Makeup Dos and Don’ts

SECOND: what is the proper order to apply makeup? The majority will tell you to do your eyes/brows first. They are unforgiving as far as mistakes go and wiping off excess mascara or eye/brow liner is easier when it’s coming off of skin besides, it’s easier to work around the eyes than it is to hope your eyelashes full of mascara won’t mess up your base and/or primer.

THIRD: primer, Base/foundation then powder (if you use it)

LASTLY: lips

Mascara

Mascara is a cosmetic commonly used to enhance the upper and lower eyelashes. It is used to darken, thicken, lengthen, and/or define the eyelashes. Normally in one of three forms, liquid, powder, or the modern mascara product has various formulas; however, it mostly contains the same basic components of pigments, oils, waxes, and preservatives. The most common form of mascara is a liquid in a tube with an application brush. We see mascara with fibers in it to lengthen lashes. Some of them are two parts, applying the fibers to wet freshly applied mascara, most are combined. The new eyeliners are simply mascara in a pen to highlight around the lash. Most are in the form of a grease/wax pencil, as are brow pencils.

Makeup Primer

Primer is a type of liquid, lotion or cream that’s applied before any other face makeup. The purpose for the primer is to prep the skin, no matter the skin tone. Makeup primers do a variety of things depending on the formula. They can allow the foundation to go on smoother, help makeup last to the end of the day, provide a more flawless finish, or even change the finish to the skin. Primer is applied before any other makeup. It is an essential part of my makeup application!

How to Use Makeup Primer

After you’ve prepped your skin with your skincare and SPF, apply the makeup primer to the skin. Primer comes in many forms. It can be a liquid, lotion, or cream. Different primers can actually do different things! What’s the best makeup primer? It depends on what you’re looking for! The right primer can depend on person to person. It can be overwhelming shopping for so many different makeup products. I’ve broken it down so you can find the best primer! Primers prepare the skin after you clean and dry your face. They cover small blemishes and pores so that your base is smooth and consistent in appearance.

The different primers are:

Hydrating Primers

Smoothing Primers

Gripping Primers

Illuminating Primers

Mattifying Primers

Hydrating Makeup Primers

Base or foundation.

Basically, it gives your face a single tone and keeps it symmetrical in appearance, i.e., color. It also works with the primer to cover up blemishes and pores. It can be applied with pump spray, tube/cream, brush, stick, and now airbrush.

Types of foundation are:

Mature/older women

All day

evening

Moisturizing

Water resistant

Powders and blushes and eyeshadows

These display a persona of an individual and most say, “where the rubber hits the road” as these finish what you’ve done already. There is a science to these powders, and it should start with your primer. Eyeshadow is almost exclusively oil based, but some expensive brands make theirs from the same pigment that acrylic paint is colored with. (Not good/not bad) but once again, pay attention to the science before choosing and applying it with other products.

Lipstick

The Sumerian civilization was the first to put on lipstick, which they made from substances such as fruits, henna, clay rust, and insects. Mesopotamian women colored and shimmered their lips with ground precious jewels. The ancient Egyptians are considered the first lipstick lovers, as they created shades from purple to black. They used carmine dye and harmful substances such as lead. In the Greek Empire, prostitutes were required to wear dark lips while colored lips were associated with sorcery, witchcraft, and Satan worship in the Middle Ages.

Types of lipstick

Cream.

Lipsticks with cream in them are excellent for women who have small lips. They are not shiny, but they are rather smooth and produce a more even look. If you like, you can use lip gloss over the lipstick for a great look. Because cream lipsticks contain more wax than other types of lipsticks, they protect the lips from drying out; they are also a very healthy type of lipstick.

Gloss.

This is a very popular type of lipstick for women who have small and thin lips because gloss lipsticks give your lips a little shine and make them look a little bigger. If you like, you can use regular lipstick underneath the lip gloss, which gives you the perfect mix of color and shine.

Stains

These types of lipsticks are low-maintenance and high-impact, and they are available in dozens of colors and shades. Usually packaged in the form of a pencil, lipstick stains look great when they are layered with different colors, or you can simply go with a nude color if you want a look that is subtle and soft. They are very simple to apply, and, in fact, they are a lot of fun to apply and wear. In a pinch, you can take some beet juice either by itself or mix with food coloring to make your own.

Long wearing/Transfer resistant

If you work long hours or attend parties and don’t feel like reapplying your lipstick throughout the day or night, a long-wearing lipstick is something that you might like. Most of these lipsticks stay on your lips for four to eight hours, sometimes more, although some of them have to be reapplied (if you eat something oily or greasy.) Some of them even add moisturizer so that your lips don’t get dry while you’re wearing them. Most contain wax, which is why it stays on so long.

Matte

Some women simply don’t like the shiny lipsticks available today, which is why so many matte colors are now available. Instead of shining, you get a flat look when you apply the lipstick, but they still come in dozens of beautiful and colorful shades. Matte lipsticks make your lips look smoother and younger, and if you use lipsticks that have Vitamin E and/or aloe in them, they can protect your lips as well.

Moisturizing

You can use moisturizing lipstick whether your lips are dry, or you are trying to prevent them from getting that way. With ingredients such as aloe, glycerin, and Vitamin E, these lipsticks are specifically made to keep your lips not only moisturized but also smooth and soft. They can also make your lips shiny and give them a wet look, making them more attractive as well as healthier.

Pearl/Frosted

This type of lipstick makes your lips glisten and sparkle. They reflect light and give your lips a very shiny effect. The only negative aspect of pearl or frosted lipsticks is that some of them can cause your lips to feel dry, heavy, or even cracked, which is one reason they recommended you moisturize your lips before you use this type of lipstick.

Sheer/Satin

Sheer and satin lipsticks are another choice when your lips are getting dry because they both nourish and moisturize your lips, as well as make them glossy and shiny. These lipsticks have a lot of oils in them, so they may appear lighter when you put them on than they looked in the package. High-oil lipsticks should also be reapplied throughout the day for the best effect. The sheer/satin look is also perfect for evening events, as it produces a look that is on the glamorous side.

We have a makeup advertisement on the site. jecca blac has tutorials on how to buy, apply, and mix/blend products, but there are hundreds online. Or you could do what I would do and ask a CIS female friend to come over, open a couple of bottles of wine, and let her go to town with your newfound makeup purchases. I learned more from my friend Vicky than in all of my practice sessions combined. CIS women have been doing this for decades and know what goes where, and what doesn’t work.

I hope this helped you and remember, practice, practice, practice and less is more. That advice comes from the 5 CIS women I took my tips from.

Huggz

Tia