A lot of my Instagram followers are asking me to start a YouTube site so they can follow step by step as I apply my makeup. I do plan to do it, but so far I haven’t had time to learn to edit video. I will make time soon, I promise!

To tide folks over, I thought I’d provide instructions for the simple look I’m wearing today, which is eye-catching but easy. Here’s the finished version:

So, how do I go from bare faced to ready to go? Here’s how:

1. I always start by applying my primer (Tarte Timeless Smoothing Primer is my current favorite) and my foundation. Here, I’m wearing YSL Touché Eclat — the liquid version.

2. It’s time to conceal. I have under eye blueness, which I hide with a peach-toned cream concealer from Judith August, but you can use whatever brand is your favorite. I go over the peach tone with Tarte’s Rainforest of the Sea liquid concealer. I apply it in a triangle under my eye and blend it into my skin with a damp Beauty Blender sponge. I then set my concealer in place with a light dusting of RCMA No Color Powder, using that same damp sponge.

3. My eyes are next. First, I apply a lid primer to increase lasting power. I usually use Mac’s Paint Pot in Painterly. For the pictured look, I applied white eyeshadow all over my lid, then swept a light beige shadow in a windshield-wiper motion into my crease, just to give my eyes some depth. Any white and beige shadow you have on hand will do. I applied black pencil liner to my top waterline and white to my bottom waterline.  I finished things off with black liquid liner and Red Cherry lashes in Wispy. The liner and lashes are completely optional. If you want, you can go with a nice coating of mascara.

4. With my fingers, I applied liquid bronzer under my cheekbones, at my hairline and just beneath my jawline. This gives your face a bit of contour. The goal is to create natural-looking shadows. Foundation alone can give you a “flat” look; adding bronzer or contour powder returns angles to your face. I went over the liquid bronzer with a powder bronzer for additional depth, but that’s optional.

5. I applied a pretty pink-tinged-with-purple blush to my cheeks, just above where I placed the bronzer. Make sure to blend the edges, as you never want to see a harsh line. In fact, it’s crucial to make sure all of the color products you apply flow seamlessly into one another. Blend, blend, blend!

6. I always leave my lipstick for last. Today I chose a bright pink to go with both my outfit and to offset the gentle shades on my eyes.

7. Spray your face with a setting mist to keep everything in place longer. I like Skindinavia’s Makeup Finishing Spray.

That’s it! You’re ready to head out the door. This is one of my go-to looks because just changing your  lipstick makes it completely different!
Here are some of the products I used:

Foundation: YSL Touché Eclat

Eyes: Rock & Republic White Heat all over lid, beige from Viseart Cashmere Palette, Easy Ride black liner from Ardency Inn (no wing), Red Cherry “Wispy” lashes

Lips: Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Amalfi

Blush: Lorac Buildable Blush in Vivid

Bronzer: Bare Minerals Bareskin Sheer Glow, Hourglass Luminous Bronze Light from the Ambient Palette