Makeup Trend Alert: Barely There Makeup

Ashley Greene looking natural & healthy. Image: www.hollywoodlife.com

This season there’s no arguing that when it comes to makeup looks, it’s all about looking as natural as possible. Healthy looking luminous skin is what you want your stand out feature to be, then, simply add a dust of blush or bronzer to your cheeks, a lashing of mascara and a pretty stain of pink or peach lip colour and your ready to walk out the door – gosh how I love it when things are this simple to achieve!

To be honest, I’ve never felt comfortable wearing thick makeup so seeing photos from International Fashion Weeks with models walking the runways with barely there looking makeup was so refreshing and exciting. I’m always telling my own teenage girls that using makeup isn’t about trying to paint on a brand new face, it’s to subtly highlight your features, to simply enhance what you already have. It’s so nice to be able show them so many gorgeous examples of what I’ve been saying for so long!

So how do you achieve that healthy, dewy complexion using barely any makeup you may ask? It’s all in the technique and a few key products…Here are my 2 favourites...

Dermalogica Sheer Tint Moisture SPF15

I have been using this products for years and LOVE it!

I've never liked heavy foundations and before discovering this product I would actually water down my foundation so that it would feel and look lighter.

As the name implies, it only gives 'sheer' coverage so it won't replace a traditional foundation if you do want like thicker coverage. I love it though, especially on weekends when I don't want to look 'made up' but still want something that will even out my skin tone and give a  healthy looking glow. It's also so light weight so when you apply it, it literally feels like it's just melting into your skin.

RRP $75.50 AUD, www.dermalogica.com.au

jane iredale PurePressed® Base

This is my next step if I want that little extra coverage or to conceal a few unwanted blemishes or spots. A foundation, powder, concealer and sunscreen all in one, I love that the feel is weightless and that you can simply layer it to go from a barely there makeup look to heavier coverage if needed - and it will still look really natural!

That fact that it's mineral makeup, natural and preservative free makes it even better. Having only been recently introduced to this product and other jane iredale products I'm now completely addicted and SO impressed with everything I've tried so far. This is one of my favourites though!

RRP: $83, www.margifox.com.au

Want to know more? Here's some more great resources for Spring makeup trends and getting that natural barely there makeup look!

❤ www.primped.com.au | New York Fashion Week S/S ’12: Video: Top 5 backstage beauty products. (This is one of Yaz Turker's videos which I can never get enough of!)

❤ www.thelane.com | If your getting married and want your makeup natural looking, The Lane has a photo gallery of gorgeous natural makeup inspiration

❤ Interview with Yaz Turker here on Mylookbook! She seriously has the most amazing skin so I asked her about it! You can read the interview here 

Beauty Reviews - May 2011

Philosophy Melon Daiquiri Shower Gel, $38, www.meccacosmetica.com.au
Oh my God! If you love a body wash that will blast your senses with a delicious fruity fragrance as soon as you pop the lid - this is for you. I've been lucky enough to test a few of the Philosophy body wash flavours recently and let me tell you, they are all AMAZING. This one has a cantaloupe-scented fragrance that appart from making your skin smell good enough to eat, it will leave your skin silky-smooth and glowing.

Dermalogica Concealing Spot Treatment, $40, www.dermalogica.com.au
I am a Dermalogica girl through and through. After years of temperamental skin, there hasn't been a lot of skin care products that have been willing to work with me. In my 30's (as some of you will be able to relate to) it's not just wrinkles you have to deal with but break outs as well (sorry for those under the age of 20, they don't stop when your teenage years do). Dermalogica’s Concealing Spot Treatment not only works it's magic getting rid of nasty pimples, the new reformulated version will also instantly conceal those dreaded spots. Another AMAZING product from Dermalogica.

Moroccanoil®  Glimmer Shine Spray, $34.50, 1300 437 436
I've been using the Moroccanoil® for a while now, you put a squirt of the oily substance in your hair while it's wet and then it dries with a smooth frizz free shine. Lately I've also been using the Moroccanoil®  Glimmer Shine Spray. Once you've finished straightening or blow drying your hair just spritz the light mist around your head a few times and it'll leave you with a smooth, radiant and glossy finish.

