Take it all off for the freshest look of summer and go for the glossy, nearly naked eye. It’s impossible to go wrong with this look that needs just one product to enhance your youthful innocence.
A layer of glowy shine is subtle but oh so effective. Strip off the liner and three different shadows, and show the world the side of you that is free of artifice.
“Not wearing eye makeup, it turns out, is the easiest way to change the emotional architecture of your face,” writes T magazine writer Molly Young. “An unpainted eye looks guileless, almost babylike…”
Prepare your eyelids overnight with an eye cream to minimize puffiness and fine lines. You might try Shu Uemura Tsuya Youthful Eye Radiance Eye Concentrate ($55) to counter the loss of elasticity in the eyelid area and dark circles.
With eyelids prepped and ready to go the next morning, start by moisturizing with a dab of Weleda Skin Food Cream ($19) under the brow bone or on the eyelid if your lids tend to be dry. If your skin is oily or tends to sweat, try a base such as Benefit Cosmetics Watt’s Up! Cream-to-Powder Highlighter in Luminous Champagne ($30).
If subtlety is the goal for your next-to-naked eye, apply a swipe of RMS Beauty Living Luminizer ($38) for a sheer, luminous glow. The coconut oil-based Living Luminizer highlights natural youthfulness without being sticky, greasy or glittery. This highlighter gives all skin tones a translucent, satin-pearl finish.
Ilia Illuminator in Polka Dots & Moonbeams ($34) is a pearl-toned, brightening highlighter that boosts a youthful, dewy appearance.
Marc Jacobs Beauty Glow Stick Glistening Illuminator ($42) offers a universal glow to all skin tones with its balance between pearly gold and silver pigments. It’s a sheer Luminizer that gives the eyelid a mist-like radiance.
MAC Studio Eye Gloss ($22) leans toward a glossy, high shine with coverage you can build to an almost lacquered finish. Choose a color close to your bare skin tone such as Lightly Taupe, a light beige gloss with pearl sheen. Money Honey provides a true yellow gold metallic glitter.
A shimmery shadow may be a better choice instead of a gloss if your eyelids are oily. Try a nude shadow from Pixi Book of Beauty – Minimal Makeup ($24) for your subtle sheen.
Whether you choose subtle shimmer to full-on gloss, the nearly-naked eyelid will give you a clean, polished look that will stand up to summer’s heat. Ditch the heavy contouring for a dewy approach that shows the world less is more. Dare to go bare!
