Wearing makeup to enhance your appearance helps you feel good. When you feel good, you eat better.
I have been to two weddings this year where I did the makeup of the bridal party. Both were not planned. They were three-day out-of-town weddings, so the guests were around for the preparations. This is when the brides remembered I'm a model and speak on image. They asked for help with makeup.
When you are dressed well, you need to complete your look with good makeup. As my older son said “Women are lucky, they can make themselves look better. We have to settle for the way we look.” However, sometimes we look worse because we don’t know how to apply makeup.
As a model, I always have to keep up to date, or else I don’t book jobs. Let me share some makeup tips with you.
• Keep makeup light and as natural as possible - don’t overdo it.
• At work, use foundation, a little blusher, eyebrow liner (if your brows are light or patchy), mascara and lipstick. Too much makeup worn at the office can look tacky because of the unflattering lighting conditions.
• In the evening, add eye color. You can get away with heavier makeup.
• Get an honest opinion from someone you trust when you try a new makeup technique.
• On weekends, wear eyebrow liner, mascara and a natural lipstick or gloss for a clean, fresh look.
More about the makeup:
FOUNDATION
∗ CONCEALER - A concealer for under the eyes and around the nostrils decreases the dark shadows on your face.
∗ COLOR - Make sure the foundation you use looks as close to your skin color as possible. Test the color on your jaw line, not hand. (The color of your hand is very different from your face.)
∗ SPONGE ON - Use a small makeup sponge to apply foundation and blend it well. Sponges can be bought in packets and are inexpensive.
∗ BLEND - Blend the foundation over the jaw line towards the neck in a circular fashion. You’ll look “made up” if you can see the line where your foundation ends and your skin color begins.
POWDER
∗ POWDER BRUSH - Apply enough powder with a good quality powder brush to take the shine off your skin. The brush will ensure that you don’t apply too much and get a “powdery” look.
∗ REAPPLY - Reapply powder throughout the day to keep looking fresh and not shiny.
∗ WEEKENDS - On weekends, if my face is shiny, I apply powder without foundation for a more natural look, sometimes using baby powder. It takes away the shine but doesn’t give me a made up look.
BLUSHER
∗ BLENDING - Make sure you use it sparingly. Don’t make a dark line in the hollow of the cheek going out to the hairline. It looks too obvious.
∗ SHADE - Pick a natural-looking shade - nothing too pink, red or dark.
∗ WHERE? - Smile while you apply it. Dust only the part of your cheek that the sun would touch if you were outside.
EYEBROWS
∗ FASHION - The fashion for eyebrows changes each season - from bushy to sleek to wide to narrow. Don’t fall victim to trendy styles. Instead, keep your eyebrows trim but natural. If you must re-shape, find a professional do this for you.
∗ PLUCKING - If you have bushy eyebrows or they meet in the center, have them professionally plucked, and then do them yourself. Keep your brows neat but don’t over-pluck. I plucked mine in the sixties for that thin look and they never grew back, so my eyebrows always have to be filled in.
∗ BRUSH - A good eyebrow brush for application is important. A pencil can be too harsh and not shade properly. Only fill in the gaps of your own natural eyebrows. A different brush softens the look. Inquire at the salon.
∗ COLOR- Choose a color that looks natural on you.
EYE SHADOW
∗ COLOR - Avoid blue or green eye shadow and try a gentle brown or gray that suits you. Again professional help can help you choose the shade that brings out the color of your eyes.
∗ SHADING - Use a brush to shade the color on your eyes. Depending on the shape of your eyes, use the shading to enhance your features and hide others. I have small eyes so I shade in the crease and on the outer edge of the eye. This “opens up my eyes,” making them appear larger.
MASCARA
∗ PURCHASE - Experiment with different kinds. Buy a new one every three months. Don't let your mascara get to the stage where it’s clumpy.
∗ APPLICATION - Apply three thin coats and remove clumps with an eyelash comb.
∗ EYELASH CURLER - If you have the time, hold your eyelashes in a curler for 20 seconds each - the effect is longer eyelashes, which also make your eyes appear bigger.
LIPS
∗ DRY LIPS - Don’t ever let your lips get dry as you may bite your lips. Always have chapstick handy if you don’t wear lipstick. I actually put it on under my lipstick as well as at night after cleaning my face.
∗ PREVENT SMEARING - Before applying lipstick, powder your lips well so that your lipstick doesn’t run.
∗ LIP LINER - Outline your lips with a lip-liner pencil. It makes such a difference and gives you a more finished look.
∗ CHANGE YOUR LIP SIZE - Although large lips are beautiful, if you feel yours are too large, outline your lips on the inside of the lip. As my lips are quite small, I outline my lips a little larger than they actually are.
∗ LIP BRUSH - Fill in the center using a lip brush with a slightly lighter colored, but matching lipstick. Lip brushes give your lips a richer look. Try it and you’ll be amazed at the difference.
Hope you’re feeling gorgeous now. Remember to eat well too.
