Makeup artists recommend matching your foundation to your neck,
which is good advice. That's why it's beneficial to try
foundation at department stores or stores like
Sephora where there are testers. However, salespeople can
screw up, so keep your own counsel. When you're about to run
out of a shade you like, take the container to the store so that you
can match it as best as you can. I liked the velvety texture
and neutral shades of MAC Satin foundation (the price was good,
too), but then MAC changed the formula and added peachy tones
Stippling, or dabbing the face with foundation, lightly tapping the
skin to blend and buffing, or lightly patting the skin with a tissue
to remove excess foundation are good techniques to ensure a smooth
finish.
I
apply foundation only on the nose and cheekbones to cover redness
and unify skin tones.
I
prefer teardrop-shaped cosmetic sponges to round sponges for
blending foundation - I use the narrower end for applying base
around the eye
I
find puffs for pressed powder compacts unhygienic, so I prefer to
use blotting tissues impregnated with powder. Lines selling
powdered blotting tissues include
The
Body Shop and
CornSilk (mass-market USA).
Unless you're a fan of blushers, you can get away with just one
shade. Many makeup artists recommend that you choose a shade
similar to your natural flush after exercise. A tawny pink or
tawny rose is good for fair to medium skin tones.
Rather than carrying a large tub of loose powder when you travel,
transfer some of the powder to a smaller jar with sifter -
Japonesque sells such a jar, and you can also find them at
Sephora. These jars are great for mixing powders - I mix
my Clinique translucent powder with Bobbi Brown's "Sunny Beige"
Powder.
Some
days when I don't want to fuss with loose powder, I apply compact
powder with Stila's pricey ($53) but sensuously soft powder brush.
I
use
Maybelline's
Express
Makeup stick as a concealer, as it's easier to blend than most
products labeled as concealers. Bobbi Brown, in her latest
book Beauty Evolution, says that makeup should make one look
rested (not younger), and concealer does brighten the eyes
Senna Cosmetics'
concealer brush is excellent for precise application of
concealer
Toss Disposables' Beauty Mask helps you prevent smearing makeup
on your pullovers and turtlenecks as you put them on over your head
Add
moisture to your home and prevent your skin from drying during
wintertime by running a vaporizer or hanging your just-washed damp
sweaters and clothes on racks to air-dry
Lip
color with an obvious dark pencil line is best reserved for the
runway or nightclubbing - avoid it for the daytime and office.
Unless you like to use lip pencil to color your lips all over,
there's no need to have more than one lip pencil. Softening and
blending the line is often more hassle than it's worth when rushing
out of the house in the morning. A clear lip pencil, like one
sold by
L'Oreal
(mass-market retail) or by
Paula's Select (mail order), will define an outline for your lip
color and save the time needed to blend.
Another solution is to line the lips using a lip brush with the
color you intend to apply: this is especially useful for applying
highly pigmented matte lipsticks.
ArtDeco, a cosmetics company from Germany, offers a Color &
Contour Lip Duo, which features lipstick at one end and contour at
the other end for lining the tips. This is a highly pigmented
lip color, so blending is still necessary
The Style
Page recommends using a magnifying
mirror only for precision work, such as lining your eyes or
tweezing, or if your eyesight requires it.
Fashion & beauty magazines suggest taming unruly eyebrows with a
child's toothbrush sprayed with hair spray. That works, but
neutral moustache wax applied with a moustache comb/brush works
well, too (No, I haven't experimented with tinted moustache wax, but
I'd like to hear the results.)
Check out lines such as
Bobbi Brown,
Laura Mercier,
Paula's Select, and
Garden Botanika for a beautiful selection of neutral eyeshadows.
Then, if their prices are more than you are willing to pay, find
equivalent shades in drugstore lines.
It's a nuisance to
apply concealer to cover dark circles and blend it properly. I
simply use liquid foundation around the eye, applying it with a
teardrop-shaped sponge, and set it with powder to serve as a base
for eyeshadow.
