How To Achieve A Professional, Office Friendly Makeup Look
Hey Guys!
So, as promised, I am following up on my blog post from last week when I addressed the Dos and Don'ts of Interview Makeup. Today, I want to share the makeup look I go to when I am doing an interview whether it is in person or via Skype. I will include all of the products I use as well as the process I go through when I use each one. Let's get started!
The Base
So if you are anything like me, when you get nervous, you sweat like crazy. Because of this, I always reach for my best primers to ensure that my makeup can withstand my most stressful moments. Since I have dry skin, I always go in with my Too Faced Hangover RX Primer Spray and once that dries, I go in with my Stellar Beauty Brilliant Primer all over my face. I find that this primer is highly underrated. It keeps my makeup lasting all day long without budging. It is a miracle worker, and yet, I never hear anyone talking about it.
Once my primer has set, I go in with my most reliable foundation. If you are following along with these steps, this step will depend on the type of skin you have. If your skin is dry and sensitive, the Tarte Hydrating Shape Tape Foundation is incredible. It hydrates my skin and also lasts longer than any other foundation I have ever used. However, if you cannot afford the high-end price tag of a Tarte foundation, try Cover Girl's Healthy Elixir Vitalist Foundation. While it is not the best for fair skin, it is great for all skin types and also lasts a super long time.
These are both full coverage foundations, but when I am preparing for an interview, I focus my attention on the face rather than the eyes. An even, long-lasting complexion is the goal with interview makeup. This, of course, leads me to concealer. My Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer in the Brightening shade (is is a pink shade) is one of my all time favorites since it provides nice coverage without being too cakey. The key with this step is to go very light and only focus on the under-eye area with as little product as possible. We aren't trying to impress the HR manager with our highlighting and contouring skills today. Then before the concealer creases, with a damp beauty sponge, I go in with the Maybelline Setting Powder in Fair (you can check my full review of this powder right here) and bake my entire face. Yes, you heard me. I cover my entire face with a light dusting of setting powder. This is how I ensure an even complexion that stays in place. Then I move on to the brows and eyes while the powder sets.
The Brows and Eyes
Now, if you have decent brows, you may not need to do this step. However, if you have bangs like I do, or if you are doing a video interview, you might want to fill those guys in. My brows only take me 2 minutes. I usually just comb them through and use the Makeup Revolution Brow Pomade in the shade Blonde. It is a nice shade if you have blonde hair like mine because it looks natural without being too light or too dark. I can see it working for a wide spectrum of blondes because of its neutral tone. I like pomades because I think they fill in the brows a lot quicker than a pencil, but if you are looking for much more natural brows, I suggest you go in with Benefit's Precisely My Brow Pencil and just feather in some lines and give your brows some shape.
As for the eyes, my latest go-to is Tarte's Aspyn Ovard Palette because it has a nice array of basic, everyday tans and browns. Any of the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palettes would also work well as those are all matte and the palettes are smaller and more travel friendly for touch-ups on the go. When I am attended a professional event such as an interview, I only use matte shadows. You should never use glitter or sparkles when you are in a professional setting. My eye looks are always super simple as I stick to two shades max. I use a neutral shades in the crease to define the eye, and a matte white or pale yellow shade all over the eye to my eyes look bigger and more awake.
I almost never use eyeliner when I am doing anything professional, or if I do, I use it very sparingly. I like to keep my eyes look bigger, and eyeliner can sometimes make my eyes appear smaller. However, while I do not use eyeliner, I do use a nice coat of mascara on both the upper and lower lash lines. I have naturally thick and long eyelashes, but I still use a nice mascara. The Loreal Voluminous® X Fiber Mascara is a new discovery for me, but it has quickly become one of my favorite mascaras of all time. If you like intense volume with major length, this is the mascara for you.
Finishing The Face
The rest of my face does not take very long to do as I like to keep things looking as natural as possible. I do not contour my face, but I do use a very light hand of bronzer and blush. My favorite bronzer at the moment is The Physicians' Formula Butter Bronzer, and I apply it where I would put contour just to slightly define my cheekbones. Then I apply Tarte's Amazonian Clay blush in Paaarty to the apples of my cheeks to give some life back to my face. After those two are blended in, I use a flat setting powder brush to press all of the powders into my face and to dust off any excess.
Now, you are probably wondering if I apply highlighter, and I do. I use The Sleek Cosmetics Solstice Highlighting palette on the tops of my cheekbones and I keep the highlight as far away from the center of my face as possible as to make sure it is not super noticeable. This powders in this palette are bright, but they are not glittery or too overwhelming. Once I am done with powders, I use a setting spray (The Too Faced Hangover Primer Spray once again) and fan my face while it dries.
To quickly finish up this look, I go in with a nice matte nude lipstick. My Burt's Bees lipstick in Nile Nude has become my go-to as it is natural looking and hydrating on the lips. Then my makeup is all done!
How does it look? Ignore the outfit, it has nothing to do with the face haha. If you try recreate this, send me your pics or let me know what you think!
As always, thank you for reading!
Stina :)
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