Brittany sits down with her dear friend Kim Appelt, stylist and founder of Style by Kim XO, and takes her through 6 steps and products for a flawless face!
Hello lovely Fancy Face friends! This post is extra special for me because I get to sit down with my amazing friend and the founder of Style by Kim XO, Kim Appelt. We’re going to get beautified while we drink a glass of wine and chat about the 6 amazing makeup products and steps you need for a flawless face, and exactly how to use them. We’ll take Kim step by step to teach her how to apply makeup for special events and for that quick and easy pick me up that all of us need once in awhile!
KIM: I don’t wear makeup at all! Brittany does my makeup, if I need it she is my go-to. So I need to learn how to do my own basic, everyday makeup.
Kim is a mom of three and an incredible stylist. In terms of work, she needs to look polished and pulled together but not overdone.
KIM: That’s absolutely right. The overdone look just isn’t me, it isn’t my personality. You’ll usually find me in a leather jacket and a tee, jeans and studded boots.
She’s totally rock and roll chic! So we’re going to find a makeup look that suits Kim and makes her feel the very best. I’ll also be giving Kim some tips and tricks that I use to polish myself up quickly and easily. Let’s get started. Cheers!
KIM: Cheers! To easy makeup!
STEP ONE: PRIMER
KIM: Ok first things first, how important is primer?
Primer is very important. I think there are many people out there who find themselves a little frustrated with how their foundation performs throughout the day. Clumping, rubbing off, just leaving you with more of an undone appearance. A lot of of that has to do with your skincare regime and the type of skincare products you’re using. For example, someone with oily skin who is using serums and oils under their foundation can prevent it from working properly. Primer helps create a canvas for your skin, it’s great for the longevity of your makeup and to create a smooth finish.
When I get started on Kim’s makeup and before I apply primer, I usually use a bit of the Glossier Priming Moisturizer. Since Kim has oilier skin, finding a product that doesn’t overly hydrate is key. This moisturizer is meant to be used under makeup but for Kim’s skin it’s really perfect.
So clip back that hair and get your moisturizer on. You can go ahead and use your fingers and really hydrate the skin. Be sure to use moisturizer even if you’re oily, you can find brands, like the glossier priming moisturizer, that work for you.
Ok, step one! Primer. I love the Tatcha Silk Canvas Primer, it’s amazing and absolutely one of my go-tos. Again, just use your fingers and gently apply. Don’t use too much, a little goes a long way!
KIM: Ooo I like this primer. I’m going to get this one.
STEP TWO: FOUNDATION
KIM: Tell me about foundation. How do you choose the colour? Mine doesn’t match!
With foundation, I always feel people look best a little more tanned. So my secret is to match their foundation to the part of their skin that is most tanned, that has been the most exposed to the sun.
KIM: Let’s do it! Wait. Question. Can I use my fingers for foundation or do I have to use brush?
Fingers are absolutely fine to use. I use brushes generally on my clients, but if you’re working on yourself I definitely say go for your fingers and hands, you can really work it into your skin nicely! Another thing to note, if you have oilier skin, you’re not going to want a product with too much luminosity, as the natural oils already give off that look on their own.
For Kim’s foundation, I mixed together Too Faced Born This Way Foundation and the Becca 24 Hour Foundation. Since she has oilier skin, the best thing to do is use products that offer sheer coverage but don’t sleep and slide on your skin. If you’re like Kim, you can even add in a touch of moisturiser to thin out the foundation.
KIM: So is it good to have a summer foundation and a winter foundation?
Kim’s got it. Depending on the season you’ll use different amounts of foundation. If you have a lighter wear foundation for summer seasons you can mix it as needed with your winter foundation to find the perfect balance throughout the year. Just take your time to mix and blend to find a colour that works for you.
I love to use the Pro Mini Airbrush 55.5 by Sephora. They also have a larger brush if that is more your jam. It’s synthetic and does a brilliant job of really buffing in the foundation, applying a sheer amount without leaving a thick layer of product on your face. Another bonus? This brush is super compact so it’s great for travel.
STEP THREE: CONCEALER
KIM: So Brittany, why are you doing my foundation first? I always thought concealer went on before foundation.
The reason I put foundation on before concealer is because if you apply foundation after your concealer, you’re essentially covering all of the under eye brightening you’ve done with your concealer. I usually use a concealer that is one or two shades lighter than my foundation to give your eyes that extra pop!
I have a top four in terms of concealers. I’d really recommend them all. Too Faced Born This Way Concealer and Tarte Shape Tape are both amazing. If you’re looking for something a bit gentler on the budget, the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer is a celebrity used concealer. A number of celebrity makeup artists use it on their clients, which is so awesome considering it is a simple drugstore level product. I also love the Fancy Face Perk Up Concealer and I use it as a brightener, usually on top of one of the other three concealers I mentioned.
Use your fourth finger (our softest finger!) to apply your concealer gently without pulling or tugging your skin. Even if your concealer has a little sponge applicator, I still suggest using your finger, the heat helps. When you’re applying, think of it as pressing in a triangle. Start under your eye, move down along the side of your nose and blend out past your eye line as well to give a bit of extra lift to your eye. Then you can repeat with the Urban Decay for some extra brightening! Don’t forget the corner of your eye, that’s a darker spot that is sometimes forgotten.
KIM: Oops, I went a little too hardcore!
Ah, yes, no matter the product, I always suggest you dab some off before applying! It’s easy to go back and add more if need be, it’s much more difficult to take some away. One of my go-to brushes for concealer is the Morphe B34, a great synthetic brush to help blend.