Bobbi Brown Creamy Lip Colour in Rose Brown (28), $44, www.bobbibrown.com.au
I found this absolutely gorgeous coloured lippy in one of my fashion week goodie bags and it's quickly become my favourite lip colour (right now anyway). The texture is creamy but not heavy and the colour is kind of a tint of your natural lip color with an ever so subtle rosy hue. I'm SO happy with this colour so if your a fan of nude and natural lip shades you'll definitely LOVE this one.

Natio Nail Colour in Berry You, $9.05, www.natio.com.au
This Winter Natio released a collection of make up in the most divine berry colours, aptly named 'Berry Beautiful' The range consists of stand alone lip and eye colours, plus a full mineral makeup palette with a combination of eye shadows, blushers, bronzers and lip glosses in eight harmonious colours. It is the perfect assortment of makeup for winter dressing, my absolute favourite product though is the nail colour in 'Berry You'.

Stila Eyeshadow in Kitton, $38, www.meccacosmetica.com.au
One of my friends actually introduced me to this colour. A gorgeous base colour on it's own or you can use it in the inner corners of your eyes or dust over the top of other eye colours for a subtle shimmer. It has a silky soft texture and really good staying power.

Duo Cheek and Lip Creme in Turn I On, $34.95, www.kitcosmetics.com.au
I've been a bit old fashioned until now, sticking to the traditional powder blush. I didn't really have an excuse to try anything different until I was given this handy little compact from Kit. You can use either colour on your cheeks or lips to give you a natural flush or a light tint of gloss colour on your lips. I like the fact that you can also experiment blending the two colours together to create your own required tone of colour.

Yasemin Turker has THE most beautiful skin - so I asked her about it...

The lovely Yasemin Turker

One of the few online videos that I like to watch on a weekly basis is Yasemin Turker ‘s "Five Things I’m Loving This Week" on beauty website www.primped.com.au.

With thousands of pretty beauty images, product photos and reviews online and in print, there’s something so much more personal about watching a real person simply talk it all through with you. Yasemin’s screen presence has such a warm and friendly vibe; she makes you feel like your actually sitting with your own girlfriends talking about the bargain lipstick shade you just found, or what moisturiser is working wonders right now. Her charisma just radiates from the screen, right along with her absolutely gorgeous glowing skin...

So last week while watching her chat about her Top 5, I couldn’t help thinking about what her own personal daily beauty routine might be? What products SHE uses every day and couldn’t live without? I decided to contact Yasemin and ask her if she'd share her beauty secrets with Mylookbook readers. She was more than happy to answer all of my nosy questions, and here you have it. Thank you Yaz!

How old are you?

Twenty-seven. Although sometimes I feel like I’m ten.

What was your background before working at Primped?

I started off as the beauty assistant at marie claire, before heading over to Famous as beauty editor to get my celebrity fix.

What products do you use every morning?

Without fail I always use a cleanser, moisturiser, sunscreen and varying degrees of makeup. My skincare routine doesn’t change too much, but my makeup look differs daily. Right now I’m loving SK-II, so my bathroom cupboard is packed with the Facial Treatment Cleanser, $80, Facial Treatment Essence, $95 and the Cellumination Deep Surge Moisturiser, $200. Sure, it’s expensive but it’s liquid gold on my skin and I really have noticed a big difference since trying it.

What products do you use at night?

The same products as what I use during the day, minus the sunscreen and makeup, of course. I also exfoliate twice a week to get rid of any bumps and build-up on my skin, and this usually happens when the sun goes down. I’m really slack with eye cream, but when I remember I’ll pop that on before bed, too.

What make up products do you use for a typical day at work?

Always a foundation, crème blush, bronzer, eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara and lip gloss. Phew! Right now I’m loving the new Maybelline Fit Me Foundation (due out later this year), as well as the Giorgio Armani Blending Crème Blush Duo, $76 in a beautiful peach shade. I never leave the house without my Bobbi Brown Nude Eye Shadow Palette, $99 and my Nars Bronzer, $72.

What make up do you use for a special occasion?

I can’t go past a bright lip and soft eyes. My makeup routine stays pretty much the same, I just swap my bronze eye shadow for a gold one, skip the eyeliner, add lots of lashes and pop on a bright red, pink or orange lip. Super easy and lots of fun.

If you were away from home for a week and (for some odd reason) could only get hold of 3 beauty products, what would they be?

