I know this has been discussed before, but I really need help.
I am a 22 year old female with blond hair, blue eyes, and moderately though not excessively pale skin that tends to break out when makeup is applied (am slowly getting over the teenage acnes, but whenever I put on makeup I seem to have a set-back).
I currently wear glasses, but may be switching to contacts.
I primarily want help with three things:
what sort of ‘base’ should I wear? The possibilities are bewildering and I have an absolute conniption fit if left to my own devices. And, depending on what you advise, how do I put it on?
what sort of eye makeup should I wear and how do I put it on?
do people actually wear blush? I can’t figure blush out at all.
Please be as basic as possible in your replies, I am a total spaz with makeup and the thought of having to do my own makeup (like I had to do earlier this week, great timing!) practically makes me sweat with terror. They must have taught this to the girls the two weeks I was out with the flu in fourth grade.
First, if your skin is sensitive, which from your description is likely, try to use a foundation that is as pure as possible. I like the Paula’s Choice line of skin care and cosmetics. They are hypoallergenic and very reasonably priced.
For me, less is more when it comes to make up. I heard someone once say that if it takes you more than 10 minutes to put on your make-up, you are wearing too much.
Asking someone you trust whose taste you admire to show you how to put on make-up might be a good way to go. I prefer natural tones and neutrals, with a light touch. You just need to decide what look suits you best.
I don’t wear much colored makeup myself, but I’m sure one of the daintier ladies will be along to help with those specifics shortly. I just wanted to pop in because I also have skin that tends to break out when I wear foundation. I’ve found that if I mix my foundation (I use Neutrogena healthy skin) about 1/2 and 1/2 with some facial moisturizer I don’t get the nasty reaction. Might be worth a try.
It’s important to determine your skin tone: whether you are rosy (pink) or sallow (yellow). The shades of blush and eye shadow you use will be different depending upon your overall pallette. For example, my skin is sallow, so pale gold, apricot with a touch of plum eyeshadow suits me well.
Emphasize one feature or another while underplaying the rest: ie, choose your eyes or your mouth as a focal point.
Keep the blush very very subtle. Just a hint is enough.
As you are fair, don’t believe anyone who recommends black eyeliner. It will make you look cheap.
Invest in a good set of make-up brushes and keep them clean.
I used to use the neutrogena foundation, but found it a bit harsh. You would probably like the Paula’s Choice products. The foundations include sunscreen as well.
Advice over the 'net is going to be difficult to interpret. When I first became interested in makeup as a young girl, my mother took me to a cosmetician who gave me a lesson. It’s usually not very expensive and in some cases, may be free (because they hope you’ll buy their brand of goodies).
I appreciate this; I tend to have difficulty with the cosmeticians in department stores because I am convinced they are shilling for their companies products and they tend to make me feel really uncomfortable and incompetent when I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m sort of asking here so I will be armed with the right basic knowledge not to feel so cowed in that situation.
Yes, the cosmetic companies are shilling for their products. Don’t have them do your make-up for you - you will get what they are currently promoting and not what suits your coloring.
The suggestion of going to a cosmetician is a good one. The trick is to learn the application techniques and colors which suit you. Once you have your colors, you can choose a line of cosmtics which fit your budget and taste. The big cost driver is cosmetics is packaging, not the ingredients of the product itselt. You will probably be find just buying inexpensive drug store lines, unless you really want the expensive containers.
I’ve always used liquid base, and I apply it with my fingers. (Some people use a sponge, but I’ve never seen the point.) I put a dime-sized amount on my finger and spread it over my face in stroking motions until it’s smooth and not streaky, particularly around the jawline.
The main trick to base is finding one that really truly matches your skin. The problem is that most places selling makeup are lit with fluorescent lights; something that looks like it matches your skin may look godawful in sunlight. Department store makeup counters will give you a sample to try.
Apply it to your jawline and go outside to make sure it passes the sunlight test.
If you have good skin, you may just want to spot-apply the base wherever most women need it…usually under the eyes, around the nose, etc., and/or on a blemish if you have one.
