Make Up For Success

By Oritsegbubemi Peace Pessu

I remember taking a stroll just to cool off, let out some steam and get loose one evening, when I passed a lady and I gasped. Why? Her makeup was horrifying! Story cut short; she looked like a circus performer with the clash of colours on her face! It was a war of soot black (her skin tone unfortunately, forgive me for the adjective), burgundy eyeliner, blood red lipstick and finished with a touch of brown powder that was not the right tone for her which made me almost yell “Girl! Are you out of your mind?!” But it got me thinking, how many ladies know what to do when to comes to makeup? Even I get to ask to ask myself this question sometimes thus, I believe this class applies to me too so let’s take it together. First off, let’s start with what you should do: Makeup Dos – Use a foundation that matches your skin tone exactly. Your best bet is to try on a foundation in the store before you buy it. – Apply foundation on your eyelids up to the brow. Applying foundation on your eyelids will help eye shadows go on smoothly and cover any redness, giving your entire face an even and smooth appearance. – Use complementary makeup colors. Think of your blush and lipstick as an outfit you’re going to wear on your face. – Apply eyeliner as close to the lash line as possible. If the outer corners of your eyelids have begun to droop, make sure the eyeliner turns up ever-so-slightly, so you DON’T emphasize the drooping. – Shade and define your eyes. Eye shadow is all about enhancing your eye area, not coloring it. – Consider the intensity of your blush with your skin tone. If you have fair to light skin, then pale pink, rose, or peach blush shades are more flattering than deep berry or plum shades, which can make your cheek area look bruised. In contrast, women with medium to tan skin tones can look gorgeous with berry or plum-hued blush, and also can opt for russet, or even mahogany shades. – Check your makeup in a magnifying mirror. What you can’t see, you can’t fix. And now, to things you should not do:- Makeup DON’Ts – DON’T wear full makeup every day. It isn’t necessary to wear a full eye design every day … consider a simpler look for your daily life. – DON’T use emollient/greasy concealers on blemishes or the under eye area. Emollient products will either clog pores or slip into lines … all day long. – DON’T use a concealer that is too light or too dark. Using the wrong color concealer will make your eye area look strange and weird. – DON’T skip lip color. Adding a pop of color to your lips can brighten up a washed out face and polish your overall look. It is good to experiment to see what colors and intensities look best for your skin tone. DON’T be afraid to be bold or step out of your comfort zone. Keep in mind that small, thin lips look best with brighter, vivid colours and larger lips do better with softer shades. Avoid dark colors because they make lips look ominous and Gothic. Hint: Red lips can make a beautiful, dramatic statement; just keep it on the brighter side, as opposed to magenta, purple, or brown. The best way to tell that you are wearing a beautiful lip color for your skin tone is the number of compliments you get from your friends and family. – DON’T overdo your mascara. Clumped mascara is distracting and messy looking. – DON’T stripe on blush. Use a great blush brush, a soft color, and apply it using light, sweeping strokes. You should see no lines where the blush stops and starts. Blending a little powder on over your blush can soften any lines. – DON’T overdo your eyebrows. Brows that are drawn-on, pencil-thin, overly sparse, strongly arched, or too heavy or thick can make you look older than you really are; plus they can look harsh and dated. – DON’T glob on lip-gloss. Too much gloss can make it look like you’re drooling instead of adding a beautiful shine to your lips. If you have lines around your mouth, avoid glossy, slick, or creamy lipsticks because they’ll quickly bleed into the fine lines, and they won’t last past mid-morning before you need a touch-up. – DON’T get carried away with glitter and shine. A little extra shine or glitter can spice up an evening look, but during the day it’s just distracting. – DON’T over-moisturize around your eyes. Too much moisturizer encourages concealers and foundations to travel right into the very lines you’re trying to hide. Now that you know the simple makeup dos and don’ts, with a little practice and a dash of finesse, you’ll be on your way to looking gorgeous, healthy, and vibrant in no time.