The Young Victoria: No-Makeup Look

Dear readers,

I love the movie The Young Victoria (2009).

Emily Blunt was practically perfect in every way as Victoria.  At the beginning of the movie, I was a little afraid that she was going to be some bratty modern woman who wanted everything her own way and would not let her free and passionate spirit be quenched by her overbearing guardians. And as it turned out, she was that way at first and yet I felt sorry for her instead of being annoyed with her.  The poor girl had an awful lot to put up with, both from her mother and from Sir John Conroy (whose relationship to the royal family is still a bit of a mystery to me... can anyone clear that up?).  But though it was evident she wasn't happy with her life, she wasn't obnoxious or snotty about it.  Maybe it was just Emily Blunt's superb performance, but I found myself liking Victoria immensely, almost  from the very beginning.

I think Emily Blunt is an absolutely breathtaking beauty.

The best No-Makeup makeup is in this movie.

In Victoria’s time, makeup was considered appropriate only for actresses and prostitutes, so an obviously painted face would have been a no-no in this teen queen biopic.

Blunt’s blooming cheeks, arching brows and ever-so-slightly berry lips are a no-doubt painstakingly applied variation of the natural aka nude look that is a runway perennial.

She was my great inspiration for my natural makeup look!

My tips:

1. To enhance your natural beauty, you don't need heavy foundation, dark blush, a dazzling array of eyeshadow colors or glittery powders. Makeup that looks natural shows that you have nothing to hide.

2. Achieving a natural makeup look can mean applying just as many cosmetics as you usually do, and sometimes more. Just remember the simple rule: less is more.

3. The trickiest part to the no-makeup look is definitely the skin. For those who are blessed with good skin, a tinted moisturizer will suffice.

My natural No-Makeup Look

4. When it comes to selecting blush, choosing the right hue is imperative to achieving a natural look. If you're in a quandry, conduct a simple experiment: What color are your cheeks when you come in from the cold or after you engage in physical exertion? Your blush should match your "flush" as closely as possible.

5. Create a natural-looking eye by using mascara only while avoiding thick eye pencils and liners. Mascaras are formulated for specific purposes, some give a dramatic, thick-lashed look, while others simply lengthen and separate the lashes. If you want shiny, long lashes consider using a mascara such as Sephora's Professional Clear Mascara, which adds no color to your lashes but gives them an extra boost and soft sheen (this can also be used to shape and define eyebrows). Or use one layer of mascara that most closely matches the shade of your eyelashes.

6. Create a natural-looking eye by using mascara only while avoiding thick eye pencils and liners. Mascaras are formulated for specific purposes, some give a dramatic, thick-lashed look, while others simply lengthen and separate the lashes. If you want shiny, long lashes consider using a mascara such as Sephora's Professional Clear Mascara, which adds no color to your lashes but gives them an extra boost and soft sheen (this can also be used to shape and define eyebrows). Or use one layer of mascara that most closely matches the shade of your eyelashes.

7. To fill in your eyebrows, apply powder with an angled brush instead of pencil. Blend with a spoolie to soften the look.

8. Shade Eyelids: A soft, brownish tint enhances your eyes’ natural contours without showing up as shadow. Choose a shade slightly darker than your skin. Brush it into the creases and along the lower lashes, making sure there are no hard edges.

9. For natural-looking lips, heavy lip-liners and matte lipsticks are out, and stains, sheers and glosses are in. Choose the shade of nude pink that's closest to your lip tone. Two good cosmetics to try are Vincent Longo's Lipstain SPF 15 Lipstick and Baby Balm, which come in a variety of lip-toned hues.

So how do you ladies rock the natural look? Share your tips!

With love,

Idda van Munster