Men Can Have Flawless Skin, Too

More and more men are using cosmetics to look their best. If you’re just starting out in the wide world of makeup, here are a few basics to get you on your way to having flawless yet natural skin. No one will ever know you have a beauty routine; they’ll just know you look fantastic.

One of the best things you can to prevent premature aging is to use a multitasking moisturizer. Moisturizer will make your face feel great, even after shaving, prevent wrinkles, and make your face touchably soft. If you find one with SPF, like Kiehl’s Facial Fuel SPF 15, you’ll cut an extra step out of your morning routine and protect your skin from sun damage. To get even more out of your moisturizer, consider buying something that isn’t marketed toward men. There are plenty of tinted moisturizers with SPF that will even your skin tone and provide light coverage with a tint of color. BB creams like Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector juggles multiple jobs like providing light coverage, moisture, sun protection, and skin brightening. After shaving or washing your face if you’re not shaving, pat your skin dry and apply a small amount of lotion, avoiding your eyes.

Moisturized lips are happy lips. Few things look worse than chapped, cracked lips, so make sure yours look kissable by applying lip balm. A colorless balm with SPF will look effortless and prevent awkward sunburns. Yes, your lips can burn, and you’ll look like you’re wearing a lip stain. Blistex makes colorless lip balm with SPF and a fresh, minty scent that will give the impression you just consumed a breath-freshening mint.

If you have sunken scars, primer can help fill them in. After applying moisturizer, wait a few minutes and apply primer to the scar. Follow up with foundation. When buying foundation, test it out on your jawbone rather than the back of your hand, as your hand can be a very different color than your face. No matter how embarrassed you are to be seen in a cosmetics aisle, this isn’t a product you can buy online. You need to see it and try it out on your skin to make sure it’s a good match. To apply, put a small amount of liquid foundation on the back of your hand and use a makeup sponge to apply it to your face. Blend it into your skin so there is no visible divide between the foundation and your skin. Always try to apply makeup in natural light to make sure you have blended it well.

Concealer is your new best friend for hiding any imperfections on your face. When testing the shade out, try to cover the veins on your inner wrist. The shade that best does this is your ideal concealer. There are different ways to apply different types of concealer. If you select a liquid, apply a small amount to the back of your hand and use a makeup sponge or brush to apply it to your blemishes and under-eye circles. If you are applying concealer to a large area, feel free to use your fingers. If you have a stick concealer or it comes with a wand applicator, apply directly to the skin with a light touch. When covering under-eye circles, don’t forget to apply concealer to the inner corner of your eye socket. Once you’ve finished applying it, pat the concealer with your fingers to help set it, and consider applying a powder to increase staying power.

Now that you’re on your way to making your face look flawless, you’ll be graduating to intermediate-level makeup. That, or you can just keep your makeup use between you and the bathroom mirror.