No make-up make-up for people who hate wearing it

I don’t like wearing make-up. I am lazy and I wear it when I have to, for special occasions or work events, or when I’m feeling particularly haggard if sleep is lacking, but secretly I hate it. I hate the faff time to apply it required, I hate having to touch it up and make sure it stays in place, and I hate having to remember to take it off. I also hate the feeling of make-up on my skin, even the most basic and lightest stuff, and I literally can’t wait to get home to clean it all off when I am wearing it!

 I think I look ok with makeup on,  but I also don’t feel compelled to wear it, and frankly, I think the world puts too much pressure on women to wear make-up to meet a standard that most of us can’t reach, realistically, because in reality, those perfect women we see on social media and in magazines and on TV either have lots of money to spend on professional make-up and styling or they’ve been airbrushed and photoshopped before the photo is released.

But sometimes there are occasions that call for it, and when I look really really tired or I want to dress up, I do wear it and put some on. I am usually very keen to take it off as soon as I can usually when I get in the door at home, it’s the first thing I do, but when I need to, I have a simple make-up routine that works and helps me feel like I look awake and hides the worst of sleep deprivation.

I don’t wear layers and layers of product. I tend to focus on simple, using a good SPF always (I never go out without SPF and I am religious about not letting my skin burn

and just adding a little colour to my face. Because I am very pale, I find it hard to find products that match my skin tone, and I have tried many brands, but now I mix and match my own. I use two pigment-based products from Deciem and I blend them together depending on how dark I need them to be. In winter I find I am paler and in summer, although I don’t tan, my skin does pick up a little colour so tweak it a little.

I mix this excellent SPF base with two foundations from this range. I have a lighter and a darker one that blend well. I also use a primer that smooths my skin and helps the make-up to blend. I put a small amount of each into my hand, and mix them then apply with a brush. I don’t aim for a full coverage, I don’t want a mask of make-up, but I do want to make my skin look more awake and feeling better.

Under my eyes is an area where you can very much tell that sleep doesn’t happen for me. So I use an old favourite of many Touche Eclat, around my eyelid, under my eyes, and in the eye corners. I have never found any other product that lightens and brightens as it does. I also use a pencil on the rim of my eyes to brighten up the eye area.

I don’t use blusher or bronzers, I don’t like layers of make-up and I find they just look patchy and false on my very pale skin. I do however find that a layer of setting powder helps to make make up stay put and keep me less shiny. If I need a hint of “glow”, I use an old-school product from Bobbi Brown with a large fluffy brush.

It works for me and is simple and easy to do in a few minutes when I need to get ready. I don’t wear mascara, I prefer to tint my eyelashes and eyebrows but a swipe of lip balm or even some dramatic red lipstick and I am good to go.

 I always admire people who can wear a lot of make-up, or put on lots of make-up and look amazing. I prefer to keep it simple. It works for me, when I need it.