Go-To Male Makeup Routine with Giorgio Armani
My background in the beauty industry started over 15 years ago, at the age of 19. I started off as a freelance artist before going on to work for some of the leading global cosmetic brands before becoming the National Educator for Giorgio Armani Beauty Australia. I’ve been lucky enough to have some wonderful experiences in my career including traveling overseas to participate in international seminars, sharing best practices and working at the Australian Mercedes-Benz Fashion week.
Beauty to me means being your authentic self, whether that is bare skin, natural “no-makeup” to full glam, runway ready.
Put simply, beauty is whatever you want it to be and it starts from the inside out!
Those who know me are very aware of my love for travel and all things Europe, especially Eurovision!
My dream makeup gig would be to travel to Europe to do makeup for some of the contestants at the Eurovision song contest. Not even kidding...
My experience in the industry has inspired me to create a basic men’s makeup routine that shows men how to apply male makeup.
This routine evens out my skin tone and any problem areas with just enough coverage that it still looks real.
It’s also not just for men, I use this routine anytime I need to be on camera for a Zoom meeting or anytime I want to look more awake!
How to Apply Makeup for Men:
Step 1: Skin Prep
Before any makeup hits this canvas; I like to give my skin some much needed loving! Taking this step now is essential to long lasting makeup that still looks good after a few takes on the old camera.
First up, I apply about 2-3 drops of the Giorgio Armani Prima Smart Moisture Serum 30mL to freshly cleansed skin. The dropper applicator makes this super easy to control so there is no waste.
The Giorgio Armani Prima Smart Moisture Serum 30mL is a hydrating serum that contains Hyaluronic acid, which gives my skin loads of much-needed hydration and keeps my skin looking plump and fresh all day. It also contains Crimson Seaweed Extract, adding radiance and antioxidant protection. Best of all, it smells divine!
The texture of this product is lightweight and absorbs into my skin quickly, which is great when I am in a rush (as always).
Step 2: Daily Moisturiser
My go to daily moisturizer is our crown jewel of Giorgio Armani Beauty, the Giorgio Armani Crema Nera Extrema Supreme Reviving Cream. Perfect for morning or night-time use and ideal to use before makeup application.
It contains a blend of volcanic minerals, which help give my skin a luxuriously soft feel. My face always feels incredibly smooth, well hydrated and glowing after using this product.
Apply a few dots of Giorgio Armani Crema Nera Extrema Supreme Reviving Cream to areas of the face and blend in gently to the skin. Don’t forget to take it down the neck area too.
Step 3: Depuff and Brighten
Unfortunately, I suffer majorly from under eye darkness! The dreaded combination of genetics and a terrible sleeping pattern certainly does not help matters.
The skin around the eye area is much thinner than the rest of the face, so it needs a little more love and attention. The Giorgio Armani Prima Eye & Lip Contour Perfector is a versatile product, designed to help combat those early morning signs of tiredness but also helps prep the lips too.
Apply a pea sized amount of Giorgio Armani Prima Eye & Lip Contour Perfector for both eyes and lovingly blend it onto the orbital bone and through the eye socket using the ring finger. The formula blends easily into the skin and leaves no residue so you can apply any product or concealer soon after.
It contains Buckwheat Wax, an ingredient that aims to help reduce the appearance of puffiness under the eyes (love this for me). Over time, the addition of Haloxyl will help to minimize dark circles and improve elasticity of the skin around the delicate eye area.
Step 4: Skin like chartreuse silk
The Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation is the original hero product of Giorgio Armani Beauty and has been loved by all for over 20 years. A staple foundation of celebrities, Makeup artists and consumers alike, it’s formula has remained unchanged to this day.
What I love about this foundation is the lightweight texture and ability to even out my complexion without feeling too heavy. Luminous silk gives the skin the most perfect “no makeup” finish to the skin that looks radiant, hydrated and most importantly, real!
I like to apply a few dots of Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation to my face and blend away with my fingertips using a tap and blend motion. I find the warmth of my fingertips allows me to press the foundation into my skin for a sheerer more natural finish.
The foundation is buildable so when I do need or want more coverage, I like to apply using a traditional style foundation brush to build up the coverage quickly.
Step 5: Combat dark circles
To help combat the dark circles under my eyes, I like to use the Giorgio Armani Power Fabric Concealer The formula has a flexible, velvet-matte finish which makes it perfect for concealing my under eye darkness and stays put all day.
When my skin is looking not so fresh, I'll also add a dash around my nose, forehead or any nasty spots that may have popped up.
The doe foot applicator makes it easy to deposit the product precisely. I use a combination of fingertip and brush to apply, tapping in the majority of the product with my fingertip and then using an angled eye brush to diffuse the product into my skin for a flawless finish.
Makeup Tip For Men: Power Fabric is a full coverage concealer, so for those days that I don’t want to wear foundation, I still like to mix the concealer in with some of my Giorgio Armani Crema Nera Extrema Supreme Reviving Cream for a custom tinted moisturizer effect.
Step 6: Soft Contour
To finish off the routine, I like to add warmth and a soft contour using the Giorgio Armani Neo Nude Fusion Powder. What makes this powder so incredible is its ability to melt into the skin for a flawless finish that looks real and doesn’t sit on the skin like some powders can.
You can use the Giorgio Armani Neo Nude Fusion Powder as a highlighter, contour, bronzer or all over finishing powder. I like to keep more of a dewy finish to my base but still want to give shape and warmth to my complexion.
Using a medium size fluffy powder brush, I like to apply a shade of the Giorgio Armani Neo Nude Fusion Powder 2-3 shades darker than my complexion, using soft circular motions, framing the face wherever I need to add a touch of warmth to the skin.
The Giorgio Armani Neo Nude Fusion Powder is also refillable which is great for the sustainably conscious person like myself.
Makeup Tips For Guys:
- Look after your skin and it will look after you. If I could go back in time, I would tell my younger self "stop using that body wash to cleanse your face!"
- I used to be the kind of person who would never use moisturiser because I have oily skin, so why would I need too, right? Wrong. Many people with oily skin don’t realise that moisture is exactly what they need to regulate sebum production and keep your oils at bay.
- The best beauty advice I ever received was to use targeted skin care that addressed the skin concerns I have rather than an “all in one” product. There’s also nothing wrong with investing in a solid grooming routine.
