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I Asked 8 UK Make-Up Artists For A "Natural Look" And Here's What Happened

What does "natural" mean, anyway?

First of all, I'm going to blow everyone's minds by pointing out that I am not a professional model. Hard to believe, I know, but here is my face with no make-up.

On a day-to-day basis, I'd say I'm about 6/10 happy with my make-up routine.

My make-up routine is fairly minimal. In terms of self-esteem, I'm fine with what my face looks like, so I'm not one of those people that has to put on slap every single time I leave the house.

My basic make-up routine currently consists of about six items:

Primer

Foundation/BB Cream/Tinted moisturiser

Concealer

Eyebrow pencil

Mascara

Blusher

Sometimes, if I'm going out or just because I feel like it, I add one or more of the following to make my face a bit more jazzy:

Eyeliner

Eyeshadow

Lipstick

Here's a "natural look", using my own make-up.

But I'm always on the lookout for new tips.

I'm always interested in better products that don't cost the earth, and I'm never one to turn down tips, such as how to make foundation stay on my face longer.

So I went to Glasgow for the day to find out what eight different make-up counters consider a "natural" look, and to learn a bit more about how a change in your make-up can make you feel.

I chose all of the counters based on what's popular at the moment, and also what's affordable at the top end of the high street. I decided not to feature the likes of Chanel and Tom Ford because their products are more expensive.

The first make-up counter I visited was Bobbi Brown.

[Bobbi Brown]

Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed
Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed
Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed

Benefit was next on the list.

[Benefit]

Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed
Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed
Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed

Urban Decay was the heaviest look I was given.

[Urban Decay]

Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed
Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed
Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed

Nars was another brand that had a certain "natural" look that its consultants are trained to do.

[Nars]

Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed
Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed
Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed

Lancome was probably the priciest brand out of the eight that I visited.

[Lancome]

Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed
Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed
Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed

Mac was one of two brands that used a BB cream instead of a foundation.

[Mac]

Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed
Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed
Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed

The No. 7 consultant was the best when it came to talking about skincare.

[No. 7]

Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed
Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed
Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed

Clarins was the brand that used the fewest products out of all the different counters that I went to.

[Clarins]

Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed
Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed
Przemyslaw Stradczuk for BuzzFeed

I thought this project might make me feel less confident about make-up.

Back in my teenage years, my make-up collection consisted of a badly matched foundation from the Natural Collection, some blusher, and a couple of my mum's lipsticks that she never used, but boy did I know how to rock that look (I didn't).

Meanwhile, thanks to the internet, 15-year-olds want to know how they can get lips like Kylie Jenner – while I spent my spare time as a teenager trying to rack up a high score on Tony Hawks Pro Skater, they already know way more about contouring than I ever will.

I don't think I've really had a chat with a make-up artist for more than about a minute since I first discovered Benefit make-up when I was 17. This is probably more to do with me and my reluctance to interact with other human beings rather than anything anyone at a make-up counter has done.

Because of this, I thought this project would make me feel less confident about make-up, but the opposite happened.

I shed my preconceptions.