FYI: Soft Glam Makeup Is About to Become Your New Favorite Look (2024)

FYI: Soft Glam Makeup Is About to Become Your New Favorite Look (1)

There's a time and a place for cut-crease eyeshadow, a super-sculpted contour, and some bold red lipstick (and for some people, that time and place is always and forever—which, hey, can you teach me?!). But for the rest of us who love a full face of makeup but also want something slightly more toned down every now and then, allow me to introduce you to the subtler stepsister of full-glam makeup: soft glam makeup. Soft glam is still glam at its core, but it's done in a way that feels lighter, airier, and, duh, softer—think: full-face with the volume turned down a bit.

And to help fill you in on the soft glam makeup trend, I turned to celebrity makeup artist Emma Willis to answer all of your biggest questions, along with some our my favorite examples to help you DIY it on yourself.

What is soft glam makeup?

You already know what full-glam makeup looks like: carved-out brows (aka the IG brow), graphic eyeliner, multicolored eyeshadow, lots of glitter, and blinding highlighter. But when we talk about soft glam makeup, we're talking about glowing skin, brushed-through brows, diffused eyeshadow, and a natural, neutral lip. See the difference? As Willis puts it, soft glam makeup is "effortless, diffused, and almost ethereal—basically, a more polished but natural you."

How do you do soft glam makeup?

Harsh lines are the antithesis of soft, diffused makeup, so the key to soft glam makeup is lots of blending, swirling, and buffing—but you also gotta have the right tools and formulas. Willis always keeps a bunch of medium-to-large buffing brushes (some dense and others soft and fluffy) at the ready to perfectly melt everything together. Want some more tips and product recs? Keep scrolling for nine ways to wear soft glam makeup and everything you need to pull it off yourself.

1

Soft Glam Blended Contour

Put down the heavy baking powder and intense contour kits, because Willis's biggest tip for nailing a soft glam base is to buff a little cream bronzer around the edges of your face with a fluffy kabuki brush. This hint of bronze will help warm up your face, define your features, and add a realistic little glow, all while maintaining a diffused, filtered effect.

✨Get the look: Vita Liberata Body Blur Instant HD Skin Finish

2

Natural Soft Glam Makeup

You don't have to go bare face for a soft glam makeup look, and you don't have to settle for just a tinted moisturizer, either. A full-coverage foundation can still work for a softer look—just keep the coverage where you need it and add back any freckles that were lost along the way with a freckle-dotting pen.

✨Get the look: Freck Beauty Freck The Original Freckle

3

Subtle Soft Glam Highlight

If you like a little glow to your skin, create a natural highlight (read: resist the urge to dip yourself in glitter) by building your look with layers of creamy complexion products. Willis's tip: Apply your creams, like cream blush, bronzer, and highlighter, with your fingers to help melt the products into your skin for a softer, more seamless finish.

✨Get the look: Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish Highlighter & Balm Duo

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4

Monochromatic Soft Glam

Good news for all of you who never did learn how to apply those vibrant, glittery eyeshadows in your palette: Soft glam makeup is more about muted tones, neutral shades, and matte finishes. If your soul crumbles at the thought of no color, just think monochromatic over dramatic. Keep all your colors in the same family for a soft look, not a strong one.

✨ Get the look: Mented Cosmetics Everyday Eyeshadow Palette

5

Fluffy, Soft Glam Brows

Fill in any bare spots if you need, but for the most part, keep your brows looking naturally full by brushing through them with a spoolie. The secret to getting your brushed-up brows to stay, well, up? Soap on your brows. Yep, that regular bar of soap you have works like a brow gel to keep your hairs soft and separated without the stiffness and crunch.

Get the look: Pears Transparent Soap

6

Diffused Soft Galm Eyeliner

The soft-glam version of a super-glam cat eye? Diffused winged liner. Switch out your liquid liner with a dark shade from your eyeshadow palette paired with an angled eyeliner brush or a pencil eyeliner and a small dense brush to smudge it out. With these techniques, you still get the definition and shape but with a smokier finish.

✨Get the look: Charlotte Tilbury Rock n Kohl Eyeliner Pencil

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7

Soft, Fluttery Lashes

Another way to define your eyes for a more ethereal look? Skip the liner and keep the focus on your eyelashes. Instead of using any stark eyeshadows, Willis prefers to play up the mascara on the lashes for soft glam eye makeup.