Aha, I LOVE these questions because they always make me think about what I truly couldn’t live without. OK, I’d say bronzer, mascara and my Hissyfit Saving Face Tinted Moisturiser SPF 30+, $55.

There are a lot of pricey products on the market, what is one luxurious product you’ve tried recently that you would say is definitely worth the investment?

Probably SK-II Skincare. I love bargain cosmetics, especially foundations, mascaras and eyeliners but I think if there’s one thing you should splurge on, it’s skincare. Think of it as an investment into wonderful skin down the track - surely that’s worth spending on, right?

What are your 3 top budget products?

This list honestly changes every week but right now, it’s Revlon ColorBurst Lipstick, $23.95; Maybelline Fit Me Foundation, but as you can’t buy that yet I’ll say Maybelline Instant Age Rewind The Eraser Foundation, $24.95 and Yes To Cucumbers Natural Glow Facial Towelettes, $12.99.

What hair products are you currently using and loving?

I recently went on holidays and took the Bumble & Bumble Super Rich Shampoo and Conditioner with me, and I’m loving them both. I also highly recommend Aveda Smooth Infusion Glossing Straightener, $44.95; evo Salty Dog Beach Cocktail Spray, $26.95; and Batiste Dry Shampoo, $9.95.

What’s the best salon beauty/relaxation treatment you’ve recently had?

OMNILUX Light Therapy is super relaxing and encourages cellular activity, which makes your skin glow like a light bulb afterwards. I also love my local Thai Massage place in Bondi for a Sunday relaxation session, as well as my trusty Myotherapist, Glenn Walmsley, who has magic hands that make all my pain go away. I love him.

Favourite nail polish colour right now?

Pastels are everywhere right now, so I’m enjoying spearmint, lilac and baby blue nail shades for something a little different to a classic red.

Favourite hand cream?

Jurlique’s Rose Hand Cream, $28, is wonderful and smells like Turkish Delight. Yum!

Favourite perfume?

There are so many! My everyday fragrance right now is Chloe Love Chloe, $130, but I also love Narciso Rodriguez For Her EDP, $125. For something special, I love Editions de Parfums by Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur, $145; Juliet Has A Gun; and Memoire Liquide Vacances Liquide, $185. Gosh, that’s nowhere near one favourite. Oops.

Finally, I see various celebrities and beauty editors (including yourself) with such luminous glowing skin… is there a particular secret? If so what is it???

Well, genes play a part most definitely, but aside from that boring old excuse, it’s all about feeding your skin from within with nutritious healthy food, drinking lots of water, using skincare that caters to your specific needs, wearing sunscreen everyday and always, always removing your makeup. Throw a few facial treatments like OMNILUX into the mix and you have yourself some wonderfully luminous skin.

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Beauty news & reviews...

And this is why...

M.A.C Eye Shadow in ‘Pink Venus, $33.00, www.maccosmetics.com.au

This is my staple eyeshadow right now. I always tend to stick to dusty pinks as I find it an easy colour to sweep over my entire eyelids to give my eyes a subtle lift of colour without looking too ’made-up’. I've found the M.A.C Pink Venus perfect for this.

DIOR Addict Lipstick, $49,  (02) 9695 4800 or www.dior.com

I've been obsessed with shades of coral, pink and watermelon for a few months now and DIOR colour 681 is topping my list. I also love the lightweight texture (apparently it's because it has 25% less wax then a classic lipsticks). It's available in 44 shades so I'm trying to hold off from falling in love with too many of them!

Smashbox IN BLOOM Soft Focus Powder Eyeliner,  $29.95, www.kitcosmetics.com

When it comes to eye make up, I don't generally like anything too dramatic but I do use a charcoal grey pencil on my eyelid along my lash line. I usually then use a make up brush to smudge it. My 2 step process has now been transformed into one with this loose powder liner. Creating a soft, smoldering eye in seconds, it gives that defined, yet diffused look which I love.

Napoleon Auto Pilot Lift Off, $22, www.napoleonperdis.com

I have always been meticulous at removing my makeup at the end of the day. It’s one of the first rules about wearing make up that I read in a fashion magazine in my early teens and I’ve stuck by it ever since. Sometimes I’m just so tired at the end of the day or in a crazy rush to go somewhere where I don't really want to be wearing make up so I was really excited to try out Napoleon’s new make up remover wipes. All it takes is just few quick sweeps and the make up is gone. 

