# make up question - girls **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 24, 2007, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-up-question-girls/427617 "2007-11-24T17:10:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KC\_Bravelens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eb8c5e/32.png) [@KC\_Bravelens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KC_Bravelens)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2007, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-up-question-girls/427617/1 "2007-11-24T17:10:22Z")
I hardly ever use make - up, for reasons I won’t go into today. I need to use some tonight, but I can’t decide what to apply first!! My eyelashes don’t behave as they should, so I’ve been working at them with a lash curler. I’ve kinda got them where I want, now, but I know i’ll mess them up again when I start applying mascara. I also want to use some eyeshadow, just to shade and accentuate. Do I use the shadow first, or the mascara? If I use the mascara first, I’m afraid I’ll klump them up when applying the shadow (plus, shadow always seems to fall on your lashes, resulting in powdery lashes, which I don’t want), and if I use the shadow first, I’m afraid I won’t have the option of cleaning off any klumps on my lashes! Any hints? advice? much obliged! ---
**Author:** ![scareyfaerie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scareyfaerie/32/3135_2.png) [@scareyfaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scareyfaerie)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2007, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-up-question-girls/427617/2 "2007-11-24T17:27:51Z")
I rarely wear make-up, but my plan usually is to use anything powdery first. Obviously there’s foundation first of all and powder over that, then I do eyeliner followed by eyeshadow and always mascara last. Most of the time I manage to avoid clumping the mascara by only applying it to my top lashes and then blinking a bit to spread it around to the lower ones! ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2007, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-up-question-girls/427617/3 "2007-11-24T17:29:43Z")
Definitely do the shadow first. Otherwise, it will get on the mascara. Where are you going with the make up? ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2007, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-up-question-girls/427617/4 "2007-11-24T17:30:25Z")
Eyeshadow first. To keep powder from the eyeshadow in place, try putting a light layer of foundation or concealer on your lids before you use the eyeshadow. For the mascara, apply it with lots of very brief, quick brushes. Use a clean toothbrush to comb any clumps out of your lashes. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2007, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-up-question-girls/427617/5 "2007-11-24T17:41:00Z")
My makeup routine, in this order: Light foundation (the liquid powder kind, applied with a flat sponge) Loose powder to set Fill in a bit of my missing left brow with a brown brow pencil Dark shadow on lids Lighter shade on crease Blend shadow with finger tip Curl lashes Mascara (one light coat, upper lashes only) Lipstick Bit of blush It takes me about three minutes, really, that’s all. ---
**Author:** ![KC\_Bravelens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eb8c5e/32.png) [@KC\_Bravelens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KC_Bravelens)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2007, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-up-question-girls/427617/6 "2007-11-24T18:00:45Z")
great, thanks a mill. As I rarely use make-up, I hardly own any. So I have no foundation or concealer or blush or lipstick - just eyeliner, mascara and very subtle colours of eyeshadow. I always manage to end up looking like a panda bear when I do use make-up, so usually I apply it, hate what i look like and then wipe it all off again. ☹ I’m going to an early christmas do tonight, so it’s nothing too fancy (it’s my sports club, most people there only ever see me with a naked face), but I did feel like dressing up a bit. I’m useless with make-up though… thanks for the tips ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2007, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-up-question-girls/427617/7 "2007-11-24T18:01:12Z")
When I do wear eyeshadow, which isn’t all that often, I have good results by putting one coat of mascara on first. Then I use an eyeshadow base on my eyelids. Then I put the eyeshadow on and get that all blended and then the last thing I do is put another coat of mascara on. This covers up any eyeshadow bits that drifted onto the eyelashes during the putting-on process. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2007, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-up-question-girls/427617/8 "2007-11-24T18:02:26Z")
It’s a little late, but I also put my eye shadow on before my mascara. Kudos on the eyeliner–I wear a bunch of things (foundation, gloss, shadow, mascara, blush) but have never been able to get the hang of eyeliner. Don’t have a steady enough hand, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2007, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-up-question-girls/427617/9 "2007-11-24T18:12:56Z")
