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Beauty: A natural woman!

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By Irene Clancy
Special to MÁS

Too often people confuse natural makeup with no makeup. 
     While no makeup just implies a lack of effort and time, natural makeup is actually just the opposite. It is carefully selected and applied to enhance features so that they appear to have a genetic gift of beauty — and who doesn’t want that? 
Thankfully, natural makeup does not require spending an outstanding amount of time applying an outstanding amount of makeup. Natural makeup is a term used to describe makeup that mimics tones and hues already within one’s complexion. Our complexion consists of many hues and many undertones. The ultimate goal of applying makeup is to create a harmony with what nature has provided us. 
So here is a five-minute makeup lesson that will help you make the most of what you’ve got!
When applying natural-looking makeup, look back to photos and see the colors that lit up your face as a child. Look at your cheeks and lips to get an idea of pink or peach. Over the years, hair color changes, skin changes and we no longer see the colors that nature once gave to us. Once you look at your photographs and decide which colors were natural to your skin, the rest is easy!

* As always, start with a cleansed, toned and moisturized face and eye area. No matter how natural you want to be, concealer is a girl’s best friend! Pat a little under the eyes if you have bags, circles or if you look tired.
* Not everyone needs to wear foundation. A tinted moisturizer is a wonderful trick to natural makeup and a great time saver. It’s like a buy one, get one free: you are adding well-deserved nourishment to the skin with the added benefit of a tint of color. This new generation of foundations gives skin a sheer, soft, supple glow and because it is chock full of good-for-you things, you can skip the moisturizer.
* When I see pictures of myself as a child, my cheeks were always rosy. This is the inspiration for natural makeup. Use a blush to mimic that glow found in your pictures. Can’t tell what the color looks like? Here’s a trick: gently pinch your cheeks. Remember: Gently (black and blue is not in the natural color scheme). A gentle pinch will give you insight to your skin’s natural blushing shade. Apply the color to the apples of your checks (Smile! That fleshy part underneath your eyes are your apples). Alternatively, you can sweep a soft bronzer on the areas of the face where the sun would naturally kiss. Once again, this gives you a natural glow. Just be careful not to apply too much — you don’t want to look sunburned.
* Natural eye makeup is simple. Keep to neutral shades. Colors such as taupe, brown, peach and mauve give freshness to the eyes without overpowering the skin. These neutral colors will allow your natural features to shine by complementing the iris. When applying natural makeup, I keep the color families for eyes, cheeks and lips the same. Use your natural blush as the guide for choosing colors. Since I naturally have rosy cheeks but with gold undertones, I choose a blush that’s a blend of peachy pink and combine it with a soft, almost nude champagne shadow and a clear peach gloss. The colors don’t compete and are not the focus of my face; instead, the dewy glow is the focus.
* A light powder liner can be applied to make the lashes appear thicker, as in our younger days. You may, however, see that liner is not necessary.
* Curl the lashes and apply a light coat of mascara.
* Last but not least, use a lipstick that is creamy and close to your natural lip tone. Apply a dab of gloss to the center of the lips to emphasize fullness. Or, in place of a creamy lipstick, try a tinted gloss. Or better yet, pay homage to those carefree, youthful days and grab a Lip Smacker brand lip balm. They’re excellent for adding a pinch of color, sheen and flavor all in one!
So, is natural makeup natural? Yes, yes, yes! Natural makeup is fresh and dewy. It lets the world see your beauty. Is it an oxymoron? Well, that’s for you to decide. I myself love it!

— Irene is a local makeup artist with her own line of cosmetics.
Got a beauty question?
E-mail: irene@copacosmetics.com