The Best Lighting for Applying Makeup

Many women have wondered, “What is the best light for applying my makeup?” This question was just answered by world-renowned makeup artist, Pat McGrath, in Allure magazine - it's natural daylight. Natural light shows everything and is unforgiving, without being harsh and unflattering. It’s a true reveal of how your makeup looks to everyone around you. The worst lighting for makeup application is fluorescent, which is found in most offices and department stores. It gives the skin a greenish cast which makes it look unhealthy, almost sickly. Fluorescent lighting can wash out the skin and emphasize under-eye shadows and dark circles. Women tend to over-apply their concealer, foundation, and blush when putting it on under fluorescent lights. They may also be heavy when applying their lip-color or choose a shade which is too dark or too bright, trying to correct the tone fluorescents are throwing onto their face. Unfortunately, this is the lighting at many cosmetic counters and is a reason woman buy makeup, thinking that it looks good in the store, but then hating it once they get home.

Incandescent bulbs in most household lamps, throw a warm yellow light. This is much more flattering; however, it doesn’t reveal the imperfections which make-up can cover. A common mistake when putting on makeup in this light is poor blending because it’s not as easy to see where an area was missed. It’s also a struggle to put on makeup if there isn’t an overhead light-source. We need light thrown onto our face, not the sides of it from a lamp somewhere else in the room. If staying in a hotel anywhere without good lighting, take a compact from your purse and check your application by a window. It’s a quick way to see how it "really" looks before leaving the room. Halogen light is most similar to daylight’s tone and is a great option for people without a window or natural light source in the area where they apply their makeup. Many makeup mirrors come with an option for halogen light and it can be put installed in a bathroom. Once great makeup has been applied, the most flattering lighting for someone else to look at you is by candlelight. It’s romantic, softens those little lines and imperfections, and makes us all look and feel beautiful.