The Do's + Don'ts of Interview Makeup
Given that I, myself, have been applying to jobs and preparing for interviews in my now post-grad life, I have been playing around with the best ways to wear makeup that suits an office environment. Of course, the simple route would be to not wear makeup at all, but I don't function like that. Perhaps it is my own insecurities, but I always feel like I need to have something on my face at all time; this is especially true if I want to make a good impression, and I know I am not alone in that feeling.
When it comes to wearing makeup in an office or business setting, you have to tone it down. False lashes and thick winged eyeliner aren't going to cut it, but you can still wear makeup as long as it is done properly. Today, I want to share with you all the do's and don'ts of interview/office makeup if you perhaps find yourself wondering what is appropriate or not.
Do: Use Primer
If you are going to be doing an interview, you are probably going to be stressed. Make sure your makeup can last through all the blood, sweat and tears (OK, you probably won't have to deal with any blood, but you'll most likely be sweating, and you might cry...tears of joy when you crush it!).
Don't: Use a primer you just bought
This goes for every product. Don't use something that you have no experience working with. You never know what could happen if you're using a new product.
Do: Apply a light layer of foundation to even your complexion
You want your (hopefully) future employer or HR manager to focus on you and not any imperfections (or at least keep you from worrying about your interviewer focusing on them). A clean and even complexion is super important to not only look great, but feel great. It also shows that you care about your appearance and put effort into looking nice and making a good impression.
Don't: Use a heavy foundation or a foundation that doesn't quite match you
An interview is not the time to a) show off your love for caking on the makeup OR b) pretending that you are more tan that you truly are. Keep it to light or medium coverage, and make sure it matches your neck!
Do: Apply light concealer/ conceal imperfections
It is OK to use some under-eye concealer and to take care of any blemishes or scars you might have. Use a light hand and conceal away. Trust me, with those imperfections hidden, you'll have more confidence and will be able to focus on the task ahead.
Don't: Intensely under-eye highlight
An interview is not the occasion to go for the extreme under-eye triangle highlighting technique. Focus concealer as close to the eye as possible and only try to conceal any darkness so you look more awake and focused.
Do: Set your face with a light covering of powder
Since you are probably going to be sweating a bit, it is best to set your whole face with a good setting powder.
Don't: Bake your face like a cake
Now is not the time to extreme bake. Only use a light amount of powder to set any liquids or creams. You want to look as natural as you can - as much as you can with makeup -and you don't want your powder to be overtly noticeable.
Do: Apply a light hand of bronzer and/or blush
Bring some life to your face to look awake and give some definition to your face without going overboard. Just go easy on the bronzer so you don't look orange, and stay away from glittery or shiny blushes. Keep everything matte.
Don't: Contour
Again, you aren't trying to impress your interviewer with your makeup skills. Contouring is NOT necessary and can at times look too intense or noticeable. Simple is best in this situation.
Do: Highlight BUT Don't: Highlight so much that NASA can see you from satellite radar.
It is OK to use a little highlight on the tops of your cheekbones, but only use a light amount and never use anything with glitter. Also, resist the urge to highlight your inner corners or brow bone as that will draw too much attention.
Do: Wear a super simple matte eye shadow look
Only use one or two shades. A neutral shade (a tan/brown or a taupe) to define your crease, and a nice bright matte shade all over the lid to brighten the eye. The Tarte Aspyn Ovard Palette is perfect for this!
Don't: Use color, shimmer, metallic, or glitter eye-shadow
You want to look as simple and natural as possible. The above are highly inappropriate for the office.
Do: Wear a light coat of mascara
Mascara helps to open the eye and make you look more awake. You can use a brown mascara if you want to look even more natural.
Don't: Apply eyeliner (some companies are stricter than others)
I would suggest skipping eyeliner altogether. You might be able to get away with a light line of eyeliner to define the eye, but that might be too extreme for some companies. For your first interview, keep it super simple and skip the liner.
Do: Fill in your brows if you need to
If you have bangs like me or sparse brows, it is OK to fill them in. Brows help to give shape to the face and can easily complete your look.
Don't: Go for Instagram brows
There is no need to go in for extreme brows with precise details and intense brow bone highlights. Try to look natural. A simple tinted brow gel will work.
Do: Wear a basic nude lipstick or tinted lip balm
Try to stick to a lippie that you know and trust well. Pick one that you know doesn't bleed or transfer to your teeth. Don't use a lip color that is any lighter than your skin tone.
Don't: Wear a bold lip color or a gloss
A bold lip is not professional. You would be drawing far too much attention to your lips.
Do: Set your face with a setting spray
This one is simple. Make sure your makeup stays on and keeps looking fabulous throughout the entire interview process.
Don't: Forget to smile and make eye contact
A smile is the most important element to making a good impression. Bring on those positive, motivated vibes, and make sure to give ample eye contact to send that "I'm present and actively listening" message.
So those were all of my do's and don'ts of interview makeup attire. Hopefully, you found it helpful! If you have any other questions, feel free to leave me a comment down below and I'll be sure to get back to you.
Also, be on the lookout for part two of this interview series as I share my go-to interview makeup look as I share the process I go through and the products I reach for when I prepare for an interview. That should be up early next week!
As always, thanks for reading,
Stina :)