✨Get the look: Glossier Lash Slick

8

Slighty Defined Glam Lips

I know we've been using the word "diffused" a lot, but as long as you keep your lips natural, neutral, and in the same color family as your eyes and cheeks, you can opt for a more defined lip shape with lip liner.

✨Get the look: Buxom Power Line Plumping Lip Liner

9

Glossy Soft Glam Lips

Here's a makeup analogy for ya: Matte lipstick is to full glam as lip gloss is to soft glam. A tinted gloss helps to melt your liner and lipstick shades together for a perfectly blended finish.

✨Get the look: Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer

FYI: Soft Glam Makeup Is About to Become Your New Favorite Look (11)

Brooke Shunatona

Brooke Shunatona is a contributing writer for Cosmopolitan.com.

FYI: Soft Glam Makeup Is About to Become Your New Favorite Look (2024)

FAQs

How would you describe soft glam makeup look? ›

I describe 'soft glam makeup' as a step up from natural makeup, and a step down from full glam. Unlike a full glam look, soft glam makeup has no harsh lines. Everything is nicely blended, mostly monochromatic and, well, soft! For example, instead of a winged eyeliner, you would do a smudged eyeliner.

What makes makeup glam? ›

Full glam makeup typically includes a flawless base, soft contouring, a dramatic eye and a bold lip. Here's a step-by-step tutorial to help you create a flawless, glam makeup look at home.

What is soft makeup called? ›

Soft glam is a beauty trend that focuses on emphasizing your natural features and creating a healthy, dewy glow for your skin. You want to make it look as though your skin has been airbrushed.

Why do I feel prettier with makeup? ›

The contrast of a woman's eyes and lips to her face creates a perception she is more attractive, as long as the intensity of the contrast is strong. Makeup assists in emphasizing this contrast of the skin versus the eyes and lips; thus, the women appear more attractive to men.

What makes makeup look so smooth? ›

A great makeup application takes that texture into account—makeup won't look smooth if the surface under it isn't smooth. The right prep routine for you could be an AHA, a dewy moisturizer, or a mattifying primer—makeup artists use them all.

How can I look amazing with makeup? ›

21 Makeup Tips That'll Make Your Life 100 Times Easier
  1. Apply your foundation before concealer. ...
  2. Maintain your eyebrows with a spoolie brush.
  3. Exfoliate your lips before applying lipstick. ...
  4. Don't sleep on blush. ...
  5. Melt your pencil liner to help it glide. ...
  6. Make your eyeshadow pop with white eyeliner. ...
  7. Outline your cat eye.
Apr 20, 2021

Is soft glam matte? ›

The matte formula is very creamy and gives a soft touch finish on the skin. Soft Glam is perfect for blue eyes. Apply the eyeshadow on the eyelid and around the eye.

What are the 3 types of makeup? ›

Let's see what the different types of makeup looks are and what makes them unique in the makeup types list.
  • Matte Makeup. Matte makeup is probably the most popular one of all the different types of makeup looks. ...
  • HD Makeup. High Definition (HD) makeup is usually seen on TVs and the big screen. ...
  • Shimmery Makeup.
Apr 12, 2022

What is creative makeup called? ›

Prosthetic makeup, which may also be referred to as special make-up effects or FX prosthesis, is the process of using prosthetic sculpting, molding, and casting techniques to create advanced cosmetic effects.

What is special about makeup? ›

One of the greatest benefits of wearing makeup is that it helps you look younger. Makeup can help you conceal wrinkles, aging spots, and other blemishes. With the right makeup artist touch, you will never have to worry about your age showing. In fact, you will look younger than you've ever looked.

What you need for a soft glam? ›

For soft glam makeup, you basically need brown colour of eye shadows or bronzer, and a few nude and shimmery shades, that you can apply to the centre of your eyelids, and to the inner eye corners.

What is a natural glam? ›

Natural glam makeup is all about enhancing your features with a subtle touch—think dewy, luminous skin, and a soft contour. It's the total opposite of full-on glam.

What is the most attractive amount of makeup? ›

They found that, on average, women were rated the most attractive with 60% of the makeup they put on for a night out. In other words, most women wear so much makeup that it exceeds what is considered attractive.

How does makeup change your appearance? ›

Faces wearing makeup are perceived as more attractive and they activate reward centers in the brain. Makeup makes facial skin look more even in part by increasing contrast between the skin and adjacent facial features.

