Face Facts....

How to use colour and shade when applying make-up

The colours you choose to use on your face should generally depend on your skin tone, skin colour, the time of year, what you are wearing, your hair colour and your eye colour. That said your personality should also play a role in which colours you use. Have fun with your make-up! Play around with different colours! You might find you come across a colour you hadn't though of trying before!!

Here are some top tips I passed on when teaching Make-up Artists back in my days as a Beauty Expert:

Foundations: Should be the same as/extremely close to your natural colour (this will alter from summer to winter)

To colour your skin you should only use highlighters, shaders, bronzers & blushers.

Foundation is purely to create an even colour and should never be used to colour the face.

Shading Facts:

The basic rule when shading to create a desired look is:

To diminish the appearance of an area shade darker

To highlight/create appearance of size shade lighter

eg: the appearance of a wide nose can be diminished by subtle blending of a darker shade down each side of the nose, from the beginning of the widening area, using a lighter shade down the narrow centre.

Using Colour: Obviously fashion plays a role and, again play around with colour. The list below is not exact because as stressed above many factors come into play when choosing your 'face' for the evening/day but hopefully this will be a helpful guide for you:

Lips:

Dark Hair: true reds, pinks, plums, burgundy, raisin, blackberry

Brown or Auburn Hair: brick red, orange, corals, peach, rust

Blonde or Light Hair: Peach, warm pinks, corals and sometimes true reds

Eyes:

Blue eyes: Beige, creams, gold, greys, and sometimes pink!

Brown eyes: Brown, Mauve, Violet, Green, Beige, Pink

Green/Hazel eyes: Pinks, Bronzes and Golds

Mascaras & Eyeliners:

Dark Hair/Skin/Eyes: Black, Brown-black

Brunettes/Auburn hair: Black, Brown-black, Greens (eyeliners)

Blondes/Fair Skin: Mascara: Brown, Brown-Black, Blue-Black. Eyeliners: Greys, Light Brown

Finally some basic tips on make-up application:

Always start with a perfectly cleansed and moisturised skin. Order of application:

Makeup base (if using)

Green Tint (for areas of heightened redness)

Foundation (same colour as your natural colour)

Cover Dark circles and/or blemishes if required (use a cover stick quite close to the colour of your foundation. More on this in future articles)

Next you can apply a light dusting of translucent powder if you want to seal the make up however you can also use a fixing spray along with a makeup base to help your make up last longer.

Now apply brow liner/shaper if using (more on this in future articles)

Now apply eyeshadow (a tissue on your cheek will help avoid spillage of eye powder onto your cheeks)

Now apply eyeliner.

Using a large, soft make up brush gently brush away any excess powder

Mascara application

Apply Blusher/Bronzer/Shader of your choice

Apply lip pencil

Apply Lip conditioner

Apply Lipstick

Top Tip For Your Lipstick: Apply, blot, apply, blot, apply blot. Then top up with gloss in the centre only.

I hope you found this guide useful. More in depth tips to follow in more regular beauty blogs from now on!!

Berni x