Everyday
Make-Up
This article is ntended to list a number of useful tips
to help with everyday beauty care and other useful hints, for the Occasional
Lady.TM It
is reproduced, with permission, from my Web
Site
All of my tips for the Occasional Lady are based
on true life experience and do not hold any guarantee or assurance of success
for everyone
Now... I really don't claim to be an expert in cosmetics by any means
- however a number of people have been kind enough to compliment me on
my make-up and asked me to share a few tips - I must emphasise that largely
these are based on how I personally go about it, and that everyones tastes,
coloring and needs differ. However I hope you may find some useful tips
- so here goes.
I have covered my personal taste in this article, not only in the matter
of what tools I use, but also what I carry in my purse.
I have also set out the steps in the order that I prefer to apply my make-up.
That is;
Coloring
Most of what I am going to write about depends on you being aware of
your natural coloring and what suits you. There are a lot of ways of going
about this, including getting books or a personal consultation. If you
want a quick and easy indicator check out this page
from Cover Girl. It also has lots of other great tips for fashion and
shades in make-up
Tools
There are a number of things, besides cosmetics, that are near essentials
for good make-up;
- Lip Brush - to define lips and apply evenly.
- Blush Brush - A good quality, natural, not too large brush for the
initial application.
- Magnifying Mirror - for close work, especially round the eyes
- Sponges - for base coat.
- Eyebrow Brush - to neaten.
- Tissue Paper - to blot lips.
- Eyelash Curler - available from drug stores and supermarkets - i.e.
Revlon
- Eyelash Brush - or clean, used brush from previous mascara
- Eye Shadow Brushes or sponges - for consistent application
Beard Cover
As with all aspects of cosmetology the special needs for the Occasional
Lady.TM are very
much a matter of personal circumstance and taste. There are lots of good
resource files in the TGF archives,
which are accessible to subscribers. Here though is my own routine.
- A close shave - This, I find is best done with a wet shave - I use
Gillette Sensor Excel for Sensitive Skin - and after at least a days growth
(not always possible or desirable I know). Try not to use an alcohol based
treatment after shaving. Men's After Shave smells too butch and women's
cologne is too strong, and besides both are altogether too harsh for the
skin. This rule applies ALWAYS, even when not applying make-up. I use an
After Shave skin conditioner from Bed, Bath and Beyond or an After
Shave Gel from The
Body Shop. Splash tepid water on and then dry your face by patting
it before applying.
- I use a specific beard cover by Jim Bridges,
but you can use a good theatrical cover or Pancake, or Dermablend.
First I apply a thin covering of moisturizer, then rub in the beard cover.
I use this only on the beard area. Then I use a translucent powder to lightly
dust the area. Then firmly, without smudging, press your skin with your
hands to blend the two. Leave this to dry and set before applying base.
Foundation
- Once again it is important to get the right shade for your skin tone.
If you want a real quick and easy guide to what colors you should use,
check out Remember, other tone changing effects can be achieved later by
using bronzer or blusher, what we are trying to do now is to get a good
base that matches your coloring.
- Once the beard cover is set, use a sponge applicator (an essential
investment) to apply base coat. Dot the foundation in four main areas -
the forehead, cheeks, and chin. Use the sponge to distribute by dabbing
the liquid, not rubbing yet, around your face. Once you have fairly even
coverage lightly smooth the base over your face.
Eyeliner
There are a number of types of application one can use - Liquid Eyeline
or Pencils being the most common. They achieve different effects for different
occasions.
With Liquid Eyeliner one can get far more dramatic effects, though for
daytime I stick to pencil.
- Take the brush and reat your hand on your cheek, Close the eye and
apply one continuous thin line from the inside out. Take the line just
past the outer corner of the lid. For drama sweep slightly up at the end.
- For even more effect, go back to the center of the lid and repeat to
the edge to obtain a thicker line from that point.
- With practise, you can also use this under the eye.
- Don't overdo the liquid unless you really are going for the Liz Taylor/Cleopatra
look though. As I say, my weapon of choice is the ....
Pencil
- Repeat the line as for the Liquid Liner. I use a smudger (built-in
to the pencil or separate, or even your finger tip) to blur the line a
little
- With a pencil you I also get more control on the upsweep at the end.
Blur this out further than with the Liquid so that it trails off about
1/2" out of the corner.
- I also use a faint line under the eyes from about the halfway point
out, smudged and swept up to join the upper sweep.
- Also with practise - I draw a line actually inside the lower eyelid.
Please - if you try this -be careful to avoid
touching the eye itself
- You can also use a lighter pencil to define the hollow of the upper
eyelid. Draw a line from the inner corner, up and over the lid itself.
Smudge, or use a shade that blends with the color of the shadow you will
be using.
