How to do your own makeup properly doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. With the right steps, you can create polished, professional-looking makeup at home — even on busy mornings.
As a professional makeup artist for television, celebrities, rockstars, advertising, runway, and thousands of everyday women, I’ve learned exactly what works when women do their own makeup.
You don’t need dozens of products. You just need the right techniques and the right basics done well.
In this guide you’ll learn:
•The correct order to apply makeup
•The steps that make makeup look professional
•Techniques that make makeup last all day
•How to keep your routine simple and efficient
You Don’t Need Many Products
Many women think they need dozens of products to do their makeup properly, but most professional everyday makeup routines only require:
•Foundation
•Concealer
•Blush
•Eyeliner or eyeshadow
•Lip colour
Doing the basics properly matters far more than using lots of products.
Step 1: Skin Preparation
•Start with really clean (but not over-cleansed) skin free of any residue.
Skin oils, oils, moisturisers, anything “sticky” on the skin will prevent powder makeup fromgliding on (meaning it goes on patchy) or it will cause it to move and run through the day.
Contrary to what most people believe, I do not recommend primers or moisturisers before makeup.
•Tip: As someone who’s had to have celebrities’ makeup last for 12-14 hours under hot film lights or even in underwater shoots - I find that being able to work makeup into the skin— without primers or moisturiser blocking it— is the most effective way to make makeup last longer.
•On the rare occasionthat I use a “primer” I use “Australian Bush Flower Essences Ultimate Neck and Face Gel”. It can create a more even-looking finish on textured skin and leaves no residue.
Step 2: Highlighter
Yes… highlighter/luminiser as thefirst actual makeup step.
Placing it before foundation creates a very natural, flattering-looking luminosity to the skin and actually makes makeup look less “makeupy” and less
It makes the finished result look more like natural skin— less
Apply highlighter to:
- Cheekbones
- Outer forehead bones
- Over the nose
- Optional: A hint in the centre of the eyelids
Step 3: Foundation and Concealer
Foundation
While women are usually told to use “light coverage” foundation for a more natural look, the complete opposite is true.
Light coverage needs to be piled on to give any results at all.
The result is thick-looking makeup.
My trick is to use veryhigh-coverage foundation, only use the tiniest bit— like a rice grain-sized amount— and spread it far using a really,really good foundation brush.
This creates the most flattering “no makeup” look while giving really great results.
This also means that concealer might not be required.
Tip: I will often do my foundationafter my eye makeup and before lips. This means I get a really clean under-eye area.
Concealer
I usually apply concealer at the end - after doing the rest of the makeup. This can clean up eyeshadow spills, and also you can see exactly where you need it— if at all.
Only apply concealer exactly where you need it,
Step 4: Eyes & Brows
Eyeliner
I use personally don’t use eyeshadow for every day wear - I blend my eyeliner up into eyeshadow using either my Blender Brush or Smolder Brush (in colour Brownstone)
Then I intensify the eyeliner the lash line using colour Pitch Black
This is a fast and multi-use method.
Even when using eyeshadow, I like to use one coat of eyeliner first - to map out the eyes.
Firstly the eyeshadow helps to lock in the eyeliner, but it also helps to perfect the placement of the eyeshadow.
Eyeshadow
•Option neutral eyeshadow for everyday wear— the trusty one (or two) that youknow works.
•Use an eyeshadow that isdarker than your skin colour— on any hooded or fleshy areas or the eyes.
•Use a colour that is lighter than your skin colour on any areas that you want to pop— such as a dot in the centre of your eyelid.
Tip:
Personally, I only use actual eyeshadow when I want that slight bit more glam.
•Eyeliner: Apply eyelinervery close to the lashes only— with only to make the linethicker where you want lift. Eyeliner is makeup for the lash line more than it is for the eyelids.
•Optional Mascara: one or two coats. I personally skip mascara all the time. I find my eyeliner does all the heavy lifting, I can’t be bothered with the removal at the end of the day, but I do love it for my extra glam days!
•Quick brow grooming: brush upward and outward. Do a light fill on any sparse spots. I love Brow tint and/or brow pencil for that [link to Brow collection].
Step 5: Cheeks
The purpose of blush is to put colour and life back into the face - especially as foundation flattens features.
If you use powder blush, use a brush like Glow Brush that glides to create a flawless application.
Crème blush is great with the Glow Brush, however you may choose to use a brush with synthetic hair like this one.
•Swirl your brush into the blush
•Place your blush where you want your cheeks to be (more on this separately)
•Apply blush in a “spiral out” motion to get a beautiful blend “to nothing” as it expands out
Step 6: Lips
If there is ANY product that almost has nothing to do with natural colouring (Well not much) and almost everything to do with personal preference, it’s lip colour. (More on this separately)
Tips to choosing lip colour
•Choose a colour you are comfortable with.
•Choose your preference - solid colour or wash of colour?
•Choose your preferred type of product - moisturising, long-lasting,
•Choose a colour that coordinates with your clothing choices
•Very important: Check in similar light it will be seen. (I go into this thoroughly in my course)
Lipstick is a super personal preference thing.
Tip: You can use a multi use lip and tint for speed - however I rarely find using the same on both is very flattering
Step 7: Finishing Touches
•Make a conscious effort to check symmetry
•Check your makeup in all different lighting if possible - natural light, warm light, cool light.
•If you are going to be on camera - take a little video of yourself to check your makeup - preferable in the same lighting
•Do an extra blend and polish of any parts - making sure you can’t see where it starts and end
•Optional: spray with setting spray. Personally I only use setting space for special events. The above tips keep my makeup on all day, anyway and I like the clean feeling
•Apply concealer only where needed (under eyes, blemishes).
•Avoid over-layering for a natural finish.
Extra Tips
•Tip: multitasking products save time.
•Polished makeup is really created by blending. Blending comes from the right skills and the right brushes
Learning theproper way to do your own makeup makes a huge difference to how polished the final result looks.
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f you want the complete, step-by-step system to look polished every day, my online program teaches exactly that. See the full class here → https://jacquelinekalabbeauty.com.au/products/flawlessbytomorrow]
If you want more quick routines for busy women, check out The Perfect Makeup Routine for Working Women
You might also like:
•Quick Professional Makeup Routine for Busy Mornings
•Makeup for Beginners Step-by-Step
• Everyday Makeup Mistakes and How to Fix Them
• The Perfect Makeup Routine for Working Women
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