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Properly applied, makeup defines and accents your eyes, lips, and bone structure; enhances your best features and minimizes those you don't like; and brings out your own beautiful, unique natural coloring. Understanding color and knowing how to apply makeup in the most flattering way, appropriate to the occasion at hand, is an art and a skill that can serve you well for a lifetime. Here is some information about color, plus step-by-step instructions for applying makeup for your most flattering look. Before You Begin Makeup is an art form. Like all art, how it looks depends on factors such as the light and the environment around it. So when you want to look your best, there are a few things to consider before you even begin. Your Personal Coloring Color is powerful. Understanding your personal coloring, then wearing your best colors in clothing and makeup, can make a huge difference in how you look. For the most flattering look, always wear clothing and makeup that is harmonious with your natural coloring. Wearing the wrong colors will make you look tired and washed out. Imperfections in skin tone and color will become more apparent, and hair will look duller. Your teeth and the whites of your eyes will look dingy. Your overall appearance will be less vibrant when you wear colors that clash with your natural coloring. Wearing the right colors will enhance your natural beauty. Skin will appear smoother and hair will look shinier. Your teeth and the whites of your eyes will appear brighter. You'll look more vibrant as the natural color in your lips, cheeks, skin and hair is brought out. Understanding your personal coloring, and knowing what makeup and clothing colors flatter it, is an art form in and of itself. There are two basic things to understand: 1. Intensity - The first thing to understand is if your coloring is dark and intense, or light and fair. This is usually relatively easy to see. For example, someone with black hair and dark brown eyes has dark, intense coloring. (Generally, women with Asian, Hispanic, or African heritage have this type of coloring.) Someone with light blond hair and light blue eyes has light, fair coloring. People with intense coloring sometimes have high contrast between their hair/eyes and their skin. On people with fair coloring, the hair, eyes, and skin often tend to blend together.
Dark/Intense vs Light/Fair Coloring Generally, you'll look best if you wear colors (in both clothing and makekup) that match the intensity of your natural coloring. That is, if you have dark, intense coloring in your skin, eyes, and hair, you'll look best in colors that are likewise intense. If you wear light, fair colors, they won't "stand up" to your natural coloring. If your coloring is light and fair, you'll look best in colors that are less intense. If you wear dark, intense colors, they'll tend to overwhelm your natural coloring. 2. Undertones - The next thing to understand is if your coloring has cool (pink) or warm (yellow) undertones. Sometimes undertones are obvious and easy to see. For example, someone whose natural hair color is red has warm undertones. Someone whose natural hair color is blond (not strawberry blond) generally has cool undertones. Women of Asian, Hispanic, or African heritage almost always have cool undertones. If you have cool undertones, you should wear makeup and clothing in colors that are also cool; if you have warm undertones, you should wear makeup and coloring in colors that are also warm. Wearing colors opposite of your natural coloring will wash you out and make you look harsh, because those colors are not harmonious with your natural coloring. Probably the best way to learn if your undertones are cool or warm is to have a professional color analysis. Once you know if your undertones are cool or warm, you will understand what colors will be most flattering to you, both in clothing and in makeup. The Color You are Wearing Next to Your Face I once applied makeup on a woman who was wearing pale yellow. The makeup looked good on her, and we were both pleased. Then she changed into a bright red shirt. The makeup no longer looked good; with the more intense color next to her face, the makeup appeared to fade away. It immediately became obvious that she needed a brighter lipstick and more blush when she wore the brighter color. Similarly, I once did a makeover on a woman who had beautiful, intense auburn hair (which indicates warm, intense coloring). We had applied warm red lipstick and autumn-colored blush. It looked great. But when we held pale purple up to her face (which is a cool, muted color), the lipstick and blush "disappeared" and her face went white. So, remember that makeup is affected by the environment around it. Part of that environment is the color(s) you are wearing right up next to your face. Those colors will have a great effect on how your makeup actually looks. If you are wearing more intense colors, you may need to apply more intense makeup and vice versa. That's why it's helpful to put on the clothes you're going to be wearing before you apply your makeup. This will help you to see how your makeup is really going to look. Light Another important thing to consider is the light the makeup will be worn in. Light may range from bright daylight to candlelight. And light makes a tremendous difference in how makeup looks. Generally speaking, brighter light is less flattering than more muted light. Bright, direct sunlight will show imperfections more readily. Bright light tends to wash out color. It can be very unforgiving, especially if your makeup isn't blended carefully. If you will be in bright light, apply makeup lightly and carefully. On the other hand, muted light is more flattering. (Candlelight is the most flattering of all.) Muted light is more forgiving, because imperfections tend to fade away. Muted light also gives you more leeway in makeup application. As the light dims, your features will tend to blur, and your makeup will also dim. That's why you can apply makeup more heavily when you'll be in more muted light. Makeup that looks great in daylight will fade away in candlelight. Makeup that looks great in candlelight will look overdone in daylight.
