How To Apply Office Makeup The Right Way

Getting that balanced makeup look perfect for your workplace is no more tricky.

Reviewed by Vaibhavi Gupte, Makeup Artist
Written by Nisha Baghadia, MA (Mass Communication)

Edited by Madhumati Chowdhury, MA (English Literature)

Fact-checked by Vaishali Sinha, MA (Comparative Literature) • Oct 4, 2023

How To Apply Office Makeup The Right Way

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Working women need to be more careful when choosing their office makeup routine because it must be long-lasting, subtle, and impressive. Furthermore, they have to consider if the products are safe for long-term usage and won’t lead to an outbreak.

As the market is flooded with numerous makeup products, it becomes more daunting to know the right product and go for the worthy product.
Moreover, learning makeup techniques could be overwhelming whether you are a beginner or an expert.

However, slight tweaks or makeup tricks can perfect your makeup, especially for hectic workdays. This article gives you detailed information and some key rules to remember, from cleaning your face to enhancing your lips. Keep reading the article to know how to make your office makeup flawless!

Keep In Mind

Lipstick Colors: Very subtle and light pink and brown lipstick shades complement every office attire.
Eyeshadow Shades: Light plum, pink and brown shades are ideal for a neutral office makeup look.
For Subtlety: Just add a thin stroke of eyeliner, apply some face powder, and wear some lip balm for a professional and toned down look.

In This Article

How to Do Office Makeup?

1. Start With Cleansing:

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Before applying cosmetics in the morning, wash your face so that you’ll have the capacity to begin with a crisp canvas. Use a cleanser or simply splash some lukewarm water all over your face to wash away any dead skin on your skin. Pat it dry with a towel.

Avoid using hot water to wash your face.

2. Apply BB Cream:

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Once you apply BB cream, you rescue yourself from all the jazz of applying moisturizer, sunscreen, foundation, and the hassle of makeup brushes and sponges. BB cream may also work like a primer by providing coverage and may have a smoothing effect. BB cream instantly covers the spots on your face, and gives you an even and radiant skin.

Apply it with your fingertips or a beauty blender.

TIP: It’s always handy to keep the BB cream in your purse at all times. Along with giving you light coverage, it also moisturizes the skin.

3. Conceal If Required:

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If you’re the one blessed with glowing and fab skin (must admit, we secretly envy you!), then you can skip this step. And for the rest of us, we do have a trick to get that fab skin! A quick swipe of concealer (creamy ones) over the pesky zit or marks is enough to hide them.

Apply it with your fingers. Reason – the heat of your fingers helps blend the concealer to give a real and natural finish.

4. Time To Give Your Cheeks A Rosy Flush:

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Now that you’re done with your base, apply a neutral-colored blush on your cheekbones. It will make you look brighter and even more awake! Quickly add a few strokes of bronzer for the sunkissed look and to give dimension to your facial features.

If you’re running out of your desired blusher, you can use lipstick as an alternative!

5. Line Your Eyes Softly:

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Give some definition to your look by applying a kohl or kajal to your lower lid. For the upper eyelid, use liquid eyeliner or a gel pencil and add some magic to your eyes. Don’t forget to swipe the brow pencil along your brows to brighten the effect.

You can also apply a nude shade of eyeshadow on the eyelids. Nude eyeshadow will give an even finish on the eyelids to apply the eyeliner and also let the liner be more long lasting.

Finish it off by applying a generous coat of mascara. It will open up your eyes, and you can give it a fuller look using an eyelash curler. And Ta-da, you’re done with your eyes!

Quick Tip

Go for natural-looking textures and finishes if you want a subtle eyeshadow look.

6. Enhance Your Lips:

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Make your lips appear fuller by applying a lip liner and moisturize the lips using a lip gloss rather than going with a bright lip color.

However, if your makeup feels incomplete without a lip color, add some color to your lips. Outline the lips with lip liner and evenly fill in with lipstick using a brush.

