Misbah is a big fan of the supernatural. Halloween is one of her favorite holidays, and it has influenced her since she was a child.

10 Creepy Halloween Makeup Ideas

Are you still looking for a costume for the night of fear? Don't worry, because to win the trophy for the best dressed you only need a little paint and a bit of creativity and the cake is yours. In this article, I'll tell you about 10 of the scariest Halloween makeup ideas. I guarantee that after looking at these, you will have a lot clearer idea of how to dress up on October 31st. This article will explain how to put on Halloween makeup.

1. Catrina Halloween Makeup

Catrina or Mexican skull makeup is always trendy. It is a slightly more elaborate style than the others, but if done well, it will benefit you. There are hundreds of possibilities for achieving a perfect result by varying the shapes, colors, and details.

Steps

1. After applying a white face layer, draw two circles on the eyes with black eyeliner.
2. Make a black heart in the nose and a line from one cheek to the other passing through the lips to simulate the mouth.
3. Once you've mastered the fundamentals, you can let your imagination run wild and create whatever design you want. We recommend using bright colors and a lot of glitters.

This type of Halloween makeup will give you a very elegant look, so you'll need a little more to make your own costume. You can dress completely in black and wear a flower headband to complement this pretty makeup for the Day of the Dead.

2. Skeleton Halloween Makeup

One of the most common costumes for the scariest night of the year is the skeleton. It is simple, fast and you will be right. This makeup aims to simulate a terrifying skull, although you can adapt it to your taste.

Steps

1. There are two things you must have: white and black paint.
2. Begin by covering your entire face with a white base.
3. Once that's done, use the black to draw the details: circles in the eyes to simulate skull holes, nose and jawbones, and so on.
4. If you dare, you can extend the makeup around the neck and chest to create a much more realistic and eerie appearance.

It is up to you if you want to use more colors to make a more unique skeleton. In terms of clothing, you don't need much. Dress in black, cut out some bones of white cardboard and pin them to your shirt and pants for a simple look.

3. Witch Halloween Makeup

Depending on the look you want to achieve, there are numerous ways to paint yourself as a witch. You can be an elegant sorceress, which requires you to use all of your brush skills. Make an effort to paint your eyes with wonderful shadows that match the dress you're going to wear and make an effort to paint yourself some spectacular lips.

Another option is to dress up as an evil witch and scare all of the children. Paint your face and, if you dare, your neck, arms, and legs in a bright green color. Make your nose into a monster by using various prosthetics or latex. The look will be enhanced by well-defined brows and green lips. Don't forget about the wart!

A nice pointed hat, a broom, and a witch's dress are required to complete this costume. And you will fly!

4. Corpse Bride Halloween Makeup

The corpse bride has become one of the most popular costumes for Halloween. This character is elegant and, at the same time, dark, which makes him one of the favorite options for many women.

Steps

1. Start by painting your face with a very pale foundation. It could also be very good if you give it a yellowish tone to give a feeling of death.
2. With shadows and eyeliner, mark the dark circles a lot.
3. From here, use the paint and different pieces of plastic to create scars, bumps, or bruises.
4. You can also take inspiration from Tim Burton's corpse bride to get an original costume for this Halloween.
5. In this case, you will have to paint your face blue and wear a dark wig. Draw big eyes, long lashes and paint your lips red or hot pink. Do not forget to put a scar on your cheeks.

If you get a white, toe-length dress that you can stain and tear, your costume will be even more spectacular. Make your own bouquet and put on a flower headband to complete the look.

5. Blood and Wounds

Makeup, like a wounded person if you want a quick costume that you can make at any time and doesn't require a lot of materials. All you need is a lot of fake blood and, if possible, wounds and scars. Blood can come out of your nose, eyes, and hairline, etc.

Steps

You should keep in mind that there are two types of fake blood: dark, which looks more realistic in deep wounds, or pieces of meat. The other one is light, which looks better on the skin.

Wounds are commonly made of liquid latex, and scars are made of thick ones that can be purchased at any costume store.

Don't worry, learning how to apply them to your skin, making it appear terrifying. It requires a lot of practice.

6. Evil Clown Halloween Makeup

Few things are more terrifying than a devil clown. If what you want is to cause the chills wherever you go on Halloween, this is the ideal costume. Makeup is the most important aspect of this look. In fact, it wouldn't make sense if you didn't have a good face paint.

Steps

1. Begin by painting your face white to create the scariest clown.
2. You can draw a red nose on top of it or wear a foam or plastic nose.
3. Make a couple of lines from the top to the bottom of your eyes, paint a big dark smile on your face, put on a wig.
4. If you want to change things up a little, you can always paint yourself as a terrifying mime (with a white face and many scars), a demonic harlequin (with a lot of fake blood), or a terrifying clown from the Saw movies (with a white face, spirals on his cheeks and very red lips).

7. Zipper Halloween Makeup

Zipper makeup is popular for Halloween, and it's eerie. Because it is a more difficult design to create, it is not available to everyone. If you get a good result, no one can help but be disgusted when they see you.

