It takes a brave woman to step out on the red carpet with a barely made-up face. But for British actress Gemma Arterton, the decision only highlighted her natural beauty (pictured).But how can the rest of us less-genetically blessed look as though we’re naturally gorgeous, while still relying on a few subtle cosmetic little helpers to boost our confidence?
First, exfoliate so skin glows with smoothness, then apply a layer of fake tan – bronzed skin always looks healthier and shows up the whites of the eyes to make eye colour pop. (Be careful to avoid blemishes, though – the natural look only really works with good skin, and fake tan grabs onto highly pigmented or dry areas for a darker result that emphasises them more.)Or you can swap your foundation for tinted moisturiser, which will give a tiny hint of colour and cover. We love Origins’ new VitaZing SPF15 Energy-boosting Moisturizer, £25, with skin-tone perfectors – it releases a sheer hint of colour on contact to even and enhance skin tone; from Selfridges now and nationwide from October. And make sure you use concealer on areas in need.Use a little bronzing powder underneath cheekbones to give definition to bone structure, but cream blush instead of powder on the apples of cheeks for a rosy glow. And make sure you fill in brows with pencil – without vivid colour on lips or mascara to define eyes, the face really needs definition, which is most effectively achieved through strong brows.Finish with a smudge of brown or grey liner around lashes and a neutral shade of lip colour. Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Liquid Lipstick, £8.99, is perfect for the job, in shades Nude or Prized Peach – it fixes a layer of matte colour to lips that dries to last all day and looks completely natural. Add a balm or lipsalve on top for extra lusciousness.
