Enhancing Your Natural Beauty
I’ve been beauty-obsessed for as long as I can remember. From trying out the iconic 90s blue eyeshadow with red lipstick for dance recitals to wearing NARS powder blush every day of high school.
Some of my earliest beauty memories are flipping through fashion magazines anywhere I could; at the nail salon, the dentist’s office, even the grocery store checkout line. I was mesmerized by the range of looks, and I remember thinking: this is art. The artistry of makeup pulled me in, and I was hooked.
Backstage at dance recitals and theater productions, I’d sit in front of the bright vanity lights and experiment with my versions of this art. I begged my parents to let me tag along on CVS runs so I could pick a new mascara or concealer. In college, I discovered contour (discovered, definitely didn’t perfect). I was ecstatic whenever my sisters or friends asked for help with their makeup. I loved doing it; on myself and on anyone who would let me.
When I was around 13, I received the Bobbi Brown Teenage Beauty book for Christmas. I read it cover to cover more times than I can count. I was captivated, not just by the diagrams and tips on eyeshadow placement or color correction, but by the completed looks. I’d sit on the floor of my room with my makeup, experimenting. I’d sneak into my mom’s bathroom and look through her drawers, mesmerized by the different palettes and crayons.
Recently, I watched Bobbi Brown’s Masterclass, and while the techniques were more modern, I was instantly transported back to those pages. Her core philosophy, that makeup should enhance, not cover up, who you are, has always stayed with me.
Here are a few of my favorite picks for enhancing natural beauty, not masking it.
A Brow Gel That Lets Your Brows Breathe
Tame, lift, and lightly define, without that filled-in look. The best kind lets your natural shape and color shine through.
• Anastasia Clear Brow Gel
• Refy Brow Tint
Concealer That Brightens, Not Buries
A natural-finish concealer in your exact skin tone (or a shade lighter) helps you look well-rested and fresh, not masked.
• YSL Touche Éclat
• Tower 28 Swipe Serum Concealer
Cream Blush for Your Perfect Shade
I learned this from Bobbi herself: the right blush shade is the one that matches your cheeks when you pinch them. Cream blush melts into your skin and gives a natural flush & glow.
• Merit Flush Balm
• Saie Dew Blush
Tinted Moisturizer That Lets Your Skin Shine Through
The goal is to even out tone while still letting your freckles, texture, and glow peek through. Apply it where you need it, not all over.
• Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Tint
• Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer
I can’t wait to dig through my childhood books this weekend and (hopefully) find that Bobbi Brown book. It’s the reason I started seeing beauty not as routine, but as self-expression and art. And I still believe that the best makeup enhances you.
