Makeup Lesson #1 (Foundation)

In a 16 year career as a hair and makeup artist, several women have voiced their make-up woes and I have come to realize that putting on make-up is a daily challenge that many women face. I meet women all of the time who I look at and see how the use of minimal make-up could enhance and bring out their features and natural beauty. I forget that the ability to see this is second nature to me, which may explain why it surprised me that so many women are not sure of what to wear on their faces and how to wear it.

The funny thing is when I look back into my early adolescence; I too was very confused on how to wear make-up. I never really learned from my mother as many little girls may when they watch their moms in the mirror; because I was always out in the garage woodworking with my Dad. I honestly could have cared less until I hit about fourteen and felt the pressure of being a teen and fitting in. It was then that I began to experiment with makeup, and when I say experiment I mean I was my own worst guinea pig! I remember my logic in thinking that if I put the foundation on really thick, it would eventually be even with my pimples... so pile it on I did! Funny how that never really worked, however I bet you could have carved your name in my face. It was also the 80's, need I say more? Screaming blue eye shadow from lash line to brow, and outward two inches towards the temple; that was the trend, as horrible as it was. What and era to learn but I wore it all thinking I looked fabulous. When I look at old pictures I nearly die, however somehow I think that maybe this was the start of my love for makeup and beauty, so I will chalk it up as a positive thing.

If you are feeling like one of the women that face a challenge when it comes to cosmetics, my next few articles will be free lessons for you. You can take these tips from a girl who learned it first by trial and error and now, several years of professional experience.

First and foremost, remember that the purpose of make-up is to enhance and define the good, and camouflage the not so good. I like to think of the face as a canvas, so you must first have a good quality canvas, meaning good skin, which means a good skin care regimen. Once you have cleansed, toned, and prepared the face with moisturizer, minimized the lines and filled in the nooks and crannies, your canvas is ready.

Okay, so step one, I love, and almost always use a foundation primer. What this does is fill in fine lines and large pores evening out the surface of your skin so that your foundation glides on. Deciding whether or not to use a liquid or powder foundation confuses a lot of people. It is as simple as this, powder foundation, or mineral foundation is best when the desired result is a more matte finish, with minimal coverage. I usually recommend this for younger skin and people with even skin tones who just want a more flawless look. It should be applied with a kabuki brush and pressed into the face in a circular motion.

Liquid foundation is my choice for most skin, especially mature skin since it usually has moisturizing agents within the ingredients and will not settle into the lines on the face. It will give you a dewy finish, should always be water based and should not contain any occlusive oils, artificial fragrance, petroleum based or animal ingredients. Artificial pigment and dyes also oxidize over the course of a day causing your morning masterpiece to appear orange or pink, so try and stay away from foundation that contains artificial pigments. When it comes to foundation, you truly get what you pay for so don't skimp here. Liquid looks best when applied with either clean fingers or a foundation brush. A brush will give you more even application, however fingers are better than a sponge. Sponges soak up that expensive foundation, and harbor bacteria if used more than once, so I typically only use them to contour and highlight.

Step two, a very important step is setting. Would you lye brick without mortar? No, so think of the powder as the mortar that holds it all together. Powder sets liquid foundation and should only be skipped if using a powder foundation. It is crucial to the staying power of what you apply before and after it. If you choose not to wear foundation a good velvety powder will help your shadows, blush and liner stay put. The question you face is loose or pressed? Basically this is simply preference. Loose is hard to carry in your purse and touch up, where pressed is ideal for that. I personally use pressed applied with a brush. Pressed powder pads are a haven for bacteria growth and simply not sanitary. I typically use loose when I am blending and contouring. Either way, talc free is the key to a good velvety powder. Talc dehydrates skin and although may seem to control oil, the oil it absorbs settles and "cakes" up making your skin look blotchy.

Creating your canvas is the number one, for a beautiful flawless look. Add a dust of blush, a hint of gloss and a brush of mascara and you have yourself a ten minute makeover. It takes a little practice but I assure you that taking the time to make yourself look a little younger and fresher never hurts and almost always helps. Look for my next article for lesson #2, "Choosing Color"

For more information on products that I use and recommend or for a free one-on-one makeup lesson with me in your home or in my Tampa studio, e-mail me at the address below and type "lesson" in the subject line. Thanks so much and I hope you enjoyed the read!

Make-up and hair in above photos by Shelley Giard-Talbot.  All photos used in this article with exception of foundation were taken by photographers Craig Huey and Tres Fenton and are protected by copyright.

Shelley Giard-Talbott

Email: nvpdriven_shelleygiard@yahoo.com

(727)-686-7051

Pure, Safe, Beneficial ~ Health & Wellness, Nutrition and Personal Care
Shop online: www.nvpdrivensgt.myarbonne.com

Independent Consultant, District Manager

ARBONNE INTERNATIONAL

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