School days are hard. You want to sleep in, but you also want to get ready without running late. You’re not going for the full catwalk look, but have a vested interest in looking somewhat awake and alive as you rush down Locust. (Although, if you are going for the full catwalk look, by no means let me stop you). On weekday mornings, I like focusing on the simple, the pristine, and the natural as I get myself ready for class. Instead of the revered “runway look,” it’s more aptly called the “casting call look”–it aims for a flawless complexion while limiting all visible signs of makeup.
- When I first wake up, I like getting my body going with a cup of hot tea and some music. My routine begins with both these things keeping me afloat in the background!
- After brushing my teeth, I wash my face very gently with lukewarm water and a simple Curology cleanser (“we believe in simple, just cleans without clogging”). Sometimes, when I’m really tired, I will rub water into my eyelids and finish the cleanse with cold water over my face.
- Next, I prep my face using the Curology moisturizer (“we believe in simple, just hydrates without clogging”).
- Then, I apply sunscreen. I usually apply tinted sunscreen (Shiseido Urban Environment Tinted UV Protector, Broad Spectrum, SPF 43 ($35)) to areas of my face that need less coverage and are relatively problem-free (that usually means outside the T-zone). I then apply clear sunscreen (Kiehl’s Activated Sun Protector, Broad Spectrum, SPF 50 ($29)) to areas of my face that need more coverage and are relatively more problem-prone (that usually means the T-zone).
- Now it’s time for foundation. Notably, I like putting on makeup under a harsh, “I-see-all” kind of fluorescent light. I usually apply a lightweight, fair coverage formula to areas outside the T-zone (Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation ($64)), and a full coverage formula to areas within the T-zone (Dior Forever Undercover 24H Full Coverage ($52)). I don’t usually use concealer as I find that this foundation step suffices for my skin, but you can definitely precede this step with concealer.
- I perfect my skin texture with face primer (Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional ($32)), which works to blur a lot of the bumps and pores.
- This foundation look creates good coverage but may drown out the angles of your face. In such a case, you can gently contour/highlight to make up for the effect (I use Catrice Prime and Fine Professional Contouring Palette ($7.99) for the contours, and Anastasia Beverly Hills Sun Dipped Glow Kit ($40) for the highlights).
- I top off my look by bringing a bit of color to my lips. I opt for either the Vaseline Rosy Lips Lip Therapy ($1.89) or the NARS Lip Gloss in Aragón ($24), which tints my lips in a “my lips but better” shade. Check out my article “The No-Lipstick Lipstick Look” for more subtle lip looks!
- I don’t actually put on eye makeup to go to class, but there are some simple, natural-looking options for those looking to accentuate their eyes:
- Trace light gray or brown eyebrow pencil or pencil eyeliner along your waterline/lash line.
- Trace white eyeliner along your waterline/lash line to make your eyes look brighter, larger, and more alert.
- Simply brush your eyelashes in an upward direction. You can use a special lash separator/brush for this, or just use a mascara brush, not with the intention of applying mascara, but with the intention of making your lashes pop upwards. You obviously also have the option of curling your lashes.
- Apply Vaseline to your eyelids and/or eyelashes to make them shine.
- Smear a swatch of faint eyeshadow across your eyelids. You can use stick eyeshadow, cream eyeshadow, or even contouring/highlighting powder!
- Darken your eyebrows using soft and/or fine-lining eyebrow pencil (e.g. Kanebo Kate Eyebrow Pencil ($10.90)).
- You can also opt for a more “sustainable” look by using eyelash and eyebrow serums that boost hair growth in those regions over time (e.g. RevitaLash Advanced Eyelash Conditioner & Serum ($150) and RevitaBrow Advanced Eyebrow Conditioner & Serum ($110)).
