Faking clear, glowing skin doesn’t necessarily sound appealing to all of us. I mean, why not just put in the work to actually have the skin we desire? Truth be told, we can and should.
However, for most of us, the journey to the skin of our dreams is going to take a lot longer than we’d like it to. And really, that’s no fault of our own!
Between having to test out different products to see what really works for us, and then trying to figure out environmental factors like weather conditions and stress affect our skin and bodies as a whole, it could take weeks, months, and even years to get it right.
So faking it til you make it isn’t such a bad idea. In fact, it might even give you a better idea of what really works for your skin and what doesn’t. Ready to start the process? Here’s 5 tips to help you out.
Ditch the foundation for something lighter.
When it comes to choosing the right face makeup for a more natural look, foundation isn’t exactly the most skin-like choice. While there are plenty of options out there with natural, dewy finishes, the majority of foundations make it obvious that you’re wearing makeup.
This is where lighter options like tinted moisturizer, BB cream, and CC cream come in. While they’re all pretty similar in consistency and finish (lightweight wear and satin-finish), they definitely have some key differences.
Tinted moisturizer, for example, is like wearing a moisturizer but with color. It’s creamy, dries quickly, and tends to work into and match your skin better than other products. However, tinted moisturizers that provide full coverage like foundation are pretty limited.
Now BB and CC cream, on the other hand, are actually very similar to each other. Like tinted moisturizer, they’re lightweight and provide a skin-like finish, but are much better at providing full coverage. The difference is really in what kind of imperfections they cover.
BB is short for blemish or beauty balm, while CC is short for color correcting. This means that BB creams are typically used to cover blemishes like small scars and pimples, while CC cream is best for things like hyperpigmentation and dark undereye circles.
So what’s the verdict? If faking clear skin is the goal, any one of these products will do! But if you’re looking for something more natural, go for a tinted moisturizer or CC/BB cream.
Cream blush is your friend!
Blush looks stunning on black women. Period! And one thing it does exceptionally well for us is bring out our undertones and accentuate some of our best features. The one problem with most blushes is that they’re pretty powdery, which can make us look super chalky!
And as we all know, “chalky” on a black woman is really just code for ashy. You can sidestep this problem by completely ditching the powder blush and opting for a soft, silky cream blush of your choice.
Not only will it eliminate all the issues that come with powder, but it’ll blend with your foundations and moisturizers better as well. Bring some vibrant, fleshy tones back to your skin with a coral, orange, plum, or even cherry-tinted blush and you’re good to go!
Spruce up your grooming habits.
Faking healthy, glowing skin isn’t actually all about the skin. That might sound counterintuitive, but it’s true! Sometimes cleaning up your eyebrows, waxing that peach fuzz on your upper lip, or even keeping your edges together will help you look better.
There’s no complicated science to this, to be very honest. It’s just that keeping other things on your face (and surrounding areas!) neat and clean will certainly help with your overall look. Of course, we think you’re beautiful as is! So only pick up habits you’re comfy with.
Keep it clean.
Everything is made of something. And sometimes, the “something” your makeup and skincare products are made up of is harmful ingredients that are having a negative impact on your skin. So this is your friendly reminder to always check the ingredients list of your products to make sure they it’s made with clean, safe, and non-toxic ingredients, love!
Prime and prime some more!
Primer is the black sheep of makeup and skincare in the sense that it’s incredibly valuable and for some reason, we choose to ignore it. In fact, some of us didn’t even know what it was or what it’s even used for until pretty recently!
In case you still don’t know, primer helps prep your skin for makeup by smoothing and concealing any imperfections on the surface of your skin. In other words, primer is like the photoshop of makeup—but in the form of a wax-polymer blend.
If you’re someone who mainly struggles with rough textures on your face or enlarged pores, primer is your girl. So grab a good, affordable one like the $25 Primer Moisturizer Balance from Glossier and let the “faking it til you make it” skincare agenda flourish!