Light affects how makeup looks Because light has such a big effect on how makeup looks, try to apply your makeup in the same light in which the makeup will be worn. Remember - the more muted the light, the more intense the makeup can be and still look good. Preparing to Put on Your Makeup There are a couple of things you should always do before you put on makeup. First of all, always cleanse your face. The last thing you want to do is put your makeup on over a layer of dirt and impurities, sealing them in. Second, always moisturize. This will help your makeup go on much better. You won't have to pull and tug to apply foundation and eyeshadow; your makeup will go on more smoothly; and it will look more even and natural. And remember, it's helpful to put on the clothes you'll be wearing that day, to help you know the colors and the intensity of makeup to apply. Glamour Makeup, Step-by-Step Putting on glamour makeup is similar to putting on your regular makekup that you wear day to day. There are a few differences, however. First, glamour makeup is usually more intense than regular makeup, both in terms of color and how heavily you put it on. Second, glamour makeup often involves contouring - using light and dark to emphasize your bone structure and create an elegant, sculpted look. Here's how to apply glamour makeup, step-by-step. Foundation: Smoothing out Your Skin Tone and Texture Preparing to put on makeup is similar to preparing to paint: you want a clean, smooth canvas to start with. That's what foundation does for you. It smoothes out your skin tone and texture. Foundation is essential for a polished look. Foundation alone can improve your appearance immensely, especially if your skin coloring is uneven, or if you have enlarged pores, facial imperfections, etc. Skilfully applied, foundation minimizes all of these things, creating the illusion of smooth, beautiful skin. Always match your foundation to your actual skin color as closely as possible. There's nothing more artificial or worse looking than someone who appears to be wearing a mask. To apply foundation, use a makeup sponge. Put a little bit of the foundation on the sponge, then dot it on your nose, cheeks, forehead and chin. Then blend evenly with the sponge all over your face, all the way to your hairline and down to the jaw. Take special care to blend foundation in well at the jawline so there isn't an obvious "line." Lip Liner and Lipstick: Defining Your Lips and Adding ColorMany people put lip liner and lipstick on last. I recommend putting them on after your foundation, because I have found that lipstick often "sets the tone" for color on your face. That is, if you are wearing a brighter/darker lipstick, you'll often want to put your eye shadow and blush on a little darker. If you're wearing a more muted/lighter lipstick, you'll often want to put your eye shadow and blush on a little lighter. (Remember, everything needs to be harmonious and in balance.) Lip liner goes on first. Lip liner helps define the lips, and helps lipstick to last longer. To apply lip liner, put a dot at the corners of your lips, at the two "peaks" of the upper lip, and the center of the lower lip. Connect the dots, following your lips' natural contours. Then fill in the rest of your lips, using the side (not the point) of the lip liner. Once lip liner is applied, put on your lipstick as usual. Defining and Emphasizing the Eyes: Eye Liner, Eye Shadow, and MascaraWhat's the most important feature on your face? Your eyes! Usually, when you talk with someone, they will look at your eyes. Eyes are the most expressive feature you have. So it's very important to define and emphasize your eyes when you put on makeup. Eyeliner is the first step. Your eyeliner color should be harmonious with your coloring. The more intense your coloring, the more intense your eyeliner should be - both in color, and in how heavy you put it on. Generally, people who have warm coloring will look better with brown-toned eyeliner. People who have cool coloring will usually look great with gray to black eyeliner, and can sometimes wear some colors of brown. Colored eyeliner (purple, green, etc.) can look fine, but it will draw more attention to itself. Apply eyeliner about 3/4 of the way across the eyelid, keeping as close to the lashes as you can, on both the top and bottom eyelids. Be sure to connect the eyeliner at the outside corner of the eye. Then smudge slightly so you don't have a harsh line. Eye Shadow is next. Use an eyeshadow compact that has a light, medium, and dark color. Apply the light color over the entire eye area, from the lashes on up to the eyebrow. This highlights the eye area and makes it easier to blend the rest of your eyeshadow. Apply the medium color over the entire eyelid. Extend it up slightly into the crease of your eye, and extend it out slightly past the corner of your eye. This will make the eye look bigger. Now apply the darkest color eyeshadow. To do so, look for where the shadows naturally fall around the top of your eyelid; that's where the dark eye shadow should go, right in the crease around the lid, and up and out just a bit, to make the eye look bigger. Be sure to blend the dark eye shadow in well. If you get a "line," just apply a little bit of the lightest color eyeshadow and blend it in. That will get rid of any harsh lines. Mascara plays a big role in making your eyes look bigger, especially if your lashes are naturally light. To apply mascara, first run it along the tips of your lashes, top and bottom, on both eyes. Then come back and apply mascara from the bottom of the lash (nearest your eyes) on out to the tips. Two light coats of mascara will look better than one heavy coat. It's also helpful to have a small eyelash brush to comb out any clumping. Curling your eyelashes with an eyelash curler will also make them appear longer. Adding Color and Contouring Your Cheekbones: Blush Blush does two things. First, it puts some color on your face. This additional color looks great and flatters all types of faces if it's harmonious with your natural coloring, used subtley, and carefully blended. Second, blush