Tutorial: Natural Makeup That You Can Swim In
No makeup makeup is always our preferred look over here at Thoughtful Misfit, but effortlessly achieving it means utilizing the right technique and the right tools. Even more so in summer when sun, sweat and plenty of water easily threatens to melt that perfect face of yours.
So when one of our favorite makeup brands came out with a waterproof collection that looks just as good on land as it does at sea, we decided to take it for a little swim.
APPLICATION:
Our model Kelsey has some seriously gorgeous skin, so for this look, we skipped concealer and foundation altogether (however if you want light to full coverage, CARGO makes a great Swimmables Longwear Foundation).
We started by applying the CARGO Swimmables Water Resistant Longwear Eyeshadow Stick in Sandy Bay to her lid just up to the crease and then used our fingers to blend upwards in a loose cat eye shape. This color is very natural looking - the intention is less about creating a shape or contour with shadow, and more about adding just a slight definition to the lids. By blending upwards and out, we were able to create a lifted, open-eyed look with very little makeup.
Next we applied the CARGO Swimmables Water Resistant Bronzer just below Kelsey’s cheekbones with a thick complexion brush (It Cosmetics makes a fantastic brush that’s double sided and all you need for this look) and then at the temples and hairline to add a summery, bronzed glow to her entire face. The nice thing about this bronzer is that it’s a universal color that’s not too dark or too light - so it always applies naturally and you don’t get that over-contoured look.
After applying the bronzer to her face, we swapped to the smaller side of our brush and added a touch of bronzer to the crease of her lids to add just a little more definition.
Next, we used the same brush (thicker side again) to apply the CARGO Swimmables Water Resistant Blush in Bali to the apples of her cheeks - and then flipped the brush to the smaller side, and added just a touch of blush to the crease of Kelsey’s lids to both blend in the bronzer we had previously used on her lids, as well as to tie in the overall color applied to her face.
After that, we filled out the brows with the CARGO Swimmables Water Resistant Brown Pencil in Light focusing mainly on the base of the arch to the outer brows and then lightly feathering in wherever there were gaps. We blended the strokes together with the brow brush on the other side of the pencil, brushing upwards to enhance Kelsey’s full brows.
We topped off the entire look with CARGO’S Better Than Waterproof Mascara (we love this mascara because even though it’s water resistant in the pool or sea, it still comes off with warm water).
(Thoughtful Misfit Tip: Instead of using a lash curler, apply your mascara to straight lashes outward in a diagonal angle towards the corner of your eye for a natural cat-eye shape. It helps lift and define the eye without the need for any eyeliner)
One of the best thing about this look is that it wears beautifully - the products used prevents water or sweat from getting in the way of your look - in fact a little perspiration or water can actually make it look even more glowy. And that’s a win-win in our books…
Model: Kelsey Bollig
Makeup and photos: Tienlyn Jacobson
ABOUT THE WRITER:
Tienlyn is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Thoughtful Misfit. As an ex-fashion and beauty editor (with a resume that includes PopSugar, Shopstyle, Wanelo, and Joyus), she created Thoughtful Misfit as a safe place for women to uphold and learn from each other while expressing themselves, judgement free.
She has been featured by publications such as Palm Springs Life Magazine, Locale Magazine, Refinery29, SF Gate, Vanity Fair, Lonny Mag, Design Sponge, Doctors of the USA, Fashionising, and Denim Magazine.
A Thoughtful Misfit is a woman who doesn't fit in boxes - from how she dresses, to the way she lives, to the way she chooses to mother and to love…