'Makeup is the finishing touch, the final accessory' – Marc Jacobs.
Ever walk past a cosmetic aisle in a westside shop or just pass by Sephora, and decide to check out the craze for Makeup, and the minute you enter you have a staff member hovering over your head asking you a billion questions related to makeup and you have no idea how and what to respond back.
There are two ways this scene proceeds:
One she takes advantage of you not knowing anything and fools you into buying a dozen of things, you in a million years wouldn’t know what to do with, and now you regret buying them.
Second, you run away from the shop making an excuse, only to never return.
But considering both the scenarios, deep down you gathered a lot of courage to step into the shop, but you had no idea what you were looking for, and honestly, you aren’t alone, it's absolutely okay. Nobody is going to judge you, it would be hard to believe, but even makeup junkies get rattled and nervous if they are doing it right or not.
So, let's get you started with, the basics of makeup. This foundation of knowledge can also be your stepping stone into the more advanced, creative ways to use makeup. Here’s everything you need to know about makeup basics and how to use them.
I have divided this guide into four parts and today we will walk through the first segment – The Base/Complexion Products.
Complexion Products
Primer: A primer is designed to create an even and smooth base for your makeup to layer. It’ll help your makeup last longer and depending on the primer, it can help diminish the appearance of pores, balance redness, hydrate your skin, give a tint and even protect your skin from free radicals. Different primers also have different finishes; like matte or dewy, to cater to your skin type.
Foundation: Foundation is designed to smooth and even out your complexion. Coverage is the most important thing to consider; light coverage creates a thin veil and is ideal for those who love a natural look or want freckles to show through your makeup, while full-coverage foundation tends to have a thicker consistency and is ideal if you want a product that will cover acne, pigmentation or acne scars. Foundations also come in different finishes and specifications – matte or dewy according to your skin type and your wants.
Concealer: Concealer can be used to brighten the undereye and conceal dark circles, cover blemishes or marks, and even help contour and snatch the face. Concealers usually come in a medium to full coverage formula and can have a matte, dewy or radiant finish.
Tip: While choosing your Foundation and Concealer, always keep in mind your skin’s undertone. It's very important to match the products undertone to your skin, otherwise, you end up looking either grey or orange.
Contour: Contour is used to create shadows on the face, which will help to sculpt and chisel your features. The powder is quick and easy for beginners while liquid and crème formulas are great for adding a more natural contour. You can also layer products; so, you could begin with a cream contour and finish with powder. Contour formulas tend to have a cool, brownish-greyish undertone to create the illusion of shadow. Typical areas you would contour are your cheekbones, nose, and forehead.
Bronzer: Bronzer warms up the face and gives the illusion of a sun-kissed glow. Although similar to contour, bronzer has warm undertones (sometimes orange) and it is generally more natural-looking. Dust bronzer across your cheekbones, bridge of your nose and forehead to fake a vacation in Hawaii.
Tip: Being a beginner, you can always choose between a Bronzer and a Contour, they both give different results. Once you get comfortable with either of them, you can invest in the other.
Highlighter: Highlighters are used to highlight the high points of the face, giving it a glowing, dewy finish. It is typically a shimmery formula that comes in either powder, cream or liquid form. These too come in different finishes like ‘Everyday dewy glow’ to ‘I’m going to blind you glow’, again according to your preference pick the one, that would suit your personality.
Setting Powder: Setting powder is either translucent (has no colour) or it can be a skin-tone-coloured powder that is applied on top of foundation to ‘set’ your makeup in place so that it doesn’t look patchy throughout the day. Different formulas can be used to brighten, mattify, or control oil.
Blush: Blush is used to add colour to your cheeks, for a sexy, flushed look. You can choose between cream, powder, and a liquid, although powder is often the easiest to use, and it should be applied after foundation and powder. You get a series of colours to choose from for your skin tone. The colours vary from Corals – Peaches – Pinks – Wine - Browns.
We have come to the end of this segment. These are all the products you need to do your base makeup. In the upcoming articles, we’ll take a look at eyes and brows.
So, the next time you walk into store don’t panic, take a deep breath and remember what you read and tell the attendee exactly what you need.
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