How To Do Monochromatic Makeup
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Monochromatic makeup is achieved by using the same colour palette for your eyes, cheeks and lips. For those of you who enjoy a last-minute or minimal makeup look, going monochromatic can be an ingenious choice. By matching the colour of your eyes, cheeks, and lips, you can be sure your makeup looks undeniably polished. The real trick to monochromatic makeup is finding single products that will work all around your face. Not only will your makeup be both quick and cohesive, but you can minimize your makeup bag!
Top Monochromatic Products
A new favourite of mine for monochromatic makeup is the Ilia Color Haze Multi-Use Pigment. This has a slightly thick and whipped texture, making it incredibly easy to apply and blend using fingers. The shades are designed to be flattering on your eyes, lips, and cheeks. My favourite shade is Waking Up. This is a soft nude but makes all the difference.
Another favourite is the Make Beauty Universal Stick in Bisou Bisou. Stick products are amazing for on-the-go applications. The stunning burnt red shade of this one gives a sunkissed, rosy vibe to cheeks and lips. I use it on my eyes for a soft wash or warm definition in the crease.
The Superfluid Lip & Cheeks are a similar concept (a twist-up stick of juicy pigment) but come in a wider shade variety. I love Coral and Red which fulfils all of my Snow White fantasies. I like to dab Coral onto my eyelids and tops of my cheekbones for a ’60s summery look.
Something More
For those who enjoy something sheenier, the new Diega Dalla Palma Chub Blushes are absolutely incredible. They combine a wash of blendable colour with the reflection of a cheek or lip gloss. They never feel sticky, and fade away on eyes, cheeks, or lips to leave a flattering sheer stain.
Another stain favourite is the Noto Botanics Multi Benne Stain Stick – particularly in their newest shade, Genet. If you like the look of a red-wine mouth, look no further. I enjoy dabbing this on the centre of my lips with fingers, then applying any excess to cheeks and lids. It’s pigmented, so use it with caution. Oh, and that incredible herbal-mint scent is ideal for sticky summer days.
If you favour a liquid over a stick product, the OG has to be Glossier Cloud Paint. Although these are touted as blushes, I find they work incredibly well to add a wash of colour to lips and eyelids. Dusk (the warm, bronze-ish nude) is the perfect do-it-all shade for days when you have little to offer in the way of effort, but don’t want to go totally bare-faced.
Honourable Mentions
A recent Cloud Paint alternative I’ve been loving is the Flower Beauty Blush Bombs. These are similar in packaging, but have a slightly shinier, dewier finish which I enjoy. Particularly on sweatier summer days. The shade ‘Pinched’ is a perfect neutral shade for adding a hint of definition and flush. I find the pastel pink Bubbly to be surprisingly flattering on both cheeks and eyelids. It gives a super-cute, girly, doll-like look without being overly sickly.
If blush isn’t your bag though, you can achieve a monochromatic makeup look through bronzer and contour tones, too. The Fenty Beauty Match Stix are ideal for eyes and cheeks and come in a huge range of colours, suitable for every skin tone. They dry to a rather matte, almost powdery finish, so if you prefer something dewier, I instead recommend the Westman Atelier Face Trace Contour Stick. This is luxurious (with the price tag to match) but offers the perfect wash of colour to give cheekbone and eyelid definition in seconds.
Lasting Impressions
For a glowy, lit-from-within monochromatic vibe, I’ve been a huge fan of the Noto Botanics Gold Glow Stick this summer. This can be dabbed onto cheeks, eyelids, brow bones, inner corners, and cupid’s bows to give a hint of golden gleam that’s perfect for warmer weather. If you’re not a fan of cream or liquid products, never fear. I can equally enjoy a powder product for monochromatic looks. The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer looks as stunning applied intensely on the eyelids as it does with a fluffy brush across the face.
Finally, Tarte’s Amazonian Clay Blush in ‘Exposed’ is the perfect powder shade to offer definition to the eyes, cheeks, and even the lip line, without ever really looking like you’re wearing makeup at all.
