Gorgeous Nude Makeup Hacks with 7 Simple Steps
Alyssia Chang
- Published
Are you ready to enhance your natural beauty?
We’ve got you covered! Nude makeup is a versatile look that enhances your beautiful features while letting your skin shine through. Whether you want an everyday look or a full glam look for special occasions, nude makeup is your perfect go-to option.
In this blog post, we’ll guide you through an easy-to-follow tutorial and share expert tips to achieve that gorgeous neutral makeup look you’ve been dreaming of.
Key Takeaways
Create a stunning, effortless nude makeup look with the right skin preparation, products & tools.
Identify your skin tone and undertones for perfect shades that will pair well with your unique self.
Follow our “Do’s and Don’ts of Nude Makeup” to achieve a flawless & natural look that suits any occasion!
How to Achieve an Easy Nude Makeup Look
Creating a nude makeup routine is as easy as following a food recipe! There are basic guidelines that will help you create an easy nude look, but it does require thorough skin preparation and the selection of appropriate products and tools for a perfect finish.
Enhancing your natural skin tone, defining your eye makeup, and perfecting your upper lash line are all essential steps for creating the perfect nude makeup look.
We recommend using nude eyeshadows, lighter shades for a subtle effect, and darker shades to make your eyes pop!
Incorporating a routine that includes nude and neutral shades can help you craft an attractive everyday look. Here are some steps to achieve a nude makeup look:
Eye and face primer is crucial for longevity and smooth skin.
Choose one to two neutral eyeshadow shades to apply on the eyelids.
Opt for a thin line or just tightlining of eyeliner.
Focus on lashes and mascara to enhance your eye shape.
Don’t forget to wear a lip color that complements your skin tone to complete your nude makeup look.
Importance of Skin Prep for Nude Makeup
Preparing your skin is a must for achieving the right nude makeup look, as it provides a smooth canvas and longevity for your makeup application. There’s no point in taking the time to bring out your gorgeous features if it all melts off in half an hour!
A clean and moisturized face helps the makeup application glide on, blend, and look like second skin.
Exfoliate regularly to promote an even skin texture.
Using a full skincare routine and primer prevents foundation or concealer from settling into fine lines or texture.
Whether you have oily skin or need a little extra hydration, investing in a good moisturizer that suits your skin type is super important! Apply your creams using circular motions to ensure even coverage and let it sink in before moving on to makeup application.
Remember, makeup stays in place better on well-prepped skin, so never underestimate the power of skincare in creating the perfect nude makeup look.
Choosing the Right Products and Tools
Finding the right nude colors, for your face, eyes, and lips are JUST as important as the tools you use to apply them.
When it comes to tools, here is a list of appropriate brushes and makeup sponges for the right transition:
The right foundation brush, made for liquid, cream, or powder face products.
An eyeshadow and blending brush that fits your laydown eyeshadow needs for your eyeshadow look.
A cushion or beauty blender sponge to buff the face makeup.
Liner or angle brushes to apply brow and eyeliner perfectly.
Powder brushes: such as bronzer, face, highlight, and blush.
Understanding Your Skin Tone and Undertones
Understanding your skin tone and undertones is a key step towards picking makeup shades that will flatter your natural facial features!
What is your skin tone you ask? It is the overall color of your skin. While your undertone is the hue that lies beneath the surface.
Knowing both your skin tone and undertone will help you select makeup products that work in harmony with your complexion and give you the right look for your beauty needs!
Identifying Your Skin Tone
To identify your skin tone, start by examining your face in natural light.
Use the silver/gold test: Hold a piece of silver jewelry and a piece of gold jewelry against your skin and see which one makes your complexion appear more radiant and healthy. Silver is cool and gold is warm!
Another easy method to determine your skin tone is by looking at the veins on the inside of your wrist. Here’s how to interpret the colors:
If your veins appear blue or purple, you have a cool skin tone.
If they appear green, you have a warm skin tone.
If you can’t quite tell, you likely have a neutral skin tone.
Identifying your skin tone is the first step in selecting nude makeup products that work for you, especially if the darker shade eyeshadows tend to make you feel or look intimidating. There are colors made for everyone!
