Nikol's basic face routine starts with lightweight skin prep, then uses Eye Primer to brighten lid pigmentation, Crème Brûlée as a quick eyeshadow, Volume Up Mascara applied at the lash base, color correctors to neutralize redness and darkness, BB Crème and Creamy Concealer for coverage, and a soft-set under the eyes before finishing with cream cheeks and a lip liner doubled as lipstick.
Key takeaways
- Hydrate and prep skin first so concealer and BB cream don't grab onto dry or flaky patches.
- Eye Primer alone can neutralize lid pigmentation and also works as a base under eyeshadow.
- A cream bronzer like Crème Brûlée can double as an easy, bronzy eyeshadow with one brush.
- Depositing mascara at the base of the lashes and wiggling the wand builds volume without clumping.
- Color correctors should match the issue: peachy for blue/dark tones, green-based for redness, deeper apricot for stubborn discoloration.
- Soft-setting only where under-eye makeup creases keeps the finish fresh instead of powdery.
Nikol's step-by-step routine
- Prep skin with a hydrating toner, a lightweight hydrating serum, and an eye cream, then apply SPF.
- Apply Eye Primer with a Concealer Brush from the base of the lash up to the brow bone, concentrating on the inner corner to erase pigmentation.
- Use Crème Brûlée with an angled brush directly on the lids as a quick bronzy eyeshadow.
- Curl lashes, then apply Volume Up Mascara at the base of the lashes with a wiggling motion to build volume without clumps.
- Swatch and apply color correctors — Just Peachy Color Corrector for blue/dark tones, No Redness Color Corrector for redness, and Simply Apricot for deeper discoloration — blending with a Foundation Buffing Brush or Concealer Brush.
- Apply BB Crème with the Foundation Buffing Brush over the color-corrected areas, buffing down the neck and lightly over the lips.
- Spot-treat any remaining dark areas with Creamy Concealer using the Concealer Brush.
- Soft-set under the eyes with Nikita Banana Brightening Powder using the Eyeshadow Blending Brush, only where needed.
- Add cream blush, bronzer, and highlighter from Classic Beach Glow with the Foundation Buffing Brush.
- Prep lips with Rose Lip Balm #100, then line and fill in lips using a WaterProof Lip Liner Pencil as both liner and lipstick.
- Dab Eye Brightener into the inner corners of the eyes for extra lift.
How should you prep your skin before a basic makeup look?
Nikol starts by cleansing with a toner, then applies a lightweight hydrating serum that she says does not compete with concealer or BB cream going on afterward. She follows with a light eye cream, keeping product away from the immediate lash line since her eyes are sensitive.
She stresses that hydrated skin is the real foundation: if skin is dry or flaking in spots, concealer and BB cream will grab onto those areas and look patchy. She finishes prep with SPF before moving into color.
How do you brighten under-eye and lid pigmentation with eye primer?
Using a Concealer Brush, Nikol applies Eye Primer from the base of the lashes up to the brow bone in a thin veil, going heavier into the inner corner where she says many mature women get a shadowed, bluish area near the nose.
She presses the product in rather than dragging it, building only where needed. On its own, this step brightens and neutralizes pigmentation enough that some people can skip everything else and still look put together.
Can you use a cream bronzer as eyeshadow?
Nikol uses Crème Brûlée, her hybrid bronzer, as a stand-in eyeshadow. With an angled blush brush made dense with product, she sweeps it directly over the lid for a bronzy, sun-kissed look.
She says this is a favorite summer trick because it needs no blending skill and still looks like a finished eye look without multiple shadow steps.
How do you apply mascara for volume without clumping?
After curling lashes, Nikol applies Volume Up Mascara by going to the very base of the lashes and wiggling the wand back and forth, depositing the bulk of the product there so it reads almost like a thin liner.
She recommends going slowly and intentionally rather than rushing, which she says prevents poking the eye or depositing mascara under the lash line. She also reminds viewers to replace mascara roughly every three months for eye health.
How do color correctors fix redness, darkness, and dullness?
Nikol swatches her three correctors: Just Peachy Color Corrector for lighter skin tones with blue or dark discoloration, No Redness Color Corrector (a green-based formula) for redness or rosacea-prone skin, and Simply Apricot for deeper or more stubborn muddy darkness, especially on deeper skin tones.
She applies No Redness around her nose and chin where she sees redness, and Just Peachy under the eyes and on scattered dark spots, buffing each in with a Foundation Buffing Brush or Concealer Brush so there's no visible product sitting on top of skin.
How do you apply BB cream and concealer for natural coverage?
Over her color-corrected skin, Nikol uses about a pump and a half of BB Crème, buffing it in with the Foundation Buffing Brush, bringing it down onto the neck and lightly over the lips to prime them.
She also demonstrates using Creamy Concealer as a spot treatment rather than an all-over foundation: dab it only where there's leftover pigmentation or darkness, then buff in with the Concealer Brush for a seamless finish without heavy coverage.
How do you finish the look with setting powder, cheeks, and lips?
Instead of powdering her whole face, Nikol does a soft-set only where her under-eye area creases, pressing Nikita Banana Brightening Powder in with the Eyeshadow Blending Brush, which she says won't pick up too much product the way a denser powder brush would.
For cheeks, she uses the cream blush, bronzer, and highlighter from Classic Beach Glow, applying bronzer along the top of the ear line down and pressing it into the blush for a blended, non-stripey finish. She preps lips with Rose Lip Balm #100, then uses a WaterProof Lip Liner Pencil to both line and fill in the lips as a complete lip color. She finishes by dabbing Eye Brightener into the inner corners of the eyes for extra lift.
Shop the look
Nikol uses Eye Primer, Concealer Brush, Crème Brûlée, Essential Makeup Brush Set. Explore the face collection for more of the pro-aging makeup she created for women over 40.
Frequently asked questions
What is the first step in Nikol's basic face routine?
She preps skin with a hydrating toner, a lightweight serum, an eye cream, and SPF before applying any color products.
How does Nikol keep mascara from clumping?
She applies Volume Up Mascara at the very base of the lashes and wiggles the wand back and forth to deposit product evenly, rather than dragging it through the tips.
Can a cream bronzer work as eyeshadow?
Yes, Nikol applies Crème Brûlée directly on her lids with an angled brush for a quick, bronzy eye look in place of traditional eyeshadow.
Which color corrector should I use for dark circles versus redness?
Just Peachy Color Corrector targets blue and dark tones, No Redness Color Corrector cancels redness, and Simply Apricot is for deeper or more stubborn discoloration.
Do you need to set concealer under the eyes?
Nikol only soft-sets the areas that actually crease, using Nikita Banana Brightening Powder with the Eyeshadow Blending Brush, instead of powdering the entire face.
Can a lip liner be used as a full lipstick?
Yes, after prepping with Rose Lip Balm #100, Nikol lines and completely fills in her lips with a WaterProof Lip Liner Pencil as her only lip color.
What's a lighter alternative to BB Crème?
Nikol mentions a Serum Foundation as a lighter-feeling, buildable option she likes for evenings, as an alternative to the more cream-textured BB Crème she used for this basic face.
What does Nikol suggest for puffy eyes or eye bags?
She mentions tools like a cooling eye roller and a stainless steel gua sha, along with a hydrating eye mask, as part of a de-puffing routine, in addition to general circulation techniques like gentle massage.
