Back to School Makeup

Hi beautiful people! I know that during high school you can get quite self-conscious about your skin, and there are a lot of high schools that don’t allow makeup (I know the struggle, mine is one of them). I’m graduating in a couple of months, so I just thought I would share with you some secrets and tips I’ve learn throughout high school that have helped me feel more confident about my appearance. So here’s how to wear makeup without actually looking like you’re wearing makeup.

Step 1:

            Wear a tinted moisturizer

Preferably one with an SPF rating that is quite high, particularly if you’re living in a sunny country like Australia for example (like me!) Although a tinted moisturizer only provides light coverage and isn’t going to cover up nasty pimples, it does even out skin tone and cover up small blemishes. I personally use the Olay Fresh Effects BB Cream Tinted Moisturizer in the shade light to medium. It’s got SPF15 and comes in a line of other products by Olay, such as a facial cleanser and exfoliating cleanser, which I also use. So, it moisturizes your skin, provides a light, everyday coverage and protects your beautiful face from the sun. Double thumbs up. Of course, any other tinted moisturizer that you would prefer to use or are already currently using is just as great.

Step 2:

            Concealer

Pimples. We’ve all had them. They’re nasty, bright red and sometimes very, very painful. So in accordance with using face scrubs and pimple creams and sometimes even ice for those nasty blind pimples (it’s a Godsend, believe me. It reduces inflammation, redness and pain), there are ways in which you can go about covering up those nasty blemishes.

Green concealer may look intimidating, but it works wonders when it comes to getting rid of redness. I personally use the Maybelline Cover Stick in the colour green and I find that it works really well. It’s a little difficult to blend sometimes, but you have to put a skin coloured product over it anyway (unless you want a green pimple instead of a red one), so it doesn’t really matter all that much. I then use the Maybelline Cover Stick in skin colour, but if you have a concealer that you regularly use, dab that on over the top of the green and blend, blend, blend.

Step 3:

            Use an eyelash curler

If you’ve never used one of these, it can be more intimidating than green concealer, but I promise it is so simple. Just be careful not to pinch your actual eyelid (speaking from experience, it’s not pleasant).

Curling your eyelashes makes them look longer. After I’ve curled them, I apply my normal mascara and then curl them again. Make sure you don’t press the curler together for too long when you have mascara already applied because you can snap your eyelashes. Be very, very careful. I usually only apply mascara on the top lashes for school, because I find that it’s way more noticeable if I put it on the bottom lashes as well.

If your school has a particularly serious makeup policy, I would suggest investing in some clear mascara. That way, you won’t get any smudging throughout the day and it won’t even look like you’re wearing mascara. Magic!

Step 4:

            Fill in your eyebrows

Okay, so this one is for those people who are really self-conscious about their eyebrows like me. If you are blessed with beautiful eyebrows, skip this step. But, if you are like me and have ratty eyebrows (one of mine even has a bald patch) then keep reading.

Obviously, if you draw your eyebrows and make them really dramatic and scary, people will notice. Even if you make them thicker or make the arch a different shape, your teacher’s will be a bit suspicious. What I mean by filling in your eyebrows is just defining them a bit more and making them look a bit less raggedy. For example, I fill in the aforementioned bald patch because that is embarrassing and weird and, let’s face it, I’m self-conscious about it and don’t really want people pointing it out or noticing. I use the Ardell eyebrow palette. I could rave about this product for the rest of this blog post, I just love it. It comes with two eyebrow brushes, one for on the go that fits into a little compartment in the actual palette and one with an eyebrow brush/mascara wand on the end for brushing any unruly hairs into place. There are three different colours, plus a highlighting colour, so you can blend them all together to find the perfect shade for you. Alternatively, I know people who just simply use eye shadow to fill in their eyebrows. I find that using an angled or patented brush on eyebrows is the best option, as it is easier to draw with and has a very clean line. I also know people who use an eyebrow pencil to do the outline of their eyebrows before filling them in with eye shadow, but I find that the Ardell palette does an amazing job without me having to buy additional eyebrow products.

Step 5:

            Wear lip balm

Lip balm gives your lips a healthy glow and also keeps them moisturized, particularly if it is windy or the air is dry. Chapped lips are not fun. They’re painful and way to tempting to nibble on (which only makes them worse. I like to use Lucas’ Paw Paw Ointment. However, I heard a rumour that they had discontinued it *tear*, but I have yet to confirm if that is true. I also use Baby Lips. They come in all different flavours, and some are even have a light pigment to make your lips look even prettier. There is definitely something for everyone, just give them a try!

I hope these tips are helpful! If I could leave you with one last thing, it would be that everyone in high school is feeling the exact same way. The people you think are cool and confident and really self-assured are usually the people who are actually the least confident. Everyone gets pimples, so although they leave you feeling a bit crap, try not to get too upset about them. And be confident in who you are because everyone is different and no one can do you like you. 

xo Laurenna Jade

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