Everyday Natural Makeup

What I'm actually going for with makeup is effortless, modern, understated, a subtle healthy glow that enhances what's already there rather than covering it up. That stays pretty consistent year-round, except for special events, when I'll swap the cushion compact for a medium-full coverage foundation, add more blush and highlighter, and apply with more precision overall.

Below is the order I apply everything in (the whole thing takes about 10 to 15 minutes), plus a few products I keep coming back to for texture, tone, and how easy they are to use. For reference, my skin is neutral/warm-toned, and I wear NC15 to NC20 depending on the season.

1
Primer

Primer isn't strictly necessary, but it does help makeup last longer and gets skin ready for everything that goes on after. For morning makeup specifically, I go with a base that has SPF in it, an extra layer of UV protection while I'm at it.

LANEIGE Glowy Makeup Serum
30 ml / $32

LAURA MERCIER Pure Canvas Primer - Hydrating
50 ml / $39

JUNGSAEMMOOL Skin Setting Water Sun Base
40 ml / $43

OLEHENRIKSEN Banana Bright Face Primer
30 ml / $38

TATCHA The Liquid Silk Canvas: Featherweight Protective Primer
30 ml / $52

HOURGLASS Veil Mineral Primer
30 ml / $54

DIOR Dreamskin Skin Perfector
30 ml / $85

2
Foundation

Cushion compacts are genuinely my favorite thing in the routine, easier to apply than anything else, and they give this seamless light-medium coverage with a satin finish that reads like actual skin rather than makeup. If I'm not reaching for a cushion, it's a tinted moisturizer or liquid foundation applied with a sponge, same goal of looking as natural as possible, soft and satiny rather than glowy. If it comes out too glowy, I'll powder lightly with a fluffy brush, and if it's too dry, a light mist fixes it.

CHANEL Les Beiges Sheer Healthy Glow Moisturizing Tint SPF30
(Shade: Light)
$40

ESTEE LAUDER Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation
(Shade: 1W1 Bone)
$43

HERA Black Cushion SPF34 PA++
(Shade: 21N1 Vanilla)
$44

LAURA MERCIER Flawless Fusion Ultra-Longwear Foundation
(Shade: 1W1 Ivory)
$48

ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 Foundation
(Shade: 4 Formosa)
$48

VAPOUR Soft Focus Foundation
(Shade: 112S)
$48

ARMANI BEAUTY Luminous Silk Perfect Glow Flawless Oil-Free Foundation
(Shade: 4)
$64

KOH GEN DO Aqua Foundation
(Shade: 113 Warm)
$77

CHANTECAILLE Just Skin Tinted Moisturizer SPF15
(Shade: Alabaster)
$79

LA MER The Luminous Lifting Cushion Foundation SPF20
(Shade: 13 Warm Ivory)
$125

CHANTECAILLE Future Skin Cushion Skincare Foundation
(Shade: Alabaster)
$128

CLÉ DE PEAU BEAUTÉ The Foundation SPF21
(Shade: I10 Very Light Ivory)
$250

3
Concealer

Concealer is a key step for me. One shade lighter than your skin tone works for the under-eye (and doubles as a highlight), while your actual foundation shade is what you want for spot-concealing blemishes.

LUNA Long Lasting Tip Concealer SPF34 PA++
(Shade: 01 Light Beige)
$19

LAURA MERCIER Flawless Fusion Ultra Longwear Concealer
(Shade: 1N, 1W)
$29

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
(Shade: Affogato)
$30

LAURA MERCIER Secret Camouflage Correct and Brighten Concealer Duo Stick
(Shade: 1N, 1W)
$32

YSL BEAUTY Touche Éclat All-Over Brightening Concealer Pen
(Shade: 2 Luminous Ivory)
$38

CLÉ DE PEAU BEAUTÉ Radiant Corrector for Eyes
(Shade: Ivory)
$65

CLÉ DE PEAU BEAUTÉ Concealer SPF25
(Shade: Ivory)
$73

4
Powder

Powder sets foundation and concealer. My skin is normal to combination, so I only apply it on the T-zone, where things tend to get a little shiny. Going too heavy all over is usually what makes skin stop looking like skin.