can be used to controur your cheekbones - to emphasize your bone structure and give your face an elegant, sculptured look. There are a few keys to applying blush. First, be sure to apply blush in the right area on your face. To do so, look at your cheekbones carefully. There are three areas to note. The cheekbone has a "crest," or high point, near the top point. This area is where the light hits on your face, and it usually starts at about the outer corner of your eye, continuing to the hairline. Below the crest is the ridge of the cheekbone. This is the broad area where the underlying bone pushes the cheekbone out. Beneath the crest there is a hollow, or shadowed area. You can see this area readily, because it's where the shadows fall. If you are thinner, it will be more pronounced and vice versa. Blush should be applied along the ridge of the cheekbone, from the "apple" of the cheekbone (rounded area just below the outer corner of the eye) to the the hairline, tapering up. Be careful not to bring blush too far in on the face; if you get it in the center of your cheek, you'll lose the elegant, high-cheekboned look. The second key to applying blush is to go easy and blend well. Too much blush, or blush that is applied in a hard line, will give you a harsh look. Apply it lightly and blend it in carefully for the most flattering look. Contouring for an Elegant, Sculpted Look When you see someone with a highly polished look, you may notice that their features appear sculpted and chiseled. In particular, you may notice that models' cheekbones usually appear high and pronounced. You may also notice that their jawlines are well defined. Part of this depends on the natural bone structure of the face. But part of it depends on a makeup technique called contouring. Contouring simply means using light and dark to emphasize and define the natural bone structure of the face. It's done through skillful use of light and dark. Before you can contour your face properly, you must understand your bone structure. Understanding bone structure means understanding how your underlying bones give shape and definition to your face. To understand your bone structure, take note of where your bones push your face out. Also note where your face recedes, or goes in. You can do this by actually feeling your face, noting where it goes in and where it goes out. Another essential thing to do is to take a careful, critical look at your face in a large mirror. Note where the light falls on your face. That's where your bones push your face out. These are the "mountains" or crests of your face. Most people have crests at the corner of the temples (where your face "turns," changing from the front plane to the side planes); at the tops of the cheekbones; at the middle of the nose; and in the center of the chin. Also note where the shadows fall on your face. That's where there are no bones, or where the bones recede. These are the "valleys" or shadows of your face. Most people have shadows at the side planes of the temples of the face; at the sides of the nose (unless your nose is very flat, as with many Asians); in the hollows of the cheekbones; and at the bottom of the jawline. Now that you understand your bone structure, you're ready to learn how to contour. In brief, you contour by putting a slightly darker color in the natural shadows of your face. You can also contour by using the darker color to minimize features you don't like as well. Remember, darker colors will cause the face to recede, while lighter colors will bring it out. Probably the most important place to contour is at the cheekbones. To do so, use a color just slightly darker than your normal foundation color. Put a little on a makeup sponge, and apply it in the hollow just below the ridge of the cheekbone. Then blend the darker color in very carefully. Usually, when you contour, you follow the natural shadows of your face. But sometimes you can create illusions by bringing the darker color a bit past the natural shadow. For example, you can "raise" the cheekbone by bringing the contour color up on the cheekbone a bit, a little past the natural shadow. On some bone structures, this is very pretty and dramatic; on others, it simply looks contrived. Try it and see if it works for you. Another place many people like to contour is at the jawline. If your face is wide, you can "narrow" it by applying a bit of contour color along the outer jawline. If your face is square, you can take the edges off by putting a bit of contour color at the corners of your jawline and blending it in well. You can also use contouring at your jawline to make the jawline appear more defined. To do so, just apply the contour color beneath the jaw, again blending carefully. The darker color will make the jawline more distinct, often creating the illusion of a thinner face. If you would like your nose to appear more sculpted, just apply a bit of contour color to the side planes of your nose. Or if you think your nose is too wide, bring the contour color in a little bit on the top plane (the middle, or ridge) of the nose. This will effectively narrow the nose. Remember to blend well! And last, you can countour by applying a bit of the contour color to the hollows at your temples. This will cause them to look more pronounced, which will in turn make your cheekbones look more prominent. Conclusion Remember one thing when you contour (and indeed, when you put on any makeup): You are not going to change your face entirely. Don't try to create something that's not there. Instead, use the classic principles explained here to enhance your natural coloring, your features, and your bone structure. Everyone has their own natural beauty. It may or may not conform to society's "ideal" (which can be very narrow, unnatural, and extreme). Nonetheless, that beauty is still there, an important part of your own beautiful uniqueness and identity. For this reason, the goal in putting on makeup isn't to look like someone else or conform to a standard. The goal in putting on makeup is to look like your own best self!
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