If you’ve never worn eye makeup, go simple. Start with mascara. There are a billion brands out there, but Maybelline makes one called Great Lash in a pink-and-lime tube that’s a standard even for makeup artists. It’s cheap and easy. Just whip out the wand and stroke it over your eyelashes until they’re evenly colored. (It’s difficult to apply it to your bottom lashes without getting it on your skin, so go slowly.)
Eyeshadow is tricky, and if you’ve never worn it you’ll feel like whatever you try is too much because you’re not used to seeing it on your face. You could start with a taupe or beige–something not too dramatic–and just apply it with the little sponge applicator in a smooth, even coat all over your eyelids. I like to use my fingers to smooth it out and erase any “lines.”
As for blush…it’s easy, and yes, a lot of people wear it. Gives you a glow, particularly if you are as pale as you say. (I’m strawberry blonde and very pale myself, and I love blush. Otherwise I just look washed out.)
It’s easy to find the color you should wear; look at the palm of your hand, and match the blush to that color. Most peoples’ palms, particularly fair-skinned people, are pink. Just match the blush to that color. Almost foolproof.
I like powder blush more than cream blush b/c it’s easier to apply. You’ll need a large, fluffy brush. (Do NOT use the one they give you with the blush.) Look in the mirror, smile at yourself, and apply the brush to the apples of your cheeks. Don’t do a “stripe” or anything like that. Just brush it gently onto the apples of your cheeks. That’s why the big fluffy brush is handy.
And look…you’re done!
If you want, add a slick of lip gloss. I like lip gloss more than lipstick b/c it’s almost foolproof. Just slick it on like Chapstick. Rimmel makes a good one called Vinyl Lip that’s not too goopy and smells good, too. Find a color that’s not too far from the color of your lips and you can’t go wrong.
Yep. I buy mine at the grocery store of all places, so you could probably find it anywhere with a makeup section.
wonderwench–Paula’s Choice isn’t a name that rings *any * bells for me. Is it a higher end line that would only be in department stores? Or regional, perhaps?
Ah, I recently embarked onto the Quest to Understand Makeup. I’ve finally gotten it down to a science—or at least a 10 minute routine—so I hope I can be of help.
For the most comlete coverage, you want to go with a liquid foundation, and a powder to set it. If you have clear, smooth, completely unblotchy skin, you can do just powder, but if you have blemishes to cover up, liquid foundation is the way to go.
Picking the right color for the foundation is tricky. Most people have a tendency to get a color that’s too dark, which really looks awful. Go to someplace with testers, and try them out on the inside of your arm, where you’re least tan. If you have a friend who’s good with color, bring them along for a second opinion.
Then get a powder to match. I think compact is much easier to use than loose; YMMV.
I just smooth on foundation with my fingertips. Some people say this is wrong wrong wrong, and you should always use a sponge applicator, but fingers work best for me. Put a dot on your forehead, each cheek, and chin, and smooth it out (be sure to blend at the jawline), then add a touch extra where you need it. Finally, dab a bit extra over your blemishes, and blend the edges.
Apply the powder with a big poofy brush. You just need a very light dusting. The big poofy brush is essential.
what sort of eye makeup should I wear and how do I put it on?
You can do just fine by choosing a relatively neutral color of eyeshadow, and applying it to your upper lids, blending toward the browline. You can use a darker color on the lids, and a lighter color up to your eyebrows, if you’d like to. Just use a light touch, and blend well so there’s no clearly defined line between the two shades, or at the edges.
Eyeliner is trickier. Upper lid only, a very thin like just above your lashes. (You can experiment with your lower lids, but at least on me it always comes out looking trashy.) Get the self-sharpening pencil kind and you can skip buying the stupid little sharpener. Dark brown is a good versatile color. This is kung-fu level, but if you can get the trick of applying the liner just to the rim of your eyelids, and not actually up on the lid itself, you have acheived Eyeliner Mastery. But when you’re starting out, just slap a line on there, and call it a “soft, smokey look.”
If you have a light complexion, look for brown or brown-black mascara, rather than dark black. Masacara is the trickiest to apply quickly. Practice, practice practice. No real tricks to it, that I’ve figured out, anyway. I blot the brush on some tissue before applying the mascara. Get a lash brush, and comb your lashes after applying the mascara to get rid of clumps.
