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Makeup...

Steffi

The use of makeup is supposed to enhance what is already there not camoflage it. I also believe that makeup can make or break an outfit. What I mean is this. Most people I see in my day to day life use the same eye color, blush and lipstick. The use of natural color and what I mean by this is not overpowering color can add so much to your outfit. An example might be my main color is a espresso brown top, I'll wear orchid eyeshadow, violet blush and a dark brown liner but only on the top. It opens my eyes up so the "pop". Also I try not to match the color of makeup with the main color I'm wearing, having a knack for what colors look good together takes practice and a good eye. I have fun with my makeup and believe me I can go without it, but I love being a girl and all that goes with it. Style is about the whole package and makeup is a part of it!!

General

23 replies

Latest reply was from kimlee

shiny

Veteran

I've never been good with make-up. I've had makeovers throughout the years, bought all the recommended products, and yet I just can't get it right on my own. I admire people who can.

Blush looks too streaky or the color is odd or makes my chubby cheeks even more chubby looking. Eye shadow - my eyes are small and deep-set - I feel eye shadow - other than perhaps a streak of white right under the brow - makes them even more deep set looking; also by end of day it melts off or starts making my eyelids look crepey.

Mascara I'm usually inept with too: my eyelashes are super sparse but long. Nearly all mascara goes on clumpy or just looks awful and spidery (although I think I finally have that one solved and have found my perfect mascara at last). I have tried false eyelashes (my DD16 adores them) and not only did I glue my eye shut, once I got them on the right way, the lashes were tickling my eyelid (my eyes are small). So that experiment only lasted about an hour before I took them off!

In lieu of eye shadow, I have learned the beauty of keeping the brows well-groomed. But my brows are also awkward. Like my eyelashes, I don't have much eyebrow hair but it can grow freakishly long. Because there's not much hair yet the brows look bushy, they can easily get overplucked if my usual threading lady isn't working (sigh)... BUT if I try to grow them thicker they just end up bizarre looking. I was told to use brow pencil but I have not found one that looks natural. It's obvious I've tried to draw extra hairs on my brows and I just think that looks silly! Also I have been known to forget and rub my brow and end up with brow pencil smeared on my forehead.

Foundation: I tried the Bare Minerals stuff and it looked awful on me - dry looking? I like the foundation I'm using now, but I'm wondering if my skin is changing with age. Lately I've been noticing in my pics that I'm always shiny on my forehead. I have combo skin - parts can be super dry and parts can get shiny. Also lately you could drive a truck through the pores in my forehead and my nose, and yet when I use biore, nothing comes out. So big pores but clean ones.

Anyway, about 10 years ago, I just gave up on it and now stick to a simple routine:

- heavy-duty moisturizer (I'm using Lancome lately and I LOVE it!!)
- foundation where needed (mostly to even out the redness) - I use a tiny amount
- mascara, only on the top lashes and only one coat
- tinted lipgloss or lipstick (lips are best feature so I play these up and I am never without a hint of color on my lips)
- powder carried in purse to control shiny forehead

If I'm dressing up for a formal occasion, I may add powder eyeliner and put more trouble into the lipstick, but that's about it!

Here's a pic - if you have more advice, especially specific products, let me know!

http://s386.photobucket.com/al.....y18021.jpg

BlondeAmbition

Although makeup is important in helping accentuate your features, the biggest star is skin skin skin. As long as you take care of your skin it will hopefully take care of you. Of course we love getting glammed up for a big night out but nothing beats a fresh clean natural look. My must - haves are:

Tinted moisturizer
Concealer
Bronzer
Mascara
Tinted lip gloss

I use a bobby brown foaming cleanser every day, and an exfloriator a couple of times a wekk. My Mother uses a lotion cleanser and swears that she has never splashed water on her face. We both have pretty nice skin so whatever works for you. Other tips: Change your pillow cases every couple of days and wash your pillow every week. Your face spends a lot of time pressed into this drool post. Don't touch your face, don't pick at acne, and don't pull on your skin.

Moisturizer is important, SPF is a priority!!! These days I'm also using a tinted moisturizer because I'm sick of foundation. It's a good balance.

Concealer - bobby brown 2-step. Sometimes I only do 1 step for every day, 2 step for evening. Nothing glamorous about under eye circles.

Bronzer - I'm not a huge fan of blush but will use it if necessary. I opt to use bronzer every day, makes me look alive and healthy.

Mascara - I use clinique glossy black as it is the only mascara I've found that doesn't clump. I prep by dusting my eyelids with pressed powder first. Then of course curl them and apply only one coat.

Lips - I don't like my lips. They're nice I guess but tend to move around side to side when I talk and I'm conscious of them. So I tend to highlight them only with tinted moisturizers like Burt's Bees or a nice soft neutral color.

shiny

Veteran

Blonde, can you recommend a tinted moisturizer? I prefer to use that in the summer, but haven't found one that works all that great. Could use suggestions.

