Applying Makeup

When it comes to applying makeup, the best advice is the oldest advice. Less is more! There’s nothing less attractive than gobs of goop plastered on the face like a mask — unless, of course, you’re heading out to a costume party.

Everyone has natural beauty and the trick is to play up what’s most attractive and downplay everything else. Do you have great skin? If so, use a light, tinted base (or just a moisturizer) instead of heavy foundation and let that clear complexion speak for itself. Do you have intense eyes that look naturally like you’re wearing shadow, liner, and mascara? If so, go very easy on the eye makeup — or skip it altogether. You don’t want to run the risk of looking like a vampire. Instead, emphasize your lip color. The result will look natural and believable instead of ghoulish.

“Concealer can be a Girls Best Friend”

If you have full, lush lips and like to play that up with lots of liner, gloss, or intense lip color, go right ahead but downplay everything else or the total effect will look clownish. A good rule when it comes to applying makeup is to emphasize lips or eyes, but never both. Another good guideline is to use makeup to create a face that looks like it’s not wearing any makeup. This can be accomplished by using neutral tones like nude lip colors, natural eye shadings, and muted blushes.

For special occasions, resist the urge to use blue eye shadow or anything that glitters, and avoid taking the color palette too far. Instead, go with just one striking touch. A bright red lip color or deep smoky eyes will add enough oomph to make you look smashing without being obvious about it.

Another tip when it comes to applying makeup is to gear your makeup to your hair. If you’re wearing your hair up in a sleek ponytail or twist, you can get away with a bit more drama on your face. If, on the other hand, you’ve got long, flowing hair that’s all power and punch, you won’t need much makeup to look hot.