By Amanda Powell | @kykernel

[email protected]

Makeup can say a lot about a person’s mood or style. And lately we’ve seen that the popular trend is to look like we’re wearing no makeup at all, which is great for college students with minimal time to primp in the mornings. But in order to rock a more natural look, we must take good care of our skin.

To keep a fresh face, use a face mask. It doesn’t have to be expensive or at a spa; you can do it yourself. My favorite is Neutrogena’s Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask. It’s only $6.99, and you can use it wash your face every day and as a mask once or twice a week.

Keeping skin moisturized is essential to perfecting a minimal makeup look. It’s best to put on some kind of facial lotion right out of the shower and leave it for a few minutes so it can soak in and dry before you apply another product.

When your face is clean, you don’t want to put anything too heavy on. During the spring and summer, choose a tinted moisturizer instead of foundation. You will still get color, but without the mess of cover up. However, be wary. Some tinted moisturizers are pricey, but ones at Ulta, such as Organic Wear 100% Natural Tinted Moisturizer, use only natural ingredients and can be bought in a variety of shades.

Also, consider skipping eyeliner. If eyeliner is part of your daily routine, try wearing it only on the top lid to make eyes look bigger. Or use brown eyeliner instead of black to give your eyes a less dramatic appearance.

Mascaras also come in shades of brown. Always pick a waterproof brand so it won’t melt or smear in the heat of summer.

When picking out eyeshadow, try to avoid dark colors like blue or purple and look for lighter shades of pink or brown that can blend in easily. If putting on eye shadow will take up too much of your morning, try the trick I learned in high school: Put a small dab of Vaseline on your eyelid to give it a shine; it will also leave your eyes super soft by the end of the day.

As for blush: Look for lighter, shimmery shades of pink with peach undertones.

Lips can simply be moisturized with the lip balm of your choice, or you can choose to make them stand out a little bit. A fun, matte lip color is perfect for summer.