1. Don’t play up both the eyes and the lips
We’ve been told this time and time again, and while a super-duper smoky eye doesn’t always look great with a fire engine red mouth, there’s nothing wrong with making a bold statement on eyes and lips. Here’s an example: If I’m wearing a hot-pink lip, I like to keep things fun and flirty by sometimes doing an ultra-thick, winged-to-the-sky liner on my eyes with false lashes. The eyes are still quite bold, but not overly dark, so it works and the overall look is dramatic and striking.
2. Apply concealer, then foundation
I’ve never really understood this thought process. Bobbi Brown does it this way yet for me, I like to see how much coverage my foundation offers first, then spot conceal any areas that still have redness or darkness showing through. For the undereye area, I like to keep this area bright so I don’t want to conceal and then cover it up with foundation that is darker. Make sense? The only thing I do like to do under foundation is color correct if necessary.
3. Only use products for the purpose intended
Says who? Some of my favorite cream blushes are lipstick, favorite eyeliner brushes are paintbrushes and favorite cheek highlighters are eyeshadows. Make sure to read the labels but many products are safe to use on eyes, cheeks and lips! Get your money’s worth and get creative.
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4. Always prime before foundation
Remember 10 years ago when no one had ever heard of primer? Me too. If you have dry skin like me, a good moisturizer is one of the best primers you can use. While I occasionally like to use a primer to fill in pores or fine lines, it’s only something I reach for on especially muggy days or special occasions. For everyday use, I’m not 100 percent sold that primers are a must have.
5. Match foundation to your neck
While you do want your face and neck to match, with no tell-tale line of demarcation on the jawline, your neck is rarely the same color as your face. Think about it — your neck is protected by your face most of the time. The area of your body that receives a similar amount of sun as your face is actually your chest. I like to make sure my face and chest know each other better than my face and neck. You can easily blend foundation down the neck a little to adjust and make up the difference.
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6. Let mascara dry in between coats
This is personal preference but like clay, I find mascara is easiest to work with when still wet. I like to apply mascara by working from the out to in. I apply first to the outer corner lashes, working inwards and then go back to the outer corner for my second coat. I use the wand to shape and define my lashes while the mascara is still pliable and wet. Depending on the formula, I find that when applying wet mascara over a dry layer, it oftentimes drags dried bits through to the ends, creating clumps and spider legs. No thank you!