Internship Makeup: How To Embrace The “Less Is More” Idea

By Sarah Christine Davis on September 10, 2015

Ah, makeup: one of the greatest woes and the greatest wonders of being a woman in our modern age.

When it comes down to it, we should be able to wear as much or as little as we please without being deemed either unprofessional or overdone. Unfortunately, it’s not a perfect world and most of us can’t show up to our internship with a face that looks the same as it did when we rolled out of bed (believe me, I wish that were the case!).

At the same time, it’s not acceptable to show up in the same makeup that you wore out to the club last weekend. There’s a happy medium that is expected of women when going to the workplace. I’m not suggesting that women have to wear makeup or that women have to wear makeup a certain way. Whether or not you choose to conform to this standard is completely up to you, and either option is great!

Either way, here are a few tips that any interning woman can benefit from.

While acceptable makeup styles can vary widely between different types of internships, a good rule of thumb is to go with a natural look – for the most part. The key is to stick to one (and only one!) outstanding component out of your entire makeup ensemble. This helps you stand out and gives you an edge of confidence, but still keeps you looking office-appropriate.

You could choose a bold lipstick, colored eyeliner, or even a bright blush. All that you need to do is keep in mind the golden rule of internship make-up: less is more!

The exciting world of eyeshadow

In my opinion, eyeshadow is hit-or-miss; it either looks gorgeous or looks like you just jumped out of a Missing Persons music video. However, with the right color and technique, eyeshadow can be a huge confidence booster!

It is more to your benefit to use shades that enhance your eye color than to use what is considered trendy at the time. Especially for an internship, it is important to prioritize looking professional over looking fabulous.

Elle offers great advice for matching eye shadow shade with eye color. To summarize, soft and neutral tones are perfect for people with blue eyes, while smoky shades are best for gray eyes. Delicate purple and pink tones are best for people with green or hazel eyes.

Brown-eyed beauties are the lucky ones when it comes to eye shadows; pretty much any shade will look great on you!

The cat eye … with a twist

This gold cat eye look from The Everygirl is classy, but not overly conservative; however, it’s not too wild for the office! It’s a perfect medium. The ideal balance between too simple and extravagant, gold eyeliner gives new flair to the classic cat eye look.

This fun look can also easily be transformed into a going-out ensemble if you want to grab some drinks after work with your fellow interns or with that cutie who you’ve been eyeing at the office.

Gold eyeliners vary dramatically in price, but this gold eye liner from NYX is highly rated and it is only $4.49! If the gold is just a little much for you, a simple black or brown cat eye is still a great look!

Bold and beautiful lipstick

Remember: it is especially important to make sure that when you’re rocking a bold lipstick, it’s the focal point of your look. AOL’s Beauty Break column advises that “if you’re wearing a bright lipstick, stick to a minimalist look on top to balance things out.”

The minimalist look is always important at an internship. That being said, don’t be afraid to try out some funky lipstick colors! Fall is always a great time to experiment with some darker shades that may not have been appropriate during the summer.

You can never go wrong with matte and purple shades, such as this Crème de Cassis shade from Laura Mercier at Bloomingdale’s for $25 or this soft Matte Crimson shade from Clinique for $17.

Don’t forget about blush

People typically turn to somewhat predictable makeup items such as eyeshadow and lipstick when testing out a new look; they’re kind of an easy way out.

However, blush is an often-forgotten but always-reliable option to consider! It’s also a bit more conservative, which can be beneficial depending on where your internship is.

Harper’s Bazaar suggests warm peach and roses blushes for fall 2015 that will “make you look like you just went on a brisk, wintry walk” (which may very well already be true if your internship has you running all over town!).

A simple blush epitomizes the minimalist and au-naturel look that is perfect for any internship. This lightweight blush from Hourglass in the Ethereal Glow is not only a gorgeous color, but the description explains that it also uses “an advanced miscelare technique to create the perfect balance of pigment and powder.”

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