The Makeup Girl: Make-Unders

Make-over or Make-under?

When spending time with clients, I find myself answering makeup questions such as:

• How do I apply makeup? 
• What is the correct shade of foundation for my skin tone?
• What eye shadow colors suit me?
• How can I take my makeup from the office to the night scene without starting all over?
• My daughter is new to makeup, what is appropriate for her age and how should she apply it?  

I try during my make-over sessions to answer all of these questions, so clients leave armed with answers that will further help them refine their skills at home.  

Makeup experts offer opinions, guidance and suggestions that help enhance your appearance, keep you up-to-date on makeup trends and introduce you to products that you might not be aware of.  My blog is attempting to so the same. 

As the owner of a makeup line, my aim is to educate the EVERYDAY makeup wearer.  I created L7 Makeup because I feel when women go to commercial makeup counters and ask questions, they don't often get honest advice. And in drug stores and grocery stores they don't get any advice at all.   

L7 is for all women, however my passion behind L7 was to educate women and help them take a leap of faith and try something new, invest in themselves and help them remember that looking good is feeling good.   I don't care what I am doing, I feel good when I am made up.   

In today’s blog I  am trying to reach out to the heavily made-up woman.  If you are wearing a lot of makeup, if your makeup feels heavy, if you don’t know what steps to take to lighten it up, today if for you.   

We all know someone who fits this description: Foundation that looks like spackle, mascara that is so thick you can see dust on lashes, eye shadow that even for halloween is scary, and lip liner that is drawn way above a natural lip line.   

Make-unders are just as much part of my job as make-overs.  Less is more with makeup. 

Contrary to popular belief, too much makeup makes a person look older rather than younger.  Below are some suggestions on how to ease up on the makeup and let your natural beautiful face show through.

1. CONTROL COVERAGE - NOT CONTROL FREAK!

You don't need as much foundation as you think. Women tend to blend foundation deep into their hairline and and neck, creating a beige/orange color.  Oxidation makes the edges turn orange and your face takes on a whole new color. 

2. X MARKS THE SPOT. NOT ... YOU HAVE BEEN SPOTTED!

If you spot conceal blemishes, you really only need to blend a small amount of foundation on your face. Start blending foundation from the center of the face (T-zone) out like a starburst. With the right color match and a good concealer, you only need a drop or two of foundation. 

If you have rosy skin, rosacia or blemishes, try a medium-full coverage formula with a slight yellow undertone.  I prefer a gel color corrector which allows your skin to breath.  Follow up by applying a thin layer of powder foundation to lock in the color;  or use a nice mineral powder foundation to add and  keep a healthy glow on your skin.  I rarely use liquid foundation on clients unless requested.

3. EASY ON THE EYES CAN MEAN EASY EYES!

I love getting dressed for a black tie event and having a chance to really play with my makeup.  False eyelashes, dramatic eyes, the whole bit... but let me tell you at the end of the night taking it all off is a drag.  For daily wear,  use less product and use products that do the job with fewer layers.  Intense color pigment is your friend, get more bang for your buck—literally and figuratively. 

As for mascara,  if you have medium-dark lashes already, focus mascara on the tips and outer lashes instead of the root for easy to wash off makeup that still makes an impact. 

4. SWEET AND SIMPLE, NOT FIZBO THE CLOWN (Modern Family-Cam)?

You only need a minimal amount of blush for your cheeks to look alive.  All products, creme, gel and powder, if they are good quality with rich pigments, will work.

When using powder blush, apply a small amount with a stippling brush, which is designed to pick up less product. 

To apply cream blush lightly, pat your ring finger in the pan to pick up a hint of product.  Dab the cheeks with the color and simultaneously blend the cream up with your middle finger. If you are not comfortable using your fingers,the stippling brush also works for cream blush.  

The look of blush streaked across your entire cheek bone is out.  Try a contour color more in the brown family to give the illusion of a more defined angled cheek bone and then add the pop of color on the apple of your cheek for a youthful, healthy glowing face. 

5. LIPS—UNDERSTANDING UNDERSTATED ELEGANCE

 Your lips do not need to  be fully polished for every day.  The daily lipstick wearer consumes around 4-5 lbs of lipstick in her lifetime.  Try a lip liner that slowly blends into your lips with a nice gloss on top or even a chap stick for a super natural look.  You will still get definition without the overdrawn lip look.  A matte lipstick can make you look years older than you are and can accentuate wrinkles rather than soften them.   

Remember less is better!