Determining What Shade Colors Work Best for You
With your skin tone identified, you’re ready to determine which shade colors suit you the best. To choose the perfect nude makeup colors, consider your skin’s undertone:
When you have warm undertones your skin will have a tinge of yellow or gold, cool undertones have a pink or blue base, and neutral undertones have a mixture of both warm and cool tones. All tones come in nude makeup products.
6 Step-by-Step Tutorial: Applying Nude Makeup
Now that you’re ready and all set up for success, here is our 6-step nude makeup tutorial to make you a pro in no time! Here’s how to do it:
Apply a longwearing base makeup.
Define and shape the main focal points: the eyes and eyebrows.
Create symmetry by highlighting, contouring, and bronzing your face.
Add a touch of color with blush to your cheeks.
Enhance your lips with a lip balm, stick, or lip gloss.
Set your makeup with a setting powder and spray.
Follow below for a breakdown and a more detailed description on each nude makeup step!
1. Base Makeup
Start by applying a light layer of primer to the all areas of your face. Use your fingers or a liquid makeup brush to dab it in, ensuring the primer is compatible with your moisturizer and foundation to avoid pilling or a cakey look.
Primer fills in pores, smooths out fine lines and wrinkles, controls oil and ensures your makeup stays in place for a longer time.
Next, choose a lightweight, full-coverage foundation or CC cream that provides sheer to full coverage, depending on what look you want, and has a natural finish.
Then use a concealer that has enough coverage to even out your darkest or most colorful blemishes. Apply the cover up under the eyes, around the nose, and on other pigmented areas.
2. Define and Shape the Eye Area
For a gorgeous nude eye, you can follow these easy steps:
Apply a beige, skin-colored eyeshadow all over the lids as a base. This helps blend the rest of the shadows!
Use a dark-brown or black eyeliner to line the upper lash line and tightline to subtly define the eyes without looking too over done.
Choose a nude eyeshadow palette with a range of lighter and darker shades. Pick 1 to 3 different colors that are neutral and complement your eye color.
Focus on the outer corners of the eyes to create depth and dimension.
Finish with mascara and/or wispy fake eyelashes to frame the eyes.
Don’t Forget the Eyebrows
Well-groomed eyebrows frame your face while bringing symmetry and balance. To fill in your brows and accentuate your brow bone, follow these steps:
Choose a pencil, powder, or brow gel that complements your hair shade.
Use light to medium pressure to draw small lines in the same direction as your brow hairs grow.
Brush your eyebrows before filling them in to create a more natural appearance.
For flawless eyebrows, consider using some of the best eyebrow products for a nude makeup look, such as:
Danessa Myricks Beauty Groundwork: Defining Neutrals – Palette For Eyes, Brows, Face & Lips
Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencil Brow, Eye & Lip Liner
ONE/SIZE By Patrick Starrr BrowKiki Nourishing Tinted Brow Gel
Tom Ford Brow Sculptor
Shape the Face: Blush, Contouring, & Highlighting
Adding blush to your nude makeup look is essential for a hint of color on the cheeks and to create a 3D face effect!
Choose a natural-looking blush that complements your skin tone, such as Lancome Blush Subtil in Miel Glace or MAC Sheertone Blush in Blushbaby. Apply the blush to the cheekbones using a soft, fluffy brush for a controlled application.
Next, contour and highlight your face for added dimension: apply a contour shade that is 2-3 shades darker than your skin tone along the hollows of your cheeks, temples, and jawline. Then, apply a highlighter to the highest point of your cheekbones, along the bridge of your nose, on the center of your lids, and on the inner corners of your eyes. This will create depth and a wonderful shaped dimension.
Lips
Complete your nude makeup look with a nude lipstick or lip gloss that matches your skin tone. Choose a lip color that is close to your natural lip shade, ensuring it doesn’t wash out your complexion.
Some popular nude lipsticks colors for different skin tones are warm peach browns for deeper skin tones and light peach brown or pink rose tones for fair-to-light skin tones.
Apply your chosen lip color directly from the bullet, ring finger, or use a lip brush for more precision. If desired, you can also outline your lips with a nude lip liner to define their shape and prevent the lipstick from feathering. A touch of gloss on the center of your lips is also a great way to add some luscious texture onto the skin!
