I’ve been hearing from quite a few of my readers lately, that makeup is challenging and intimidating. For those of us who aren’t used to wearing makeup on a day to day basis, when we’re presented with an event where we’re expected to wear makeup it can cause anxiety and stress. I’m here to tell you a few things:
#1 – makeup is not scary. I find it incredibly fun, and stress relieving instead of stress inducing.
#2 – I respect everyone’s right to not wear makeup or never wear makeup and I’ve blogged about that before but I do also think that mastering the art of makeup is an essential tool that ultimately can enhance your life in a variety of ways.
and #3 – Like everything else worth doing, makeup requires practice. When I first really ~tried~ to wear makeup, I remember thinking I would never master putting on my own eyeliner, I used to blink like crazy! It felt SO uncomfortable. And now it’s like second nature to me and I feel almost naked without it.
I recently read an article on Jezebel titled You’re Probably Putting On Makeup All Wrong and it made me laugh and feel sad at the same time. Clearly there are best practices and common sense tips, but there is no one definitive right way and approaching makeup with that constant fear of somehow doing it wrong, is what keeps so many women from just having fun with it and teaching themselves on their own terms. That’s what it SHOULD be – fun. Let’s have some of that, shall we?
Allow me to demonstrate an easy and beautiful summertime look, thanks to my friends at IMAN Cosmetics. Have you checked out their website? Besides being a great source for IMAN Cosmetics products, there are also some great tutorials via the Looks and Tips tab at the top. That’s where I found the Bronze Goddess look I’m about to demonstrate for you. Check it out! This too can be a 15 minute face. Let me break it down step by step for you!
Step 1 – Moisturizer and primer. Always start with a clean face. I prep my face with my moisturizer of choice, and then I apply primer to mattify my skin before applying makeup. It’ll help the look last SO much longer! If you’ve ever done an art class, think of your face as your canvas, and primer as gesso.
Step 2 – Coverage.
In summer heat, I like to start with a light coverage product – like tinted moisturizer or BB crème, and then build up to heavier coverage where I need it. Here I began with IMAN Cosmetics BB Crème and then used CC Crème to cover areas that are more deeply blemished. Click here to remind yourself of the difference!
Step 3 – Blend. Always, always blend. Make sure your foundation blends into your neck and all around the perimeter of your face.
Step 4 – This is where I use bronzer and blush. Get into this IMAN 3-in-1 Sheer Finish Bronzing Powder. I LOVE products like this because they’re so versatile. You can use these colors on your cheeks and also on your eyelids. Behold! And for both areas, blend, blend, blend. For cheeks, I make a crazy blush face to see my cheekbones and where I’m applying the product. And then I smile to apply the highlighter to the apples of my cheeks, and to see where bronzer can enhance the look. Don’t forget that classic 3 shape! Apply your bronzer in a 3 and blend with the fluffy brush to soften the look. You don’t want stripes of color, just gentle washes of color that blend together naturally.
Step 5 – EYES.
Applying eye shadow to me, is likely the most challenging part of wearing makeup. It just takes time and practice to figure out how to apply and blend your shades to create a wearable, easy look. This 3-in-1 palette makes it super easy. I applied the lightest color from lid to browbone, then applied the bronze color all over the lid – packing it on with the sponge-tip applicator. Then I added the pop of pink to half of the lid, and blended with my brush. So easy. (Please excuse my fuzzy brows, I’m overdue for an appointment)!
Blend that eye shadow, and this is where that eyeliner practice comes in handy! You’ve got your eye shadow on, now just line your bottom lash line and along your top lash line, as close to the edge as possible. Blend with the skinny brush to smoke out your wobbly line areas. Also, MASCARA. Here’s a good place to apply that.
Step 6 – How about this LIP?
IMAN makes such amazing, beautiful, glossy, long lasting lipsticks. Here I’m wearing Flirtatious, which is SUCH a great summer color. I love it for the season, and I also love Kinky Pink, Taboo and Hot for summer! They’re all so bright and vibrant. Looking for a showstopper lip? Look no further!
That’s how Bronze Goddess is DONE.
It’s a super easy, very versatile look that will work for women all shades of beautiful. You can shop the look and find a wonderful selection of IMAN Cosmetics at Walmart! And thanks to my friends at IMAN Cosmetics, ONE lucky winner can get this whole look!
- IMAN Skin tone Evener BB Crème SPF 15
- CC Crème Powder to Crème Concealer
- Afterglow Sheer Bronzing Powder
- Perfect Mascara
- Vixen Luxury Eye Defining Powder
- Flirtatious Luxury Moisturizing Lipstick
- Passion Luxury Lip Pencil
How do you enter, how do you win?
Click here to sign up for the Afrobella IMAN Cosmetics giveaway, via the official IMAN Cosmetics site! My friends at IMAN Cosmetics will choose one lucky winner by July 1. Good luck, bellas!
The contest is over, congratulations to Alisha Carlton of Mobile, Alabama!!!
This post was sponsored by IMAN Cosmetics but the look and opinions are 100% me, y’all!
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