Top five super-easy ways to create your professional makeup uniform

Secrets to navigating makeup at work

Makeup in a professional environment can be a difficult maze to navigate in a modern world. I see firsthand how my professional female clientele feel the weight of extra scrutiny, not just with regard to how they do their job, but with how they present themselves.

How can we feel sleek and professional, chic and modern? Can something as simple as makeup actually effect how we are perceived as a professional? With over a decade under my belt working closely with CEOs and executives, attorneys, politicians, entrepreneurs, on-air personalities and sponsored athletes, and as a woman in the professional world, I would say, it absolutely does. Here are some tips that really work and will help you achieve a tailored sleek, chic makeup routine appropriate for the professional world.

Tip #1

Start with your skin care

I love an effortless makeup look. The essence of sleek and cheek is rooted in simplicity. The better you care for your skin, the better the makeup will look and the longer it will last. Create a solid skincare routine and stick to it. Now, this is not a journey I recommend going alone. Find an amazing estheticians and never let them go. I am a huge fan of regular facials and skin treatments such as microdermabrasion and chemical peels. Once you find someone you trust they can get you set up with a day and night routine that work for you. You'll be surprised how much more awake and refreshed you'll look on a daily basis as well.

Pro Bonus: Don't go to bed with your makeup on, and don't try and use yesterday’s leftover makeup to get through today. You will only look tired and disheveled. Like it or not, these are nonverbal cues that reflect on a person's professional persona.

Tip #2

Avoid trend

Trends are fun and an easy way to add variety to a daily routine, but they are not always appropriate for the workplace. I suggest keeping the trends to happy hours and weekends. They are a great way to take your day look to night adventures. Your cobalt cat eye looks amazing with a martini in-hand, but might not fly in the boardroom.

Pro Bonus: Shimmer, crazy contour, strobing and instagram ombre eyebrows brows fall in this category.

Tip #3

What's your uniform?

There have been numerous articles on the benefits of a personal work uniform. Steve Jobs had his. Mark Zuckerberg, Karl Lagerfeld and Anna Wintour do as well. A makeup uniform provides the same benefits as the clothing uniform. It may be fun to add variety, but not every day needs a whole new face. Once you have decided on your most flattering, go-to look it simplifies your morning routine at home and you can be assured that you present yourself in a consistent manner as a professional in the workplace.

Pro Bonus: I recommend picking a feature to play up, either eyes or lips. Going big on both can be a bit much for a lot of professional environments. Remember, chic and sleek is about polished simplicity. This doesn't mean no makeup. On the contrary, spending the little extra time and doing your makeup will complete your professional look. It is extra easy to create a consistent eye look and switch up your lip color when you want.

Tip #4

Quality over quantity

Sephora is a magical wonderland to some and completely terrifying to others. No matter where on that spectrum you may fall, the rules are the same. Quality is queen in the makeup world. Don't get caught up in all that glitters or intimidated by the bevy of brands. A concise yet solid makeup bag is all you really need. This goes hand in hand with creating your makeup uniform. I recommend investing in a great concealer, foundation, eyeshadow palette and makeup brushes at the very least. These are items where the higher cost really shows in the quality of the product.

Pro Bonus: What works for one person might not work for another. It pays to try products out, and Sephora is great with supplying samples. They are also amazing with returns. Ask for help, grab lots of samples and if something doesn't live up to your expectations, return it.

Tip #5

Go long

Long wear makeup products have come a long way over the last few years. They are an important component of a professional woman's makeup bag. I need to be able to put on my makeup and not think about it all day. There are numerous products that make this a real possibility.  Foundation primer, eyeshadow primer, waterproof eyeliner and a long wearing lip color can keep key components of your makeup locked in to last as long as you can. Messy, melting makeup is not going to portray the professional that you are.

Pro Bonus: The new waterproof brow products are really amazing. I put my eyeshadow primer up to my brows and this locks in both my eye products as well as my brow products. This gives a solid 12 hours of a locked-in look.

These tips are tried and true. Once you create both your skincare and makeup routine and arm yourself with the proper tools and products you'll be able to tackle each day with no fuss and no makeup melt down. Remember, if you need help, ask. There are plenty of qualified makeup artists that teach hands on classes to help you make a plan, shop and sharpen your technical skills.

(Editor's note: This sponsored content was provided by Matthew Morris Salon.)