Makeup FAQ
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about makeup:
Q: The skin on my face is too red/too dry. How can I fix it?
A: Check out your skin care cleansers and creams. They might have too much alcohol and/or salicylic acid base, and that can dry out your skin and cause it to turn red. Try using products with a calming spearmint or wintergreen base. That will cool the skin and put moisturizer back where it's needed. You can use any Clean and Clear cleansers. They have cooling agents in them that calm my dry and red skin.
Also, check your makeup (especially your foundations) to see if there is anything you might be allergic to that can cause this problem. You may think about switching to organic mineral makeups instead of liquids. They use natural ingredients that are great for sensitive skin.
Q: My face gets really shiny. How can I fix it?
A: If your face gets really shiny, there are ways to fix it. There are some blotting papers by Shu Uemura that trap excess oil from your face and don't even smudge or take off your makeup. You can find them at Sephora.com in a package of 40 sheets for about $12 and they're small enough to fit in your purse or pocket. You just press them with no need to rub over the shiny parts of your face and it takes the oils right off.
Q: How can I put makeup on naturally, so it doesn't show that I'm obviously wearing makeup?
A: For a more natural look, stick with ivory, natural pink and tan cream shadows and blushes instead of traditional powders. Also, I recommend natural matte, non overly shimmery mineral makeups in stead of liquid foundations and concealers. Avoid using a lot of eyeliner and mascara. Top it all of with a sheer natural pink gloss for lips and you're all set to go!
Q: How can I use makeup to cover up blemishes, or those "problem spots" on my face?
A: I know I rant and rave about Mineral Makeups, but they truly are the ultimate answer for a lot of our skin problems. They cover rosacea and dark spots well and you don't feel like makeup is caked on. You can use minerals to cover those unwanted problem pimples, too. Just lightly dab your concealer application brush in a few drops of water then place slightly wet bristles into your usual concealer or foundation color mineral to pick up color. Blend product on and around the problem area, making sure not to cake it on. Also, blend in a circular motion starting in the middle and then out away from the blemishes. This will deflect light away from problem areas and allow them to blend in with the rest of your face. And remember, less is more.
You can also use the water/mineral technique for under eye coverage. This covers better than ANYTHING else I have ever tried, and its so simple to do.
Q: What are the some of the most important things to do to get good results with makeup? What are the important things to NOT do with makeup?
A: This is a good question. Here are some of the things I have learned:
Makeup Do's
- Always start with a clean face to get the clearest and best results.
- Wash your face twice daily to unclog your pores and remove dead skin cells.
- Exfoliate skin twice a week with an apricot scrub or any good exfoliating product of your choice. This also removes excess dead skin cells and keeps skin looking fresh and healthy.
- Use an Alcohol Free or Low Alcohol content astringent or Toner before your daily moisturizer application. Alcohol dries out your face and makes your skin more prone to wrinkles and fine lines.
- All makeup products have an expiration date like food, so you should never keep any makeups that are older than a season. They dry out and the colors will begin to mutate. A good rule of thumb is to throw out anything that you've had for more than 4-6 months, but 3 months on mascaras and liquid liners.
- Always apply your moisturizer before your makeup and make sure it has a SPF of 15 or higher to protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun.
- Use a skin primer before your foundation and on top of your moisturizer. It fills in the fine lines and pores in your skin allowing the foundation to sit on top of a flat surface. Also, try to get primers that include SPF 15 or higher.
- Keep your eyebrows groomed and sculpted and remove those unwanted stray hairs. Make sure your eyebrows frame the entire eye. You'd be surprised at how this simple maintenance really pulls your whole look together and can even show off your haircut. :)
Make sure to always brush brow makeup and wax on them, too. This will give you a healthy, youthful look. - Use highlighters to draw light and accentuate the parts of your face you desire. Apply a shimmery cream color on your temples, apples of your cheeks, chin, nose, brow bone and forehead to attract a natural glow.
- After completing your makeup every day, don't forget to wash your brushes with makeup remover to take off excess makeup residue and bacteria.
Makeup Don'ts
- Avoid drastically pulling down the skin under your eye to apply liner on the waterline/inner rim of the eye or in any unnatural direction just to apply makeup. This can loosen the eye socket over time and it can only be fixed with surgery. :( If you must pull at all, gently use your ring finger because this is a weak finger on your hand, compared to your pointer or middle finger.
There are special makeup tools you can buy that will assist in eyeliner application without you having to pull your eyes so much. A great brush that I have found is Smashbox angled eyeliner brush #21 (with the Smashbox Cream Eye Liner). It's specifically designed to fit into the inner rim of the eye so you hardly have to pull down the under eye skin, if at all. You can also use it for lining the lid and the rest of the eye, as well. This brush gives me great control, because believe me, I'm no artist. :) - Never sleep in your makeup. This will give your makeup a chance to sink into your pores and clog them as well as providing a great breeding ground for bacteria to produce zits and blemishes on your face. Help yourself out by cleansing your face every night, no matter how tired you are.
- Try not to touch your face when applying makeup. Use makeup brushes, swabs and sponges for application when possible. Bacteria from your hands will be deposited onto your skin and can sink into pores.
- If you can remember, try not to blow on your application tools if it has excess powder or makeup on it. Same as above, bacteria from your mouth will be deposited onto application tools and then transfered onto your face. Yay, zits. :)
I know it can be a hard habit to break, I still catch myself blowing on my brushes (like in my first video... :P). Just shake excess powder off instead. - On this note, don't share makeup or application tools with people, either. I know it can seem unfriendly, but their germs and bacteria will get on your stuff and then on your face... have I made you afraid of bacteria yet?
- Don't make your eyebrows a darker color than your hair unless you have blonde, gray, silver, or white hair. If you have recently lightened or colored your hair, make sure to adjust your eyebrows, too. Attention is good for your eyebrows when they're done right, but not when they're too dark or too light. A good rule of thumb is to have your eyebrows one shade lighter than your hair color for dark hair, one shade darker for light hair.
- And remember, less is more. So when in doubt, don't over-apply any of your makeup. This will look really bad like you're trying too hard. Sometimes simpler is better.
- Unless you're going for a dramatic or specific look, only play up one of your features. In other words, if you overemphasize your eye makeup, use a lighter, sheer gloss on the lips and cheeks and vice versa. Just choose one to darken. This will make you have a pulled together and professional look.