Naked! Braving the Barely There trend.

There's nothing I like more than lashings of black liner, a smokey eye or a statement lip. I love to be made up, it makes me feel ready for the day. So trying out a no make up, make up look ejected me right out of my comfort zone.

Base

I love a full coverage foundation, it's a rare & happy day when I feel my skin is up to a sheer a base! That said, I do like my skin to look like skin. So I began my naked face by applying Chanel Vitaluminiere Aqua with my fingers & took a tiny Real Techniques accent brush with some Revlon Beyond Natural concealer to cover any blemishes then mixed some Avon MagiX Illuminator into the concealer & worked it under my eyes with a Real Techniques domed crease brush. I set the concealer with Max Factor loose powder.

Cheeks

I contoured very, very lightly with Benefit Hoola (http://esmesbeautifulthings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/review-benefit-hoola-second-time-lucky.html) & highlighted my cheek bones, chin & between my eyebrows with the lightest touch of Trish McEvoy Duo mineral highlighting powder. Using a Nars Yachiyo (no. 27) brush I swept a sheer wash of MAC Melba over the apples of my cheeks.

Eyes

Now this is where I got really uncomfortable, I always contour & always line my water line so determined to keep things very minimal I lined my water line with an Urban Decay 24/7 concealer pencil & primed my lids with the Revlon concealer. I used a MAC 239 brush to sweep Estée Lauder Sandbar Beige all over the lid then took the tiniest touch Estée Lauder Sepia Sand on a Real Techniques accent brush really close to the lower lashes for a bit of definition.
I curled my lashes & wiped most of Maybelline Great Lash in black/brown Off the wand before really working the brush into the roots of my lashes & brushing through with a lash comb.

Lips

I coloured my lips in using Richer Raisin Chubby Stick which gave a subtle 'just licked' sheen. Think I could have benefited from a lip pencil for a bit of definition but I didn't have anything suitable.

Result

It felt odd to look in the mirror & see myself facially naked but it was enough for me to look quite polished. I'll definitely be wearing this look again I loved not having to check for black eye 'gack' & panda eyes. It took me a bit of time to achieve the look I was after but it was worth it to look fresh & casual.