BlondeAmbition

I've only just started my quest for a good tinted moisturizer. I'm currently using Bobby Brown (that's where I always start and branch out from there.) It works pretty well but it's a bit heavy for me. Let me know what you find.

Have you ever thought instead of using powder for your forehead throughout the day to invest instead in those little oil absorbing tissues? It might be better for your skin to blot the oil away rather than cover it with powder.

shiny

Veteran

Hmm... I did try those once (long ago - they were giving out samples somewhere). Good suggestion. I confess I often forget to even use the powder. I always have it with me, I just forget. I only remember later - when my forehead shows up shiny in my YLF photos!

Kristen

(website)

Veteran

I love Laura Mercier's tinted moisturizers. In the summer, though, I go back to plain moisturizer and use bronzer instead. I honestly don't know why, I just like the look. *g*

Chris

Shiny - for a good inexpensive tinted moisturizer with nice coverage try the Wet N Wild from your drugstore. Honestly I like this better than any expensive brand (Laura Mercier, Armani, etc.).

I have somewhat oily skin and it has gotten fussier in my 40's (hormonal I guess) so skincare is huge for me!

Also, I use a primer under the tinted moisturizer or any foundation to set things. And always powder (I use MakeUpForever HD) and blot later in day or more powder.

Doing the basics - and highlighting your favorite feature gives more confidence to face the world.

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

Shiny- I use something from Avon called Magix that really controls my shinies. You can wear it alone, or under foundation, and it works great. That's actually my favorite product right now.
I use that, a little concealer (I like the new one from Neutrogenia that comes with a powder), and a loose mineral foundation as my base. I contour with some bronzer, hit the appes of my cheeks with a cream blush, and do a nude eye with brown liquid eyeliner on the top lid. Mascara and brows, and lip gloss and I am good to go.
I take care of my skin, but I think that less is more when it comes to that. I use a cold cream type of make up remover at night and moisturizer and eye cream. In the morning, I don't use a cleanser on my face- just water in the shower and more moisturizer with SPF. I do a facial once a week, but that's it.

Rather than buying a tinted moisturizer- try adding a little foundation to your regular moisturizer. It works great!

Michelle

(website)

Veteran

I admit to being a makeup luddite. I barely wear any ever, as I like to use natural skincare products and feel it would be counterproductive to then plaster on a bunch of makeup. There's this fantastic natural skincare line called Evan Healy, and it's truly natural, not natural in the Kiss My Face sense. :p It works wonders on my skin, even in dry Canadian winters, and it even earned me unsolicited praise from a Chanel makeup artist. That made my day! But I digress... When I do have to wear makeup, I keep it incredibly simple, both out of personal preferences and because a blind person attempting too much maquillage would be either high comedy or a total disaster depending on how you look at it! I have concealer to apply as needed and a few lipsticks and that's about it. If I'm going out, I will put on foundation and eye shadow. I took the time to find products that I can apply easily, so usually I go for a cream or liquid base rather than powder. Honestly even if I were sighted I think I'd do the same thing, i.e. meet with a makeup pro and have them pick out a small selection of products that are right for my colouring. I wish I could apply my own mascara, though. My lashes are long, but could likely be thicker. The other thing I need to do is get my brows plucked. I've never done that before in my life, mostly out of fear that they'd become too difficcult to maintain simply through touch, but I've been told a few times that it would do wonders for my look.

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

Michelle- have you heard of Threading?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threading_(epilation)

I do my own brows at home, but if I were going to get mine done I would try Threading rather than a wax. I think it's pretty reasonably priced, and you could probably do it once a month or so. Would your bf be willing to help with the upkeep? I used to do hubby's before we were married LOL

Michelle

(website)

Veteran

Khris, I'd never heard of that technique before, but it sounds intriguing; thanks for pointing it out! There's a fantastic salon very near me, and I'll find out if they do it or what eyebrow-shaping techniques they do use.

cyan45

threading is great! you need to find a good one, but when you do, the results are usually lovely--and cheaper than waxing...i found mine through yelp.com.

Sihaya

Veteran

I grew up with threading in India before coming to the U.S. Now I only do waxing. I far prefer waxing because the results last a lot longer.

Sihaya

Veteran

p..s Michelle - I go once a month to get my brows professionally waxed. I used to pluck a little bit in between but have now stopped doing that since I can inadvertantly botch the shape even though I'm sighted! So if you do decide to go this route, you can check and see if once a month will suffice to just go in and have it done. As a reference point, my hair grows pretty fast.

Louise

Veteran

Make sure you find a reputable therapist for threading, a friend of mine who's a beauty therapist says if not done correctly it just breaks the hairs above the root causing ingrown hairs x

bella

(website)

Veteran

Neither threading nor waxing is good for your eyebrows - and believe me when I say this because I come from a culture, where women have tried all sorts of methods for using unwanted hair from various parts of their bodies for centuries. The best method for shaping eyebrows is plucking them one by one with tweezers. It hurts more but it is good for you in the long term several reasons: a) less room for error b) it won't break your hair roots.

