'Soft glam makeup' is a step up from barely-there-beauty, with a more radiant and airbrushed look
Do you still remember the days where the makeup world was infiltrated with sharp brows, harsh contour and full coverage makeup?
Well if you haven’t been bombarded with those Y2K vs NOW beauty TikToks then you probably have been living under a rock. As much as a hit of nostalgia can make us all feel warm and fuzzy inside, some of those chaotic beauty trends need to be left behind. So here enters soft glam — a slightly more glamorous answer to the no-makeup makeup.
Celebrity Makeup artists and your favourite content creators, have been demonstrating techniques that emphasise the face, by covering small blemishes and doing tricks to enhance your best features rather than change it.
Smooth, radiant and airbrushed skin is in and although soft glam makeup does not always have to focus on neutral colours, the blending and aesthetic integration of the shades are what create the ‘soft’ effect. The common misconception is that soft glam cannot be achieved with full coverage makeup but this is not true as it all depends on the technique and quality of products used. Soft glam makeup is free of harsh lines and strong differentiations in colour and texture.
While it does take some practice and patience to achieve this look, it is definitely doable. With the help of celebrity MUA Joy Adenuga, we explain exactly how this is possible, with product recommendations to guide you through this process:
Prep your skin
Good skin leads to great makeup. A thoroughly cleansed, toned and moisturised face is the best way to begin your makeup routine. Although not an essential, experts do advice then going in with a primer. Primers are essential in refining the look of pores to achieve a more polished look.
Alternatively Joy Adenuga says: "I love mixing moisturisers with illuminators, these make the skin look lush before and after foundation applications."
Use the correct tools
Not all brushes are made the same and a low-quality brush can leave your makeup looking streaky and unblended. Products like concealer which are usually thicker in consistency work better with sponges rather than brushes. As the skin under the eye is more delicate, it may be more helpful to use a small sponges to dab the product I . Some MUAs would also suggest using the warmth of your own fingers for ultimate flawless application. Find out what works best for you.
Set your face as you go along
If you are focusing on achieving a naturally radiant finish, you may find your face becoming oilier before you have even completed the look. To counteract that, set your face as you go along without completely mattifying it. Gently dusting a translucent powder in the necessary areas (likely the t-zone).
Use soft colours
"For a beautiful soft glam look that turn heads, work with soft colours across the face with emphasis on glowing skin. I’ll advice against the use of stark bright and/or stark dark colours and harsh contours on the face. Keep the use of colours to either the eyes or the lips, again avoiding overly bold colours." says Joy.
Use a setting spray
A setting spray is arguably the most important step in finalising your soft glam look. The correct setting spray will merge all of the layers of makeup together and seal it all in, so it doesn't budget all day long.
Be patient
Take time to map out your face and use a very precise, light hand to trace and accentuate your features. You should be spending the longest amount of time blending, as gently as possible. Experiment with makeup of different textures such as balms, liquids and powders and mix between them to give your face dimension.
Now you have all the tricks, here are the products you need to achieve your best soft-glam look:
Soft-matte Primer
Fenty Pro Filt’r Mattifying Primer, £24, Fenty Beauty
Opt for a soft matte effect with this Fenty Mattifying Primer, which is lightweight, hydrating and moisturising to the skin without weighing it down – while making your foundation last all day long. Packed with grape seed oil and sodium hyaluronate this spray melts into skin without a trace.
Setting Spray
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray, £26, Urban Decay
The last step to any good makeup routine is arguably setting spray. This one will allow makeup to stay put dusk til’ dawn and refresh dull looking makeup. It’s suitable for all skin types and offers extremely lightweight coverage.
Multi-tasking Primer
Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base to Go, £15, LookFantastic
This priming moisturiser is suitable for all skin types. It smooths and preps the skin so that make-up can glide on seamlessly, leaving you with a naturally radiant finish.
Hydrating Moisturiser
Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré, £20, LookFantastic
Massage this hydrating and lightweight moisturiser into the skin and mix with an illuminator for your ultimate lit from within glow.
Mini Makeup Sponge
By Beauty Bay Mini Makeup Sponges - 4 pack, £7, Beauty Bay
These dinky, almond-sized sponges are ideal for getting into all those nooks and crannies, such as the contour of your nose, under your eyes, on your lids, down cheekbones and across jawlines.
Translucent Powder
By Terry, Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder, £42, Cult Beauty
“My recent obsession has been By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder. I recommend this to anyone who struggles with setting under the eye.” says Joy Adenuga
Balancing Mist
Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist, £26, LookFantastic
This balancing mist soothes and hydrates your skin while providing a flawless finish and an abundance of moisture in the process.
Highlight Drops
Lancome Custom Highlight Drop 15ml, £27, Selfridges
These lightweight highlight drops work as an illuminating tool for natural looking and glowy skin. Ideal for mixing with moisturiser or foundation. “I mix one or 2 drops depending on how much glow I want to deliver.” says Joy Adenuga.
Makeup brushes
The Full Multi-Use Brush Set, £115, ByJoyAdenuga
“For under the eye use the ByJoyAdenuga Brush 003 to gently apply and roll to set. Avoid the ‘baking’ process as this causes even more creasing under the eye.” says Joy Adenuga