LAURA MERCIER Translucent Loose Setting Powder
(Shade: Translucent)
$39

DEAR DAHLIA Sheer Light Finishing Powder
(Shade: Everlasting)
$43

BOBBI BROWN Sheer Finish Pressed Setting Powder
(Shade: Pale Yellow)
$44

CHARLOTTE TILBURY Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder
(Shade: Fair)
$45

LA MER The Sheer Pressed Powder
(Shade: Translucent)
$100

SISLEY-PARIS Phyto-Poudre Compact
(Shade: 2 Natural)
$112

5
Shading / Contour

I wouldn't really call this heavy contouring, more like shading the bottom of my face to hide any puffiness, and the sides and tip of my nose for a bit more depth. Shading just under the bottom lip also gives the illusion of fuller lips.

peripera Ink V Shading
(Shade: 03 Hazel Grey)
$16

Too Cool for School ArtClass by Rodin Shading
(Shade: #1 Classic)
$26

DIOR BACKSTAGE Contour Palette
$45

6
Blush

I gravitate toward peachy, coral, and muted pink shades. Cream or liquid blush, applied with a sponge, gives the most natural flush. Since my face runs longer, I also love powdering blush a bit higher and wider on the cheeks, it visually shortens things and I really love the effect.

3CE Mood Recipe Face Blush
(Shade: Mood Peach, Rose Beige)
$19

LAKA Just Cheek
(Shade: Blique, Mars)
$19

NARS Blush
(Shade: Sex Appeal)
$30

LAURA MERCIER Blush Color Infusion
(Shade: Bellini)
$32

ARMANI BEAUTY Neo Nude A-Line Liquid Blush
(Shade: 30 Peach)
$36

HERA Face Designing Blusher
(Shade: 03 Chiffon Coral)
48,000원

CHANEL Joues Contraste Powder Blush
(Shade: Jersey, Rose Bronze, Rose Petale)
$45

7
Highlight

A subtle highlight gets you that lit-from-within look. I dab a little on top of the cheekbones, the bridge and bulb of the nose, the chin, and the cupid's bow.

CHARLOTTE TILBURY Mini Filmstar Bronze & Glow Contour Duo
$29

DIOR BACKSTAGE Glow Face Palette
(Shade: 002 Glitz)
$45

LAURA MERCIER Matte Radiance Baked Powder Compact
(Shade: 01 Golden Nude)
$45

CHANEL Les Beiges Sheer Healthy Glow Highlighting Fluid
(Shade: Pearly Glow)
$48

DIOR Diorskin Nude Luminizer Shimmering Glow Powder Highlighter
(Shade: 02 Pink Glow)
$48

HOURGLASS Ambient® Lighting Powder
(Shade: Ethereal Light)
$48

CHANTECAILLE Éclat Brillant
$92

8
Brows

My brows are microbladed, but I still use brow mascara just to keep the hairs in place. I've also been dyeing my hair lighter over the past year or so, so I've switched to a lighter brown shade to keep everything looking uniform with my hair color.

CLIO Kill Brow Color Brow Lacquer
(Shade: 01 Natural Brown)
$12

HINCE Signature Brow Shaper
(Shade: Natural Brown)
$20

KOSAS Air Brow Tinted Clean Volumizing Eyebrow Gel
(Shade: Medium Brown)
$22

HOURGLASS Arch Brow Volumizing Fiber Gel
(Shade: Warm Brunette)
$28

9
Eye Shadow

Matte beige and brown shades help shape the eye area, while shimmer applied to the center of the lid, the corners, and the aegyo sal (under-eye area) adds a bit of highlight. I like a palette I can do the whole eye with in one go, no need to mix and match.

