Tips and Tricks

Whether you are a seasoned professional, or a make up novice, you probably know that make up is a woman's best friend.  Forget diamonds, forget gay man, (Sorry J-Pow), your blush and eye shadow can transform you into a sultry vixen, a professional, a beach bum, or a sassy pin up gal.

Make up artists really are just that, artists.  And women are moving works of art.  From our shoes, to our clothes, to our painted faces, we've chosen to express ourselves visually for thousands of years.

When applying Make Up, it's important to remember a few things:

1. Always test products before using them.  Even if you have no previous allergies or sensitivities to make up, whenever purchasing a new product, test it on the underside of your forearm.  Leave it on there for a few hours.  Wait 24-48 hours to see if it causes a reaction.
2. Even if you're just a casual make up wearer, invest in 10 good brushes:  A Lip brush, a blush brush, a foundation brush, a powder brush, a concealer brush, a contour brush, a highlighter brush, a blending brush, a brow brush/comb and a liner brush.  I have a 30 piece brush set, but I take my make up very, very seriously.  Even if you only want to wear make up on special occasions, having the right tools is important.
3. Always clean your brushes.  Not only will you achieve better results with a clean brush, but you lower the risk of spreading germs or infection.  You can use a brush cleaner, or just wash them with a gentle shampoo (like Johnson's Baby shampoo).
4. Lighting is also important.  Always do your make up with a light shining directly on you.  Place a lamp right in front of you.  Shadows can cause you to miss things or apply make up unevenly.
5. Buying foundation that matches your skin tone can be the most aggravating thing ever... and I gave up on it years ago.  You skin color can change several times during the year, from exposure to sunlight and other factors.  I wound up just buying my preferred brand lighter than my skintone and then mixing it with a liquid bronzer (like Hard Candy's Glow All the Way) to get the color I want.
6. Never experiment with a new look (or product) when you have somewhere important to be.  In other words, don't try to do your first smokey eye right before a big job interview.  Maybe you don't have time (like I do) to sit around and play with make up for hours on end, but practice will make perfect.  Not only that, but it will give you an idea of just how long a particular look will take.  Nothing will ruin make up faster than a rush. Take an hour or two each week to familiarize yourself with products and applications.
7. Wash your face with a mild cleanser. I use Clean and Clear morning Burst, and twice a week, I follow up with a a heated mask by Biore.  It's good for clearing up blackheads, which I have a real problem with.
8. Exfoliate.  Some people say don't, but I swear by it.  Wash your face first with a mild cleanser to remove dirt and oil, then use a mild exfoliant (I am a fan of Tree Hut exfoliation products. They are non-irritating, and have a pleasant smell).  I have oily skin, so I wash my face twice a day and exfoliate once a week.  I do not recommend doing any more than that, because you can dry out and even damage your skin.
9. Moisturize.  Immediately after you wash your face, pat it dry with a CLEAN towel.  Never rub.  Apply a thin layer of lotion that is suited to your skin needs.  Even if you have oily skin, moisturize.  I know that seems silly, but trust me.  I use Vaseline under my eyes because its pretty mild, but on the rest of my face, I use either Gold Bond  or Nivea Soft for Face and Body.  I prefer the smell of Nivea, but Gold Bond has an SPF included.   You SHOULD use a moisturizer with an SPF of AT LEAST 30, even on cloudy days.  When applying moisturizer, make sure your hands are clean.  Apply in an upwards, circular motion, using the lightest touch possible.  Wrinkles and other skin damage can be caused by pulling and tugging skin.
10. Prime your face.  Use an eye primer, or if your tight on funds, mix a little concealer in with some Vaseline or vitamin E.
11. Apply your eye make up first, then your foundation and blush.  I know this goes against what most of you have been taught, but applying your eye make up can be the trickiest part of make up application,  and is usually where the mistakes are made.  If you mess up on your eye make up, you can quickly remove it and start all over without messing up the rest of your make up, if you simply do it first.
12. Using an index card can help create clean lines on more dramatic looks.  Simply hold the card to your face and angle it for the desire results.  If you're not sure what I mean, here's an example.
13. Apply foundation with a brush.  Some make up artists prefer a sponge, but I see better results with a brush.
14. When applying blush, smile.  Start at the apples of your cheeks and work your way back to your hairline.
15. Remember what works for your face.  If you have small eyes, dark shadow will only make them look smaller.  Warm browns and golds will make true blue eyes pop, purples and greens look great with brown eyes and warm skin tones... There are a million sites with a million pieces of advice, but really only you know what works with your exact combination of features.  I'm always here to answer any questions, though.

So there you go... The rules I follow when paintin' faces.  I'll update this as I come across new products and information, and I will always, always, always take reader questions on Facebook, Twitter, or e-mail.  If you *can* include a face-front picture of yourself without make up, do so, along with the statement "I (your full, legal name) give Mascara & Microchips permission to use my likeness for demonstration purposes."  I won't share your name, e-mail, or address, but I may use the picture on my blog to help illustrate the answer to your question.  If you don't want me to use your picture, I'll still answer your questions, but you're helping me out by allowing me to use it.

Thanks for reading, and have a fabbing fuckulous day!