Finishing Touches: Setting Powder and Spray
To ensure your nude makeup look lasts all day and to to minimize the appearance of oil and enhance your makeups longevity, please follow these steps:
Set your makeup with a translucent setting powder.
Apply the powder using a wide, fluffy brush.
Focus on the sides of your nose, forehead, and chin to control shine and lock your makeup in place.
Finally, spritz a setting spray evenly over your face to set and keep everything in place throughout the day. Hold the bottle about 8-10 inches away from your face and mist left to right. Check out our top recommended drugstore setting sprays article for some affordable options.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Nude Makeup
We want you to be able to build the right skills to achieve this essential makeup look!
From using light layers and blending well to choosing shades that match your skin tone, there are many tips and tricks to consider when applying nude makeup. Let’s examine some of the significant do’s and don’ts to aid you in achieving a striking nude makeup look.
Do’s
When it comes to applying nude makeup, remember that less is more.
Aim for a natural and subtle look by avoiding heavy foundations and concealers. Instead, opt for lightweight and sheer formulas that enhance your skin’s natural texture and radiance.
Make sure to blend your makeup well to differentiate yourself from mediocre to pro in your makeup skills.
Use the right brushes, sponges, and applicators to help you blend your makeup products seamlessly and achieve a flawless complexion.
Have more than a couple eyeshadows in your makeup kit. By owning a neutral eyeshadow palette (or two), you are able to practice applying different shades to your liking!
Don’ts
Avoid overloading your brush with product. This can lead to a heavy, unnatural look and make blending more difficult. Instead, start with a small amount and gradually build up to the desired intensity.
Don’t just buy makeup and not swatch test the color or texture on your skin. Purchase makeup that works for you!
Your makeup routine doesn’t need to take long, take as much time as you need to adjust for your lifestyle.
Top Product Recommendations
To assist you in creating the ideal nude makeup look, here are our favorite nude makeup products we can’t live without!
NUDESTIX Magnetic Eye Color
Too Faced Born This Way The Natural Nudes Eyeshadow Palette
bareMinerals Gen Nude Blonzer Blush + Bronzer
MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Color Pencil Brow, Eye & Lip Liner
ILIA Limitless Lash Lengthening Clean Mascara
By using these highly-rated products, we know you’ll be equipped to make your dream look come true.
Customizing Your Nude Look for Your Lifestyle
Nude makeup offers incredible versatility, enabling you to create diverse looks to match various occasions and tastes.
From a subtle everyday look to a soft glam style for special events, there’s a nude makeup look for everyone.
Experiment with different types of nude makeup looks: such as the everyday nude, soft glam nude, or date night/smoky eye nude. By customizing your nude look to fit your lifestyle and preferences, you’ll be able to create a stunning makeup look that enhances your natural beauty and suits any occasion.
Summary
Now that you’re equipped with all the tools, skills, and tips to get your nude game on, we just know that you’ll be able to get the stunning makeup look that you’ve always wanted!
FAQs
How to do a natural look with makeup?
Create a natural look with makeup by priming your base, applying a light-coverage foundation, concealing imperfections, adding bronzer, cream blush and highlighter, mascara and neutral eye makeup, filling in brows, and adding a hydrating lippie for a finishing touch.
How to do classy make up?
For an elegant, timeless makeup look, apply a buildable layer of foundation and use a sheer amount of concealer to avoid cakey makeup, paired with subtle eyeliner and mascara. Keep the eyeshadow minimal and focus on making the lips stand out. Make sure you have a moisturized complexion and wear setting products for the ultimate classy glamour!
What is the day makeup theory?
Day makeup theory is when you use daytime makeup essential techniques to create a natural makeup look and keeping things light and subtle, so you can look effortlessly radiant and awake in the daylight!
How can I make my makeup look more attractive?
The devil’s in the details! Focus on refining your makeup skills and adding detailed work to polish of a focused facial feature. For example: add dimension to your lips by instead of just wearing lipstick, layer a lip stain that is darker within the inside of your lips and add a juicy lip tint to create an irresistible plump look!
How do I determine my skin tone and undertone?
You can tell by the contrast of shades from the veins and skin! I your blood looks blue/purple, you have a cool skin tone; green means warm, and if you can’t tell, then you likely have a neutral undertone!
