How to NOT Look WASHED OUT when going Gray
How to NOT Look WASHED OUT when going Gray
As we transition to the beauty of silver strands, the concern often arises: How do we avoid looking washed out amidst the transition to gray hair? Fear not, for makeup comes to our rescue, offering a palette of possibilities to infuse vibrancy and radiance into our mature visages. In this guide, we delve into the art of enhancing natural beauty with cream makeup.
It is possible to look washed out with any color of hair, not just gray, so this makeup guide will work regardless of hair color. What causes the look of being washed out is just a solid flat color across the face with no shadows, highlights or warm colors. Today, I’m going to show you one way I add color to my face to avoid looking washed out.
disclaimer: this page includes my affiliate links, and I earn comission
Contour
I’m going to start with a contour palette. You can either start with an all-over foundation base or start with no makeup at all. This method works regardless of how much or how little makeup you use. My contour palette is by Aesthetica. I really love all 6 of the cream colors included. I will probably not use all of them today, but perhaps I will do another video in the future where I use all of the colors.
This palette comes with a contour guide based upon your face shape. My face is heart shaped, so I’m going to follow the contour suggestion from this guide.
You can use brushes or use your fingers. I’ll be using both today. I love the ease of using my fingers to paint on the color and then blend with a brush. I’m starting with the lightest bronzing shade around the perimeter of my face. To deepen in the color, I’m also using the mid shade contour/bronzer.
In the center of my face, I’m using one of the light concealer shades. This I will use under my eyes, upper lip, nasal labial folds, chin, and forehead. I want to brighten everything in the middle.
Tip: Use concealer on either side of the mouth to make it appear shorter. This will give the illusion of fuller perkier lips.
I’m also using contour on the outer corners of my eyelids. This will help minimize the look of hooded eyes and also make the dimension we’re creating more realistic.
Eyebrows
Eyebrows add color and structure to the face. If you have pale, sparse or non existent eyebrows, you can use an eyebrow stencil and fill in your brows. My brows are pretty dark and heavy already, so I’m just going to add a little warmth into them with a nice brown brow shadow. This brow kit by Aesthetica includes: tweezers, brow brush, powder applicator, wax, and concealer.
cheeks
Adding blush is a relatively new thing for me. I do see the difference in my face however. Lately, applying blush has been my favorite part of my makeup routine. Today, I’m using two cream blushes. The first one is a lip & cheek color by Wet n Wild color: rosy romance. I put a little bit on two fingers and tap high up on my cheeks. For even more color, I’m adding a cream lipstick by Covergirl color: rose paradise.
Wet n Wild “rosy romance”
lips
I’m using the same two products that I used on my cheeks.
For fuller poutier looking lips tap the lipstick color onto the center of the lips only and pat to blend. The combination of shortening the lips with concealer and then concentrating the color in the center of the lips, adds fullness.
eyes
This step isn’t necessary, but I’m going to add a little bit of liquid eyeshadow. This is a recent purchase, and I am eager to try it. It’s a liquid shadow by e.l.f. color: Galaxy. It’s a beautiful glitter brown with flecks of purple. For a complementary inner corner shade, I’m using a shadow stick by Laura Mercier color: Bed of Roses.
I absolutely love eyeliner, so I’m not going to skip this step. I’m using a grease pencil eyeliner and smudging the line to soften it. My goal is to give some dimension to the eye without bold eyeliner. When I apply the smallest amount under the corner of my eye, I can create a soft wing by dragging it outward with my fingertip. Finish off with mascara.
powder
Since all of our makeup today was cream makeup, we need to set it in place so that it become a greasy mess. I’m using two powders today. To highlight the bright areas of the face, I’m using Aesthetica Banana powder. It’s slightly yellow in color and is terrific for brightening the undereye. It also will diminish the look of texture and wrinkles instead of settling into the wrinkles. This powder makes my skin look airbrushed!
For the all over powder, I’m using Aesthetica’s translucent powder. It mattifies all of the makeup reducing the shine, and it makes my skin look nearly flawless!
Before and After
🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸
Embracing the journey of going gray is a celebration of wisdom and maturity, and with the right makeup techniques, we can enhance our natural beauty while confidently stepping into this new chapter of life. Remember, makeup is not about hiding flaws, but rather about accentuating our unique features and embracing our individuality. So, whether you're opting for a subtle pop of color or a bold statement look, let your radiant gray hair be the crown jewel atop a canvas of confidence and self-assurance. Here's to embracing the beauty of every shade, both within our hair and within ourselves.
