Makeup has one purpose: to enhance beauty. But often, too much makeup (read: falsies, red lipstick, purple eyeshadow, heavy bronzer) all at once is too much of a good thing. That’s where the “no-makeup makeup” revolution comes in. “It’s a way to enhance your features without looking like you’re wearing makeup,” says editorial makeup artist Jodi Urichuk (Plutino Group). “It’s using simple tricks that make us look more polished during the day.”

On set at a recent photo shoot, Urichuk demonstrated a beautiful no-makeup makeup look—plus, she shared her favourite products she uses to achieve it.



Wes Gordon SS15; Image courtesy of Maybelline New York

1. Prime your skin
Beautiful, fresh skin is the crux of this look, so start by evening your skin tone and minimizing blemishes. The steps depend on your skin type:

If you have dry skin: Apply a moisturizer with reflective properties (like Dior Capture Totale Dreamskin) or a hydrating makeup primer (like Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Hydrating Primer) to dry spots.

If you have large pores or oily skin: Try a pore minimizer or matte primer. “It gives the illusion of perfect skin without wearing foundation,” says Urichuk.

If you have rosacea or redness: Dab on a tinted moisturizer or redness-reducing primer that’s tinted green. It will counteract blotchy spots and red patches.

(Note: you can mix and match primers! Apply a green primer to red areas, a matte primer to oily areas and a hydrating primer to dry areas.)

If you have dark under-eye circles: Urichuk recommends using an illuminating concealer pen from Yves Saint Laurent, Dior or Elizabeth Arden. Draw a criss-cross or V-shape beneath the eye, avoiding the lash line, and blend. “Highlighting is a great way to distract from the things that bother us,” she says.

If you have blemishes or visible veins: Dip a fine-tipped concealer brush into concealer (yellow-toned to conceal redness, peach-toned to conceal veins) and stipple it onto the areas you wish to cover. Use your fingers to blend.



Skin prep:
Dior Capture Totale Dreamskin, $120, sephora.ca. Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizers, $43 each, sephora.ca. Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat, $50, sephora.ca.

2. Highlight the high planes of your face
Choose a cream highlighter with a soft luminescence (like RMS Beauty Living Luminizer) and blend it on the tops of your cheekbones, brow bones, bridge of your nose and on your cupid’s bow.

3. Touch up your lashes and brows
Curl your lashes and either leave them bare or brush on a lengthening mascara in black or brown. “I like M.A.C Extended Play because the spooly separates every single little lash,” explains Urichuk.

Next, choose a tinted brow mascara (like Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow) or a powder shadow with angled brush and brush the colour through your brows. Then run a clean spooly brush through the hairs to dissipate the hue. “If you already have full brows, then simply wear a brow sealant (like Make Up For Ever Brow Seal) to keep them in place,” says Urichuk. “It gives the appearance of a more open eye.”

4. Dab on lip balm
Once you’ve exfoliated your lips with a toothbrush or sugar scrub, swipe on tinted lip balm in a nude or light pink. This will give your lips a bit of colour without looking like you’re wearing anything at all.



Makeup:
RMS Beauty Living Luminizer, $38USD, rmsbeauty.com. Bite Beauty Lush Lip Tint in Lychee, $28, sephora.ca. Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow, $28, sephora.ca. M.A.C Extended Play Lash, $20, maccosmetics.com.

5. Moisturize your body
When Urichuk applied Prtty Peaushun’s Skin Tight Body Lotion on set, everyone was enthralled by the glowy-yet-natural effect it had on the arms, legs and décolletage.



Prtty Peaushun Skin Tight Body Lotion, $44, shop.greenbeauty.ca.

Read more:
Five amazing new mascaras
How to get fuller eyebrows with eyebrow extensions