Getting Prepped for That Big Interview! Office Makeup Look with Estee Lauder

Is it me, or does it seem like everybody is switching jobs lately?  It definitely feel like the year for changes, and these few months in particular feel like interview season.  So, with that in mind, I thought I’d share with you an office makeup look that I’ve been wearing for interviews lately, complete with tips for connecting with the interviewer!

Before I jump into today’s post, I thought I’d give you an update. I recently left my job after 5.5 years, which wasn’t an easy decision because I had grown to know the job so well I could have done it in my sleep (my boss’ words) and have time left over to myself.  But it got to a point where I dreaded going to work to face a bunch of self-serving idiots, and coming home every night pissed off.  In the end, I decided life is too short, and all the money in the world was not worth my happiness. Perhaps someday I’ll write an article on life lessons I’ve learnt from the workplace (aka buffoonery and the idiosyncrasies of men) if anyone is interested.  So, before gearing up for the next chapter, I’m taking some time off to spend with my lil man at home.  And I have to say, I have the greatest respect now for SAHM!  Guys, watching a yet-to-be 3-year-old toddler all day, being his personal entertainer, safety supervisor, emotional coach, chauffeur, chef, cleaner, etc… is seriously no joke.  I’ve still yet to find my groove, so blog posts will be intermittent for now.  I’m also planning a big giveaway soon to celebrate my birthday so stay tuned!

Back to today’s topic, whilst I’ve been merrily sporting all sorts of technicolor makeup on a regular work day (because I’d gotten to the point of I-don’t-care), I realised a change to more neutral shades was required for interviews.  The look I am going for is professional, immaculate, sophisticated but not trying too hard.  I used a few items from Estee Lauder, but this is not meant to be a product review, so feel free to substitute with something similar from your own stash!

One hazard of staying home all day – non-stop bingeing on sweets!! That’s a slice of home-made (read: me-made!) tiramisu in case you’re wondering!

For the base: I’d go with something with more coverage, to get that immaculate, well put-together look.  I really like Estee Lauder Futurist Aqua Brilliance Liquid Makeup [reviewed here].  Of course, if you have flawless skin, you may not need as much coverage.  But I feel the choice of finish is important here.  Personally, I prefer something with a satin to matte finish rather than dewy.  I want my interviewer to be hearing what I have to say, rather than getting distracted by all the lights flashing off my skin.  Also, I never know if I’d have to be running through the door at the last minute and I really don’t want to worry about blotting before my interviewer steps into the room!

Interview Tip #1 – eliminate as many potential stress points as possible so that you can concentrate better and be less nervous!

For the eyes: For the purpose of a professional interview, I strongly suggest picking your eyes as your main focal point rather than the lips, the latter being more appropriate for date nights.  Unless you are interviewing for something in the creative industries, I suggest picking neutrals, although feel free to perk things up with some shimmer.  Personally, I cannot wear matte neutrals without a little bling or I will end up looking quite lifeless.  But of course, I don’t want my eyes to be reflecting disco balls and distracting the heck out of everybody.  I found Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Eyeshadow 5-Color Palette in Captivating Cocoa to be perfect in this instance.

To be honest, Captivating Cocoa is not a palette that would ordinarily draw my attention as it is entirely neutral and every shade has a shimmery finish.  But for some reason, this palette really works well on my lids.  The colors are all cool- to neutral-toned, soft and a dream to blend, sufficiently pigmented but easy enough to work with even with jittery hands!

When you break it down, Captivating Cocoa actually makes perfect sense – a medium-dark shimmery taupe, who doesn’t love that?  And since I’m going for something a little lighter handed, I chose the pale peach as my all over color, taupe on the outer half, and a dash of dark brown at the outer edge for some definition.  I used the pale shimmery ivory as a highlighter dabbed over the center of my lids to give dimension, and smudged some of the gold together with a bronze pencil along my lash line.

Interview Tip #2 – Draw your interviewer’s attention to your eyes and maintain good eye contact throughout!

For lips: I wanted a non-obtrusive shade that makes me look alive without making too much of a statement.  Again, here I picked something that lasts well, doesn’t bleed and doesn’t transfer to a drinking glass too much.  To complement Captivating Cocoa, I chose Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Shine in Heavenly.  Heavenly is a medium coral-pink with flecks of fuchsia in it… sounds quite attention-seeking but with its soft, semi-opaque, slightly sheer finish, it is actually a very pretty shade!

And to put it all together, here is the full look:

And if I had some extra minutes to spare before stepping into the interview, I may just freshen up my eye area with the Estee Lauder Double Wear Brush-On Glow.  Simply draw 2 figure “C”s around the outer and inner eye contour and blend [for a picture demo, hop on over here and scroll mid-way down!].

So, how do you like my office / interview makeup look?  Now wish me luck for the next chapter of my career!!