If you wear foundation, your color will be washed out a bit. You can judge for yourself, but blush will probably make you look more healthy. Get a color of blush that matches your actual blush color, and pick a light color.
Smile so you can see where the “apples” of your cheeks are, and lightly apply blush to them with a big poofy brush.
Actually I think most girls learned this by making all the mistakes while wearing awful, awful makeup in junior high. I missed that stage, too.
Tips for shopping:
Just bite the bullet. You are going to waste money on stuff that doesn’t work. For this reason, I recommend that you don’t buy anything really expensive to begin with. It is true that better makeup is easier to apply and looks better. (Having tried Mary Kay foundation, I’m never going back to Covergirl.) But you don’t want to go out and blow $15 on a tube of foundation that doesn’t match your skin tone, and then find out in the end that you prefer to just wear powder anyway. If you can get a consultation with a saleswoman, or a knowledgable friend, go for it. If you’re flying blind, just get cheap stuff until you know what you like. And throw it away without a second thought if it’s not working for you.
The exception is hardware. You need a big poofy brush. This will allow you to acheive an even, light application of powder and blush. The little brush that comes with the blush is useless. Get one that matches the size of the apples of your cheeks to make blush application foolproof and effortless. I also love my eyeshadow brush. It’s just much less awkward than those weird spongy things that come with the shadow, and using just the edge is perfect for applying a darker shadow just along the lash line for a soft eyeliner effect. The lash brush is essential for combing out mascara clumps in your lashes. Lash brushes are a pretty basic deal, but spring for at least the midrange powder brush and eyeshadow brush.
I am passing along wisdom gleaned from my first “Waaaah! I don’t know how to put on makeup!” thread, so I hope that my teachers will agree that I have learned my lessons well.
Just had to note that Podkayne gave virtually identical advice to mine. We must’ve been writing it at the exact same time. Too funny.
As for how/where girls learn to put makeup on…I learned from my mother. If she were the type of woman who never wore any, I’d have been up a creek. I fell in love with eyeliner immediately, so I’ve become something of an expert at it, but it takes a lot of practice…as does makeup in general. Only word of advice I have on eyeliner is DO NOT TRY liquid eyeliner unless you’ve got a lot of time on your hands. That stuff is not for amateurs.
Revlon makes an eyeliner pen that’s a lot easier and looks just as good; it’s got the texture of a moist crayon so it “grabs” well without getting out of control like liquid. Highly recommended. Revlon Colorstay is what it’s called, I believe. (I like their dark brown. Just about anybody looks good with dark brown liner.)
Cosmetic counter workers may be shilling for their companies, but I think many would be able to at least find you a color match. You may not need the zillion items they want to put on you, but a decent worker should be able to help you with picking out a matching foundation.
I read advice from Bobbi Brown (a makeup advisor/makeup line seller) that eyeshadow, blush, and various other things can easily be bought at a drugstore, but your foundation/powder should be high quality. I went to a MAC counter at a department store and told the worker who helped me what I was looking for - I said I needed to find a good foundation to match my skin tone, and that I would not be tanning (summer was coming up), so that would not be a factor. She asked at a couple points if I was interested in X or Y makeup types, and I said no, not at that time. She didn’t push at all. I also asked about a matching concealer, and was shown what shade would blend well.
After you get a color matched to your skin, check the color both in artificial light and in natural daylight. Don’t buy something without doing this.
Sometimes, the only makeup I wear is lipstick. If I’m going to cover blemishes/dark circles under my eyes, then I go more fully and wear foundation, concealer, blush, and lipstick. I have naturally dark lashes, and wear any other eye makeup (a touch of eyeliner in the corners, and maybe some subtle eyeshadow) perhaps once a year. Most of the time, I wear no makeup at all, even to work.
I think I am going to stick with liquid foundation just on my ‘blemishes’ and under my eyes for now… is that a bad idea? My skin tone (aside from the occasional breakout) is even.
Thanks for the info on the big poofy brush. Where can I find one? I don’t remember noticing solo brushes at makeup counters but maybe I didn’t notice in my panic :).
Any tips on keeping my eyelids still for applying mascara?