Dermalogica Sheer Tint Moisture SPF 15,  $77, www.dermalogica.com.au

I use this every single day. I hate the feeling of anything heavy on my skin and this light weight cream gives my skin enough coverage to even out my skin tone, without looking like I'm wearing make up. If I want that added 'dewy' fresh glow to my skin I'll use the Dermalogica Active Moist first and then the Sheer Tint over the top. This is definitely one of my 'can't-live-without' products!

Beauty news & reviews...

Giovanni D:tox System Purifying Body Wash & Exfoliant Body Scrub

I was in love with this body wash from the moment I opened it and took one whiff of the utterly divine scent!

Don't be put off by the thick black liquid, it's a unique combination of activated charcoal and volcanic ash which apparently delves into pores, absorbing the day's toxins, impurities and excess oils that interfere with skin clarity.

If you love products with a delicious smell and also actually do the job they claim to, you will love this range, I'm hooked!

Body Wash $14.95

Body Scrub $14.95

www.organicsaustraliaonline.com.au and selected health food stores.

NEW!
Trilogy launches an SPF15 of their best selling Vital Moisturising Cream

Fans of natural skin care brand Trilogy will be excited to know that their  long standing favourite Vital Moisturising Cream is now also available with a natural SPF15 in a handy handbag and travel essential 50ml tube size. The breakthrough formulation is transparent, lightweight, non-greasy and compliant with ECOCERT natural cosmetics standards

Stockist: 03 9533 1336 
Myer, Priceline & selected Pharmacies
www.trilogyproducts.com

BECCA Beach Tint, $42 or free with this month's madison magazine.

I've read so many articles and reviews recently about 'lip stains' but hadn't actually made it around to trying one myself! After purchasing this month's madison magazine at the airport en route to Hawaii, I whipped open the packaging for a quick lip touch up before jumping on the plane. Well... to all those who have already been using lip stains - how good are they!

BECCA's Beach Tint is an easily blended cream stain for the lips and cheeks. It's water-resistant and streak-free and I scored the watermelon shade which not only is a gorgeous peachy pink color, it has a delicious sweet fragrance as well!

$42, www.beccacosmetics.com

Moroccanoil Original Oil Treatment lived up to ALL my expectations

Last year I was given the opportunity to trial some of the other Moroccanoil products such as the Intense Curl Cream, Hydrating Style Cream, Glimmer Shine Spray, all of which I was pretty impressed with (the Glimmer Shine Spray is my favourite).  

I hadn't yet tried the traditional oil treatment though, so with a trip to Hawaii which would inevitably leave me with crazy, frizzy beach hair, I thought it was a good time to invest in a bottle...

Wow! I was a little worried when I first felt the oily liquid in my hands but proceeded with confidence after being re-assured by my hair dresser and having read endless positive reviews. I'm very happy to say that this product delivers EVERYTHING it promises. It' absorbs completely into your hair leaving it manageable, fuzz free and with a definite healthy shine. If I was giving product reviews with star ratings, this would be 5 stars for sure!

$49.50, www.adorebeauty.com.au

NEW!
Napoleon Perdis Marshmallow Foaming Makeup Remover
“Chill 4 a thrill!” - NAPOLEON

Fans of Napoleon products will be excited about his new gentle foaming makeup remover which will lift off every look pronto!

The foam removes all traces of makeup and impurities without leaving the skin feeling stripped of all it's moisture.

It's also self activating – no water necessary – rinse or tissue off. Just press, pump, and you're done!

$35, www.napoleonperdis.com

The Art Of Bathing

No, I don't have beauty products growing in my garden... I'm working on my beauty feature for the July Issue of Mylookbook.

Next month I'm covering "The Art Of Bathing" and have not only had a wonderful time testing a whole bunch of gorgeous products (to make sure they are worthy of telling you all about) today I'm pottering around the garden photographing them for the magazine..

A sneak peak of just some of my favourites...

The Body Shop Coconut Shower Cream $12.95 www.thebodyshop.com.au

Grown chamomile, bergamot & rosewood Body Cleanser $24 www.grown.net.au

L'Occitane Almond Tonic Body Oil $69.95 (Available September 2010) www.loccitane.com.au

Wattleseed & Walnut Resurfacing Skin Cream $68 www.meccacosmetica.com.au