There are some who wouldn't be caught dead in public without make up and then there are some who refuse to wear make up at all and prefer the natural look.

Some people have told me they like to let their skin breathe. Well don't worry about it! There's plenty of skin on your body, let the rest of it do the breathing! Your skin is fed from the inside and won't suffer so long as you make sure you cleanse at the end of the day.

But you can actually create a natural look using make up. That way you can have that clean fresh appearance while being able to disguise those flaws that you (and probably only you!) dislike.

So let's have a basic lesson on how to apply make up to create a fresh natural look.

Natural make up techniques

We'll look at base (foundation), concealer, powder and blush this time and in part 2 go on to how to apply make up for the eyes and mouth.

In the case of applying make up the term "less is more" definitely applies! If your going to enjoy a big night out on the town that's different - use your bright eye shadow, lippie and glittery mascara. You can put on a bit more foundation too, to create a flawless palate on which to "paint" your masterpiece!

But during the day whether you're at work, at home or hitting the shops you don't want to look like Coco the clown! Too much makeup can actually appear very ageing.

So let's start with a really clean face. For daytime use a moisturizing sunscreen or sun block. If your skin is oily use a non oily one, if it's very dry use both moisturizer and sun block.

Make up base (or foundation) comes in many types, liquid, stick, cream etc. Mostly this is a matter of preference although the stick or "solid" base usually has a better coverage and will hide things like broken veins almost completely. The liquid bases have a lighter coverage and will give a more natural look.

If your skin is oily, the dry compact bases work well, or opt for an oil free liquid one. Dry skins like the cream bases which give a moist 'dewy' appearance.

Make sure the base you choose matches the colour of your skin as closely as possible. Don't try and create a darker sun tanned look with your base, there are bronzing powders specially created for this. Go outside the store when selecting different colours and make sure they look ok in natural light. It's best to test on your jaw line rather your wrist.

Don't buy pre-packaged make-up bases from the supermarket, you'll not be able to try them on!

Concealers are great for that natural look, you can cover blemishes and broken veins with a concealer without having to use a heavy base all over your face.

Concealers also come in different forms but they all do the same job. You can buy them with built in sunscreen and also with anti bacterial additives if you like. Try to find one just slightly lighter than your skin tone. Pat the concealer onto the area you wish to cover. Don't rub hard or it will disappear into your pores. Make sure it is blended well and has no "tide marks".

Now dot the base onto your face. Use the sheerest one you can. Don't use too much at first, you can always add more.

Blend really well. Some make up artists recommend a damp sponge, but fingers work just as well. Make sure you blend into the hairline, sides of face, around the nose and particularly the jaw line. Don't just stop at the jaw, your face will look like a mask. Just blend away to nothing before your throat, that way you won't get make-up stains on your collar.

Powder is optional but I like to use it as it "sets" your make-up and absorbs excess oil. Press the powder onto your face with a puff or you may prefer to use a powder brush. After a couple of minutes brush the powder off using light downward strokes.

Next apply blusher. Brush this lightly on the apple of your cheeks and up towards the temples. Don't put too much on your brush, you can always go over it again. If you are using a cream blusher, apply this before powder. Dot onto the apple of your cheeks and blend in up to the temples. Blend really well!

Now for my special tip. Place a cool damp (not wet) face washer over your face and press very gently. this will give the whole face a fresh look - Gorgeous!

Copyright 2005 Wendy Owen