If there’s one thing at the very top of our wish list this festive season, it’s definitely flawless, glowing skin. We’re talking about the type of luminous that has your friends asking whether you’ve just had a facial or completed a raw alkaline cleanse. The ironic thing is, the time of year when we’re all lusting after flawless skin is often the hardest time to get it. From heavy sunscreens to late nights and the drying effect of the sun, we’ve got a lot to contend with in the warmer months.
Plus, much like a ‘summer body’, your perfect summer skin is created in the winter. If you’ve neglected your skin all year (whoops!), unfortunately, it’s probably going to be looking more lackluster than luminous. Thankfully, even if you’ve slacked on your skincare, not all hope is lost. There are a few handy tricks you can use to fake a flawless, Margot Robbie-worthy complexion at the last minute.
3 Tips For Naturally Flawless, Shine-Free Skin
Start from scratch
In order to achieve beautiful, radiant skin, you really need to nail your prep. If you get your skincare right, you won’t need to apply nearly as much face makeup. This will make it so much easier to achieve that summery, fresh-faced glow! Begin with washing your face with a radiance-boosting cleanser. There are plenty of cleansing products out there specially formulated to brighten your skin. Look for one that contains ingredients like vitamin C, wild rose or sea algae.
Then, it’s time to apply a balancing toner to your face and neck with a cotton pad. This will help reduce the size of your skin pores and soak up any excess oils. Determine whether you’ve got dry, oily, sensitive or combination skin and opt for a toner that’s specifically designed for your skin type.
The same goes for your moisturiser or day cream. Look for one that addresses your specific skin needs, but also contains the skin-brightening ingredients Glycolic acid or vitamin C. Make sure you press it on, rather than rubbing or lathering. This will stop you from going overboard with product and will also help you improve blood flow to the skin.
Lastly, finish with a spritz of face mist for some added hydration. Keep an eye out for one that includes rosewater, as it works wonders for both dry and oily skin. The rosewater melds in with your moisturiser and hydrates or absorbs oil on your skin’s surface as needed. This last step can be the missing piece of the puzzle when it comes to prepping your skin for flawless makeup.
Ace your base
Now that you’ve perfectly prepped your skin, it’s time to move on to your makeup. Start with applying a lightweight skin-brightening primer. Opting for one that contains light-reflecting particles will help give you that gorgeous lit-from-within look. Give the primer a minute to settle on your skin, then move on to your foundation.
This step can absolutely make or break your luminous skin look. There’s no point getting your skincare right if you’re just going to slather a heavy, cakey foundation over it. Plus, who wants to wear thick makeup when it’s humid and 30 degrees outside? Not us!
Instead, you need a lightweight foundation that still provides light coverage. We love the new Rimmel Fresher Skin Foundation. Falling somewhere between a BB cream and regular foundation, it’s the perfect way to fake a flawless complexion while allowing your skin to breathe. The best part is: it’s completely shine-free. This means you can skip your finishing powder, which can often completely undo your skin’s dewy look. The foundation is suitable for combination skin and contains SPF 15, making it an ideal everyday product.
Highlight, highlight, highlight!
There’s a good reason highlighting is a favourite among YouTube beauty vloggers and makeup artists alike. This step is one of the most effective ways to take your skin from dull to “Damn, girl!” However, there is definitely an art to it. There’s a fine line between looking radiant and resembling a Christmas bauble. To get it right, you need to opt for a highlighter that is close to your skin colour and has just a hint of shine. Avoid any products that contain glitter, as they can look too unnatural. Then, it’s just a matter of being strategic with your placement. Highlighter should only be applied to the highest points of your face.
Lightly coat your pointer, middle and ring fingers with the product. Then, gently tap them up and down your cheekbones and dab the leftover onto your brow bones, centre of your face and the tip of your nose. Voila, you’ll look like a radiant goddess without anyone thinking you’ve arrived in costume as the Tin Man!
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