Common Makeup Application Mistake (Part 3)

Part 3 - Obvious lip liner

Ever seen a woman with obvious rings on her lips after she finishes her meal? Here's how to avoid making this terrible mistake.

Rule #1 - Lip liner should NEVER be darker than your lip colour
Wearing a dark lip liner with light lipstick is way out of date! Your lip liner should match your lipstick colour so that you won't end up with an obvious ring on your lips after your lipstick wears off.

Rule #2 - Lip lines should be softly defined
Make a thin line and softly fill in the rest of the lips with the lip liner, smudging and blending the colour on the rest of the lips so that when the lipstick wears off, you will not end up with just an outline of your lips. Then fill in the lipstick, making sure that the two blend and look even. You can use a lip brush to blend the lipstick closer to the lip liner to avoid a harsh line.

Rule #3 - Do not overdraw your lip lines
Apply the lip liner closely on the top of your natural lip line and try not to overdraw on your lips as the end result may be a harsh and unnatural looking lips.

Follow these tips and say goodbye to obvious rings on your lips!

Common Makeup Application Mistake (Part 2)

Part 2 - Obvious under eye concealer

How do you conceal your dark eye circles and to avoid reverse-raccoon eyes? The common mistake women make is choosing a concealer that is too light and over applying it.

Guide to choosing the right colour of concealer. For dark circles that are:

• Bluish / Purplish / Grayish - Try shades of yellow, ochre or bisque
• Brownish - Choose a light blue or mauve concealer
• Reddish - Choose an olive-based concealer as the green tones will help diminish the redness

How to apply concealer
Apply several dots of concealer starting from the inner corner under the eyes. Using your ring finger, gently pat (never rub!) the concealer and blend to cover the entire dark circles. Concentrate on the edges of your application as well for a more natural blending with the skin tone and foundation. An alternative is to use a concealer brush which enables precise application. Remember to start with less than what you think you need - you can add more if needed. But the idea is to use as little concealer as possible. To set the concealer, dust with loose powder over your face as well as under your eyes.

Concealer or foundation first?
There is no hard and fast rule as to whether you should apply concealer or foundation first. Generally, it is the foundation applied first, followed by the concealer. By applying the foundation first, you can see where you need more coverage and apply concealer accordingly. However, if you do it the other way round, you might wipe the concealer off when applying your foundation.

You can also use these steps to cover up other marks on your face like blemishes, freckles, pimple marks and scars.

I hope you find these tips useful!

Common Makeup Application Mistake (Part 1)

Part 1 - Incorrect shade of foundation

The common mistake made is to wear a shade that is either too light or too dark. Regardless of the foundation formula (liquid, cream or powder), choosing the right shade is crucial to achieving a flawless look. But with an endless selection of shades to choose from, how then do you select the best shade for your skin tone?

What to note when selecting the right shade of foundation:

• The perfect shade of foundation should be identical with your skin tone.
• Test the foundation in natural lighting.
• Apply along the jaw line and blend it gently into your skin. It should match your skin tone and completely disappear.

Looking Good During Pregnancy

Worried that your pregnancy will cause you to "lose your looks"? Fret not! Here are some tips to looking fabulous during pregnancy.

Hormone changes during pregnancy can cause changes in your complexion and this is when you should consider adjusting the types of cosmetics you use. If you are experiencing acne or oily skin, you may want to switch to noncomedogenic, oil-free moisturizers and foundation. If you are experiencing chloasma (also called "mask of pregnancy"), this can be tackled easily with foundation or concealer to even out the blotchiness and uneven skin tones.

Keep your makeup routine simple! During your pregnancy, you are likely to be feeling very tired and you probably won't want to get out of bed early to put on your makeup. Furthermore, your makeup application time will be seriously compromised once you have a baby to take care of. If you are not used to going out with makeup, try to bring down to the basics - foundation, mascara, blusher and lipstick/lip gloss.

Do also note that during pregnancy your skin may be more sensitive. So choose products wisely by watching out for the ingredients in your makeup.

Remember, you still can look gorgeous when you are pregnant! :)