Fake the Make(up)


Yes....this is a makeup blog... You All know of my undying love of all things beauty and makeup! 

(Hence the name: Manic Makeup Girl)

It all began when I got my 1st play makeup kit for Christmas when I was just 5 years old... I remember that day so clearly and it changed my life!! (Ok maybe not life changing but it certainly spurred my love of makeup!!)

Now... I know there are people out there who loathe makeup (Gasp!!!! Insert shocked screams here!)



There is nothing wrong with hating makeup and wanting to go natural.

 Heck! Some people even look better without makeup!! (I am NOT one of those people, I assure you!!!)

There are also those who want to wear makeup...but look like they are not wearing makeup. No wonder men get so confused!!!!

So... This post is for all those people out there who want to maintain their no makeup tolerance policy, but still look polished! 


No Makeup - Makeup Tips:


1) Get Those Brows in Check!!!!

Now... I'm not saying go get a full brow wax at the salon (so please keep reading!!)... But... Sporting unruly and unkempt brows can put out the vibe that you don't care about the way you look. In turn, that can make people think that you also don't care about other aspects of your life (job, health, etc.). 

Obviously that isn't true in all cases... And it's an unfair judgement to be sure! But just to be safe, don't let people doubt your abilities just because your brows look like you couldn't give a rip! 

Plucking and shaping your brows not only frame your beautiful eyes and command eye contact, but they also make you look more polished and put together. Who doesn't want that? Especially in the workplace!

Now... I'm not talking about pencil thin or crazy brows here people... 

NO

NO!

NO WAY!

NOOO!

NOOO NOOO NOOO!!!


PLEASE DON'T!!! This is NOT the Cat's Meow....


Brows are the windows to the face. 
Make sure those windows match the house (aka YOUR FACE)!!! 

Here is an easy 3 step diagram to help guide your tweezers to correctly shape your brows for your face shape. 


A) Hold a pencil (nail file, q-tip, something straight) from the outer corner of your nose vertically. Wherever the pencil lands...this is where your brows should BEGIN! Anything farther than this line should be banished to the depths of Hades (aka Tweezed)!!!



B) Move the pencil over the outer iris of your eye (the colored part). Where the pencil lands, this is where your brow should peak or arch. Clean up the brow hairs underneath this section to make a clean arch (when I say clean up.. I mean just get the straggly hairs... Don't over pluck!!!)



C) Move the pencil to the outer corner of your eye. Where the pencil falls on the brow, this is where they should END! Any hairs past this point should be plucked away and murdered!!! Die unruly brow hairs!!! Die!!!



See how easy it is to clean up those brows at home and create a more polished look without makeup!!? 


Nice brow game!


I've never ever heard someone say... "Gosh... I really wish I hadn't cleaned up my brows today...they looked so good that they landed me that awesome new job! Darn it!!!!" <--- not real life! 

Here is a great pair of Tweezers for LESS than $2! You can't use the "I can't afford it" excuse ANYMORE!

TRIM Easy Hold Slant Tip Tweezers - $1.98


I promise this little step will help you look more polished without adding the actual...polish...





2) Love Your Lips! 

That's right! 
Show your lips some love and TLC!! 
I don't know about you... But I have the worst dry and flaky lips year round... But even worse during the winter months!! 
My lips can't get enough moisture!! 

Nothing says EWWW like dry, flaky, cracked lips!!! How can you expect people to listen and hear what you are saying when they can't tear their eyes away from your chapped lips!?? 

I have good news for you! This problem can be easily solved with minimal effort (And NO makeup!!)

A way I help keep that nasty chapped mess from becoming a monster is by daily exfoliating! 
Yep... You heard me.. Exfoliate those lips! 

There are many ways you can exfoliate those lips on the cheap and with ease! 

Here are a few recommendations:

- use a warm wet washcloth in circular motions on your lips while you are in the shower! 
- use your toothbrush in circular motions on your lips after you brush! 
- use a lip exfoliator (homemade recipe: 1 tsp brown sugar and a drop of olive oil) use in circular motions and wash off the excess. This also moisturizes your lips too!) Or buy one of these awesome lip scrub products (I personally use both of these). I keep one in my shower and one next to my sink so I can exfoliate no matter where I am!




After you exfoliate your lips, they NEED to be moisturized!!! If you use one of the lip exfoliators, this step is already included! 
YAY!! Happy dance!!!
I'm not saying slap on lipstick... But that plain ole Chapstick will do the job perfectly (AND its colorless...perfect for you natural peeps!). I don't categorize Chapstick as makeup... Because it's kind of like lotion for your lips. And we categorize lotion as a body product... Right?? 
Plus I think they even have Chapstick in every checkout line available at the grocery store... No need to stomp through the beauty department!

Chapstick 3 Pack - $2.94

Another tip to keep those lips extra moisturized....Slap on the Chapstick at night right before you go to bed!