Eyelashes
- Select a shade that matches the rest of your make up or stick to a
shade that is fairly neutral. - Black or Brown etc. I use Brownish Black
Decide whether you want to use a waterproof type or not. Not much difference
in coverage or application just the method you will need to remove it.
- I regularly use a clear moisturising mascara, like Estee Lauder's.
This can be used at night or all day everyday. It really helps your lashes
stay strong and stops them falling out too much.
- To apply your color mascara, gently pull up your upper eyelid using
one finger under the brow bone. This helps you get to the root of the upper
lashes. Gently stroke one light coat on the underside of the upper lashes
working from the inside out. Be sure you cover the entire length and every
lash across the lid. Repeat if necassary or desired.
- Release the pressure from the upper lid and gently stroke just one
coat on the upper side of the lashes. Gently brush one light coat only
on the upper side of the lower lashes.
- Once these coats are dry use or Clear Mascara or a clean dry lash brush
(you can clean out an old mascara brush) to separate out the lashes.
Shadow
There are hundreds of different ways to apply eye shadow. Here is my
regime for lighter, everyday wear.
- I use a pallette of two or three colors. Spice Island from the
Cover Girl - Professional Eye Enhancers is my current favorite.
- Smooth a medium shade on the eye lid from the lash edge to the crease.
Run this shade slightly out of the area and sweep up to blend with the
eyeliner
- Take a darker shade and blend in the crease and slightly above.
- To make the eyebrow line look higher, take a white or ivory shade and
apply on the brow bone on the outer edge only.
- I also use a white shadow in the thin sweep just below the eye to get
that 'Bright Eyed & Bushy Tailed' look!
Blusher
There are basically two type of blush shades - Pink or Brownish hues.
I use either depending on what I'm wearing and the rest of the pallette
I have used on my face. The differences you can achieve for day or nightime
wear is in the amount you apply and the coverage. For daytime;
- Once again for me, a three step approach - define, blush, highlight
- Take the darker of three shades and brush into the hollow of the cheeks
and down lightly to the jawline. Brush back a little into the area round
- but not on - the ear, below the cheek bone.
- Take the medium shade and brush very lightly on the most prominent
part of the cheek bone. Blend with the darker shade and slightly up to
the temples.
- Take the lightest shade and highlight the area below the eye, blending
down to the cheeks.
Bronzer
For other effects you can use something like the Estee Lauder range
of Bronzers. For example;
- Use a Bronzer instead of a Blusher and lightly sweep onto the cheeks
and temples for a Sunkissed look
- Supplement a Brownish Blusher with highlights using the Bronzer on
the cheek bones, temples and forehead.
- Use on the eyelids and browbones as a warm highlight
- Brush into hairline to give natural warm, sunny highlights
Finish
Most of the color you have applied to your skin should be on the heavier
side of natural as you are now ready to blend and tone down by using powder.
A shade that compliments the base is the best to use, or a colorless, translucent
powder.
- Gently, using the applicator provided or a powder puff or brush, apply
the powder to the cheeks, jaw, nose, forehead and neck area.
- Shake the excess from the applicator and blend in the powder gently
over the skin.
Lips
Color here is really a matter of permanent taste. Application though
has many options. I use either a reddish/plum tone or, just for accent
a clearer brownish/peach. I also use Revlon's Color Fast product which
really is amazing for its endurance. Here's what I do using two almost
identical shades; 
- Use the lighter shade and a lip brush to outline your lips.
- If you have a pretty 'Cupid's Bow' upper lip then define carefully.
If you haven't then don't try to create one OUTSIDE of the upper lip. Instead
draw the 'V' inside the lip line at the center of the top lip and extend
up and out to form the 'Bow'
- Fill in with the slightly darker color - again using the brush.
- Finally using the darker shade, paint in a 'T' shape on your lower
lip, with the vertical bar running across the upper part of the lower lip.
The 'T' stem runs down the middle of the lip.
- Blot the lips by using a tissue
Purse Kit
Well now that you are all set, what do you need to take with you to
effect those little touch-ups while you are out. If you are like me - and
I think most girls - you probably have quite an extensive collection -
and probably too much to carry around in your purse. I have cut this down
to a few essential for easy repair. In the picture you can see all the
things I carry round. They are (clockwise from the top left);
Resources
- Jim does mail order out of his store in Studio
City and can be reached at 1 818 761 6650. Jim is also a far more experienced
make-up artist than I would ever hope to be.
- I also found this page
which has a great number of links for useful fashion tips
is an English company with branches across the UK and all over the
world. They produce excellent cruelty free and hypo-allergenic products.
They are also very cool design and advertising wise. - Proctor & Gamble own Cover
Girl and Max
Factor among others. Check out their
site for more tips
If you have any questions. comments or suggections please drop
me a line