Life & Style | Beauty & Fashion
Expert makeup tips and tricks
Before pulling off any seasonal makeup trend, you need to make sure you've got the basics covered. We ask the experts for their insider tips so that you can make the most of your natural assets. By . Be
- Charlene Stubbs, Features Editor
- Published: 00:00 March 1, 2010
- Image Credit: Camera Press
- All experts agree, a great way to finish your look is apply a dab of gloss to the centre of your lips.
Be prepared
>> In order for your makeup to look good, it's important that your skin is in good condition. Mikyajy makeup artist, Tanya Rex, says that if your skin is dry and flaky, or your lips are cracked, then your makeup will never look as good as it should. Her top tip? Drink at least eight glasses of water a day. "I have seen the texture of a model's lips improve in just two hours after she drank a litre of water," she says.
>> Dermalogica's education manager, Amita Patel, says a solid exfoliation routine is key to maintaining a healthy glow. "Exfoliation not only smoothes skin, but it helps to even out the surface skin tone by speeding up the cell turnover rate," she says. By removing the layer of dead skin cells, your products will be able to penetrate you skin's surface better.
>> And, don't forget that in order for any skin to glow, it needs to be moisturised. No makeup artist worth their salt would apply a base foundation without slathering skin with moisturiser — it helps give a fresh, dewy look to your makeup.
Lay your foundations
>> The biggest mistake women make when buying and applying their foundation is choosing the wrong shade for their skin tone. MAC senior makeup artist, Vimi Joshi, says that most women have golden undertones, but wear a foundation with pink undertones. This is why, if you're getting it wrong, your skin looks grey and ashy. She recommends testing shades on your neck or jaw line, rather than the back of your hand — which we're all guilty of — to find your true match.
>> According to makeup artist Katie Cousins (www.katiecousins.com), when you apply your foundation you should always use a brush. "I never use a sponge as it takes up too much of your product and doesn't give you even coverage," she says.
>> Tanya advises spending time on your foundation, allowing your fluid foundation to set for a minute or two before finishing with a pressed powder. This will ensure your foundation stays on for longer and has a flawless finish.
>> For some women, wearing a full face of foundation can be a little daunting, so opt instead for a lighter, tinted mosituriser. Bobbi Brown's training and events manager Eliano Bou Assi says, "If you don't want to apply foundation all over, just dab it over the areas where you need it most, to cover redness and imperfections."
Blush up
>> A flash of blush is always a great way to perk up your skin. Again, Katie recommends investing in a good quality brush to apply your blusher. She says, "Apply a pink blusher to the apples of your cheeks — smiling will help you find the apples — then blend in a circular motion."
>> If you're looking to create something a little more structured, Vimi advises using a deeper colour under your cheek bones, which will add contour and definition to your look.
>> If you prefer to use a bronzer to achieve a sun kissed all-over glow, follow Katie's application tip: apply bronzer just underneath the cheek bones, under the jaw line and at the corners of your forehead.
The eyes have it
>> Even if you're not a fan of eye makeup, it's still important to use a concealer around your eye area. It can make your eyes pop in an instant. Eliano says the trick to getting concealer right is to first apply a corrector. "Neutralise dark under-eye circles with a pink or peach toned corrector. Next, choose a yellow-based concealer to apply over the corrector. Your concealer should always be two shades lighter than your skin colour."
>> If you've got an eye palette that works for you, stick to it. There's no point following the season's trends if they don't enhance your natural features. A well done eye can be just as striking as an on-trend electric blue one.
>> The main problem that women battle with in the UAE is getting their eye makeup to stay on. The heat particularly likes to melt cream-based shadows. Vimi suggests trying MAC's Paint Pot colours, which start off as a cream and then set as a powder.
>> Another problem is shadow creasing on eyelids. Tanya recommends first applying a loose foundation powder to your eyelid, as this helps to absorb any moisture and prevents the shadow from creasing.
>> Once you've blended your shadow and added lashings of mascara, it's time to take control of your brows. "Your eyebrows are very important — they frame your eyes, so it's essential to keep them neat and tidy," says Katie. She recommends uses an eyebrow pencil or slim angled brush with a small amount of eye shadow on it — one that suits your colouring — to define your brows.
Perfecting the pout
>> Whether it's creating a fuller lip or getting your lipstick to stay on for longer, the experts have got it licked for lips. Katie starts her routine by making sure there is no dry skin on the lips — use a clean toothbrush and a little warm water and gently rub over the lips in a circular motion. "Pat your lips dry and then apply a medicated lip balm to moisturise the lips. I really like the Blistex balm you can get at Spinneys or Boots," she says.
>> To stop your lipstick bleeding and to hold your colour for longer, Tanya always lines lips first with a long-lasting liner. "I then fill the lips with the same liner before applying the lipstick," she says. "If you're applying a matte lipstick, apply one coat and then lightly dust over with loose powder before applying your second coat." This will ensure your lipstick will last longer and the colour has more intensity.
>> All experts agree, a great way to finish your look is apply a dab of gloss to the centre of your lips.
>> If you're daring enough to experiment when it comes to colour, then your lips can give you heaps of pulling power, but be careful not to go too heavy with your eyes if you're working a bold lip. If you tend to stick to neutral tones, Vimi says it's important to find the right palette for your skin tone. "To find the perfect nude lip colour, you must first look at the natural colour of your own lips, then find a shade that is one or two shades darker than your own lip," she says. Eliano also likes to finish with a neutral shade, believing a natural lip colour looks great at any time.
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