It seems like every summer needs one of the trends to be about sunkissed skin and bronze shades. With "discrete" and "effortless" being some of the key elements in this summer's bronzed look, this trend is very different from the other two trends I've written about; Dye-A-Tribe and Pale 'n' Dandy.
What I like about American Nomad, is that even though it focuses on tanned skin, it's more about that "surfer girl" feel than a girl who has been lying in the tanning bed all winter. Not that natural is always better (hey, I rarely go for natural makeup!), but when it comes to tanned skin, I much prefer to keep too dark foundations and too much bronzing powder out of the way!
When I first heard about this trend, it was in a video about MAC trends, and there was an interview with an artist working on a fashion show, who said:
"We do almost nothing on the models, but we do MAC nothing, which is a lot!"It really bugs me that I don't remember who said it, but I haven't been able to find the video and I only wrote down the quote and not who said it.
Keep reading to see my thoughts and advice on the MAC American Nomad trend! :)
Runway or everyday?
Is this trend actually wearable or is it just for the runway?
As with any trend, you can feel free to use the parts that you like and stay away from the parts that you don't care for.
This is one of those trends that look natural but amazing on some and easily look a bit too made up on others.
It's no secret that I'm pretty pale, and all the bronzed, sunkissed skin has never really been my thing. I think an easy, smudgey, bronze smokey eye would be my favorite look to do with this trend - not so much the bronzed skin ;)
But hey, I'm all about experimenting and trying new things, so I'll do a look inspired by this trend, and we'll see how I look in bronzed makeup, haha!
Tips on how to pull off the American Nomad trend:
- If you're pale, like me, add a little color at a time! Bronzer is your friend, but if you add too much, it shows :/
- Shading your face is another great way to add some color without painting your whole face darker than you actually are ;)
- If you're already blessed with darker skin, try highlighting your face with golden colors. That's going to give you an amazing glow! If you want a natural look, avoid products with too much shimmer and glitter.
- Bleeeeending is your friend! If you want all those bronzey shades to look "effortless" and "discrete" like the trend says, remember to blend. It doesn't have to be perfectly blended, but try to avoid any harsh lines. Sometimes, smudging the color is enough, and you definitely don't need to spend hours blending your eyeshadow.
- Keep your skin hydrated. Making makeup look natural is always easier when your skin is well moisturized. Don't forget your lips and eye area!
Product Suggestions
MAC usually makes a list of product suggestions with their Trends, but it looks like they've already been taken down from the US site, so I'll just list some product suggestions of my own! ;)
- Creme products are great if you want a more natural look, so they'll work wonders if you're trying to achieve this look. I love MAC Creme Color Bases on eyes, lips and cheeks! Shades like Pearl, Hush, Shell and Bronze all work well, depending on your skin tone.
- Use soft eyeliner pencils to shade the eyes. They're easy to blend and gives a really nice effect. You can add a powder eyeshadow on top, or just leave it as is. I like MAC Eye Kohls and Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner pencils.
- Self tanner can be a good idea if you're pale but longing for that sunkissed look. I have honestly never used any self tanning products, besides the MAC Skinsheens(which is more like makeup than self tanner, really), so that's the only product I can recommend.
- I really like to use liquid brozing products for a more natural look rather than powdery. I loved the MAC Lustre Drops when they were released with the Style Warriors collection last year, and they're coming back this summer! Yay! :) They look gorgeous on the cheeks but work well mixed with foundation too.
- Concealer is a great idea, if you want to cover up any imperfections without having to use a heavy foundation all over your face. I love MAC Moisturecover and Benefit Erase Paste for a natural look.
- Using creme eyeshadows, or even just soft eyeliner pencils, instead of regular eyeshadows, is a great way to easily shade your eyes without it looking too powdery. I prefer ones without too much shimmer or glitter for this look.
I'll have a tutorial up for this look pretty soon, so look out for that :)
Comment time!
- What are your thoughts on this trend?
- Do you ever follow trends?
- Which parts of this trend would you copy and which would you leave on the runway?
