Cruising through Instagram – I see lovely pics of people…bright-eyed and bushy-tailed…captioned with: #Iwokeuplikethis #nofilter. A piece of me cringes. Wait? Really? I look in the mirror…raccoon eyes and blotchiness stare back. I wake up like THIS?

Well, here is the reality…most people…most of the time…wake up less than picture perfect. The magic of lighting, filters, and “just the right amount of makeup” come into play when most of em’ claim #Iwokeuplikethis.

I’m not a hater. I am just calling it what it is. For sanity sake. I appreciate good lighting and good angles. But let me tell ya…99.9% of the time in a picture, I have some type of makeup on. And so do most people. Especially celebrities on Instagram. That’s keeping it real.

So…if you’re wondering…How? How does one get that “I just woke up like this” look? Which is the barely-there but covered-up-just-right look. Below is my recipe. I promise you…using the right shades/tones (that match your complexion) of concealer/foundation/bronzer, you too can look fresh-faced. Like you didn’t even try (but you kinda did).

After you wash, tone, and moisturize (because a clean canvas is the first thing you need for a fresh face)

2) Apply an under eye brightener. Most of us need a little highlight under the eye. Something to cover up the shadow or hollowness. I came across this By Terry Touche Veloutee highlighting concealer brush at Barney’s. I use shade Porcelian. I have many favorites in this category – but I like this for “everyday” because it’s not as heavy as a typical concealer and the pen applicator makes it a quick fix (and portable, for re-application)

3) Mix your foundation and daily SPF (my favorite SPF = eltaMD) and apply with a round foundation brush. I use less product when I use a round foundation brush and I’m able to spread it around evenly and thoroughly. Cover your face and blend down to your neck

I am a big fan of Giorgio Armani’s Luminous Silk foundation. I use shade #2. It’s light weight but it provides the right amount of coverage. It leaves a dewy effect that is key for the natural look

Click here for foundation –> GIORGIO ARMANI Luminous Silk Foundation 5.75-30ml/1oz.

4) Using a blush or bronzer brush – lightly sweep bronzer along jawline, apples of cheeks, along forehead line, and down your nose. The idea is to highlight the places where the sun naturally hits most. This will also give you a bit of dimension. Keep your product and strokes light to avoid unnatural lines. You can always buff with another, clean brush

Loving this bronzer by Guerlian called Terracotta Joli Teint Powder Duo. I use color 01.  It comes in 4 different shades so you can pick the right match for your skin tone

5) Apply eyeliner in a light, dotting motion to upper and lower lash lines. This tends to give me a more “awakened” look. Avoid dragging the liner or pressing hard – goal is to apply only a little product to make the eyes pop a bit. I love Kevyn Aucoin Beauty ‘The Pencil Primatif’ Pencil Eyeliner in Basic Brown

6) Grab a mascara and put a couple coats on your top lashes. Mascara is an excellent “make me look awake” staple. A purse favorite is Kevyn Aucoin’s Beauty “The Mascara Volume” mascara in Rich Pitch Black

7) Last but not least, apply a neutral color to your lips. A good neutral lip tone is Lipstick Queen’s Velvet Rope lipstick in Star System with Queen Bee lip treatment on top (which has a pretty honey shimmer). You want this subtle pop of color so that your lips don’t blend with your face, which can wash you out

And you’re done. The irony is – if you’ve applied it correctly, you won’t look done up but you’ll look put together and natural…some might question if you’re even wearing make up (in a good way). It’s the “I woke up like this” look that has em’ all fooled.

Happy Sunday! xoxo