Sheer, Strong Make-Up

Translucent touches of watery colour yield a polished—but never overdone— look that’s perfectly refreshing.

- Kate Sandoval Box

The makeup swipes and spills you see above may be thick and deeply pigmented on the page; on your skin, they stay true to their hues but feel weightless and look diaphanous. The magic comes from both the formulas—lighter than ever, easy to blend, moisture packed—and the technique you use to apply them. “It’s just like creating a watercolor painting,” celebrity makeup artist Troy Jensen says. Rather than dipping your paintbrush in a jar of water, though, “you’ll spritz your makeup brush with a facial mist before applying a sheer wash of powder,” he says. It also helps if you prep your canvas: Smooth a serum or a facial oil (like Laneige Water Bank Double Layering Oil, RM146) onto your skin right before you blend in your makeup. The effect on your face is a bit like how a drop of paint blurs across a wet surface. “It looks gleamy with no hard lines or defined shapes, which gives off a youthful, effortless vibe,” celebrity make-up artist Matin Maulawizada says. And because the formulas go on so sheer, you have a lot of room to play. “You can embrace the bold colour trends that are happening right now in a safe way,” explains Tim Quinn, a makeup artist for Giorgio Armani Beauty. “It’s perfect for an active day or a fun summer night out.” Here, a few more pro pointers to help you nail this fresh new face.

Bright eyes