Makeup 101

I love makeup. I wear it almost everyday and am one of those girls who hates the thought of going out in public without my face on (or some mascara at the very least). I am by no means a makeup artist and I'm probably not even all that good at doing makeup (on myself or others) compared to a lot of other people, especially if all if the Youtube tutorials out there are anything to go by! But I knows some of the basics and feel I should share these facts with you all for lack of anything better to do :D

Not all girls are into makeup, in fact I am sometimes surprised at how many girls I know who don't wear makeup at all, usually because they just don't know how to put it on! Then there are those who just aren't interested in it, which is fair enough, though there is always a time and a place where makeup is necessary (unless you're morally opposed to it, extremely allergicor a super-feminist, I suppose) which means you really need to know the basics to at least fool people into thinking you know what you're doing.

1. Mascara is your friend! Invest in a good mascara because it is what makes all the difference to your face. Adding mascara when you don't really feel like putting on makeup will trick people into thinking you are made-up because it makes your eyes pop and they're the windows into your soul blah-di-blah-blah. Seriously it makes a significant difference and I do really believe you should not leave the house without it on your lashes!


2. Find the foundation that works for you. Do not go for whatever is cheap because you're stingy. But at the same time, don't just go for whatever is the most expensive because price doesn't always = good. The first foundation you ever buy will probably not be the best one for you. You need to learn through practice, pretty much. I use Clinique Superbalanced foundation and find it's the best one for me. There are probably other brands out there which I'd love more but until I find it, this is the foundation for me. I also LOVE mineral powder foundation as it's easy and quick and makes you look pretty much flawless without all the extra effort and without making you look overdone. It's also meant to be good for your skin but I think that's probably too good to be true!


3. Learn the basics of makeup. It's really not as basic as putting on some mascara and some foundation and looking amazing. There's a bit more too it than that, I'm afraid! Think about things like blush and finishing powder (it's what seals your foundation, otherwise you'll just look kind of sticky and moist). You need to moisturise before applying your makeup too! So make sure you have a good moisturiser as well or else you risk nasty break outs form when your makeup clogs up all of your pores. Make sure you have the right tools for even the most basic makeup - a sponge/brush for applying foundation, a blusher brush, a finishing powder brush (I actually use the same brush for both blush and my powder needs), cotton buds to remove wiley makeup marks, makeup remover etc. The more complex you're willing to get, the more tools you will need.


4. Learn to do eye makeup well (or not at all). Badly applied eye makeup make you look like a trash bag. If you can't do your own eyeliner properly then don't do it at all! Likewise with eyeshadow. The amount of times I have seen shitty looking eyeshadow ruining a girls face are countless and all totally needless. If you're determined to wear fancy eye makeup then bloody well practice it before you reveal it to the world. And for the love of god, think about the colours you use because red might be your favourite colour but chances are it's not going to suit your skin one and unless you have some mad skills then that's one colour better left untouched!


5. Lipstick or gloss? Not everyone can wear lipstick, which is very unfortunate but something you should know about yourself before slapping it on and leaving the house looking like a clown. Some people suit a gloss, others (like me) get heir hair all caught up in it and can only really do lipstick. Work out what works for you and also make sure you choose colours that suit you and ensure you know how to apply the stuff. Just because you're wearing clear lip gloss doesn't mean you can smear it wherever without looking in a mirror! If you don't have well-defined lips then you're going to need to use lip liners before putting on your lipstick. Otherwise you'll be know as Ol' Patchy Lips McGee (well if you were my friend anyway).


6. Get your colours right! Just because that foundation was your colour last year don't mean it's the right shade this year! Our skin tones change all the time, due to tanning (or lack thereof) or just plain old aging, so you need to make sure your foundation is actually your correct skin colour before putting it all over your face. I thoroughly recommend getting the sales girls at makeup counters in department stores to do this for you as it's their job and the lights there are great so they can work out your colour easily. This also applies for things like blush, lipstick, eyeshadow etc. Personally I always wear pink and black so I don't need to update my colours often, but if you do change your wardrobe and style every season then your makeup should follow suit. Also, blue eyeshadow might be in right now but it will get daggy pretty quickly so do not keep wearing it unless you can really pull of such a vivid hue!

Once you have all of this sorted, you need to learn how to put it all on without making yourself look like a whore. Do NOT take your mum's advice unless she always has flawless makeup herself because chances are she learnt how to do her makeup in high school and even then was never all that good at it. I suggest getting a professional to show you the ropes - usually this can be done for free (or at least very cheap) at the stand of your favourite makeup company at any department store. Otherwise there are a plethora of resources online to check out. For tips on foundation check out destroyx.com's Basic QA for foundation and for pretty much anything else makeup related check out Doe Deere's Blogazine as she is fantastic as a whole and will inspire you to experiment with colour! Meanwhile there are a zillion and one tutorials on Youtube that teach your everything from the basics of makeup application to some of the most amazing makeup masterpieces I've ever seen (check out this Edward Scissorhands costume makeup by Kandee Johnson - it is AMAZING!). Or at the very least get your friend who has the skills to give you some tips - there's nothing much a girl loves more than passing on her style tips to a needy friend!

No matter how often or how rarely you make your face up, there's no excuse for doing a half-arsed job. Good makeup is not meant to be noticed, but it's the first thing people will see when done badly!