How to Enhance a Minimalist Makeup Look With Mascara

By
Holly Rhue
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Holly Rhue
Holly Rhue is the associate editorial director for Byrdie, covering all things beauty and wellness.
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Updated on 11/16/22
Makeup artist Sophia Vallejos wears a bronzed makeup look with dramatic lashes

@sophiav_makeup

Summer is fully underway, which means we’re all for tan, glowing makeup looks (sans the sun damage) that require minimal effort. And as it turns out, it’s fully possible with a little bit of bronzer, a lot of mascara, and the right technique. We turned to makeup artist Sophia Vallejos for her six-product, summertime face, and she did not disappoint. Ahead, discover her steps for the perfect radiant, bronzy makeup look.

Meet the Expert

  • Sophia Vallejos is a New York-based makeup artist who works across celebrity, bridal, TV, events, and editorial.

What You'll Need

Lancome Le 8 Hypnose Mascara tube and wand
Lancôme Le 8 Hypnôse Mascara $32.00
Shop
01 of 06

Start with Cream Bronzer

Any glowing, bronzy makeup look is going to start with a cream bronzer to add some contour and make the cheekbones pop. Vallejos recommends starting by warming the product up in the palm of your hand, then using a rounded buffing brush to apply the product to the tops of your cheekbones. “Then, bring the product up from the cheekbones and all the way around the hairline,” she says. “Use a light touch—I’m not going back and forth with the brush. Instead, I’m using a gentle tapping motion, which will give you a nice, smooth application.” Repeat along the jawline for a more sculpted look, or skip this step for a softer appearance.

02 of 06

Make Your Lashes Pop

Fluffy, voluminous lashes are the key to tying any makeup look together, and Vallejos’s favorite trick for getting your fullest lashes ever is the Lancôme Le 8 Hypnôse Mascara. “Not only do I love this mascara because it gives you the best black pigment, but it also gives you buildable volume without clumping,” she says. The formula is also infused with lash serum for healthier lashes while you wear it. Start by curling your lashes with your curler of choice, then top with mascara using the “wiggle and pull” technique (wiggle the applicator at the base of the lashes, then pull straight up). According to Vallejos, this technique helps lift the lashes at the root for a more dramatic, clump-free volume.

03 of 06

Conceal and Brighten

“I love using a fluffy brush to apply my concealer,” Vallejos shares. “We want it to look really nice and natural, and the fluffier the brush, the lighter the coverage is going to be.” To create a natural finish that allows your lashes to stand out, Vallejos recommends the following technique: Using your fluffy concealer brush, apply concealer in three small, dime-sized spots below the eyes: the inner corner, directly below the pupil, and the outer corner. Then, use a tapping motion to buff the product into the skin, bringing the product up to the eyelids and below the brow bone. Finally, for the most blurred effect, use a makeup sponge or the pad of your ring finger to tap away any excess product that wasn’t blended with the brush.

04 of 06

Add Warmth with Blush

While bronzer and concealer create structure, they can also wash you out, so Vallejos recommends adding a natural flush with your favorite cream blush: “You want to apply your blush to the apples of the cheeks and at the height of your cheekbones, just above the contour and shaping we did in the previous step.” Dip your brush—it can be the same one you used for your contour—into your cream blush, and make a few circles in the palm of your hand to remove excess product (an oversaturated brush can make blush appear a bit clown-like). Then, use a light tapping motion to blend the product into your cheeks.

05 of 06

Dust On Some Highlight

For highlighter, Vallejos recommends using a brush that’s smaller than what you used for your bronzer and blush. That way, you can ever-so-slightly overlap your blush and highlighter without completely covering the makeup you’ve applied in the previous steps. “Using a light, circular, feathering motion with your brush, hit the top of the cheekbones,” she says. “Then, lightly bring it under the eyes and around the brows.”

06 of 06

Enhance the Eyes

Using a powder bronzer, it’s time to bring some depth to the eyes to help your lashes stand out even more. Using a fluffy, rounded brush, Vallejos recommends dusting bronzer very lightly across the eyelids and brow bone, taking care not to get any product in your brows. “Then, starting at the outer corner of the eye, apply your bronzer right along the lower lash line,” she says. “I’m using a sweeping motion, but if you have very sensitive eyes, you can absolutely use a tapping motion. Follow up with a touch of highlight on the upper lid (just above the pupil) and another coat of mascara, using the tip of the wand to feather out the outer lashes for a natural cat eye effect. Optionally, you can also use the tip of the wand to add mascara to your bottom lashes, if that’s your thing.”

Shop our Lancôme favorites for a bronzy makeup look—including Le 8 Hypnôse Mascara—here.

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