Having a lip stain in your bag can turn out to be a smart idea, both for your lips and cheeks!

Golden Rules to Remember about Office Makeup:

The very first thing you need to remember when wearing makeup is that you very rightly need to choose the colors and shades. You have to distinguish yourself with makeup from the office and other places you go out with friends and family.
Make sure it is long lasting, because at the workplace, you wouldn’t really have time to give touch ups.
Make sure it is also waterproof and has low maintenance. It would be ideal for touch ups (just in case for meetings outside the office) in 5 to 10 minutes, rather than 30 to 35 minutes.
Keep a compact powder handy in your handbag for quick touch ups.
Try purchasing makeup from brands that are of high quality and do not cause any allergic reactions.
Also keep in mind to cover your dark circles correctly with a concealer, thus brightening your eye area, rather than making your look drowsy.
Make sure to not look cakey. Just keep simple makeup for office and it really enhances your beauty.
Keep your self and your skin hydrated. Hydrated skin will avoid the makeup cracks and over smudging.
Avoid moving in and around extreme temperatures that could harm the skin.
Drinking regular water will also help you balance and maintain your skin health.
Always carry blotting wipes in your bag.
Prepare your makeup a night before to avoid confusion in the morning.
Curl your lashes before applying mascara.
Run a piece of ice over your lips before applying lip gloss to help the color last all day.
If you have long working hours, use a sheer layer of setting spray or setting powder over the finished makeup look.
Finally, a formal dress and simple jewelery are enough to begin your day at office.

Quick Tip

Carry a face mist and moisturizer if you want to hydrate the skin and refresh your look in between work.

Infographic: Perfect Office Makeup In Just 6 Steps

Your office makeup needs to be workplace appropriate, long-lasting, and not cause breakouts and other skin issues. It is not always easy to maintain a personal and professional life and look stunning at the same time. But don’t worry, we have compiled a 6-step simple office makeup routine that you can do every day in under 10 minutes.
Check out the infographic below!

perfect office makeup in just 6 steps (infographic)

Save the high-quality PDF version on your device now.

Download Infographic

When it comes to office makeup, ensure that the products are gentle on your skin and can maintain a flawless look throughout the day. Avoid purchasing cheap and poor-quality products since you will be applying them regularly. Also, do not forget to wear your confidence like the makeup as that will help you stand out from the crowd.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to choose the right colors and products for office makeup that match skin tone and work attire?

Determining your overtones and undertones will help you choose the right colors for your work makeup and attire. If you have a cool skin tone then you should include emeralds, lavender, deep purples, pink, ice blue, and bright blues in your daily routine. If you have a warm skin tone then pick colors like green, mustard yellow, brown, and warm reds. People with a neutral skin tone can pull from both sides of the color spectrum.

How can you adjust your makeup routine for day and night looks in an office setting?

For a daytime look, your makeup should be radiant and bright. You can adjust your routine to include makeup products that will make you look lively, such as a blush and mascara. At night, the lights are dimmer, so the makeup has to stand out more. You can use other makeup products like eyeshadows, highlighters, and maybe even contouring to get the best results.

How can I create a natural and polished look with my makeup for the workplace?

To create a natural and polished look with your makeup for the workplace, apply a lightweight foundation or tinted moisturizer evenly, and add blush to your cheeks. Finish with nude eyeshadow, a coat of mascara, and a lip color that complements your skin tone.

What are some tips for choosing the right foundation shade and coverage level for my skin type when creating an office-appropriate makeup look?

Make sure you know your skin tone. If you have dry skin, go for a hydrating formula, and if you have oily skin, go for a matte or oil-free foundation. When it comes to coverage level, choose a formula that provides buildable coverage or a lightweight foundation with medium coverage without making you look heavy or cakey.

Key Takeaways

- A BB cream helps hydrate and provide an even skin tone.
- Heavy makeup might require regular touch-ups to ensure consistency.
- Nude shades are the best to highlight your eyes and lips.
- It’s best to carry your compact powder with you for quick touch-ups.