For The Girls

[Little Flower]

I want to start wearing makeup. Only problem - I have absolutely no idea what to do. What do you do for makeup? And how do you put it on and stuff? Im 16 just for reference. I don't know if older people do makeup differently.

Thanks!

[MissyP89]

Don't go too heavy, since you've never worn it before. The sudden change can be too shocking for others, you know?

I tend to wear just a little powder foundation -- you just brush it over your whole face evenly -- and then a little blush, especially in the winter when I get very pale.

Of course, make sure you use really good lighting.

[Lil Red]

my two cents:

get a tinted skin moisturizer that matches your skin tone. I use Aveeno positively radiant tinted moisturizer, fair to light, spf 30. it cover a multitude of little imperfections, it's very light on my skin, and very good for just day-to-day errands and such. if i just put that and mascara (i usually use whatever's on sale, right now I'm using lash blast volume from Cover Girl) on and a little tinted lip gloss, i'm good to go, most of the time.

for more dressy events, i use the above moisturizer as a base, then use Maybelline's Dream Matte powder over that, a little blush (Dream Mousse blush), eyeliner (Revlon ColorStay), and eye shadow (ummm, whatever color sounds good).

like i said, first find out your skin tone; then if you tend to break out a lot, go with make-up that is hypo-allergnic (sp?) or non-comodegenic (sp?). base, powder, blush, mascara, eye shadow are all musts to have. eye liner once you get used to applying it.

i generally don't trust make-up counters at department stores because usually they 1. make you look like a streetwalker and/or 2. sell you stuff you don't need/will never use. perhaps others here will have had greater luck.

hope this helps!

oh, and something my mom always told me: wash your face every night, no matter if you put make-up on or not...you will have younger and healthier looking skin. considering when she died she was 72 but looked at least 10 years younger, I'm trying to follow her advice.

[Basilisa Marie]

I don't have any older sisters and my mom never wears makeup, so I ended up teaching myself over a few years. The best way to learn is through practicing and getting a feel for what you like and what you don't. Usually a little bit of makeup goes a long, long way. Most of it felt weird for me at first - I thought I totally looked like a clown when most people couldn't even tell I was wearing anything. When in doubt I'd double check with my sister or my mom before I left the house.
I actually found the "Benefit" makeup counter super helpful, and the ladies by me didn't pressure me into buying lots of things (the Clinique ladies across the way looked a bit haughty in their lab coats). I first went to one to get my makeup done for prom, and they did a great job on my face and I bought the lipstick so I could re-apply it after dinner. I went back later with my mom and told them that I wanted to learn how to apply stuff and that I was going for a natural look, and they were great. I don't know if that was just the people at my location or if it's brand-wide. But I'm a total fan of everything that brand makes, mostly because it's retro-styled and their message is "Makeup is fun!" and not "You are ugly so buy our product!" The only drawback for me is that it's pretty darn expensive. Grrr. Covergirl, Neutrogena and Maybelline are pretty good brands that you can find at drugstores, and I started with all of them.

I usually just wear makeup to work, mass and class if I'm not rushing to get stuff done. My standards are face powder, eyeshadow, mascara, blush and chapstick. I never got into wearing much lip stuff because I was in band all through high school and college, so it'd just rub off on my clarinet reed and get gross.

Powder is usually good, because you can blend it really well over your face and only use a light touch if you want (liquid foundation makes me and my friends break out). Make sure you get something that's close to your skin tone, otherwise your face will look "painted" and look weird. If I'm looking pale (like in the winter) I put a little powder under my chin and down my neck, and blend it to make my face and neck look more uniform. A tinted moisturizer also works really well too. In high school I used that instead of powder because my face would already be a bit dry from my acne soaps, and powder would look like my skin was flaking off. Like Red said, you can even put powder over it for more coverage.

If you can find one of those concealer sticks that had salicylic acid in them to cover pimples in your skin tone, go for one of those too. I LOVED them in high school.

After powder I do eyeshadow. I just put it on the lid itself - I'm not confident enough to do much fancy brow-bone stuffs yet. I usually wear a light pink or a light gold/tan, because I've got hazelly-green eyes and a warmer skin tone. I found a giant pack full of different colors at Sephora for a few bucks on clearance. Just experiment with different colors for eyeshadow. I found starting with skin-tone colors was great until I got the hang of it. Grey can be good especially if you've got blue eyes. There's TONS of stuff online about what colors make certain eye colors "pop." Oh, and don't feel like you have to match your eyeshadow to your outfit or something.

My eyes are pretty big so I don't usually do any liner. Black or brown are probably the most common colors for that, but I always worried I'd poke myself in the eye. I've heard the trick is to use tiny strokes as close to your lash line as possible...but like I said, I don't mess with it.

