How to look good (almost) naked

Want to save money on make-up? There is a 100% foolproof way of managing this – buy less. I know it’s been said time and time again, but less really is more. And judging by the gaggle of high-heeled, mini-dressed girls you see falling out of Gallery every night, it seems that the message still hasn’t got through to a lot of women.

So, here’s a quick and easy guide to the mighty ‘less is more’ philosophy.

Firstly, skin is meant to look like skin, not the outside of an orange. I’m not saying that concealer or a light foundation are definitely no-go areas, but it should at least be the same colour as your face. The whole point is that it is meant to be unnoticeable – if you get complimented on your foundation, then you need to change it, pronto. As someone with extremely pale skin, I do understand the difficulty in finding the perfect colour; if you, like me, also look like an extra from a Tim Burton film, I would recommend Gosh foundation, in Porcelain. It’s practically white; brilliant.

Secondly, we arrive at the eyebrows, which are sadly often overlooked. Beware she who over-plucks; they may never grow back. And that isn’t a little horror story mothers tell their teenage daughters to stop them from growing up – it really is true. But the future aside, drawn-on eyebrows just aren’t attractive. And what happens when it rains?! Take a look at high fashion. Eyebrows are big, and look all the better for it. Although don’t get me wrong; monobrows will never, ever be sexy. As long as there are two of them, they’re (relatively) symmetrical, and they don’t look like two giant caterpillars taking over your face, then they’re probably okay. And remember, if you do take it a little too far, there’s always the option of a fringe. Phew.

So, moving down, we get to the eyes. The best thing about eye make-up is that you can easily achieve a natural look whilst actually using quite a few products. The most obvious of these is one that frequently tops ‘handbag essentials’ polls – mascara. Amazing. It’s like your eyelashes, but better! I don’t think I’ll ever get over the genius of that. But the beauty of mascara is that it can look natural if you use it well; clumps are really not a good look – people are scared of spiders. Even fake eyelashes can be used to achieve a subtle look; as long as they’re not four inches long and/or made of glittery feathers. Just remember to make it look believable. Secondly, a good liquid eyeliner drawn along the top of your lash-line; it shouldn’t be overly noticeable, but just make your eyelashes look darker and thicker. As my male housemate, who frequently dresses up in drag, likes to say, ‘I want some eyeliner, it just really makes my eyes pop’. If you are leaving your lips nude, then a subtle eye-shadow wouldn’t go amiss, but I’d beware of electric blue or canary yellow, unless it’s fancy dress.

Another item that is often considered a handbag essential; lipstick, or lip-gloss. I have to admit, this is the area where I tend to rebel against the ‘less is more’, and go for a bright red; Ruby Woo, to be specific. But everything in moderation – it’s okay to go a little bit over-the-top with one element of the makeup, I’m sure almost every woman knows to emphasise her best feature. As long as she doesn’t try to do this using lip-liner – something that only Italian porn stars should wear – then it’s all fair game.

And that’s it. Simple. I think the one thing to remember is that make-up was made to improve you, not as something to hide behind. Embrace your face – even your imperfections – and you’ll certainly look all the better for it, as well as saving a few pennies.