We don’t know about you, but somehow every time we sit down to put on our most natural, almost bare face, it never turns out to be the fresh, no-makeup look we were going for. Somehow the black liquid eyeliner just gets thicker and the lips just get redder. Okay, maybe that’s just us…but the one time when we really need to force ourselves to hold back (re: put down the blue mascara) is when there is a job interview on the agenda. Job interviews can be tricky. You want to look put together, but not overly made-up. Since everyone could use a little refresher, we put together a how-to on the perfect interview makeup. This look is pretty, polished and, of course, professional. Dream job, here you come.

1. Almost perfect skin. Obviously you want to put your best face forward for a job interview, but this is not the time to go for the airbrush finish. You want to look real, so use a tinted moisturizer, BB cream or luminous foundation with light to medium coverage. We used The Body Shop All-in-One BB Cream. Cover any dark undereye circles or imperfections with concealer and a brush. Blend with your finger. We used Clé de Peau Beauté Concealer.

2. Glow on. In keeping with your fresh-faced feel, choose a cream blush or cheek stain. Smile slightly, and apply it to the apples of the cheeks, blending back towards your temples. We used Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Peach Satin. If you're a bronzer girl, stick with just a light dusting of a matte shade.

3. Brighten up. Open up your peepers with a dot of highlighter at the inner corners of your eyes and along the brow bone. Then, blend, blend, blend. Don’t go overboard here; the goal is look awake and glowing–not like a disco ball. We used L’Oréal Magic Lumi Light Infusing Primer.

4. Beautify brows. Fill in any sparse areas with a few short, hair-like strokes of your favorite eyebrow shaping tool. Brush through brows with a spoolie to soften any harsh markings and perfect your shape. We used The Brow Gal Skinny Eyebrow Pencil in Taupe.

5. Line and define. Tempting as it may be to whip out your colored cat eye, save it for celebratory drinks after you get the job…instead, choose an eye pencil or cream liner in a neutral color. Tight line the water line by lifting up lashes and pushing the color into the roots at the lash line. Starting at the outer corner and ending about three-quarters of the way across your eye, draw a thin line on top of the lashes for a little extra definition. We used L’Oréal Colour Riche Eyeliner in Black Brown.

6. Enhance eyes. Curl your eyelashes with a slightly warmed eyelash curler, holding for three seconds. Immediately following the curl, apply your favorite mascara. Move on to the next eye, and once the first coat is dry, apply one more for good measure. Skip the bottom lashes; they don’t need it. We used a Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler and Lancôme Hypnôse Drama in Excessive Black.

7. Set it. Use a fluffy brush and translucent powder to set your makeup in place. Concentrate on your T-zone to control shine, and pay close attention to anywhere you used concealer. We used Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Powder.

8. Pucker up. A little color on the lips is all you need. Opt for lipstick over gloss–no need to line lips for this natural look. Start with a tinted balm to give your lipstick a base and ensure your lips will remain soft and supple throughout the interview. Allow that to sink in for a few minutes, and then apply the soft color of your choice. We used Maybelline Baby Lips in Peach Kiss followed by Jouer Hydrating Lipstick in Olivia.

 

Do you have foolproof interview beauty routine? Let us know what you do with a comment below.