URBAN DECAY Naked2 Basics Eyeshadow Palette - 6 Colors
(Shade: Naked Basics 2)
$29

ROM&D Better Than Palette The Secret Garden - 6 Colors
(Shade: 02 Mahogany Garden)
$33

3CE Mood Recipe Multi Eye Color Palette - 4 Colors
(Shade: Plot Twist, Smoother)
$38

NARS Mini Voyageur Eyeshadow Palette - 6 Colors
(Shade: Copper, Suede)
$41

WAKEMAKE Soft Blurring Eye Palette - 12 Colors
(Shade: 01 Daily Blurring)
$43

10
Eyeliner

I love a precise cat-eye done with a black pen liner, though lately I've been reaching for dark brown instead, it's a softer look. I go back afterward and fill in between the lashes with a pencil liner.

CLIO Sharp So Simple Waterproof Pencil Eye Liner
(Shade: Black, Dark Brown, Brown)
$10

CLIO Waterproof Pen Liquid Eye Liner
(Shade: Black, Dark Brown)
$15

UNFRAME THE BEAUTY Eye Opening Liner
(Shade: Black, Brown-Black, Brown)
$16

STILA Stay All Day® Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner
(Shade: Intense Black, Dark Brown)
$22

11
Lower Lash Eyeliner

For my top line I prefer a brush-tip pen liner, but the lower lash line gets a pencil liner instead, softer, and it lets me blur it out afterward with eyeshadow or an eyeshadow stick if I want to.

CLIO Sharp So Simple Waterproof Pencil Eye Liner
(Shade: Cacao Brown)
$10

URBAN DECAY 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil
(Shade: Smog, Bourbon, Corrupt)
$22

Chantecaille Luster Glide Silk-Infused Eye Liner
(Shade: Earth)
$30

12
Undereye Highlight

A eyeshadow or pencil in a light neutral shade goes on the aegyo sal, which gives a more youthful look overall.

INNISFREE Twinkle Glitter Hologram
(Shade: Moonlit, Starlight, Tears Glowing)
$10

3CE Eye Switch
(Shade: Throbbing)
$28

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Shadow
(Shade: Copper, Moonlight, Nude Rose, Rose Gold, Sunrise)
$29

BOBBI BROWN Long-Wear Cream Eyeshadow Stick
(Shade: Golden Pink, Truffle)
$30

DEAR DAHLIA Paradise Shine Eye Sequins
(Shade: 10 Lucid Dream)
$31

13
Mascara

I used to get lash extensions regularly up until Covid, and since then I've been relying on lengthening mascaras that don't clump or transfer, along with lash perms to keep the curl. Honestly, I've come around to the more natural lash look.

ILIA Limitless Lash Lengthening Mascara
(Shade: After Midnight)
$28

GUCCI Mascara L'Obscur
(Shade: 1 Eve Black)
$35

HERA Rich Long Lash Waterproof Mascara
(Shade: 79 Lash Black)
35,000원

14
Lips

My lips have lost a bit of their natural color as I've gotten older. I'm still not a red-lipstick person, more of a #MLBB kind of girl, so tinted lip balms, sheer lipsticks, modern glosses, and moisturizing oils are where I actually live. Just enough pigment to look like your lips, not like you're wearing lipstick.

HINCE Mood Enhancer Sheer
(Shade: In The Moment)
$21

HINCE Mood Enhancer Liquid Glow
(Shade: Find Out)
$21

MAKE Serum Balm
(Shade: Nova Nude, Sun Flare)
$26

ILIA Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Balm
(Shade: Hold Me)
$28

CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Lip Balm
(Shade: Warm)
$30

CHANEL Rouge Coco Gloss Moisturizing Glossimer Lip Gloss
(Shade: 712 Melted Honey, 722 Noce Moscata)
$32

CHANTECAILLE Lip Tint Hydrating Balm
(Shade: Calendura)
$34

DIOR Dior Addict Lip Maximizer Plumping Gloss
(Shade: 004 Coral, 012 Rosewood, 013 Beige)
$35

WESTMAN ATELIER Squeaky Clean Liquid Lip Balm
(Shade: Nou Nou, Nana)
$38

GUCCI Rouge de Beauté Brillant Glow & Care Shine Lipstick
(Shade: 112 Sally Soft Honey, 215 Julie Blush, 216 My Cousin Rachel)
$42

HERMÈS Rose Hermès Rosy Lip Enhancer
(Shade: 14 Rose Abricote)
$67