A little trade secret, if you want to really tie together the brightness under your eyes, add a touch of concealer to the dip in your chin and as a small triangle between your brows at the bridge of your nose.
STEP FOUR: BRONZE AND BLUSH
Before setting the make up I like to go in with blush and bronzer. Gee Beauty’s Golden Glow Bronzer is terrific and it really makes you look tanned without too much shimmer. Dab in your brush, dust it off then apply. I like to start in the hollows of the cheek and then move upwards, but don’t get too close to the nose, we want that brightness we created with the concealer to stay bright! I always make sure to go onto the apple of the cheek and the sharp edge of the jaw, as well. If you have an oval shaped face like Kim, you can also bronze along the top of the forehead. Bronzer can really help give you a rested, healthy glow when you use it the right way and using bronzer as blush is very trendy at the moment. Don’t forget to put a hit of bronzer in the nose! Most of us don’t have time to mess around with nose contouring, a gentle glow will do the trick.
I think it’s great to have a really neutral blush in your kit. Charlotte Tilbury’s Ecstasy is a great colour to add to that makeup arsenal. Don’t forget when using your brush to swish in the colour, pop in the centre of the palette and then dust off the product to avoid too much fallout.
For an easy and lovely application, just smile, pop some colour onto the apples of your cheeks and blend upward. Applying the blush this way will give you the most flattering look, steer clear of that 90s style of putting blush only in the hollows of the cheek. Bonus trick, you can use the same brush as you used for the bronzer, keep it simple!
STEP FIVE: BRONZER AS EYESHADOW
If you are short on time, you can also rock the bronzer in the crease of the eye. I use a Morphe Brush M502 and create a super easy eyeshadow step by using the bronzer in the crease. Just start on the inside of the eye, brush out, along the crease and sort of feather it out from your eye, it’s ok to pass the eyeline a little. I use this trick all of the time, it really makes the eye look polished and awake, swipe a touch on the under eye line as well for some extra pop and glow. You want it to look soft and fabulous. Gotta love a timesaving trick!
KIM: Such a great idea! It looks great, what a huge win!
STEP SIX: POWDER
Our final makeup step for a flawless face is setting the areas we haven’t covered yet, so more often than not that is under the eyes, your t-zone and any area that will give a bit too much shine over the course of the day. Hourglass’ Veil Translucent Setting Powder is the perfect product to complete your look, as are the Fancy Face Hi-Def Translucent Setting Powder and the Japonesque Velvet Touch Finishing Powder. I’d say they are my top three choices for setting powder. The Hourglass powder is great for those of you with oilier skin like Kim. It keeps your skin looking fresh and luminous but not overly shimmery.
When it comes to applying powder on the t-zone and under the eyes, and essentially all of those shiny places, many people reach for the big, fluffy brush. Don’t do it. Grab an eyeshadow brush! Nars has a terrific Blending Eyeshadow Brush I like to use. A fluffy eyeshadow brush will be your best friend with powder as long as you are methodical and strategic in your application. I like to put setting powder on the chin, in that little concave nose area that blends into your cheek, other areas you find are shiny, perhaps along your brow, and of course under the eye after you pat out any creasing of the concealer. Anything cream based, like a concealer, you want to be sure to set, and since we didn’t put powder on Kim’s t-zone either, we’ll add a little powder there, too.
KIM: This is all amazing! But before we wrap up, I have a question for you. I buy really expensive lipstick and always end up with this creasy line. What do you recommend?
The Dior Lip Glow will be your best friend. Even if you wear a long wear lipstick, this will give a great glow, extend the life of your lip colour and help save you from that lip line. If you find that the Lip Glow is too bright on its own, you can wear it underneath for a gentle hint of shimmer. The Anastasia Pure Hollywood Lipstick is a nude colour and looks fabulous over the Dior. Applying the Lip Glow underneath will help keep your lips hydrated and prevent that creasing line Kim was referring to. Balm first, lipstick second.
Alright folks, those are my 6 steps for a flawless face in minutes! I hope you got some new tips and tricks to use at home. But before we sign off, if you liked these tips, check out the video here I did with Kim where she goes through my closet and gets rid of everything that doesn’t work for me! Mind. Blown.
KIM: Oh my god, I’ve learned so much. This is amazing. I’ve learned that primer is important, the heat of your fingers is very helpful as you press your product into the face. The other big takeaway for me is bronzer on the eyelids! And of course using a translucent setting powder and applying with a fluffy eyeshadow brush to the areas that are shiny. I learned it all, thank you! Cheers…now what?
Let’s go out! 🙂 x
Style by Kim XO // @stylebykimxo
Glossier Priming Moisturizer // @glossier
Tatcha Silk Canvas Primer // @tatcha
Too Faced Born This Way Foundation // @toofaced
Becca 24 Hour Foundation // @beccacosmetics
Pro Mini Airbrush 55.5 by Sephora // @sephora
Too Faced Born This Way Concealer // @toofaced
Tarte Shape Tape // @tartecosmetics
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer // @maybelline
Fancy Face Perk Up Concealer // @fancyfaceinc
Morphe B34 // @morphecosmetics
Gee Beauty’s Golden Glow Bronzer // @geebeauty
Charlotte Tilbury’s Ecstasy // @ctilburymakeup
Morphe Brush M502 // @morphecosmetics
Hourglass’ Veil Translucent Setting Powder // @hourglasscosmetics
Fancy Face Hi-Def Translucent Setting Powder // @fancyfaceinc
Japonesque Velvet Touch Finishing Powder // @japonesque
Blending Eyeshadow Brush // @narsissist
Dior Lip Glow // @diormakeup
Anastasia Pure Hollywood Lipstick // @anastasiabeverlyhills
