Foolproof makeup tips to nail your dream job interview

Best Face Forward: 7 Makeup tips to nail that job interview

Sarah Khan

10 Oct 2016

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An even, natural base
The first step is evening out your skin tone, whether with a tinted moisturiser or BB cream if you need less coverage, or a foundation. Make sure that you choose a color that disappears into your skin — that's how you know the shade is a perfect match for you. Wearing a shade that is darker or lighter will not look flattering up close or in daylight.
Avoid a heavy, caked-on base. Instead, opt for a sheer foundation or a BB cream for an all-over natural coverage. If you need extra coverage in certain areas like your dark circles, acne marks or blemishes, spot conceal them. Choose a formula that complements your skin type (oily, combination or dry) and the amount of coverage you need.
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Wear a light dusting of blush
A light dusting of blush can instantly make anyone look healthier. Look for a colour that matches your cheeks when they’re flushed - pinks, corals or berry tones typically work best.
Do note that wearing too much can easily veer into clown-like territory, so be sure it's applied with a light hand and blended properly. For a most natural effect, smudge a cream blush over the apples of your cheeks (this works best if you do not have texture on your cheeks).
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Play up one feature only
Decide which feature you'd like to play up. If you're one to wear a cat eye, opt for a toned-down version and do a kitten eye instead (a flick at the outer corner that doesn't extend as far). If you like wearing a bright or deeper lip, opt for a stain instead.
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Groomed brows and a neutral eye look
A coat of mascara and neutral eyeshadow is sufficient for your eye makeup look. Mascara truly opens up your eyes, while using natural tones for your eyeshadow defines your eyes without it being too distracting.
Opt for a pencil liner over a liquid one as it looks much softer on the eyes. Save the smoky eye for a night out on the town.
Coat your eyebrows with a brow gel (or spritz a little hairspray onto a spoolie) to keep them in place throughout the interview. Eyebrows truly frame your face and ungroomed brows can be quite distracting on the visage.
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Exfoliate your lips and wear a natural or berry-toned lip
The night before your interview, exfoliate your lips with a warm, wet washcloth or a DIY sugar scrub, and follow with a generous coating of lip balm. This will have you waking up with soft, plump and texture-free lips that won't be a distraction in your interview.
Opt for a sheer lipstick for a flattering pop of colour - pink tones work well for lighter complexions and berry tones for deeper ones. Avoid red lips particularly if you're vying for a corporate position.
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Opt for a muted colour on your nails
It's okay to have coloured nails on your interview day. Just be sure it's a muted shade (like a nude or nude-ish pink) and that your nails aren't chipped. You might also want to get a manicure if you tend to get hangnails or if not, make sure your nails are even and filed.
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Give yourself time to get ready
Give yourself time to get ready! If you typically take 10 minutes to get ready, add on another 15 minutes of buffer time. You'd want to take your time to prepare yourself and also have time to address any unforeseen situations (e.g. a loose thread on a blouse, or smudged mascara).

Here are our top interview-appropriate makeup tips to get you hired on-the-spot for that dream job.

You’ve gotten that much-anticipated callback from that dream job you’ve wanted – great! The next question is: ‘What kind of makeup is interview-appropriate? Should I rock that favourite red lip I wore over the weekend?’

Well, don’t panic, we’ve got you covered.

Beyond preparing for your interview questions and deciding on the perfect outfit, giving off the right first impression by wearing makeup that shows you’re professional, polished and confident is equally as essential. The reality is, person-to-person communication is heavily visual and your interviewer will spend the majority of the time during the interview looking at your face. An interview isn’t the place to experiment with the latest runway or makeup trend. Unless you’re vying for a creative position where you might have a little more room to experiment with your look, always adopt the ‘less is more’ approach to your job interview makeup.

Head up to the gallery to score some tips on how to wear your makeup for that interview you want to ace!

Sarah Khan

Photos: Getty Images

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