Nude But Better with Becca Cosmetics
Guest Post

Prime Beauty reader Ammie and I “met” on a beauty forum especially for women over 40 called The Timeless Beauty. If you haven’t checked it out yet, I highly recommend you do–the women that frequent the boards are friendly and informative.  Ammie and I share an affection for Becca Cosmetics. Mine is a new and growing addiction but Ammie has much more experience with the line. Ammie was kind enough to do a guest post on her “Nude But Becca” look. 

Yeah, you heard me– nude but better.  What does that mean?  Well, it’s kind of a contradiction, applying makeup so you don’t look like you have any on but you look better than you did without any. Try explaining that to your significant other!

My favorite line for this kind of look is Becca. Although you see lots of young girls in their ads, this line is just perfect for the over 40 woman. The eyeshadows and blushes, be they creams or powders, are soft and blendable and don’t hide in creases or crevices.  Not like we have any crevices but I’m just sayin’…..  The lipsticks which are more of a sheer lip color somehow youthify (made that up) your lips so no lines show. The color doesn’t last long but reapplying lets me use something up so I can buy more.

Although Becca has plenty of products from which to chose, I find that their Best of Becca palette plus a tinted moisturizer, concealer, eyeliner, mascara and one or two of their lipsticks and liners gives me that great Nude But Better look.

 From the Best of Becca palette:

• Apply Bamboo (golden taupe shimmer) eye shadow over your top lid.
• Dab Damask (pure gold) into the inner corners of your lids.
• Finish the eye with a dark brown or black liner not included in the palette if you want more definition.
• Add lots of black mascara
• Add tinted moisturizer (I am a MAC NW20- just found that out in a recent makeover and Cashmere works well for me) and use concealer  if needed (Praline works with Cashmere).
• Lightly apply Blossom lip and cheek crème (very soft rose) or Turkish Rose crème blush (deeper very natural rose) on your cheeks.

Both Blossom and Turkish Rose are too light for me as a lip color so I opt for Laeila if I want a warm peachy look (peach nude without any pink to it) or Gisella if I want more of a caramel nude look. I do use Nougat (rosy beige) lip liner before applying either lipstick to give the color something to stick to and to add a bit of rose to the color of the lip tints.  

Becca lip liners have color on one end and a beige on the other. Add Bird of Paradise gloss (kind of a peach- very, very light though) color to the center of your lips or your cheekbones to highlight. This is a multi-use product that is just fabulous.

 When one of my friends told me I looked good, I told her it was the makeup. She asked me what I was wearing and I told her the name of the line and that I had about nine products on totally about $200.  Being a cosmetically challenged sort, she was aghast and couldn’t fathom the concept of spending so much money and/or using so many products.  But I look at it this way; you can spend nothing and look like you need makeup, or you can spend some money and look like you don’t!

Tell us your favorite Nude But Better look in the comments!