Makeup Tricks

Facial make-up or foundations are pigmented products intended for application on the face and the neck. They colour the skin evenly and hide facial imperfections such as scars, depressions and dark and light coloured areas.

Effects created by different foundations. Several forms of foundations are available. You must choose your foundation correctly and for this you need to know the effect of each of the forms.

Emulsions: These are packaged in tubes and are formulated for a variety of skin types -for dry skins, oily skins and normal skins. They give less sheen than cream or liquid foundations, but cover blemishes very well.

Creams: These are packaged in jars. As they contain a high proportion of oils, they are particularly suitable for dry skins. These also provide a heavy cover, but give a glossy finish.

Liquids: These are packaged in bottles and can be formulated for all skin types- so look at the label before you purchase! Along with the cake variety, they are the commonest type of foundation used. They give a light sheen cover but are too light to cover any blemishes and scars.

Gels: These are packaged in squeeze tubes. They give a light, natural look and are the variety you should use if you have a blemish free normal skin.

Cakes or sticks - These are the solid forms of foundation. Since they have a drying effect, use them on an oily skin. They give a dense matt cover and are good for covering blemishes and scars. Solid forms are popular for photographic and stage work but are too heavy for everyday use.

Powders : The original full coverage face-powders have now given way to transparent powders;these transparent powders conttol shine and provide oil-blotting. They are used after foundations to give a matt finish. Cake or compact powders are more heavily formulated; as they contain a certain amount of foundation, these are not the best choice for the initial powdering over foundation because they may rub the foundation off and also cause an unattractive colour build-up. They are best used for touching up during the day, when they help to reinforce coverage.

Are foundations bad for your complexion? The answer is a definite no. As a matter of fact, they are really good for the skin: they act as a barrier for the skin protecting it against dirt, wind and environmental pollutants; they also actas sun-screens guarding the skin against the ill-effects of the sun. Since foundations also contain moisturising agents, they balance the moisture levels of the skin. At the same time, they also act as an all-day blotting agent controlling the facial oiliness. Some foundations may even contain medication to dry up pimples.

Psychologically, the effects of foundation are dramatic too! They help in improving your looks:they even out tones, improve skin colour and texture, and disguise blemishes s- all true morale boosters, working wonders for your confidence.

1. Outlining - Before outlining the lips, check that your lips are smooth and grease-free. Use a sharp pencil in a shade close to that of your lipstick colour and with a steady hand, lightly outline the lips. For the upper lip, start at the centre and work out, to-wards the comer of the mouth. Forthe lower lip, work from side to side 

2. Priming the lips - Fill in the lips with a special base or balancer to even out the skin tones. If your lips are of an even colour, use a face powder .as a base 

3. Filling up - Using alipstick brush,fill in the colour. For the upper lip, start at the centre and work outwards. On the lower lip work from side to side. Don’t pile up too much colour. It is much easier to add more later than to rempve any excess. 

4. Blotting off - Fold a clean tissue and place it between your lips. Press the lips lightly together to remove the excess colour and to help seal the remainder, so that it stays on the lipsrather than moving on to every glass you use

5. Finally finish with a lip gloss to geta gleaming look.

Shaping up your lips : Through a knowledge of what you can do to correct lip shape you can truly achieve a perfect finish to your face. Study the shape of your lips, identify the defects if any and decide on what you want to achieve and then proceed.

For thin lips : These are easily corrected by taking the pencil outside the natural lip line

Work slowly and steadily to form a perfect shape. Fill in with a primer and finally with the lipstick. A highlight of frosting on the upper lip would also create an impression of fullness.

For thick lips : These can be made to look smaller by drawing the outline just within the natural shape . Use medium toned lip colours and avoid dark browns, plums, electric brights or pale shimmer shades.

For crooked lips : Asymmetry in lips should be studied well and you will be able to correct the shape by adjusting the outline to provide a perfect balance .

For shapeless lips : Draw the most flattering shape by emphasizing the centre of the top lip and adding fullness to the lower.

Skillfully applied rouge brings a realistic blush to the cheeks. Rouge should be only a whisper of colour.

It should be placed where your natural blush should be. To find that spot, smile widely with your lips closed, your cheeks naturally rise. Apply rouge on this high area, and fade out gradually towards the hairline.

Never apply rouge too close to the nose and tod low on the cheeks. For night time, rouge could be more emphasised because artificial lights tend to rob your face of your glow. Mature ladies could do without rouge or apply a mere whisper of colour if they cannot do without it.

Start by having your eyebrows neatly shaped. Get it done professionally for the first time. In case you want to do it at home by yourself never in between your make-up. The best time to tweeze your eyebrows is after a bath as the pores are open. Apply a little vaselil1e and smooth into shape. All the hairs that detract from a neat shape should be plucked out. To determine where the eyebrows should start and end, hold a pencil upright from your nose, resting the pencil against the nostril, the pencil should touch the inner edge of the brow. Move the pencil to form an angle ending at the outer comer of the eye. Above where the pencil ends, the eyebrow should end. Tweeze only the stragglers that detract from the clean outline of your brow.

If your face is round or pear-shaped, the outer tips of the brow should point towards tlle hairline; a long or oval face-the tips should arch down so that the curve will soften the lines of the face. 

Apply a colourful eye-shadow all over the eyelid area. Don’t extend outside the natural shape and don’t take it above the eyecrease.

Next, highlight the brow area with white eye-shadow. Contour the eye by applying brown or grey right at the socket line. Next comes the eyeliner, which should be a very thin line drawn close to the lashes. After that comes the mascara which is a must.

Eye-shadow should be skipped by those who have naturally shadowed lids, darkly circled eyes, or Wrinkled eye area.

Dieting to control cellulite formation means eating sensibly so as to avoid stress and help the body cleanse itself of all irritating and polluting agents through the process of elimination.

Diet should consist of four basic food groups-milk, food, meat (fish, chicken), vegetables, fruits and cereals. A well-balanced and nutritious diet is very efficacious in treating cellulite. Consulting a good dietician will help in deciding the correct menu for oneself.

Foods to be avoided are : Spiced meats, highly fatty foods, fried snacks like potato chips, white bread, pastries, excessively salted food, nuts, alcohol and coffee.

A manicure once a fortnight is very essential for an elegant look. Before every manicure; soak your hands in a little warm olive oil for about 5 minutes.

• Shape nails either oval, round or square using the smoother side of an emery board.
• If cuticles are neglected, they tend to stick to the nail. A healthy cuticle should be soft, supple and not stuck to the nail. Smooth some cuticle cream into the cuticles  and push back the cuticles.
• Follow this by removing all the dead cuticle with an orange stick wrapped in cotton and dipped in cuticle remover.
• Snip off hang nails if any with a cuticle cutter but do not cut the cuticle as it would only make the cuticle rougher and harder.
• Massage hands with a good hand-cream.
• Remove all residue from the nails by washing and drying the finger tips.

You can make your individual hand lotion from the following:

1/2 cup rose water
1/4 cup after-shave
1/4 cup glycerine
1/4 tablespoon white vinegar

• Mix all together and bottle for use.