"Working With What You Have"

Applying Blush And Lipstick Naturally


By Andrea York
Licensed Cosmetologist

© 1996 Andrea York and Transgender Forum

The idea of blush is to make you look healthy- slightly flushed- not like you have two red racing stripes along your cheekbones! Applying your blush incorrectly can really take away from your total beauty look. It is very easy to do it correctly,but to really get it "right",you will have to practice... and practice.

Take your index and middle finger and gently feel around your cheeks for your cheekbones. Once you've found them move your fingers along the cheekbone line and stop at the point where it ends on your cheek-mid face. Blush should be applied right under this area. Not "on" your cheekbone,not too far "under". Just directly under the cheekbone,sort of where the "apple" of your cheek is. Apply with a round motion very lightly. The look should be very soft. You can always add more. Also, make sure you don't brush it on so it looks like a circle. It should be faint and delicate looking. Now take the excess blush still on your brush and dab some on the tip of your nose,forehead,and tip of your chin. Finish off the entire face with a light dusting of translucent powder to set the blush.

This should hold your blush for the entire day unless you have extremely dry skin or very oily skin. If so you may need to add more. When going out for the evening, you should apply either more of the same blush,or a stronger colour. Evening light tends to wash out colour.

For proper lipstick application there are several steps to follow. As a little tip, I dab on a bit of lip balm on my lips when I start to make up. This way, by the time I'm finished with my face,my lips are nice and soft and ready for action.

First apply either a lip primer or your foundation to your lips. Lightly dust with powder to set. Next, apply lip liner all around your lips including the corners of your mouth. Apply with a light touch. You want a soft,smooth line of definition around your lips. Be careful not to draw the line to thick or to thin. If you have thin lips you would place the line on the outside of your lip line,if you have thick lips you would place the line on the inside of your lip line. Very important. .. .the lip liner should be as close in colour to your lipstick shade as possible. No brown liners with pink lipsticks ladies!!

Everything should be done in a very subtle manner. Now, to apply your lipstick. Lipstick looks best when it is applied with a lip brush. A good lip brush. Firm yet bendable. It looks the most manicured this way. If you would rather apply it directly from the tube, just make sure to blend it into the lip liner. There should be no demarkation line.

To avoid getting lipstick on your teeth (which is always a lovely look) simply insert your index finger in your mouth and pull it out. This gets the lipstick off from under your lips.

If you would like your lips to have a little glow,simply dab a bit of vaseline in the center of your top and bottom lip. Don't blend,just gently smack your lips together.

Now give your self a round of applause! This was a hard lesson and you made it through!! Remember,ladies,looking good can be learned! Good Luck and Have Fun! Andrea



Andrea York is a well-known Licensed Cosmetologist and Make-Up Artist in New York City. She is highly respected, and has made both men and women look superb for over twelve years. Andrea launched her own cosmetics line in 1986, after finding that high quality, reasonably priced products were scarce. She has helped many transgender clients achieve the exact look which they had sought but found unattainable without her expertise.


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