A luminous complexion is all the rage. Summer and winter alike, we dream of satin-smooth, glowing skin, free from imperfections. We've put together a list of top tips for glowing complexion make-up!

Preparing your skin for make-up

Without a good base, nothing works. When make-up is applied to problem skin, it tends to accentuate the appearance of imperfections and, above all, to create new ones. Absolutely everything we don't want. So before any beauty treatment, we take care to prepare our skin in a number of precise steps: 

• Cleanse your face: cleansing is step number 1. Even if your face looks clean, it's essential to rid it of micro-dust accumulated either overnight or during the day. So, before any beauty treatment, we gently cleanse the face with clear water and soap (preferably neutral and specially formulated for the face). 

• Tone up your skin: after cleansing, tone up your skin so that it stays fresh and dynamic all day long. There's nothing like a good squeeze of floral water to wake things up. Cornflower and hamamelys floral waters are excellent for toned, blemish-free skin, as they have a recognized anti-bacterial action.
• Apply a serum: to prepare the skin in depth, apply a serum that will lodge in the deep layers of the epidermis to nourish it and make it sufficiently permeable to make-up. Use your usual serum, massaging it into the skin in circular motions to impregnate it properly. The serum unifies and smoothes the skin, preparing it for the rest of the beauty routine. 

• Appliquer sa crème de jour : après le sérum, vient la crème de jour. Cette dernière agit comme protection pour la première couche de l'épiderme qu'elle viendra doublement hydrater et nourrir en abondance. On la choisit en fonction de ses besoins, anti-rides, anti-tâches, repulpeuse, etc. Pour l'application veille à ne négliger aucune zone du visage, et on l'applique tout comme le sérum par massages circulaires délicats.

• Chouchouter le contour des yeux : avouons-le, on y pense rarement. Le contour des yeux est pourtant une zone si fragile du visage ! C'est celle qu'on devait chouchouter en priorité. Après avoir appliquer sérum et crème de jour, on veille à ne pas zapper l'étape du contour des yeux. Avec une crème ou un sérum adapté on tapote légèrement le contour afin d'en faire imprégner la matière. Toujours du coin externe de l'oeil vers son coin interne. 
• Appliquer sa crème solaire : encore une étape qui passe souvent à la trappe. Pourtant la crème solaire devrait avoir son rang d'honneur dans notre routine beauté ! Il en existe désormais des spécialement conçues pour le visage, qui ne laisse aucun fini gras ou blanc. Faciles à étaler elles imprègnent facilement la peau et peuvent même faire office de primer! Pourquoi protéger sa peau du soleil c'est important ? Malgré les étapes précédentes, l'épiderme reste fragile face aux rayons UV, il a absolument besoin d'en être protégé afin d'éviter son vieillissement précoce, la formation de tâches pigmentaires voir de problèmes beaucoup plus graves. 

• Appliquer un primer : si vous souhaitez vous assurer que la peau soit vraiment prête et suffisamment lissée pour accueillir makeup alors on peut opter pour un primer.

Apply make-up in stages 

As with skin preparation, complexion make-up requires a little precise organization. Once the skin is totally ready for these tricks, we start by applying our concealer to small imperfections.

Next comes foundation. To avoid the plaster or caky effect, as beautystas like to call it, we're careful not to overdo it. Foundation should be light and fluid (don't choose maximum coverage, for example). Tinted creams, BB or CC creams can do the trick! Apply foundation with a beauty blender, flat brush or fingertips. It's up to you to choose the method that suits you best.

Once the foundation has been evenly smoothed over the face, camouflage small imperfections such as dark circles with a concealer of the same color, or even a shade below your skin tone. A fluid format is ideal for spreading without a heavy look. 

Mastering your glow 

Now that the complexion is fresh, smooth and totally ready to shine, we add that little extra touch to achieve the perfect glow. Above all, we rely on consistent materials like a creamy highlighter or a really light powder format.

Highlither is applied to the areas you want to highlight, such as the top of the cheekbones, tip of the nose, forehead or chin. It is applied in very small doses, to accentuate the glow effect without looking like a disco ball.

Once this step is complete, we add a touch of creamy, glossy blush, which we spread over the cheekbones. This is an important step, as it lifts the complexion and creates the natural glow we're all looking for. 

A gourmet yet discreet mouthfeel 

To round off this perfect complexion makeup, we add a touch of gloss to our mouths to enhance the look, without detracting from the natural effect of this timeless makeup.

Opt for discreet colors like old rose, pale red or creamy orange. Moist materials such as gloss, oil or lip balm are preferred. Matte lip inks will totally ruin the glow effect. 

A light, sparkling look 

As with a smile, don't go overboard with eye make-up. A little mascara to lengthen, shape and curl the lashes is all it takes to enlarge the eyes and accentuate their sparkling beauty. If you're really into eye shadow, you can opt for nude or warm tones in creamy, slightly iridescent materials, so that they blend ideally with the skin. 

Don't forget the eyebrows. Lightly make them up to give consistency to the line, then fix them with a fixing gel for a browlift effect and an awakened look! 

Finish with the final touch: the setting mist and you've got a totally glowy complexion ready to last all night (or almost all night).