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Flattering the face?

Maya

Veteran

We talk a lot about flattering the body here, and I'm not sure how relevant this is, but I often wonder about flattering the face. I get my eyebrows threaded regularly, but other than that, I feel like I really neglect my face and it sometimes makes me feel less than fab. It reminds me of seeing the people on WNTW when they are wearing fabulous new clothes, but haven't yet gone to get their hair and makeup done--it just looks off.

I don't wear makeup. I have tried, but I never manage to commit myself to it. I'm bad at picking colors for myself, and I have never been that happy with the way "experts" do me up. Some of you might remember I really tried, and thought I had found success a few times...but for various reasons, things didn't work out, and I just got frustrated and gave up. For some reason it's much easier for me to work with clothes. I guess because they're not literally on my face or supposed to blend in. I want to try and pick myself up again and give it another go. I have a feeling if I found a look and products that I was really happy with, I would be more likely to maintain the effort.

I'm also just generally clueless about things like what hairstyles suit different face shapes and features, and how my necklines and clothes interact with my face and features. I have large features--especially in proportion to the size of my face--and I often feel the opposite way of Scarlet--that I have way more face than hair. I also have a really unflattering chin line, and sometimes wonder if there is anything I can or should be doing about that (plastic surgery aside, which is obviously not something I'm considering).

I'm not moping or saying I hate how I look or anything. i just feel like when I compare how much time and effort I put into getting dressed and flattering my body, I really neglect my face a lot.

General

35 replies

Latest reply was from Cilleena

yardshark

Ya know, it has struck me too that a lot of fashion sites and blogs focus on EITHER clothes or makeup, but not both...

I will recommend YouTube makeup tutorials for inspiration. I find it hard to remember all the techniques I can use, so every so often I'll just go find a look on there I like and use it as a jumping-off point.

Also, makeup...I don't feel a need to spend a lot on higher-end brands, but some level of quality IS important. Look for lower-end brands that get good reviews for "color payoff" and try out a few new colors just for fun.

It's true that it can be hard to know what will look good at first. It takes some experimentation I think. If you're not very experienced at doing it, a palette that comes with already harmonious tones is a good place to start.

Megan

You might like this product Maya. It's an Australian thing that I couldn't find a US stockist for but this site ships internationally.

http://www.ry.com.au/invisible.....-4369.html

It's amazing. I have very oily skin and makeup tends to slide off by mid morning (even with primer) but this stuff + a brushing of translucent powder stays on ALL day. It blends well and is super easy to apply. There's only 3 colours to choose from (light, medium or dark) so it makes it quite easy. I found the light to be a good match for my skin but I'm very fair. It also has very high sun protection.

I'm a 5 min make up girl- I moisturise after my shower (with oil controlling moisturiser) then it's invisible zinc + light dusting of powder, a light blush or cheek tint, mascara and clear lip balm.

I like this powder for it's anti shine properties http://www.everydayminerals.co.....-fair.html

taylor

Veteran

I realised at a very young age the power of make up by playing with my mothers...wow, mascara adds miles and definition to lashes and eyes... a little foundation evens out my tone..powder makes my skin look flawless and .much less sallow, blush is my friend etc, etc. I make no apologies for wearing make up...I don't pretend to be a natural beauty.

Unless one is blessed with the perfect skin tone, eye contrast and brows that are perfect, color in the cheeks and ruby lips...you know the typical child's complexion ...most women benefit from a little help with cosmetics...more so as one gets older..Make up is my friend And no need to drop hundreds at the cosmetic counter...the drugstore offers everything you need.

Again, Make up, hair and wardrobe...the total look, they all go hand in hand

ticksgirl

Maya, FWIW, what I've seen of your face seems very soft and pretty, and if there's anything wrong with your chin it isn't readily apparent. I also have large-ish features for the size of my face--strong features--and for that reason I've never liked the look I ended up with when I've had my makeup professionally done. They always seem to pile on too much and it ends up looking too hard and almost masculine. I've found that for me, a good eyeliner and bronzer (or blush) go a long way and don't take much time to apply. You're young and probably don't really need much more than that anyway.

