Have you ever worked hard on a full face, admiring your work in the safety of home only to glimpse yourself in the big, bad outside world and find it’s just all wrong? We guarantee it was down to a lighting issue. No worries, there are some easy fixes you can make to ensure you’re getting the best light for your look.

Natural Light 

It probably won’t come as a surprise that the best lighting for applying makeup is natural light. You can’t exactly nip out onto the street with your mirror and kit, so find a place in your home that is near a window. This may mean setting up a little desk, or simply taking your products of the day to the couch.

My bathroom at home has hopeless light, and my bedroom is internal so it’s rather dark. What I do is apply my base, blush, and highlight in the bathroom, then pop into the lounge with a hand mirror to double check. Because I know my products are correctly color-matched, it’s not a biggie to apply them under sub-par light. Checking under the natural light in the lounge just ensures I have blended properly and everything is where it should be.

Cool White LED Bulbs

You may not have a suitable way of accessing natural light at your place, and that’s okay! After natural light, white bulbs are the next best thing. White light won’t mess with your skin tone by casting a yellow or rose wash over your complexion. White light “tells it as it is” and gives you an accurate gauge of how your makeup looks.

What to avoid

Steer clear of fluorescent lights, dim (or “mood”) light, and light that leans too far on the yellow side. Lights that are too harsh (fluoro) will lead you to overdo your base and pack on too much bronzer and blush. Lights that cast shadows or add color to your skin can lead to overdone concealer and off color placement.