The Bare Necessities

“…the simple bare necessities…”

The Look – fresh and glowy, the quick and easy way.

Number of Items – three, that’s all.

Tips – multi-purpose products are a good idea, paying attention to colors makes quite a difference.

THE BASE

Always start with a clean and moisturized skin before applying any makeup on the face. For the base, I selected a Bo-Ho Green Revolution iridescent bronzer to give structure and color to my complexion and a clear gel from Anastasia Beverly Hills to fix my brows.

*PAUSE*

Honorable mention to this Bo-Ho bronzer! Its grey – yet green – cheap looking cardboard may not look very impressive, but the product inside is pure wonder. Its delicate powder melts into the skin and leaves a natural dewy sun-kissed cheekbone. Truly magical!

*PLAY*

Apply the bronzer before fixing the brows to avoid messing them up. Use a dense kabuki making a 3 shape but starting – and insisting – on the cheekbone, going up along the hairline on the forehead, and down following the jawline with a light touch on the neck and on the bridge of the nose – this will bring a harmonious warmth to the face.

For a healthy look, also apply a light layer on the eyelids still using the same kabuki – hence not starting by fixing the brows – and connect it with the cheekbone in a C shape.

After giving the skin some color and some glow, time for the brows to be groomed. Nothing complicated, lightly brush the brows upwards to give them a lift and use the clear gel in the same motion to fix them. Done.

THE FINAL TOUCH

The third and final makeup touch is lip gloss. This is the fun part as there are so many options to chose from. Here are three different looks with three different lip glosses which play their own role in the final look.

1. The Truthful

Nothing to hide with this one. It will give a full crystal clear finish to the lips and quite a natural touch to the final overall makeup. Any clear gloss will do the trick.

Please note this Chanel product has a menthol ingredient to make the lips “swell” a little and give them more volume – nothing crazy I can assure you. Also, this gloss is sticky so it is always a good idea to wear your hair in a way it will not get “trapped” in the gloss.

2. The Playful

With its hot pink tint and glitters, this lip gloss adds the fun to the look with its youthful vibes. The color does not show up as pink as in the tube in one swipe but the texture builds up just fine and is not as sticky as the previous product mentioned.

Please note this theBalm Plump Your Pucker lip gloss has a mint flavor added but, contrary to the Chanel one, it will not have any plumping effect – at least in my experience. Also, as the glossy finish will fade, the lips will be left with a light pink tint and a few glitters as well.

3. The Faithful

This glossy stain will not let you down. Its highly pigmented texture colors the lips in one swipe and eventually leaves a vibrant tint to the lips by the end of the day.

Please note this theBalmJour Creamy Lip Stain has a mint flavor added but will not have any plumping effect. Also, the first few applications may be tricky as the wand picks up a lot of product.

Good to know: the product applied on the lips can sometimes form little bubbles – it rarely happens but it did twice or thrice.

Otherwise, I personally wear this lip stain very often as it gives a more sophisticated look and manages to fade into a beautiful healthy pink tint.