Beyond natural

CEBU, Philippines - Make-up trends come and go but what never seems to go out of style is that fresh, natural look that a lot of girls are trying to cap. It's weird, really. Imagine putting on make-up just to achieve a no make-up look. Life is indeed full of ironies.

But really, it's no doubt that Revlon's Beyond Naturals line is just simply flying off the shelves. 

A lot of ladies are looking into going back to that fresh, natural look that's not too washed-out and that's not too overdone, as well. Natural beauty has been gaining a steady following. It's the no-fail retreat for days when you do not want to go around turning heads. 

This article is dedicated entirely towards perfecting that nude look – that soft natural glow that's just enough to highlight your assets, giving you that naturally pretty look that is perfect for the office or for lounging by the pool-side with slicked-back hair, a glamorous swimsuit, and a good book. 

The opportunities are endless with the natural look. It's like your favourite crisp white shirt. You can dress it up, you can dress it down, and the good thing is that it doesn't lose its touch.

Here's the cheat sheet to bagging this much-coveted look.

1. Always begin with a clean and clear base together with neatly groomed brows. It is important to have healthy skin at this point since the natural look will be about accentuating what you already have. Using an eye shadow shade that's as close as it can get with your brow color, fill in your brows using upward motions with an angle brush to achieve a pair of softer and fuller brows. If you have naturally messy brows, it is highly ideal to keep strands in place with a brow gel.

2. Starting from the lower part of the upper lid, apply an iridescent peach or brown eye shadow, depending on the which is closer to the shade of your eye lid, and start blending it up, softer towards the brow.

3. Begin applying taupe eye shadow from the outer corner of the eyes and then carefully working your way to the middle until you are three-fourths closer towards the inner part of your eye.

4. If you have small, chinita eyes, brush on a soft, golden pigment at the inner corner of the eye to open up the eyes and make the eyes appear to be more open.

5. To elongate the eyes, line the eyelid just slightly above the lashes, very finely with liquid black eyeliner. 

6. Apply at least two to three quotes of mascara after curling your lashes. Using another mascara brush, comb your lashes and move it slightly on either side to separate lashes and to avoid clumping.

7. Sweep on a nice, soft, peach shade along the higher planes of your cheeks, blending it carefully with upward strokes moving towards the hairline.

8. To bring out the right shade of the lipstick of your choice, dab on concealer lightly over the lips. 

9. Finish off by carefully brushing on a nice, moist layer of peach lipstick or of a shade that matches your natural lip color.

There you have it. The make-up look that you will never go wrong with. 

The natural look isn't all that blah and boring since you are free to exercise your creativity by picking shades that are a closer match to your natural skin tone or by adding variations that will perfectly match the season.  (FREEMAN)