Lately we’ve been seeing lots of different makeup trends popping up on our favorite stars. Rihanna’s rocking the goth style while stars like Solange are going for fun and funky. Amerie’s going for the au naturale while Beyonce has classic glam on lock.
Trying these styles can be really scary and potentially Homie The Clown-ish. So if makeup is virgin territory for you, here are a few beginner steps that will insure you walk out the house looking like a diva and not a dummy.
- Moisturizer
Halt! Before you even think about picking anything, make sure you have a really good moisturizer!!!! That comes before everything!
- Protect your skin from harmful UV rays and enhance, instead of hinder, your natural beauty.
- AVOID oil-based moisturizers!!!
- Oil will make you look really shiny and clog your pores so even if you have dry skin, look for moisturizers with a watery feel.
- Plus, if you already have oily/ combination skin, then it will only make the situation worse! You’ll look like someone slapped with Chicken Grease! Trust Me!
-Foundation
- You’re face is NOT all one complextion. The outer sections (forehead, chin, hairline, nose) is a shade darker than your cheeks.
- A great way to test makeup is to, well, test it! Your hands are not the same color as your face either, so take a chance!
- Women of color have tons of red, orange, and gold undertones so try foundations with more red than blue otherwise you’ll look washed out and faded.
- Liquid foundation is a great base to begin with and then place a light weight powder on top.
- To go for a natural look, mix a little moisturizer with your foundation before applying. It will go on thinner and play up the positive without exposing the negative!
-Bronzer
- Gives lots of definitions to your face
- Apply around the hairline, nose, chin (the darker regions pretty much!)
- Blush
- A very tricky situation if you don’t know what you’re doing!
- Before applying, smile and locate the apples of your cheeks!
- DON’T believe what others say, if you only apply blush to your apples, you WILL look like a clown!!
-Instead, place predominately on the apples of your cheek, then extend out to your temples
- Always tap your brush befor applying to get excessive blush off first!
- Eye Shadow
- Forget what everyone says, go for colors you like! There are a million shades of color and each of us is different!
- Don’t forget to blend though!
-Do Not just throw it on your eyes and go, you will look crazy! take your eye shadow brush, and carefully blend it into your eyelid
-To add some POP! take a light eyeshadow and apply under your bottom lashes like an eye liner. It’ll bring out the color in your eyes.
- Liner
- Be one with your pencil, and not afraid of it!
- Start with a pencil before trying liquid (much harder to make a straight line).
- If you have small eyes, use whites, browns, grays to make your eyes look bigger
- If you’re eyes are big, go for darker colors like brown, black , and blues
-Mascara
- Start at the root of your lashes and wiggle out to get lashes that flutter.
- To get thicker looking lashes, go over your lashes after the first coat dries again using the same technique.
BONUS:
-Red Lips
- Okay, it’s taken me years to perfect the “red lip”. There is a red for everyone, I promise you. First of all, go for red lipsticks with blue in them. The blue makes your teeth look whiter compared reds with yellows which will make your teeth look gross.
- If you’re like me, and have large lips (aka soup-coolers), and are totally afraid of looking a hot mess, try a lip gloss with red tint. The blue rule stills apply!
Have fun!
Yes, Makeup Expires! Trash It!
