I Tried Monochromatic Makeup & It Looked Amazing

I've noticed a trend, lately: Kylie Jenner rocking monochromatic looks. For those unfamiliar, here monochromatic makeup simply refers to a look that uses one color in multiple areas of the face. For example, if you create a complex mauve eye, use a mauve lipstick. If you're applying a taupe gloss, utilize a taupe blush as well. In a monochromatic makeup look, the chosen color family is echoed on all the major features of the face.

As of late, Jenner's favorite colors include shades of brown, beige, rose, and peach. Natural shades and pastels work best, because they enhance lips, cheeks, and eyes without becoming overwhelming. If you were to use a less neutral hue, like green, the look might lose some of its subtlety. For monochromatic glam, it's best to stick with colors that already occur within the skin tone.

With assistance from her makeup artist, Ariel Tejada, Jenner has embraced soft washes of allover color that embody a level of relaxed cool reflective of membership to the Kardashian empire. If you want to mimic her monochromatic mug, you just need to follow a few simple steps.

1. Prep With Skincare, Foundation, & Brows

To prep for my monochromatic look, I lathered on my everyday skincare routine thicker than I normally do. The more makeup I plan on applying, the more love my skin will need. My creams and serums act as a barrier that preserve my skin and keep it hydrated all day, regardless of how many layers of I'm about to use.

I followed my moisturizer with primer, color corrector, foundation, concealer, highlight, contour, and loads of powder, and used Anastasia Beverly Hills Cream Contour Palette baked for extra drama.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Cream Kit, $40, Sephora

I also went ahead and filled in my brows the same way I normally would. By filling in my brows first, I gave my asymmetrical eye sockets more structure. This allows me to see where the shadows need to be placed more easily.

2. Choose Your Color Scheme

Lately, Kylie has been doing a lot of beige, brown, rose gold, and peachy-hued looks (which could be the result of her recent product launches). I decided to go with warmer soft coral tones for my homage.

I gathered products that reflected the wash of color I wanted to create, like Giorgio Armani Cheek Fabric Sheer Blush in Dolci #305, Anastasia Beverly Hills Renaissance Palette, and Nars Fantasia Lip Liner.

Giorgio Armani Beauty Cheek Fabric Sheer Blush, $48, Sephora; Anastasia Beverly Hills

Modern Renaissance Eye Shadow Palette, $42, Sephora; Nars Fantasia Lip Liner, $22, Nars

3. Build Your Eye

To begin my eye look, I blended my blush, Giorgio Armani's Dolci, all over my lid, up through my crease, and smudged it along my bottom waterline as well. By utilizing my cheek color in my eye look, I'm creating a through line of reoccurring tones that will ensure my look remains monochromatic.

To create depth on my eye socket, I utilized my Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette. Using a flat brush, I applied the shimmering champagne shade, Vermeer, to the ball of my eye. Lighter and/or shiny shades bring the center of the eye forward. I also popped a tiny bit of Vermeer to the inner corner to brighten up the naturally dark tones that exist there.

For heightened contrast, I added a shadow two shades deeper in the same color family, in my case Realgar from the Modern Renaissance Palette, to the outer corners of my eyes, blending in tiny circular motions until no harsh lines or patches were visible. The darker orange at the outer corners gives my eye socket more depth and slightly cheats my naturally downturned eyes upwards.

What goes up must come down. I smudged Realgar into my bottom lashline, starting at the outer corner, using less and less as I worked toward the inner corner of the eye. I blended Dolci on top to soften the edges.

To finish up my eye, I applied the tiniest bit of Marc Jacobs Highliner in Blacquer to my upper waterline. I made sure to tightline, getting the liner right into the lashes, rather than above them. I liberally applied Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir mascara to my upper and lower lashes. Finally, I adhered a pair of false lashes from Kiss to mimic Kylie's flirty lash look.

Marc Jacobs Highliner in Blacquer, $25, Sephora; Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Mascara, $26, Sephora

4. Apply Your Blush

Using a fluffy brush, I applied the same Giorgio Armani Dolci blush I used on my eyes to my cheeks. I started at the apples and swept upward into my hairline, working in light, sheer layers. If you have trouble finding the apples of your cheeks, smile and apply to the higher points of the protrusion. You can even utilize and eyeshadow for this step as long as it's a shade you already used in your eye look. The blush and eye need to be tied together for the monochromatic color scheme have an impact. During this step, I also applied my Vermeer shadow as a highlight, using my finger to tap the shimmer onto the high points of my cheeks, down the center of my nose, and above my Cupid's bow. The shimmer softens the look and allows my heavily baked skin to appear soft and supple rather than dry and cakey.

5. Layer On Your Lips

Now I'm no Kylie, but I am pretty handy with a lipliner. Using my NARS Fantasia pencil, I overdrew my top and bottom lips by lining just outside of my natural lip line. Personally, I like to begin lining my lips at the center working outwards because it allows me to control the symmetry, especially when adding fullness. After I lined my lips, I filled in the entire lip with the pencil before adding my GlamGlow Plumprageous Matte Lip Treatment on top. You can use a bullet or liquid lipstick for this step as long as the color matches your overall scheme. If you're not sure, swatch the eyeshadows, blush, and lip color on your hand. If they all look relatively similar, you've chosen a perfect lip color.

GlamGlow Plumprageous Matte Lip Treatment, $24, Sephora

Add any finishing touches you may need before basking in the beauty that is your new, Kylie-friendly monochromatic look.

Follow these five easy steps and you'll be just as kool as Kylie. Monochromatic looks are an easy way to look clean and put together without exerting too much effort. Just make sure you take a thousand selfies before wiping it off.

Images: Author's Own