Maya

Veteran

Oh, I don't claim to be above makeup. I just claim to be inept at it, which is true :p Taylor, I don't know what exactly your makeup routine is, but you are a beauty and that would clearly be the case even if you had nothing on!

I feel like I have been bogged down so much by what is "supposed" to look good on me and it is overriding my better judgment. Maybe I just need to wipe a clean slate and listen to my instincts and tune out all the noise.

Through sheer chance I found this:

http://coloradoaveda.com/blog/.....look-1.bmp

She has pretty similar coloring to mine, and has on all Aveda products with the exact shades listed. I have used that as a guide with some changes, so I'm going to place an order and see what I come up with. I have liked Aveda products in the past.

I used to wear makeup in college and must have been good at it because I remember getting compliments. Then somewhere along the line I fell off the wagon. I don't know what happened!

Mamapicklejuice

Veteran

I was thinking the same thing when I discovered Sarah's blog (Daily Sophisticate) in one of the YLF threads...you mentioned that her makeup was always flawless and you were so right. And I went to look at my own makeup application...ehhhh...I almost feel like I'm too old to learn now...

taylor

Veteran

Maya,You are way too nice:)
I swear to you I am not even close to looking like what you see in my posts . I am one of those~ before and after ~type people. Make up does alot for me:)

Some people don't look too different with make up and I totally get the ...why bother with it if the difference in minor. The difference is major for me...Like when you see celebs without make up and they are barley recognizable:)
I would love to leave the house without make up and the fear of sending children screaming into their mothers arms...ok, maybe not that bad, but you get the idea:)

I also have a small narrow face and rather large features.....

Sally

Veteran

Funny you should mention it...I'm going through the same thing myself. I feel recently I have put a lot of effort into clothes but need to look at the other finishing touches. I used to wear makeup in college too and was good at it. Slowly I got busy and bored and there were lifestyle changes where I couldnt see the point. Now I'm slowly going back to wearing makeup again but like you I feel like I need to be educated again. I am impressed by those on the site like Sarah, Kari, Taylor (and heaps of others who have impeccable hair and makeup). I decided that that is my immediate goal. I've booked in for a hair cut and colour, eye lash tint and eyebrow tidy next week. I'm making a commitment to myself to wear more make up and keep my hair nice this year just because I feel better when I put the effort in.

Maya

Veteran

Well Taylor, if you have a similar face (I could only be so lucky...), maybe a makeup lesson can be on our to-do list when we meet someday

I just placed my Aveda order, and somehow I feel more excited about it than I have in the past about makeup purchases. I got:

-blue eyeliner. seemed more fun than black.
-rosey blush
-berry colored lipgloss/stick (it's gloss in a stick formula, so it's light but non-gooey).
-concealer, which I never considered before but I could probably use it

I also finally accepted that I have no tolerance for liquid formulas so I got a powder. Since I have used their powder in the past, think it will work out much better for me. Plus it is portable and I can use it on the go if need be, which means even if I have no time in the morning, I can swipe it on easily later on and do so throughout the day, as needed.

And nothing is tested on animals.

I think I just feel more confident about my purchase this time, and therefore more likely to maintain a routine.

Sarah was actually the one to really prompt these thoughts, btw. I aspire to that but definitely come up short.

Scarlet

Veteran

Ha ha, You are SUPPOSED to have more face than hair! At least from the front.

Maya, I think because you have large features and are young you wouldn't be as "enhanced" by make up as much. To some extent I feel that way about myself--I have big eyes, dark eyelashes, and naturally red lips, but I know exactly what you mean. I have started to wear a little make-up every day because it makes me feel more professional and polished. It is partly environmental too. When I was home in New England in December I was struck by how little make-up most young women wore, which is definitely not the case here.

