Perfect Makeup for Face and Lips

Choosing and Applying Makeup


Perfect Makeup for Face and Lips




Foundation: Foundation should match your skin tone. Test several different shades at the beauty counter by administering a small touch of foundation on to the back of the hand, smooth in gently and choose the foundation that blends in with your natural skin colour. You will usually find a few free testers on display.

When applying foundation to your face, dab it on your hands and pat it on to your forehead, cheekbones, the tip of your nose and your chin. Blend it in. For the fragile area around the eyes, tap and blend in a mere trace of foundation with your little finger using an inward motion under the eyes. Don't forget to extend the foundation over the jaw line and neck so that you don't leave a line. Finish off by patting gently with a damp sponge to give your skin a lovely natural look.Concealer: With the many different tones and textures of concealer on the market, finding one that suits you can be a daunting task. As mentioned earlier, test some on the back of your hand by gently rubbing on to the skin. The correct concealer for you will blend in with your natural skin tone.

Concealers are used mainly for correcting poor skin tones, concealing dark circles under the eyes, improving and contouring facial features.
A mauve based concealer will brighten up a pale and dull skin tone. Use a green base to conceal red blotches and ruddiness. Always apply foundation before the concealer.

To reduce dark circles under the eyes use a yellow based concealer. Apply to the darkest areas with a small brush and blend in gently with your fingertips. Apply the concealer prior to putting on your foundation.

To improve facial features, use pale shades to lengthen and lighten and dark shades to reduce, deepen and conceal. Available as creams, liquids and pencils. Apply after basic foundation.

Contour your face using a foundation or concealer two shades darker than your natural skin tone. Create depth and shadow in areas such as the cheeks and jaw. Use highlighting cream on the top of your cheek-bones to emphasize their shape.

Powder: Keep your powder application light. Blot the face lightly with a tissue, especially over the forehead, nose and chin. Pick up the powder on the puff and press it firmly on the face, one area at a time. Don't try to smooth it on by massaging the puff over the face. Whisk away the access using a soft, thick powder brush. Brush downwards to avoid powder getting caught in the fine facial hair.

Blusher: Use a rose-toned blusher for fair skin, for olive skin use peach and for a dark complexion choose red or apricot.

Put the blush on your brush, tapping off any excess. Look into the mirror and smile. This pin-points where the 'apple' of your cheek is. Gently brush the blusher upwards towards the temple, making a slight curve. Keep colour light and blend in well for a natural look. A touch of colour across the forehead and on the chin completes the look.

Lips: Check the lipstick colour is correct for your skin tone, hair and eye colouring. Keep to lighter and subtler shades during the day with maybe a tinted lip gloss and use darker, more vibrant shades and a shimmery lip gloss for night time.

Keeping your mouth closed trace a fine line around the lips with a sharp pencil. Start at the v of the top lip and move outward to lip corners by using short strokes, pencil in the bottom lip starting from the middle outwards.

To make lips look fuller follow the outer edge of the natural lip line and inside the natural lip line to make them look thinner.

Apply lipstick with a lip brush and blot lips with a tissue.