|
makeup help
hey, it seems like you give amazing, and really thorough advice on makeup, so i was just wondering if you could help me.
i'm 18 years old, and have never really worn a lot of makeup, but prom's coming up and i want to look my best. i have really fair skin that's pretty sensitive as well, brown eyes (that sometimes turn hazel) and long brown hair. i have an oval shaped face, with a narrow chin, high cheekbones, and a small nose. i hope that's enough information...
thank you so much!
[ ]
Want to answer more questions in the Miscellaneous category?
Maybe give some free advice about: Fashion and Styles?
I actually don't know as much as I seem to; I don't wear makeup much myself. Plus, my face shape is much different than yours, so what works for me may not work for you. I suggest that you try out any and all techniques you would consider in advance.
If you have sensitive skin, you should really try to go with as little as possible.
First, before you do anything, use some kind of facial masque or scrub. Foundation and concealer cake on dry, flaky skin, so look for something that exfoliates.
Since it's prom, you don't need to focus so much on coverage, so I'd go with a tinted moisturizer or even an UNTINTED facial moisturizer so you have a base to start with, rather than foundation. And don't forget concealer; concealer is the most important kind of makeup in all existance for teenagers.
With prom, you want either dramatic eyes, or dramatic lips. It's up to you to choose either. There's only one situation where both works, and that's the Goth look, and even then one must take precedence over the other.
If you want dramatic eyes, go for dark mascara and eyeliner, and an eyeshadow theme that's either very bright or very dark. I tend to prefer sultry and dark, and it'll create more contrast with your pale skin... but it might also give you a goth look, so tread carefully. I would try to either match your dress or your accessories, depending on the colorscheme you've chosen (for example, you don't want to match your dress if it's black and white). Lighter base coat, dark crease, and potentially some medium accenting. Keep it simple. The mascara and eyeliner are key--you may want to match them to your dress, if it's darker, but otherwise I'd go with black. Don't go totally goth, but make your mascara more ornate than the "popular" girls' on a regular day.
If you choose dramatic eyes, go with a simple stain in a muted color that matches your skintone, and then top it with a light gloss. If you don't know, most people do staining by putting on lipstick, and then blotting it off so only a matte remnant of it remains. But this will dry out your lips, so try to get a balm/gloss hybrid. Or, you could pick a simple shade of lipstick. All about personal preference.
If you want dramatic lips, then pick either a very bright or very dark color, that matches your dress, accessories, or skin tone. if you go with a black dress or white dress, the dramatic color you'd want would be blood red. Don't go with blue or green lipstick unless you want to look glittergoth. When you've gotten a color, line your lips with either a matching liner, or a liner that's the same color as your lips, and then put on the lipstick. After that, you may want to put a very shiny gloss over it; that's what I did last year. This is optional though.
If you choose dramatic lips, then go with a single coat of mascara, a medium eyeliner in a very simple, thin line, and a brown or purple eyeshadow theme (depending on your skintone). For the eyeshadow, use the same technique as I gave for the dramatic eyes, but neutral, natural colors that won't be noticable, but will still make your eyes "pop" a little. Whether you should use brown, purple, or even a brownish green depends on your skin tone and the apparent color of your eyelids. Look at what color your veins in your eyelid seem to be without makerup; that's how you can tell.
For your cheekbones, get a dark, dark blush that matches your skin undertones--that means pinkish or purplish if you're a cool and a reddish or orangish color if you're a warm. Don't know? If you tend to look better in purples and blues, you're a cool, and if you look best in oragnes and yellows, your a warm. Anyway, once you get your blush, VERY LIGHTLY brush it across your cheekbones--just the cheekbones. Make sure that you CANNOT TELL that you're wearing blush. It's dramatic without being histrionic :p If you put too much blush on, you will look like either a lady of the street or a stage actress, and I don't think you want to look like either.
If you have oily skin, you'll want a light translucent powder to brush onto oily spots as the night wears on. If you have drier skin, you can get away without it. If powder bothers your skin, get blotting papers. They work WONDERS.
For ALL the cosmetics you choose, make sure they're labelled "noncomedogenic" and "hypoallergenic." The former means that they don't cause acne, and the latter means they don't cause allergic reactions. These labels actually don't mean much from a legal standpoint, but thsee days a product that refuses to make these claims probably isn't a good bet for us sensitive skin types.
Also, if you don't wear makeup, expect it to itch at first. Don't worry about that; a little itching is totally normal. It's if the itching gets bad or you get a rash, THEN you have a problem. If that happens, get RID of it; you may want to throw a travel size facial cleanser in your purse.
To prevent any missed opportunities due to allergic reactions, get your pictures as SOON as is PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE. Even if you don't have an allergic reaction, it'll wear down as the night goes on.
I hope I helped. If this isn't enough, or you need clarification, feel free to contact me outside of this site--I'm availible on AIM and through my LJ and I think I have my e-mail listed. And remember, I'm no expert; I barely wear makeup myself. I speak from the experience I have and the extensive reading I've done on the subject, as well as my own artistic tastes.
And for the future, I recommend you browse those teenybopper magazines and websites a little--you know, like seventeen and YM. I know, they're not the most engaging reading, but I learned everything I know about makeup either from them or from my Mary Kay consultant. :p
Good luck!
]
More Questions: |