About two years ago I had a similar epiphany--someone sat down across from me in the morning light (who is now my friend). She was wearing just foundation, subtle eye shadow, and mascara, but it looked so light and pretty. I thought, now why the heck can I not bother to do that with myself? I think she probably thought the same thing because I notice now whenever I wear a little make-up she compliments me and whenever I am too frazzled to bother she says nothing. Like training a dolphin.

Theresa

(website)

Veteran

Good Luck with those products Maya! I hope they work - I remember reading about your troubles with make up.

Leaving the face and hair undone has been something I've done until, well, the past 12 months, so I can relate to forgetting the face.

I can't pick colours for myself and I know some make up sales people have sold me stuff that would look good on THEM, not ME! I still don't wear lipstick on an everyday basis, despite wanting to, because I haven't found a nice shade that I like and seems to suit me.

Its only been recently that I learned how to do the very basic make up stuff, and it really is remarkable the difference it makes - my skin has pigmentation issues, redness in my cheeks, as well as acne scarring, so even just a tinted moisturiser makes one heck of an improvement.

If you get that make up lesson with Taylor, let me know and I'll stow-away and meet you because I could do with that lesson too

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Hair, skin, brows and lips - in that order. Must wear mascara.

Maya

Veteran

Angie, I'm going to disagree on the mascara part. I have naturally dark, long, thick lashes, and I have learned not to mess with a natural gift. All mascara ever did for me is make them gooey and clumpy. For my purposes a bit of soft, smudged liner just on the top lid only was much more effective. Hmm, maybe I am not as clueless as I thought.

Funny everyone is mentioning my (relative) youthfulness. I actually think that's part of the reason I *should* start wearing makeup. I look too young! Everyone is shocked when they find out I'm coming up on 27 rather than my senior year of college.

Kate

Veteran

Fascinating, I feel like I've always been concerned with flattering my face. My mom showed my sister and me her "color me beautiful" book when we were young and my best friend in elementary school (who was far more girly than I) got her mom to sign us up for a day long class on how to apply make-up when we were in 5th grade.

In terms of wearing flattering clothes, it wasn't until the end of college that I learned that crew necks made my neck look super short, and started paying attention to how the cut of my clothes flattered my face. Honestly, I still think more about how colors work with my face than how the cut of the clothes do, but certainly pay attention to how different necklines work for my short neck.

It's amazing how little makeup is needed to make a big difference. I had a substantial collection of various lancome samples my mom had given to me over the years, plus a couple of things I had bought for myself, but I recently donated them to a women's shelter (via freecycle) and started new with organic, crueblty free, non-toxic makeup. I now have: brown eyeliner, plum eyeliner, 4 shades of tan to brown eyeshadow, blush, powder foundation, a palette compact (with brown, nude, pink, and bronze colors), and a lip pencil. And lip balm. And a brush set (http://www.walgreens.com/store.....sku3852329). These products are all that I need for any occasion, no matter how casual or fancy.

Maya, I'm with you on mascara. I like the color and thickness of my eyelashes as is, so I don't bother with mascara anymore.

For anyone on the market for new makeup products, I highly recommend checking out http://www.makeupalley.com/. They have TONS of great reviews, and for skin and hair products too! To check for chemicals and ethics, try http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ and http://www.goodguide.com/.

There are a lot of makeup videos on youtube, but most of them use so much more product than is necessary. I think using too much makeup and too many colors can also make a person look younger, so I stick to a more natural color palette and apply lightly.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

And when I apply the right mascara to your beautiful lashes Maya, you will think differently - and get used to the look. Penelope Cruz has lashes like you do - always wears mascara, always looks beautiful.