Then I do mascara. Black is a good standard on pretty much everyone. Brown can be good too, especially if you're a light blonde. I like something with a big fluffy brush, but a super skinny brush can be good if you're trying to get the tiny hairs on the edges of your eyes. I start with the brush at the base of my top lashes and wriggle it side to side as I slowly pull it up. That way the goop coats your whole lash. I do either one or two coats, depending on how I feel it looks. I don't do my bottom lashes, but I know others that do and it looks fine on them. Maybelline Great Lash in Very Black was what I started with, and now I use Benefit's BADgal Lash in Black or BADgal in Plum (yes, purple! It's amesome and totally unobtrusive and brings out the green in my eyes...like I said, I'm a walking billboard for the brand, lol). If your lashes start completely sticking together, grab a moistened kleenex, wipe it off and start over. More product will make it clump more. I also found a cheap clear mascara that I used until I got the hang of it.

Blush took me longer to figure out. I used to just use a peach-colored blush that would give me a super subtle color, but then it got discontinued. The key here is using a SUPER light touch, tapping off extra powder and blending a lot. I put it on the apples (puffy parts when you smile) of my cheeks and brush it out toward my temples. You really only need a little bit of the powder.

Lip stuff is always last. Not sure why, but that's what everyone I've heard or read says. Start with tinted gloss or chapstick, and save lipstick for super special occasions.

Like Red said, a big part of figuring out what colors look good on you is figuring out your skin tone: razzle dazzle, neutral or warm. There's a bunch of stuff online to help you figure this out. And again like she said, NEVER go to bed without washing off your makeup. That made me break out when I was in high school (and still can). Plus you don't want to grind all that powder into your pillowcase. Good luck and have fun with it!

Edit: GAH sorry I wrote a book!!!

Edited October 31, 2011 by Basilisa Marie

[Lil Red]

Basilisa Marie...great job! you covered steps! i totally wasn't thinking that

and i've never heard of Benefit, so since you love it, i'll have to check it out next time i'm in the need!

[Jesus_lol]

[img]http://www.airbrushmakeupsalon.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Homer-Makeup-Gun-After.png[/img]

[faithcecelia]

Dare to be bare!!!! I used to wear full make up everyday, with glittery eyes in every colour imaginable. It matched my dress sense at the time and I'd get lots of compliments. I stopped, completely, overnight when I realised the direction God was calling me in, and I have never looked back. I wash my face with Clinique soap twice a day, and moisturise it with Clinique every evening. And while I can see natural changes in my skin, especially around my eyes, its keeping me far younger and clearer-skinned than wearing make up would. I did have a trial a bit ago when I was looking for something to stop me going white while exercising (no one really wants an instructor who looks like a corpse!) but everyone who commented said stay bare. Seriously, your skin will love you for it.

[AccountDeleted]

I think Lil Red has the right idea, a tinted moisturiser to even out the colour of your skin. And a little mascara perhaps and perhaps a coloured lip gloss. Start out light until you know if you feel comfortable with more. I don't wear any makeup on a day to day basis, although I do use moisturiser. But when I have to go to an important interview or something where there are people 'of the world' who see makeup as just 'good grooming' then I use a little mascara (I have very light eyelashes) and a tinted lip gloss and it seems to be enough for me to fee groomed with feeling overdone.

And yes, wash your face every single night - no matter how tired you are!! And avoid too much sun exposure, especially on your face - it can make skin look like leather!

[regina_coeli]

Great advice! Also, look for a base or moisturizer that has sun protection SPF 15 or higher . That will protect your skin and keep it healthy!

[FutureCarmeliteClaire]

I don't wear makeup because my acne gets really bad sometimes, and I don't want to risk it getting worse. I second what FaithCecelia said. I do a good amount of theater, so I do have to wear makeup when I am doing plays, but I cannot be of much help because when you do theater you have to go HEAVY on the makeup because the stage lights wash your face out. I can say that if you are going to start wearing makeup, go light.

[Brother Adam]

If you wear make-up, do it for yourself, not because you think you aren't pretty or attractive enough. I know a lot of guys who think women look much nicer without any make up at all.

[rachael]

Meh, it takes too much time out of my day, so I don't usually wear any. But, if I do, it's gonna be lipgloss, mascara and maybe some powder.

[LaPetiteSoeur]

[quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1320056956' post='2329272']
Dare to be bare!!!! I used to wear full make up everyday, with glittery eyes in every colour imaginable. It matched my dress sense at the time and I'd get lots of compliments. I stopped, completely, overnight when I realised the direction God was calling me in, and I have never looked back. I wash my face with Clinique soap twice a day, and moisturise it with Clinique every evening. And while I can see natural changes in my skin, especially around my eyes, its keeping me far younger and clearer-skinned than wearing make up would. I did have a trial a bit ago when I was looking for something to stop me going white while exercising (no one really wants an instructor who looks like a corpse!) but everyone who commented said stay bare. Seriously, your skin will love you for it.
[/quote]
I do the same! I hate makeup (and I can't even wear lipstick!) Clinique face soap, their toner, and lotion have worked wonders. At night I put on benzyclen to keep my face from breaking out (darn stress).

[Groo the Wanderer]

better yet - dont wear any. God made you without all that gunk on yer face. Just revel in the beauty He has made.

[Lil Red]

sorry Groo, in some professional situations, women should wear make-up...as nunsense said, it's just seen as 'good grooming' for women. (though, the OP is probably too young to encounter that kind of attitude.) and making someone feel guilty because they want or like to wear make-up is just in poor taste.