If you are looking for something to invest in to keep those lips extra soft...I recommend this stuff to use at nighttime. It is seriously STILL on my lips when I wake up in the morning! It keeps them SO hydrated and soft it's INSANE!! 
It's like Chapstick on Steroids!!!
I noticed a big difference in my lips in the morning when I started using this at night!

Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment - $25

Taking care of your lips can literally speak volumes!!! This area should not be overlooked, even if you don't wear makeup! Just a little extra TLC can help the focus be on YOU, not your lips! 






3) Lotion it Up!

A problem that faces 99.9% of humans at least once in their lifetime is dry skin. 
Dry, itchy, flaky, sometimes cracked skin.

Ummm yuck!!!!!

I am one of those humans who battles this problem almost daily. My legs and hands are soooooo dry... All...the...time! 

I just don't feel polished or put together when my hands are basically shedding their skin like a snake. How could that possibly make a good first impression when you shake hands with that scaly monster of a paw? 

So... what's an all natural girl to do when her knees, elbows, and knuckles look like they belong on a 128 year old lady? 

MOISTURIZE!!!!!!! 

Yes, I know. No surprise there! Duh!!!
 But.... What if I told you I found a product that you can use while in the shower to lotion up and skip the greasy mess after you get out of the tub!??? 

Get ready to have your life changed people.....

IN SHOWER BODY LOTION! 




Yep.... It's real!!!! And it's so amazing!!!!!!!

Now, this stuff came around about 13 years ago and my sister and I looooooved it!!!!! 
But for some reason they stopped making it and I think we literally cried over it! 
This is the only stuff that saves my skin during the colder months! 
I recently passed through the body wash aisle at the grocery store and I literally screamed out loud when I saw this back in stock! (Then I immediately text messaged my sis to let her know our dream came true!!) I am seriously addicted!

This stuff is perfect for a natural gal and a girl on the go! It moisturizes your skin AND gives you a light, clean (not perfume) scent. All you have to do is use your regular body wash and rinse, then slather this on and rinse off and go! You will be perfectly moisturized and can skip the greasy lotion and perfume! 

I honestly only use this as my body lotion now. Even when I shave my legs!!!! It's that good! It makes my skin so soft and smooth! 

LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! 

Don't let dry skin steal the focus away from the real YOU! This is just a little (and convenient) step to help put your best skin forward! Plus... You save time and smell great! How is this not perfect for both a non-makeup girl and makeup lover alike??

Nivea also has an in shower lotion as well (3 different kinds for different skin needs)!








4) Ban the GREASE!!

Nothing says "I don't care" more than greasy hair!
(I didn't really mean to make that rhyme....)

Now...I totally get being short on time and having to just run out the door without being able to shower. 

And...I know that it's not necessarily good to wash your hair every day. I personally only wash mine once or twice a week.That might be gross to some people...but I have a secret to share with you! 

DRY SHAMPOO!!!!!!

Yes!!

When my hairdresser told me to only wash my hair once a week to keep my hair healthy...I almost fell out of her chair! How could I possibly do that when I was a religious wash-my-hair-every-day-no-matter-what type of person!?
PLUS....HELLO OILY SKIN!?
Not only was my face basically a grease pit by 5pm every day...but my scalp was ALSO!
YUCK!
How in the world was I going to make a shampoo and blow dry last a whole WEEK!?
Enter DRY SHAMPOO Amazingness.

I took my hairdresser's challenge and ventured out to the store to find some dry shampoo.
Life. Officially. Changed.

Dry shampoo not only banishes the grease..it gives my hair VOLUME! 
The secret is the powder in the dry shampoo spray!
The powder sucks up the hair oils and adds texture and volume to the roots. 
How is that not a WIN WIN!?

How to use Dry Shampoo:

1) Brush out hair.
2) Shake Dry Shampoo can.
3) Spray generously on roots.
4) Turn head over and shake and rub fingers through roots to evenly distribute dry shampoo.
5) Brush.

DONE!!!!

Yep...How easy is it to fake washing your hair!?
Another added benefit of dry shampoo is that it smells great too!!
No one will know that you haven't washed your hair in 4 days!

 Now you can have clean looking hair without looking like a gross grease ball! Looking clean is SO important....Did I really have to just say that!?

Admit it...We've all seen that one person (or been that one person) that looks like they could use a shower. 
Not exactly pretty is it?
I've been there a time or two myself. But having "clean" hair can really make a difference in how people view you! 
Yes...I know it's not about what's on the outside that counts...It's the inside! But...Why not let your outside match your inside? Especially when it only takes a few seconds to do it! 

Here are a few of my favorite Dry Shampoo Products:


Suave Professionals Shampoo Dry Spray - $2.88


Dove Refresh + Care Volume Dry Shampoo - $3.94

Salon Grafix Play It Big Volumizing Dry Shampoo - $7.99
(This brand has powder sprays to match hair colors!)





5)  Nail It!