Kari

Veteran

Maya, what stands out the most about your face to me is your large, mournful eyes and perfectly shaped brows, so maybe the advantage of having larger features and a narrower face is that you don't have to rely on makeup to accentuate the features that tend to disappear on the rest of us.
I look forward to seeing how your experiments with the Aveda line go, though. I have never used their makeup, but had great luck with their sensitive skin care line when I was an incredibly acne-prone teen - and I also love their licorice spice tea.

Most days, I cannot leave the house without full mineral powder foundation/concealer/translucent powder. I am too insecure about the blemishes, discoloration, scarring, and large pores to go out bare-faced*. I have grown pretty skilled at doing makeup on myself, though I think I'd be hopeless on someone with a very different skin type. This is basically all I do, though I occasionally play with eyeshadow (particularly for evening looks) since I've accumulated a variety of different fun colors as gifts. I do wear mascara despite having long lashes, but I use a chocolate brown shade and just apply one coat, so it's not overwhelming.

*That being said - since I've started swimming again lately, my skin is looking clearer and has less blemishes. Perhaps the chlorine is just adding an extra zap to the surface blemish issues beyond what my skin care products can do?

Maya

Veteran

Scarlet, let me explain something that might make you feel better: You see, when you have thick full hair, you can always cut the bulk out. But when you have thin, limp hair, there is nothing you can do to add to it. You just have to live with it.

Having large features is a mixed bag for me. I like having big eyes, but I'm not crazy about having a prominent nose. I also got told twice recently that I have large lips and I don't know what to think of that. I never thought of myself as having full lips, but one of the people who told me this was my dad--and he is utterly clueless and oblivious to that kind of stuff. He said, specifically, I had lips like Angelina Jolie, which is a gross overstatement, but still surprised me. I always thought of my lips as being neither here nor there and never really paid much attention to them.

Angie, Penelope and I have slightly different lifestyles. I'm sure I'd wear mascara if I were being chased by paparazzi and making red carpet appearances, but I have decided to hold off on that :p

Kari, FWIW I wouldn't know you struggle with your skin based on your pictures. You always look perfectly polished.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Well when the paparazzi starts chasing you Maya, we have a mascara date.

Kari

Veteran

Thanks, Maya. I guess I've learned the art of self-disguise over time. If I can fool people into thinking I have flawless skin, that's almost as great as actually having it!

I hear you about feeling self-conscious about strong features, especially when people comment on them. Sometimes comments that are intended to be harmless stick with you in a negative way. When I was a teenager, in that awkward, gangly, overgrown-puppy stage (and overly sensitive), my grandma commented out of the blue "You know, someday you'll grow into your nose." I had no idea I had a large nose and was absolutely mortified about it for years afterwards, and I still really dislike the shape from the side.

(My grandma truly was a sweet person and didn't meant to say anything hurtful - she just occasionally had a habit of saying things that came out in a funny way. She was also the one who kindly introduced to me to Aveda when my acne issues were at their peak.)

crazyone

Veteran

I wish I knew more about this as well. Like Maya, I'm clueless about hairstyles and face interaction, and makeup is something I've never been good at. In college I played with it a little bit, but beyond lips and to a lesser extent eyes I am no good at it. I can't seem to find a foundation that matches my skin well, for example. Also, like Scarlet mentioned, here in New England very few young women wear makeup, so I've mostly not even thought about wearing it on a day to day basis anymore, since no one around me does. But I have very imperfect skin so maybe I should...but bad makeup can actually make things look worse and I want to avoid that.

crazyone

Veteran

and of course, I'm another person in the strong featured, large nosed club...the large eyes and lips I've always liked, the nose not so much.

Louise

Veteran

I really should wear make up I do look better with it but like you struggle with colours and application x

Kyle

Veteran

Maya, I am no expert, but these are my observations. I always try to play to my strengths, so I'd make your eyes the focus of any makeup routine. Start with Perfect brows, which you seem to have covered, a moderate amount of eyeliner below eye at least (preferably black), curled lashes and, yes, a bit of mascara. I like Blinc because it never smudges and comes off with water. If you want, add a subtle highlight under your brow. A quick sweep of powder foundation to even out your complexion, a little rosy blush, and a natural lip stain or light gloss. You are a natural beauty and that's all you need, but it will elevate your entire look, in my opinion. Also, I like the way you are wearing your hair. The softness is flattering.

