How to Apply Makeup

Remove any old makeup . When you’re
applying makeup, it is necessary to
start with a clean palette. Therefore,
remove any of last nights makeup that
you might have slept on, or wash off
makeup from earlier on in the day. If
you try to apply more makeup over the
top of old makeup (not including touch
ups), your end look will look caked on
and more unnatural than makeup put
on a fresh face.
Keep in mind that you should
always remove your makeup at the
end of the day; sleeping with your
makeup on can clog your pores and
cause blemishes and wrinkles.
Wash your face. For the same reason
you remove your old makeup, you
should also wash your face; leaving
grease and sweat on your face can
give a fresh cover of makeup a shiny,
caked on look after several hours. Use
a face detergent to gently wash your
face, spending about one minute of
scrubbing to remove all bacteria and
dead skin cells in your pores. Finish up
by applying a facial moisturizer. Dry
skin will look flaky to start with and
gain oil to compensate later on, so be
sure your skin has been treated with a
bit of lotion.
Apply your concealer. The purpose of
concealer is to even out uneven skin
tone as a result of blemishes or dark
under-eye circles. Use a concealer
brush or your (clean) fingertips to blend
concealer on your bottom eyelids, on
any red patchy areas, or over any acne
or dark spots. Blend the edges of your
concealer spots so avoid having
discolored marks around your face.
Put on a coat of foundation . There are
several types of foundation, but they
are generally applied the same way.
Liquid, cream, and powder foundations
all act to create a totally even
complexion, working to blend your
natural skin tone with the concealer
you’ve already applied. Use a
foundation brush to apply foundation to
the entirety of your face, blending into
your neck and earlobes if necessary.
Keep in mind that your foundation
should be the same color as your
natural skin tone, not much darker or
lighter. Your foundation should go over
the top of the areas that have
concealer to blend them.
You can use a concealer brush to
add a little extra foundation to cover
up stubborn blemishes.
Liquid foundation can be applied
with your fingertips, although this is
more likely to introduce bacteria to
your skin and cause future
breakouts.
Set your foundation . This step is
optional, but if you’re looking for long-
lasting makeup you can use a setting
powder to hold your foundation and
concealer in place. Use a large, fluffy
brush to cover your whole face in a
neutral or matching setting powder.
This step is particularly important or
useful if you’re using liquid foundation,
as it will help to set the foundation and
remove any sheen that might be
making an appearance. [1]
Apply a highlighter. With your
foundation completed, it is likely that
your face now looks contour-less and
flat because of the uniform color. In
order to provide some depth, you’ll
need to create the illusion of highlights
and shadows. Use a cream or powder
highlighter to brighten up the deepest
areas of your face: the inside corners
of your eyes, underneath your
eyebrows, in the center of your cupid’s
bow, and on the tops/sides of your
cheekbones. This will make your face
look more bright and awake than it
would otherwise.
Create a ‘3’ shape on your
cheekbones, into your eyebrows,
and up to your forehead for the
perfect highlight.
You can use your fingers or a small
highlighter brush to apply the
highlighter.
Add depth with contouring. The
opposite of bringing out the highlights
on your face, contouring involves
adding a powder that is a few shades
darker than your actual skin tone
(different than a bronzer) to the areas
you want to look minimized or further
away. Typically, you should contour
under your cheekbones in the hollows
of your cheeks, and on the sides of
your nose. This will make your face
look thinner and longer in appearance,
and provide the shadows that naturally
occur without foundation.
Apply a little blush . The final step in
prepping your face is to add blush to
your cheeks. Everyone’s cheeks have
a bit of color, but this color varies from
person to person. Apply your blush
with with large brush on the apples of
your cheeks (the round part that forms
when you smile). Don’t go too heavy
with your blush, just add enough to
replenish the color that would form
naturally.
Fill in your eyebrows . This step is
optional depending on the fullness of
your eyebrows, but is generally
recommended for those who have thin
or sparse eyebrows. Select a color of
brow pencil or powder that is close to
your natural hair color. Start by
outlining the edges of your eyebrows,
and then fill in the center with a bit of
color. Use short strokes that mimic the
look of your hair, going in the same
direction of your hair growth.