HannahC

Shiny - for your tinted moisturizer question - I like Paula Dorf, it is very subtle and holds nicely through the day. However, I really prefer Bare Minerals products. It requires a little bit of practice to get used to them , but they are truly great. The key point is that your moisturizer should be fully absorbed before applying their powder makeup, and you must use a large brush. Oh, and apply with a light hand, otherwise you risk a danger of looking like a corpse They also have the "mineral veil", which is, essentially, a powder, that is supposed to take care of the shiny forehead (nose, in my case) for the whole day. I haven't tried it yet, though.
One caveat: I don't use BareMinerals during the summer, because it is so hot that my face is never sufficiently dry to apply it! I switch to tinted moisturizer or go bare-faced (of course, not forgetting sunscreen ).

For blush I use NARS blush in "Orgazm" that is claimed to be suitable for all skin types. I cannot attest to all skin types, but it certainly looks good on mine. It is not streaky and is very very light - I don't think there is a danger of overapplying it.

I am afraid I don't use any other makeup during the day. Too much trouble in the morning, and also my eyes are extremely sensitive - I can put mascara for a night out, but not for the whole day. I use lip gloss when I remember, but it disappears in minutes, so it doesn't count.

Kari

Veteran

Wow, I would love it if I didn't have to wear *any* makeup, but I'm too insecure about my problem skin to do that. A good day for me is when I can go out with only a tin layer of liquid foundation over moisturizer/sunscreen without having to apply concealer on top!

It's funny, I used to have very oily skin and never moisturized. Suddenly in my mid-twenties I've become a dramatic combination skin type - very oily acne-prone patches and very dry eczema prone patches. My skin is currently freaking out with the change in temperature/humidity, so I am putting moisturizer and sunscreen on all over, then thicker moisturizer in dry, problem-prone areas only, then makeup (Origins Nude & Improved all over, Bare Minerals Bisque for concealer - both of which contain SPF 15 & 20 respectively - and then a layer of Mineral Veil on oily-prone areas.

I used to wear Bare Minerals for foundation too, but like many of you who have dry skin, I found that I needed to switch to liquid foundation when my skin became dryer.

For daily wear I mostly just wear mascara and moisturize my lips, although sometimes (for special events) I like to do subtle contouring/playing with eyeshadow like Steffi does.

devin

(website)

I agree Steffi, although I may have a biased opinion seeing as how this is my career. I do believe that when applied CORRECTLY makeup can really enhance your features and complete your look. I think that it makes the rest of the outfit look finished. I have never had trouble skin, thank goodness, and did not wear makeup until I completed college, so I never wore makup to cover up my skin, but only use it to enhance my features and those of my clients. I also see how much self-esteem it gives to those women who have had problems with their skin and then see how smooth and flawless makeup makes them appear until their skin clears up and that is priceless.

So many of my clients have horror stories regarding makeup, like the foundation being too heavy or not matching, looking like a clown, etc., but a nice soft application can be so beautiful and natural. There are so many alternatives and ways to apply makeup, I think there is a look that will work for everyone. You have to do what you feel works for you and not everyone feels comfortable applying or wearing makeup, but I absolutely love it!

christie

Angie has some great tips on Make-up:
http://youlookfab.com/2006/05/.....make-down/
http://youlookfab.com/2006/07/27/perfect-polish-2/

I took her tips a few years ago when I first started reading her blog, and the look (and amount of time spent) works for me. I use good face wash and moisturizer. I use a little foundation (or for casual days, I mix my foundation with my moisturizer for a homemade tinted moisturizer), fill in my brows, a brown mascara, sometimes blush, and a nice lipcolor. I tend towards red, although this summer I'm going for a more summery-peachy color. I also have my lashes tinted.

cciele

Veteran

I like your attitude toward makeup, Steffi! Definitely a great way to have fun with your look.

It's funny, at 43 I wear way less makeup than I did in my 20s and 30s. I used to be a total makeup addict and found myself with more makeup than any sane person could use in a lifetime. (Now I'm addicted to clothes, shoes, and handbags, heh!). The only constant in my routine has been sunscreen. I never go outside without it.

Most of the time I don't wear makeup, but when I do, my minimal face is something like:
- Sunscreen
- Light dusting of powder foundation
- Eyeliner (I love Stila Smudge pots)
- Blush
- Lip moisturizer, gloss, or lipstick

babygirl

Member

hi i need help as i dont know how to do my make up

kimlee

Veteran

Babygirl, can you describe what you currently do as your makeup routine? Can you tell us what products you use? What is your skin like? The more information you provide then better we can assist you.