Everyone thinks they know how to do their own make up. Every girl has her own style and can’t-live-withouts in her make up bag. But surprisingly, most girls I know do not know the most important tricks out there. Most of these you probably think you know, but chances are you’re not doing it right.
[pagebreak]
1. Concealer: It’s not just for your blemishes ladies. The number one trick to make up is, by far, concealer UNDER YOUR EYES. If you wear any make up at all you must, I beg you, start by patting a thick concealer under your eyes. At Colgate we often have dark circles under our eyes from late nights “studying”. Concealer will make your eyes look bright and less puffy. Concealer must become your number one weapon when you reach for your kit—and it doesn’t hurt to reapply throughout the day!
Pick a cream or stick concealer, with a slightly orange or yellow tint.
In a pinch you can use foundation, but I strongly suggest investing in a one that’s thicker.
My favorite is Clinique’s All About Eyes Concealer ($16). A little goes a long way with this product so it’s a great value. For cheaper options, check Kinney’s for drug store brands that work just as well!
[pagebreak]
2. Mascara: this one may seem obvious but it is important to find the right one for you. Mascara works differently on every single person so it is hard to get the right one. If you can, buy a few and then pick the one that you like best, or try it on when you go to Sephora. The right mascara is hard to find, so make sure you keep searching.
[pagebreak]
3. Eyeliner: Remember in middle school when girls started wearing eyeliner and most of them looked like raccoons, including myself? Over time we have learned the meaning of “easy does it” but maybe not in the most flattering way. If you’re going to wear eyeliner at all, DO NOT, whatever you do, just wear it on the bottom. You want make up to look natural, and your lash line is naturally darker on top—yes on everyone! So if you wear bottom eyeliner, you better be wearing top eyeliner, too. If you want to go for a less intense look plum, grey, or dark brown liners are your best bets for daytime. So please I beg you end this bottom liner only madness, it is concealing your beautiful eyes.
[pagebreak]
Those tips should be part of every girl’s beauty bible. But there are some others that can really make a HUGE difference.
Bronzer: Bronzer of course gives us those sun-kissed glows we long for in the torturously cold and dreary winters. But bronzer is actually a great way to emphasize your bone structure as well. All those models who seem to have impeccable cheek bones, either use this trick or are airbrushed (probably both). Take a brush with matte bronzer on it and suck in your cheeks, then brush the bronzer in a line where the hollows are. When you’re done wipe of the brush and blend. A small blush brush is perfect for this and the best part is that it looks great on everyone, and is pretty hard to screw up. Hoola by Benefit is perfect for this, but a drug store brand will work just fine.
Brushes:
If you really want to be a pro, invest in the right brushes. Target has a great collection of Sonia Kashuk brushes that are reasonably priced. For local finds, check Kinney for Essence of Beauty brushes that also work well. But if you don’t want to make that type of commitment, Elf Cosmetics Makes a great selection of essential brushes for $1 (at that price, why not?).
Makeup can be simple and a blast. But why do it the wrong way? Makeup should enhance your natural beauty, not change the way you look. But, I cannot stress enough the concealer under the eyes trick; it will change your life.
Love,
Sarah