How can I look flawless without foundation? ›

How to Get Flawless Makeup Without Foundation or Powder
  1. 1) Gently cleanse with a warm flannel. Create a smooth, clean canvas by very gently buffing the skin with a warm flannel to remove any dry patches. ...
  2. 2) Apply a generous dose of moisturizer. ...
  3. 3) Wait. ...
  4. 4) Concealer time. ...
  5. 4) Dab. ...
  6. 5) Reapply Concealer.
Feb 21, 2020

Do you put concealer or foundation first? ›

Applying foundation first creates an even base to reduce overall redness, discoloration and minor blemishes. If you apply your concealer first, you may end up wiping some off when you apply foundation or using a lot more product than necessary, which can create a heavy, cakey look.

Why does my makeup never look good? ›

If you've ever thought your makeup makes you look more wrinkled, it might be by virtue of dehydrated skin. Makeup has a way of leaching the moisture from the skin, accentuating pores, and highlighting fine lines and wrinkles. So if your skin looks worse with foundation, this could be a major culprit.

How do you wear makeup to look younger? ›

Look for non-matte products that do double, triple, even quadruple duty—say, by adding a dewy glow, intense moisture, sunscreen to ward off spots and wrinkles, retinol and even a filter-like finish. “Dewy foundations give you a more hydrated, youthful look than matte foundations,” says Duque.

How can I look beautiful flawlessly? ›

How to Look Beautiful Naturally?
  1. Regularly Moisturise Your Skin. Moisturisation is crucial for your hydration. ...
  2. Get Beauty Sleep. ...
  3. Drink Enough Water. ...
  4. Pluck Your Eyebrows. ...
  5. Exercise Regularly. ...
  6. Use Sunscreen Every Day. ...
  7. Drink Green Tea. ...
  8. Stick to a Skin Care Routine.
Mar 28, 2022

What is a glam look? ›

A soft glam look is all about natural lips, glowing skin, diffused eyeshadow, and tamed eyebrows. You're going for an effortless, polished natural look. You want to accentuate and highlight your best features without the “in your face” look of traditional glam makeup.

What is the correct order of makeup? ›

Unless you're doing very heavy makeup, like an extreme smokey eye or very dramatic theatrical makeup, I always prep the face first — moisturizer, concealer, foundation, balm — and then start on the eyes.

What is the first thing use in makeup? ›

  • Step 1: Moisturizer. Before you begin applying your makeup, take the time to prep your skin with a high-quality moisturizer. ...
  • Step 2: Primer. ...
  • Step 3: Liquid Foundation. ...
  • Step 4: Concealer. ...
  • Step 5: Foundation Powder. ...
  • Step 6: Bronzer. ...
  • Step 7: Blush. ...
  • Step 8: Highlighter.

What makeup item makes the biggest difference? ›

I'm talking blush, bronzer, and lip liner. These three products make the biggest difference on your face, and can be used alone or in tandem with a full face of makeup. I've learned from experience how much these three products can change your makeup game for the better.

What do you call a person who loves makeup? ›

A person who loves makeup is typically known as a makeup enthusiast.

What is hippie makeup? ›

The hippie makeup from late 1960s to '70s is characterized by bright wide eyes and pink or nude lipstick.

What is C and C makeup? ›

“CC” stands for “color correcting.” Our 3 CC+ Creams as well as CC+ Nude Glow Foundation provide color-correcting makeup benefits and are formulated with anti-aging ingredients, including niacinamide, to reduce the look of uneven skin tone.

Does wearing makeup make a difference? ›

We found that, while makeup did make faces more attractive on average, it only accounted for around 2 percent of the entire variation in attractiveness judgments. In other words, when someone makes a judgement of your attractiveness, makeup will only contribute to around 2 percent of that judgement.

Is makeup necessary to look beautiful? ›

You will not need any make-up to look gorgeous if you maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating right, sleeping well, and indulging in various physical activities. You must follow a strict cleansing and moisturizing routine every day, both day and night, to keep your skin healthy and glowing.

What is glam makeover? ›

It's a mix of both as you like the natural look on foundation, but then add a pop for the eyes, usually some sparkle, liner and long lashes. Such as the example below. She has a touch of color on her eyes, defined brows, and winged liner.

How long does full face of glam take? ›

Appointment times will vary depending upon desired look and person but on average, full face makeup applications take approximately 60 mins.

