Recently I shared my “no makeup” makeup look and you all went crazy for it! Like me, many of you are still working from home and/or tending to kids who are doing remote learning. There are many days I don’t wear makeup at all and others where I need just a little, aka that “no makeup” look. But, on days where I have meetings or appointments I still want a look that’s barely there and soft, but with just a bit more glam. Think Kim Kardashian. But, it doesn’t have to be over the top. I’m talking diffused, glowing skin that’s blended to perfection. This is my soft glam makeup tutorial.
So, I put together this step-by-step guide to create this natural, glowy look with a handful or two of my current favorite products. From this vegan foundation that also acts as a concealer to this blush that gives you a natural flush – they all blend seamlessly for an easy, everyday look. Finish it off this miracle mist setting spray (yes, that’s really the name!) and you’re flawless.
Shop the Post
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter (Shade 3)
Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize (Shade Champagne)
Charlotte Tilbury Eyeshadow Palette
Benefit Brow Goof Proof Pencil (Shade 3)
Benefit Brow Gimme Brow Eyebrow Gel (Shade 3)
Tarte Cosmetics Foundcealer (Shades 27N and 34N)
Tarte Cosmetics PRO Go To Glow Palette (for bronzer and highlighter)
Tarte Cosmetics Amazonian Clay Blush (Shade Exposed)
Tarte Cosmetics Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara
Chanel Lipgloss (shade Melted Honey)
Tarte Cosmetics Miracle Mist Setting Spray
Natural Soft Glam Makeup Tutorial
Creating a soft glam look means giving your skin a barely there effect. It’s slightly more than “I woke up like this” with a little bit of glam in the eyes and on the cheeks. But, there are no sharp lines and the colors are more monochromatic (just how I like it!). Follow each step below to get the look.
Step 1: Prime your Face
Being busy myself (like you), I need my makeup to stay on allllll day. That’s a non-negotiable. So, I always start with my Bobbi Brown Face Base moisturizer and then follow up with the Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter. If you only get one, go with the Flawless Filter. It gives your face the most beautiful glow and has shades for every skin tone. Plus, if you get sidetracked your skin will still look soft and glam.
Step 2: Add your Soft Eye Makeup
After I prep my skin, I add my eye makeup. When I’m creating the soft glam look, I use one of two Charlotte Tilbury eyeshadow palettes. For more brown tones I use Exxager-eyes and for more pinks I use Pillow Talk. The key to getting it so your makeup looks soft is blending! First you blend. Then, you blend a little bit more! This brush is my favorite for melting colors together in the crease and brow bone area.
Step 3: Fill in your Brows
If I only have five minutes to do my makeup, I always fill in my brows. It makes your face look softer and more finished. This Benefit brow pencil makes it so easy to get a natural looking finish, which is why it’s called Goof Proof. Then, I set them and add volume with this Benefit tinted gel. Benefit makes the best brow products hands down. But, I hear people rave about Anastasia Beverly Hills too.
Step 4: Apply Medium Coverage Foundation
A soft glam makeup look isn’t heavy. So, I use a light to medium coverage foundation that lets my skin breathe. Current favorites are Tarte’s Foundcealer and IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation + Skincare. IT Cosmetics is a bit thinner in consistency and Foundcealer is thicker. I only use 1-1.5 pump. But, both are customizable for the amount of coverage you want and give your skin a radiant finish. If you aren’t sure of your color, they have tools on their websites to find the right foundation shade.
Step 5: Contour and Highlight
After foundation you contour and highlight. This pro palette is all I’m using lately. When you look at the bronzer, it looks a few shades darker than I’d use. But, I promise it’s not! It’s natural and has a soft matte effect.
Add your bronzer along your hairline, cheekbone and jawline in a “3” motion. This bronzer brush is super expensive, but I love the way it gives me an airbrushed look. After that I add the light highlighter shade in the same palette to the top of my cheekbone, down my nose, and in the center of my top upper lip.
In my opinion, the soft glam look is all about the bronzer, blush and highlighter. I’ve almost hit pan in this rose gold highlighter. It adds another product to the mix, but you can use it as a blush and highlighter in one because of the color.
Step 6: Use a Natural Blush
Some people don’t like blush. But, it’s actually my favorite and it’s key to a soft glam makeup look. I have a handful of favorites, but this one by Tarte is in heavy rotation right now. Dust this at the top of your cheekbone toward your temple. Then, blend it into your bronzer and highlighter using a dry beautyblender.
Step 7: Add the Perfect Glossy Pout
Another key to the soft glam look is to look natural, meaning NO bright shades. You want to accentuate your own features as much as possible. So, creating natural, glossy lips are my last step before setting it to last the day. Since I’m a lipgloss girl through and through I always carry this neutral gloss by Chanel and this nude liner in my bag. I’ve gone through at least a half dozen tubes and keep 1-2 in back stock!
Step 8: Finish with Setting Spray
The last important step is to set your makeup. For years I swore by a different product. But, I recently discovered this miracle spray from Tarte Cosmetics and I don’t think I’ll ever turn back. It’s that good! For my super oily areas I also apply the Laura Mercier powder. The matte finish helps blur fine lines and every makeup artist I know carries it in their kit! It’s definitely earned it’s cult status.
Natural Soft Glam Makeup Tips
While I’m not a professional makeup artist, I’ve learned some of my best tips from them over the years. Below are a few keys to getting the soft glam look.
Tip 1: Invest in a few good makeup brushes
Like I said above, it’s all in the blending. You should never see where one product ends and another begins. Always blend, blend, blend! I use this brush for foundation, this one for eye shadow, this one for bronzer and this one for highlighter.
Tip 2: Use shades similar to your skin tone
Whether it’s your lips or your face, a soft glam looks best when it’s natural. When you can amplify your own features, the whole look is more appealing.
Tip 3: Always do two coats of mascara
The glam part of this look is in the eyes and this mascara is SO good. One coat is glam, but two coats of the pigmented formula gets you to WOW status.
There’s a reason this look has gained popularity over the past few years. First, it’s fairly easy to create. Secondly, it honestly looks good on anyone. This is really a no fuss or frills look. Soft glam makeup works for every day and isn’t dramatic. From a Zoom call to the carpool pickup line, you’ll just look like an enhanced version of yourself. Who doesn’t want that!?