Maya

Veteran

Kyle, did you mean Blinc washes out with water or NEVER washes out with water? The sentence structure left me confused! I cannot have anything that isn't waterproof, and the waterproof varieties I have tried really don't work for me. I have dry eye and need to be mindful of anything I put on, in, or near my eyes. One of the reasons I'm reluctant to wear mascara is because even waterproof formulas that work for most people will still smudge and flake when I put my drops in (I need to do this multiple times a day in winter and once or twice a day in summer). I wear contacts as well so if I get a flake of mascara in my eye, it is pretty painful and can even lead to an infection. By contrast, liner tends to just sit on my skin and not affect my eyes.

On top of that I avoid animal-tested products. So you see, it will have to be a serious miracle product for me to even consider using it. It just isn't worth it. I don't feel like it really makes a difference to me, and I am not going for glamor or supreme beauty anyway. I wear makeup to "clean up" my features more than "play up" my features.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Good luck in your endeavor! FWIW, I too have stronger features on a thin face although I have plenty of hair to go around. I wore makeup through middle and high school and then just sort of stopped in my 20's and early 30's unless I was going out at night. It's kind of odd because I was face to face with hundreds of people every day waitressing but that's precisely when I stopped wearing anything.
Then in my mid to late 30's I started again, mostly just with mascara but then with mineral powder foundation, which is a blessing for those who don't like heavy product! I still hardly ever wear lip color, which I should. I've read that lips thin with age, and I can attest to feeling mine were too big at 18 but they feel fine to me now. Could be the aesthetic has just changed to suit me though [shrug]. Also, just this last month or two, I started trying blush again. I have a VERY narrow face with a large nose and blush never seemed to work or go in the right place. I got a color that looks so bright in the case it would scare a clown! but sheerly put on the apples it wakes me up and looks youthful. Of course you *are* youthful so you don't need that edge. Anyway, now I'm rambling. . . I wear makeup now but very lightly and most people wouldn't notice I am until they were to see me without. A little bit 5 min in the mornings can go a long way!

Marley

Veteran

Maya - I'd start out slow - maybe with just some powder, blush and lip stain or gloss. Just play with it. Make it a fun experience, instead of something you stress or worry about. Or -(from pics I've seen of you, I think you have beautiful eyes) - you may want to just smooth the look of the eye out a bit - black or dark brown or navy eyeliner - highlighter on the brow bone - and if you can find waterproof masacar that you like, I'd give it a go. I too have long eye-lashes and I always have to watch out that when I put mascara on my lashes that the mascara doesn't rub off on my browbone or underneath my eyes - I use a combination of some of the lancome waterproof types - they work for me. Good luck and have fun! I think it is worth putting some effort into finding some make-up that you are comfortable using - it really does make a difference in how one looks!

Kyle

Veteran

Blinc is not traditional because it creates ultra thin tubes over your lashes. It does not ever smudge like traditional mascara. Then when you wash your face it just washes off and looks like tiny spiders. No greasy or oily remover. I wear it with my single contact lens trouble free. Sounds like you are not interested in mascara, but this is my experience with Blinc.

Maya

Veteran

I'm just concerned that if it comes out with water, it will come out with my eyedrops.

I wear hard contacts that get replaced every few years, so it's a very different experience.

April

Veteran

Maya -- so funny, I was just thinking what fun it would be to have an expert makeup artist at the YLF clothing swap next weekend. Obviously I thought of it too late, but what made me think of it at all was sharing your reflection on WNTW: it's the makeup that pulls the whole look together.

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