Applying makeup is an art, and like all other art forms, makeup also needs an active imagination, the right ideas and a considerable amount of skill to get it right! Isn’t that why all of those makeup professionals out there are referred to as makeup artists?
However, getting that picture-perfect look is no cake walk. The art of getting makeup right takes extensive practice and proper understanding of the products, as well as of skin tones and types. The professional makeup artists that you see working on their human canvases are trained and skilled personnel, dedicated to their art and profession.
Makeup, however, is not just a prerogative of the initiated, but the pursuit of the everyday woman as well. Just about every woman wishes to look her best, whether in public or in private company and makeup is one of the few convenient tools at her disposal. The right kind of makeup can make a world of difference to your appearance, as is evident from the numerous ‘before and after’ pictures that you might have seen being put up by the makeup artists online, as an exhibition of their prowess. And it does make you wish that you could recreate the same kind of magic on your own face. You might have already tried watching makeup video tutorials, scrutinizing every little move that the makeup artists make and attempting to replicate the same.
No matter how closely you follow them though, your end result just doesn’t seem to match the flawless looks created by them. Does come across as some sort of sorcery, doesn’t it? Well, as they often say, magic is nothing but cleverly disguised science. And sure as can be, there is a certain science to the art of makeup as well. If only you could go behind the scenes and take a look at the intricacies of their work, their secrets techniques and practices that make their work seem so bewitchingly flawless. Well, on your behalf, the team at BeBeautiful put on their investigator caps and gear and set out in search of the secrets tips and tricks that makeup artists use so as to achieve that incredibly immaculate finishing and glow.
- Eye drops as the antidote for redness and puffiness
- A beauty blender is your foundation’s best friend
- Know thy colours (and also their pairings)!
- Choosing the right lipstick shade
- The blush, bronzer, and highlighter come before the foundation
Eye drops as the antidote for redness and puffiness
Whoever thought of this brilliant idea could very well be termed as a makeup genius, or a makeup Wiz, if one may. This is a prime example of science coming to the aid of beauty and art, as it has done many times before as well. You might have been recommended the use of eye drops at some point of time in your life to get rid of eye redness. These eye drops contain decongestants that help constrict the blood vessels in your eyes, thereby ensuring that they are no longer swollen and the eye appears normal again.
The same logic applies to the redness or puffiness of your skin as well. The ingredients present in the decongestant eye drops can help treat facial redness or even the case of pimples to an extent. Just pour a few drops of the fluid on a small absorbent cotton pad and dab it over the red or puffy area of your face. Voila, the redness will disappear like it was never there! Quite like magic, isn’t it? (A Word of Caution: Excessive and frequent use is not recommended since your skin might get a bit too used to the decongestant and cause the redness to rebound even worse than before)
A beauty blender is your foundation’s best friend
A beauty blender is a tool that you’ll come across in the makeup kit of just about any and every makeup artist. This indispensable sponge, created in the shape of a teardrop by the celebrity makeup artist and entrepreneur Rea Ann Silva, singlehanded takes on the job of multiple blending and contouring brushes. Its use, however, is not limited to just that and the unorthodox shape of the beauty blender comes handy in the application of your foundation as well, a trick most makeup artists swear by. Just make sure that the blender is slightly damp before application and your foundation will appear flawless as never before.
Know thy colours (and also their pairings)!
Choosing the wrong colours and undertones while applying makeup is one of the biggest mistakes made by the inexperienced. Talk to any makeup artist and they’ll tell you that understanding colour theory is the key to getting your makeup right. The very first thing you will need is knowledge of or reference to a colour wheel, a visual representation of hues that have been arranged in accordance with their relationship to one another.
Colours that are opposite to each other, such as red and green or orange and blue, tend to cancel out. Thus, a green toned concealer works best to conceal any freckles or pimples that you might have on your face. It is also equally important to understand how certain colours to pair with certain undertones better than with others. If you have a rather warm skin tone, the use of golden hues can really take your makeup game to another level.
Choosing the right lipstick shade
Finding the right shade of lipstick to suit your overall look can be quite the puzzling task. More often than not, you tend to pick a shade that looks great when tested against your skin but doesn’t really measure up when applied onto your lips. Contrary to popular belief, it is better to test the shade on the pad of your finger (the resemblance to your own lip colour is greater), as opposed to on the back of your hand. Also, most makeup artists would recommend that you go for a shade that is similar to the colour of the inside of your lower lip (Whoa!).
The blush, bronzer, and highlighter come before the foundation
For all those wondering how the makeup artists manage to create that natural ‘glow from within’ look, this is how they do it. Your makeup textures are of extreme importance here. Applying the blush on the cheeks, the cream bronzer and the highlighter before putting on a very fine, feather-light foundation; makes the skin appear to be naturally lit from within. A brilliant idea for getting that radiant look!
Well, now that the secrets are out, maybe you’ll be able to recreate the same magic that the makeup artists do. And don’t worry if you’re not able to get it all right on the very first try. Magic and makeup, like all forms of art, can only be perfected through practice.
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Written by Karan Dalvi on 11th Apr 2019
Karan Dalvi brings you expert insights on skincare, haircare, and beauty trends to keep you updated with the best beauty routines.