the house, I can go a lot bolder with my looks.
Another bonus: getting glam lets you majorly up your Insta selfie game, especially in feeds filled with pushup challenges, drawings of carrots and “until tomorrow” posts. Here are a few makeup looks that are giving me major inspo.
- Leopard Print Eyes
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If you only have neutral eyeshadow but want to do a fun, out-there eye look, try leopard print. It might look tricky and detailed, but animal print is imperfect, so it’s deceptively easy IMO. The more asymmetric the spots are, the better.
Apply a mid-toned brown all over the lid and up into the crease, and draw dots with a darker brown eyeliner pencil or eyeshadow. Finally, outline the spots with a black liquid or gel liner.
- Graphic Liner
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Play around with color and shape. Try ombre liner, floating eyeliner, or a double wing! If you don’t have colorful liquid liner, spritz some setting spray on an angled brush before dipping it in the eyeshadow of your choice.
- Yellow Blush
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Golden yellow lids were very on-trend this past summer, and while yellow blush might seem pretty far out there, YouTuber and makeup artist Jkissa demonstrates how this trend can actually be pretty flattering. She details different application techniques and gives multiple options on how to wear this trend. If you don’t have a yellow blush lying around — as I’m sure not many of us do — you could easily recreate this look with yellow eyeshadow instead.
- Soft Glam
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For a classic vibe, follow along with Jackie Aina as she achieves a soft glam look. Think perfected complexion, mauve smokey eye, and monochromatic blush and lips for a fresh-faced yet made-up look. She also has a drugstore version of this tutorial!
- Spring-Inspired Pastels
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Mariah Leonard is the queen of wearable yet unique makeup looks with a lil’ something extra. In this particular video, Mariah shows us how make pastel eyeshadow by creating a seamlessly blended, baby blue eye look.
- Foxy Eyes
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For more soft glam, model-inspired makeup, Amy Serrano creates a Bella Hadid-inspired, neutral cat eye that gives the illusion of mega-lifted eyes and cheekbones. This tutorial is particularly helpful if you don’t have a lot of colorful eyeshadows or “niche” products but still want to switch up your makeup application techniques.
- No-Foundation Glass Skin
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To look presentable for your Zoom meeting without going too hard, try a natural, dewy face without foundation. Jamie Paige offers tips about how to prep your skin and make your other products work in order to achieve a perfected yet light-coverage face.
Makeup can be a really helpful form of self-care during this time. More than just a way to pass the time or a creative outlet, doing your makeup has been literally proven to reduce anxiety, especially if doing your makeup everyday becomes a habit.
For me, a desire to try a new eye look motivates me to do more basic daily acts, like wash my face and change out of pajamas. So, weirdly enough, trying really out-of the-box looks that I would never wear otherwise has actually made me feel more normal during this time. Instead of letting Netflix auto-play that next episode, maybe hit pause and pick up a beauty blender – you’ll look good, but most importantly, you’ll feel much better.