If you don’t wear makeup - skip the eyeshadow. Eyeshadow is “stage 3” makeup - it looks silly unless you are bothering with foundation, blush and lipstick - even in neutrals. Stage 1 makeup: Moisturizer Mascara Lip Tint (not lipstick) Maybe Cheek Tint (not blush) Stage 2 Makeup Moisturizer Pressed Powder (or light liquid foundation) Mascara Blush Lipstick Stage 3 makeup Moisturizer Concealer Foundation Powder to Set Eyeliner Eyeshadow Blush Lip Liner Lipstick ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2007, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-up-question-girls/427617/10 "2007-11-24T18:31:18Z")
Sweet–I’m already up to stage 3! And in only two months. (Minus the eye and lip liner.) And the fact that I use my concealer as a foundation, but I digress. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2007, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-up-question-girls/427617/11 "2007-11-24T19:13:32Z")
I find my lashes don’t clump if I wipe some of the mascara off the brush with a tissue prior to applying. I do this twice. Sort of like varnish–two thin coats look better than one thick one. I would go with a neutral/soft pink lipstick/gloss too. Eye shadow baffles me–sometimes I get it right and look ok, other times, forget it.YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2007, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-up-question-girls/427617/12 "2007-11-24T20:01:00Z")
I’m certainly no expert but I can’t possibly be the only one who applies mascara first so that when I wipe of the splotch I accidentally get on my eyelid I don’t have to reapply shadow. ---
**Author:** ![daere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19b73/32.png) [@daere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daere)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2007, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-up-question-girls/427617/13 "2007-11-24T20:17:51Z")
Also, there’s no law that says you have to put eyeshadow on your whole eyelid… I have slightly close-set eyes, so I start with a small amount of eyeshadow at the outer corner of my eye, and then apply it - getting lighter and lighter - up the crease of my eye to about the middle of the eye. This helps my eyes look more wider-set. And, starting out lighter and then adding more “to your taste” can help you avoid the raccoon/panda bear thing. With mascara, I do the same as **missbunny** , I put on a light coat, do my eyeshadow, and then follow with a second light coat of mascara. With the eyelash curler, a few short “clamps” of the curler will curl them more than one long “clamp” - and since I can never make only one perfect “clamp,” I will position the curler, clamp, reposition it, and clamp again. I also find that mascara helps to “hold” the curl. Good Luck! ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2007, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-up-question-girls/427617/14 "2007-11-24T20:59:09Z")
I generally do a very neutral shade of eyeliner, very lightly. I’ve been using a light brown recently. As for eyeliner, it’s not that scary, I promise! Just have some Q-tips nearby. If you screw up, or if the line is a little shaky, you can erase/clean up the edge of the line. Also, I sometimes prefer to go with a slightly smudgier effect- after I apply the eye liner, I take a dry Q-tip and lightly smudge the eyeliner, which also covers up a shaky hand a bit. I also much prefer pencil to liquid. You should probably have at least one sheer pinkish lip gloss on hand for occasions like this. It will offset the eyes nicely. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2007, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-up-question-girls/427617/15 "2007-11-25T08:32:24Z")
I always do shadow first. My makeup routine is not complex 1. Liquid foundation 2. Powder (sometimes) 3. Eye shadow 4. Mascara 5. Lipstick That’s it. I keep it pretty basic. I do the mascara after the shadow because I’m worried I’ll smudge the mascara while trying to apply the shadow. I rarely experience things the other way around. ---
**Author:** ![KC\_Bravelens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eb8c5e/32.png) [@KC\_Bravelens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KC_Bravelens)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2007, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-up-question-girls/427617/16 "2007-11-25T12:24:12Z")
well, back from the night out, and I think I looked alright! I used eyeliner and eye shadow first, then applied the mascara. Then topped up a bit with the eyeliner. And then I took a moist Q-tip and wiped off nearly all the liner and eyeshadow as it looked absolutely woeful. So I ended up with only a slightly accentuated line around my upper eyelid, which I think was the best of a few bad options. My bf said I looked fine, so if he’s happy, i’m happy. thanks for the tips though, I may just need to go to a “how to apply make-up and not make yourself look like a clown” class!