Expert Eye and Lip Make-Up Tips for Daily Use
Perfect Your Mastery of Color for a Completed Look
Oct 23, 2009
Building on the tips discussed in Part I regarding foundation application, brush care, and perfect eyeliner results, this article will tackle the troublesome issues of color choice and long-last lipstick.
Most women learn make-up application from their mothers, aunts or sisters, picking up their habits and sticking with them for the long term—for better or for worse. Trying to correct an approach that may be wasting product, energy, or time (or just isn’t working very well) can be a difficult feat. Concentrating on six specific areas, this article details some useful techniques that will help avoid these wastes and lead to a better make-up application, day-in and day-out. All it takes is an open-mind and some good old practice.
Highlight Your Eyes with Color
Often the focal point of a woman’s face, the eyes can speak volumes about your make-up skill level. You can draw attention to or away from them with the simple swish of a brush. But choosing the wrong colors for your eyes or skin tone, or just applying the shadow poorly, can ruin your entire look.
- TIP #7: Complementing and subtly accentuating your eyes is a skill that starts with choosing the right color. For blue eyes, think taupe or golden colors. For green eyes, try purple or muted pink. Brown eyes are best with bronze and green accents. Start with those basic guidelines and find a color you love. Avoid baby or powder blues on just about any eye, since they’re difficult to blend well and can wash out your face. Bold, brilliant colors are in now anyway, like teal and gold.
- TIP #8: To really highlight your eyes, choose two colors in a coordinating shade or pre-packaged palette. Spread the light color across your lid and up to the brow bone. Using just the tip of your brush, dab the darker color into the crease of your eye from the outside corner of your lid until halfway across the middle. Using a separate brush, blend the darker color downward toward your lash line for a well-blended, deeper eye.
Lipstick Logic
A lipstick that lasts all day is the Holy Grail of cosmetics. With a few handy tips, however, you can get extra mileage out of just about any lipstick or lip gloss in your cosmetic arsenal.
- TIP #9: Start with a lip liner as close to your natural lip color as possible. Outline your natural lip shape and then fill in your lips, providing an even base coat. Applying a lipstick or lip gloss right on top of that matted base will give you longer wear.
- TIP #10: If you’d like to go even farther for better wear, try improving the lips themselves. Pick up a lip exfoliator, which you simply spread on the lips, smudge around and tissue off. Exfoliating beads will remove dead skin build-up from your lips, allowing for a smoother and longer-lasting application.
Overdoing the Blush
It’s great that women no longer have to pinch their cheeks to get that healthy glow, but wearing too much blush is a big no-no. Before you transfer the blush on that brush to your cheek, always take a moment to tap it over the sink once or twice. Once your brush is ready, make sure you know where to aim it.
- TIP #11: Hold the brush at an angle and start at the apple of your cheek. If you don’t know where that is, suck in your cheeks and look for your cheekbones. Start there and brush just slightly upward, just to the side of the bottom of the eye. All you need is one or two upward swishes, and then move on to the other side. In terms of blush, less is more.
- TIP #12: Choosing the right undertone to your blush can complete your entire look. Start by selecting a blush that works with your skin tone. When you’re ready to explore new color options, try to find one that also shares an undertone with your most commonly worn eye shadow or lipstick. Coordinating a violet or rose hue throughout the face gives the skin a healthy boost and looks great. If you’re lost, visit a make-up counter and ask for advice. They’ll be only too happy to match up a new look for you!
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