How to look better without make up

[Awakened]

I've worn make up daily since I was a young teen. I've perfected the fresh face look so never look overdone but everything is done, if that makes sense?
I've always known I look drastically different without make up but it was never really an issue.
Now I'm wfh and don't put on make up unless I'm going out, it's really hit me. I would be close to unrecognisable at the moment.

The issues are my skin texture, pores and redness. My eyebrows that don't really exist. My eyes, which look quite striking and lovely with make up on (I know self praise is no praise, sue me) are kind of beady and unappealing without.
I also have a chubby face which is why make up enhances eyes, contours a little (though I don't actually contour)

Can anyone walk me through what I can do to become slightly better looking without make up?

My skin care routine is quite good.

No helpful for while we are in lockdown but perhaps eyelash tint & extensions, and brow tint & brow lamination could make a huge difference.

Maybe a nice lip balm, and perhaps a serum that focuses on the issues you have mentioned roascea, texture, pores...

Following with interest! I sound like I could you OP. Plus I feel that I've aged 10 years in the last ten months. Covid, family illness, work stress, homeschool etc etc have taken their toll! Let's hope some pearls of wisdom follow! 🤞🏼

The "touch up my appearance" filter on Zoom does the job for me

Agree that lashes and brow dyes can be very helpful and make you look groomed without makeup. Fake tan drops can give you a bit of a glow. I also use a tinted moisturiser on days when I know I won't be wearing foundation (every day at the moment).

Something like Nars the multiple could be good as a lip/cheek colour that you can quickly swipe on.

Ultimately I do need make up to look half decent and I think that's probably true for most of us!

These are the things I do...

Drink loads of water

Eat well/plenty of fruit & veg

Eye cream

Serums in skincare routine

Rapidlash/rapidbrow to make my lashes & brows look better "naked" (the lash one won't make them any darker though so results are more noticeable when wearing mascara)

Wear primer (on top of sunscreen) even if I'm not wearing the rest of my makeup - or a bit of tinted moisturiser

Use a tiny bit of colour corrector under eyes if they're looking a bit dark

Tanning drops in night cream if I'm feeling a bit pastey (pasty?) - I use Tan-Luxe facial drops - only need 2 drops at a time

Tinted lip balm. I really like the Estee Lauder pure colour envy one: www.johnlewis.com/estee-lauder-pure-colour-envy-colour-replenish-lip-balm-3-2g/p4103358

I don't do all of these all of the time, but I feel like I don't look quite so shit on no makeup days if I do some of them...

Eating properly makes a massive difference to me.

I've been thinking about getting permanent make up for my brows.

I also look better with my glasses on.

Generally though my face just lacks features and definition and only make up can fix that...

A prescription of tretinoin cream and getting my eyebrows microbladed made a massive difference to me being able to use much less makeup.

My skin looks so much better and my eyebrows no longer run off my face. I usually just wear sunblock and a primer. If I put make up on, it's really not a lot.

No make up at all?

I usually wear make up but since WFH I tend to put on under eye concealer, mascara and brow powder and think it makes a big difference.

I also moisturise and sometimes also use a perfecting priming product.

If I feel like it I also use concealer on blemishes.

For absolutely no make up I think you would need to work on your skincare routine if you want "perfect" skin.

Also you can curl your lashes and not put mascara on.

I started to use a light tinted primer and then a little coloured powder on top, I couldn't believe how good it looked, you could try a mineral powder, or any powder with a little bit of colour, I'm using an elf one at the moment.

thought I just list what I use, the primer is lancaster sun perfect infinte glow highlighting primer, the powder is elf halo glow setting powder in medium, it last all day on my combination skin.

Since I started double cleansing, using retinoids and a good skin care routine I have also applied less make up when wfh.
I use Chanel CC cream, a little bit of eyeshadow and blush for color, do my eyebrows very quickly and I am done. During the day I switched to cheap tinted lip balm.
I am considering a very natural microblading. And once beauticians re-open I will go back to have my lash permed every 3 months.

Basically. It's your face! Own it. I just douse in serums, creams and try to keep hydrated. I'm very pale so without makeup I look like a corpse, and that's not an exaggeration as I have zero colour!

I used to mostly wear make up for going to work and going out. It's taken a year in lockdown for me to realise that the washed out look I had always associated with not wearing make up was due at least in part to the 'slobbing out' clothing and unwashed hair I had also adopted on those days at home. Wearing colours that suit me and nice clothes (not 'going out' clothes' just things I like) lifts my face just as much as any make up, as did a haircut after 4 months.

It's screamingly obvious really but it was a bit of a revelation to me so I thought I'd share.

My brows are the best thing I’ve ever done. Tattoo brows with a colour top up every 18 months or so and they make such a difference!

What about trying something like Erborian CC cream, that's all I wear and it's great at providing a little coverage but still no makeup look

I've only been using a Retinol for 2 weeks (the No7 one) and my redness has reduced dramatically already.

Honestly it's worth using retinol just for that alone as I was always self conscious about my pinkness.

Drink lots of water, eat well and plenty of sleep!

I also think it's getting used to your face. I used to wear tons more make up when a teen and twenties. I wouldnt go to work with no make up! I wasn't quite at the wake at 5am and put make up on then pretend to be asleep with a boyfriend but I'd certainly never go out without makeup.

No I would say I wear foundation, mascara etc about once every two weeks.

I invest in my skin, drinks loads of water, wear suncream and I'm always smiling and no one ever says oh you look tired etc (that they used to say if I didn't wear make up) I really think you need to get used to seeing your face, not as a work in progress till you put makeup on... But as your face finished!

So sunscreen goes on before a primer?

Can anyone recommend an under eye concealer that doesn't drag on creapy(sp?) skin?

@Icenii Not sure if it matters that much? I do it that way round because I see the sunscreen as the last step in my skincare / primer as the first step in my make up. So if I'm not wearing make up at all I'd still do skincare routine and end it with SPF.

Face massage and yoga
Water, fruits, fish
Exercise
Revitalash
Good sleep

Going for a decent walk once a day and trying to up fruit and veg intake

@Icenii

So sunscreen goes on before a primer?

This is what I would do yes.

I would do sunscreen then CC

Yes I would do sunscreen before make up.

Some sunscreens such as Ultra Sun have to go on your skin before anything else eg you shouldn't moisturise first either.