The other day, Den and I were talking about what we thought was a botched cosmetic campaign. The advertisement was for an all-around (eyes, cheeks and lip) product. The idea was there, but it felt like the execution was lacking and the makeup looked clown-like, which we were sure was not the goal of the campaign.

I’ve always said that trying to do “less” with makeup is harder than going full glam. No makeup makeup looks and monochromatic looks are so understated that one minor mishap can be easily amplified due to the fact that there is nothing else to distract from the error. With the growing popularity of multi-use products, let’s get comfy with monochromatic makeup and learn the right way to pull off that one-product face!

Tip #1: Take care of your eyes

For this tutorial I will be using one of my faves, the Chanel Cream Blush in 63 Revelation (P1,850 for 2.5g, Rustan’s.) I like using this blush for one-product faces because it doesn’t really stain my eyelids. Many long-wear lip and cheek balms will have pigments that can stain the skin. At best, you will just have a slightly pinkish lid for a few days, but at worst, that lingering stain may cause an allergic reaction. Usually, bright red balms will stain while cream-to-powder finishes will not stain.

If you want to try out a product around your eyes that isn’t explicitly labeled as eye safe, you can check the ingredient list against the US FDA list of approved ingredients in cosmetics. This list indicates which cosmetic ingredients are considered safe to use on the eye area, as some pigments may be safe for general makeup use but not near the eyes. If you aren’t sure and want to play it safe, a great option is the Ellana Minerals Multipurpose Color Cream (P299 for 2.5g, ellanacosmetics.com) as they are specifically designed for use on the eyes, lids, and cheeks!

Tip #2: Pick a safe color and finish

I like Chanel’s Revelation because it is a warm, medium pink that suits my skin tone. As a general rule, fairer skin tones can get away with lighter, brighter colors, while deeper skin tones can get away with deeper, bronzy-er colors. Far be it for me to dissuade people from experimenting with makeup and using any shade they want, but if you are not an expert on color theory, these are suggestions that don’t require much thinking and don’t allow much room for error.

Cream products are my favorite to use for all-around faces because not only are they easy to apply to all face parts (I mean, I guess you can find a way to stick powder on your lips), creams are also very easy to blend. If you find stick balms easier, that could work also! Just remember that the key to a successful monochromatic look is a seamless blend.

Tip #3: Play with your color profile

Because you are using only one color, try to play around with its other characteristics. Technically, monochromatic means a singular (mono) intensity of color (chroma.) However, doing a bright pink eye, with an equally bright pink cheek AND an equally pink lip can look unfocused and even clown-like.

To keep your monochromatic look from looking flat and haphazardly placed, I suggest playing around with the intensities of the color on your face. In this look, I put the most intense level of pink to cover my darker lips, with a slightly lighter lid, and the lightest deposit on my cheek. The different levels of pink all still look like the same pink, but the different depths of color make it look more wearable and interesting.

A monochromatic look can be intimidating, but these tips are sure to make things easier! Using just one product can be a huge time saver and is more cost efficient, but apart from finding a single color that you’d love to wear on your eyes, lips, and cheeks at the same time, you have to be sure that you apply it correctly to achieve a truly flattering look.

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