What is natural makeup? ›

But in general, natural makeup products are cosmetics that contain ingredients from natural sources, like plants or minerals. These ingredients are also considered nontoxic and less likely to cause health problems. Since many natural makeup brands prioritize nature, they often use eco-friendly packaging as well.

How do I have pretty eyes? ›

13 Simple Tips to Help Make Your Eyes Sparkle
  1. Avoid dry air.
  2. Use green tea bags.
  3. Boost fatty acid intake.
  4. Use rose water.
  5. Try cucumbers.
  6. Massage your eyes.
  7. Get enough sleep.
  8. Protect your eyes.
Sep 18, 2019

How do you dress like a soft girl? ›

As Urban Dictionary describes it, a soft girl is “nice to everyone” and “approachable” with an affinity for sweet-as-candy clothing and accessories. Cropped cardigans, slip dresses, pleated skirts, and bucket hats adorned with charming heart, cloud, or floral motifs are the staples of every soft girl's style “uniform.”

What is soft girl face? ›

Key Takeaways. 'Soft girl' refers to a fashion aesthetic that embodies cuteness and femininity. Soft girl makeup involves rosy skin, big, round eyes, fluffy lashes, and a lot of pink blush along with glossy lips.

How to look childlike with makeup? ›

The baby face makeup involves blending a foundation from the center of the face to the edges. Powder helps seal the base as well as achieve a matte look. It is best to use lavender or pink-tinted blush in this kind of makeup. An orange or a pink lip tint goes well with the baby face makeup.

What is the best way to describe makeup? ›

‍According to Oxford.com, makeup is defined as “cosmetics such as lipstick or powder applied to the face, used to enhance or alter the appearance”.

What is the description of makeup artistry? ›

As a make-up artist, your work will involve creating images and characters through the medium of make-up, hairstyles and prosthetics according to a brief. You'll interpret the make-up requirements of clients to produce both a creative and technically accurate visual representation.

What is soft focus makeup? ›

Soft focus particles have the ability to optically reduce the contrast and hide the imperfections of the skin surface. The concept can easily be demonstrated on black textured leather, as seen in the image below, right.

How do you describe a beautiful appearance? ›

To describe beautiful women, we also have the words pretty, lovely, gorgeous, and stunning – “stunning” means extremely beautiful, like a woman who is so beautiful that she attracts a lot of attention!

What is the best word to describe beauty? ›

Some common synonyms of beautiful are comely, fair, handsome, lovely, and pretty.

How would you describe a good looking face? ›

What Are Facial Features That Make a Beautiful Face?
  1. A smooth forehead. A wrinkle-free forehead is one of the features that make the face look good. ...
  2. Alert eyes. Your eyes can be the first thing people notice in your face. ...
  3. Symmetric nose. ...
  4. Full, Perky cheeks. ...
  5. Well defined Jawline.
May 17, 2022

What is the most important thing in a makeup artist? ›

A successful makeup artist should have a welcoming personality and attentive listening skills. A makeup artist will need to work with each client individually to enhance their facial features using makeup artistry skills. Listening to each clients' likes and dislikes when it comes to different products.

Why is makeup artistry important? ›

A makeup artist enhances the best features of each unique face. Makeup artists can work in many roles and settings, specializing in weddings, events, editorial & fashion, television, film, theater, and more.

What do you need for a soft beat makeup? ›

Soft Glam Makeup Tutorial
  1. Apply a moisturizer, followed by an SPF. ...
  2. Apply an eye cream. ...
  3. Use a luminizer or brightening primer for a glowy base. ...
  4. Dampen a Beauty Blender. ...
  5. Pump your preferred foundation onto the beauty blender. ...
  6. Use an undereye brightener. ...
  7. Apply concealer in an upside down triangle shape.

Why do people use soft focus? ›

The soft focus shot creates a dreamy glow

Shadows and the minute imperfections on a person's face can be easily subdued with warm and softer tones.

What is the no makeup makeup look? ›

“No makeup” makeup is basically the bare minimum, focusing more on the steps of application than the number of products. We've broken down the best tips and tricks for this natural trend as well as rounded up our favorite products to get you there quick and easy.

What does a soft focus look like? ›

In cases like this, soft focus lenses or filters are often preferred. The primary characteristic of soft focus is that resolution is slightly blurred in portions that are in sharp focus. Contrast is also reduced, and flare is used to create a veil effect in resulting photographs.

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