Another part of our bodies that need to look polished are our hands and nails....No pun intended... ;)

I'm sorry but if you have dirty nails...I immediately get shivers down my spine out of disgust!
I can't help it.
I just can't deal with dirty nails!!!
My sister's father in law is a mechanic (a great one I might add) and he has the cleanest hands and nails I've ever seen!!
If he can keep those nails looking fresh after working on cars all day...Don't you think you can too??

Think about it for a second. 

We use our hands all day long. 

Touching our face...food...and toilet!

Obviously we need to be diligent about washing our hands and keeping them germ free. BUT...how many millions of bacteria get trapped under our nails too?
BLECH! GROSS!

That's why we need to make sure we take a little time to clean our nails and make our hands look like we CARE!
You don't have to go out and get a mani/pedi...
Just a daily scrub can make sure that those nail beds stay spotless and healthy. 
Who wants to shake hands with someone with dirty fingernails?? 
Not this girl!

I always remember my dad cleaning out his nails and saying "If you see a boy with dirty nails...imagine what else is dirty too!" 

That really is the truth!
If you don't care to wash the parts that people can SEE....why would you care to wash other areas? 
TMI? EW? 
But sadly true!

It doesn't matter if hands and nails aren't something you normally notice on other people....Odds are...People are looking at YOURS!

Take a little time to make sure you trim, or file those nails and keep them clean.
You can even go one step farther and apply a clear coat of nail polish to make them look extra classy but still keep your natural vibe. 
They even have MATTE clear nail polishes so they don't even look shiny! 
How's THAT for a classy polished look without the polish!??

An added benefit of applying a little clear top coat is that your nails look cleaner and it helps them grow!

I'm pretty sure no one has ever said..."I don't like her...Her nails are TOO clean!"...

If they did say that...They need a reality check!

Here area few clear polishes to help you look put together without sporting a full RED manicure.


Sinful Colors Professional Nail Polish Clear Coat - $1.98



Revlon Matte Top Coat - $3.97




Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails Nail Strengthener Clear Coat - $2.97



If you think this step might be a little TOO girly for you....Guess what...Men wear clear nail polish too!!
I've seen many a manly man get a mani/pedi with their wife and sport the clear polish. 
HELLO!!! Because it's CLEAR PEOPLE!

If that doesn't make my case...I don't know what will!

____________________________________________



Here are a few other little tips to look polished without using makeup:

1) Apply a facial moisturizer daily. Just like a soft, hydrated body looks attractive and clean....so does a well moisturized face! 
2) Apply body lotion to your hands, feet, chest area, elbows and knees right before bed to really lock in the moisture. These are the spots that dry out the fastest, so keep that skin glowing by hydrating it nightly!
3) Blot your face. If you have oily skin and don't use any makeup or skin primers to control it, try using a paper towel or napkin to blot your face throughout the day to keep shine and oil at bay. 
4) Clear products. If you are on the fence with makeup and don't want to use pigmented products, try clear ones! Just like the clear nail polish, there are numerous other clear makeup items that do their job but have no color! I'm talking clear mascara, clear face primer (to control oil), clear lip gloss, clear brow gel. 
See? You don't even have to commit to COLOR to get a polished look!

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Clear - $4.44

NYC Smooth Skin Perfecting Primer (Colorless) - $3.57

NYC Liquid Lip Shine in City Clear - $1.97

Stiles Eyebrow Gel in Clear - $3.09



Side Note: Clear makeup items are also great for beginners or younger Tweens looking to practice or play with makeup without looking like they are wearing makeup! 

_________________________________________


As much as I would love to say....the outside doesn't matter...It sadly DOES!
Your appearance is something you should take pride in with or without makeup!
As you have read, there are tons of ways to keep a professional and polished look without having to even step foot in the beauty department at your local drug store or mall!

Please know that I think everyone is beautiful without a stitch of makeup on. I just enjoy beauty products and love sharing new makeup looks and items with you all. Your greatest asset is feeling confident with yourself no matter what's on the outside. 

I hope these little tips can give you a sense of confidence and pride in your appearance! 
I know they have made a world of difference in my life when I choose to go out without makeup on. 

Thank you all for reading!

I love each and every one of you beauties!!!!

Let's all LOOK polished without the POLISH! 



Follow me on Facebook for tips, tricks, deals and steals throughout the week!






Comments

  1. Fantastic post girl!!!! What a difference taking care of those brows makes!! It really does frame your face and pulls your whole look together! Loved this post!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much girl!!!!! Brows seriously change your whole face! It's crazy!!!!

      Currently obsessing over how GORGEOUS you looked on yor wedding day!!! I Mean you are always beautiful but you were just glowing and simply stunning! Can't wait to see more pictures!!!!!!! Thanks so much for your comment and reading!!!!!

      Delete
  2. Replies
    1. Thank you so much girl!!!! I really appreciate you reading and commenting! That means so much!!!!

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts