Makeup Ideas: The Prettiest Natural Makeup

Allure Daily Beauty Reporter

By Sophia Panych, Allure magazine

At the Nashville premiere of Leighton Meester's new movie, Country Strong, the actress wore natural, beautiful makeup to match her relaxed chignon and crocheted gown. The look is incredibly simple: brushed brows, beige shadow, black liquid liner, a hint of mauve blush, and nude lipgloss. With the parade of heavy smoky eyes and bold statement lips that celebrities have been rocking lately, Meester's fresh face is a nice break.

Don't get me wrong; I'm a huge lipstick fanatic, and could never part from my Chanel Quadra Eye Shadow in Smoky Eyes, but here is a great example of how it's not always necessary to layer on the makeup to look gorgeous.

Related: The Best Neutral Makeup

Meester isn't the only one that has taken the lighter route lately: Elizabeth Taylor look-a-like Camilla Belle also appeared at an event over the weekend with a little liner and natural-colored lips to complement her neutral, sparkly gown; Charlotte Casiraghi, daughter of the Princess of Monaco attended the Rome Film Festival last week looking radiant, but practically barefaced.

Related: Makeup Artists' Secrets for Sexy Skin

The trick to keeping minimal makeup looking elegant for an evening event is to make sure everything is refined. Skin should look flawless and luminous, but not shiny. Strong brows are must, and shadow needs to be neutral and glitter-free. When lining your eyes, choose a fine-tipped liquid liner for precision, (we suggest either Yves Saint Laurent's Easy Liner for Eyes or Lorac's Front of the Line PRO), and for your lips, avoid products with shimmer. Whether you choose a lip gloss or lipstick they should just give your lips a pretty sheen in a color that's a step or two up from your natural lip color. Coat your lashes with dark, dramatic mascara (we love Giorgio Armani's Eyes to Kill Mascara), throw on some sparkly jewels, and you're all set.

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Photo Credit: Getty Images