Apply eyeshadow to the crease first. The best tool I've
found for applying shadow to the crease is R Pro's Contouring
Eyeshadow Brush, available at
Sally Beauty Supply
Use a medium
eyeshadow shade for the crease. A medium shade can provide a
more appealing look in daytime and office situations.
For fair to medium complexions, choose shades Sebastian
Trucco's Ficelle (available through salons and beauty supply
stores) or
Paula's Select Soft Matte Eyeshadow in Tan (available through
mail order & online order)
Apply lighter eyeshadow on the lid and over eyeshadow in the
crease to soften and blend. Apply eyeshadow with upward
strokes.
The pad of the ring
finger is a great tool for blending eyeshadow in the crease.
I prefer to line my
eyes with dark eyeshadow, rather than with eyeliner pencil.
The problem is finding the right tool. I've tried several
options, including Trish McEvoy's no. 11 straight edged eyeliner
brush, a tiny chiseled head brush, and even a no. 00 paintbrush, but
my favorite tool is the slant edged Detailer brush from
Senna Cosmetics
Experts recommend replacing mascara every three to four months, as
mascara is prone to contamination. It doesn't make sense to
purchase pricey mascara from department stores when mass-market
brands offer quality mascara for a lot less. My favorite is
Volum'Express from
Maybelline-
a great thickening mascara. Watch store flyers for sales - and pick
up an extra tube: lately, cosmetics companies have restricted
manufacturer's coupons to discounts on new product launches.
Cotton swabs are ideal for lifting errant flecks of mascara.
Buy the store brand (not Q-tips) to save money -
Target sells bags containing 1000 swabs!
Swabplus
Eye Makeup Remover Swabs precisely correct eye makeup mistakes.
These liquid-filled swabs have a unique system of dispensing eye
makeup remover - simply bend the colored ring tip until it "snaps"
to release the liquid into the white tip.
Swabplus is less messy than carrying a bottle of eye makeup
remover and is more precise than using towelettes or wipes. The box
of 72 swabs is convenient for travel or work.
I brush through my
lashes with a clean mascara wand (rescued from a used-up tube) after
applying mascara.
Skip eyeliner and
eyeshadow crease if you're rushed; instead, just apply a medium
shade to the lid and mascara to the lashes.
Warmer weather and lighter clothes favor a lighter touch to makeup -
skip eyeliner and shadow in the crease to lighten up for spring and
summer.
What's good for your face is good for your hands. Take excess
sunscreen, moisturizer, AHA, or BHA and massage your hands with it.
At
night, massage your hands with cream or lotion and then cover your
hands with cotton cosmetic gloves (between $2 and $3 at the
drugstore) - your hands and nails will be more supple in the
morning. An even better option than 100% cotton gloves
is
MoistureJamzz gloves, which are 93% cotton, 7% spandex - the
spandex enables the glove to fit to your hand and stay on all night.
And the designs are so adorable!
After soaking in the tub, rinse off product residue in the shower.
Gradually turn down the temperature of the water as you shower.
Shaving tips
Soak in a warm tub for a few minutes to soften hairs before
shaving
Prepare legs for shaving by applying a moisturizing body wash with
a nylon pouf or exfoliating gloves - natural loofahs begin to
stink after exposure to dampness
I
got a Sensor razor as a freebie, but I still prefer using a man's
Atra razor to shave my legs - most large supermarket and drugstore
chains sell blades fitting Atra razors for less than the national
brand.
Use a men's brand of shaving cream or shaving gel formulated for
"sensitive skin." I like Nivea
for Men
Sensitive Skin Shaving Gel. You can also use a moisturizing
body wash - lately, I discovered I like this option better, as the
body wash provides better "slip."
An
ideal time to shave is after you've applied a deep conditioner to
your hair and covered your hair with a shower cap