Steps

1. However, if you stick to the most basic level of this makeup, you only need to paint the shape of the zipper from the forehead, opening to the height of the nose, an area that you will paint in red to simulate the inside of your skin.
2. If you want to go all out and be the Halloween party's queen, you'll need latex prosthetics, a real zipper that you can glue to your face, and toilet paper to simulate the texture of raw skin.
3. The more phony blood you use, the better.

This makeup is frightening on its own, so you don't need to wear a costume as part of your attire. You can simply wear black.

8. Joker Makeup for Halloween

The Joker, the mythical antagonist of the Batman comics who has become a reference to give a lot, a lot of fear, is a classic Halloween costume. Making a clown costume isn't too difficult; all you need is a purple (or maroon) suit and some makeup.

Steps

1. To begin, paint your entire face white except for the area where the scar will be placed.
2. You can make it more realistic by applying wax to it, or simply paint it with lipstick or red paint, just like the lips and the huge smile. Even if you don't use wax, this method will give your costume a much more realistic appearance.
3. Finish your make-up design with dark eyes using black, painting around it and blending well downwards.
4. Do you want to go with the most recent version? Get a blue color and dab a little bit around your eyes to see what a cool effect you can have. So are you ready?

9. Pennywise from IT Halloween Makeup

Stephen King's "It" movie's well-known clown. Who hasn't heard about that clown? Pennywise the Dancing Clown is a creepy character who has become one of the best ways to scare your friends on Halloween. It's a fairly simple look that will only take a little time and patience to achieve.

The white, black, and red paints will be your best friends when it comes to creating this makeup. To complete the costume, you'll need a bald head or a toga (which you should wear first) and a red or orange wig.

Steps

1. After you've painted your fictitious bald head entirely white, you will need to paint your entire face white, including your brows.
2. Later, using the red paint, you must paint the clown's smile, facial lines, and nose.
3. You can use the black paint to make terrifying brows, and there you have it!

10. Angel Makeup for Halloween

So, here you are. You are the type of person who desires an angelic appearance. I can't believe I've forgotten about you. This is your look, sweetie. Didn't you enjoy the devil's make-up? Perhaps you'd feel more at ease with a much more unique, modern, and unique angel makeup with a touch of irresistible sweetness. Also, remember that you'll need to wear a white or black costume as well as large wings of the same color as your dress to complete this look. I will give you two options.

Steps

1. To create your angel makeup for Halloween, start by painting your entire face with a white base.
2. Although it does not have to be as white as a clown's face, it should be slightly pale.
3. Make use of light lipstick and eyeshadow.
4. I also recommend a pinch of pink on your cheeks to add more drama to your make-up. There you are, a pure angel.

The fallen angel makeup is your second option.

1. Use the base as mentioned in the first option.
2. Then paint your eyes black and, using purple, draw a purple line in the dark circles to blend well.
3. Next, paint your lips a dark color, such as black or maroon, and add vein details around your eyes. Ready to succeed!

Last Thoughts

I hope you liked learning about this Halloween makeup looks. There is nothing to be worried about when it comes to makeup; you simply need to be a little creative. Though, It does require some practice. Halloween makeup can be as varied as you want it to be. Any makeup, as long as it has a gloomy look, is acceptable for the ghost party. So, what are you waiting for? Go practice now because the clock is ticking.

References

75 Brilliant Halloween Makeup Ideas to Try This Year

43 Easy Halloween Makeup Ideas for Procrastinators

14 Last-Minute Halloween Makeup

50 Easy Halloween Makeup Ideas Almost Anyone Can Master

51 Creepy and Cool Halloween Makeup Ideas to Try in 2021

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2021 Misbah Sheikh

Comments

Misbah Sheikh (author) from The World of Rebels. on October 16, 2021:

Hi Jason,

Glad to see you in the comments section. I am glad you enjoyed the hub. Yes, Halloween is not the same for me as well due to Covid restrictions. Thank you for your kind comment. Greatly appreciated!

Blessings to you!!

Misbah Sheikh (author) from The World of Rebels. on October 16, 2021:

Thank you so much for your kind comment, Zeenat. Much appreciated, dear friend

Blessings to you!

Jason Nicolosi from AZ on October 15, 2021:

Very cool Halloween ideas in this article. I miss the old days. Halloween just doesn't feel the same anymore. We used to get dressed up and go out every year. Now all the kids are grown up. Plus there used to be a lot of trick or treaters in general. Last year because of the virus there were very few people out. It's kinda sad.

Zeenat on October 15, 2021:

Wonderful makeup ideas about Halloween party. Just discovered it now in my feed.

Misbah Sheikh (author) from The World of Rebels. on October 09, 2021:

Thank you so much, dear Farah. I am pleased to know you found these makeup ideas interesting. Happy Halloween to you in advance. Stay safe and healthy.

Blessings and Love to you!

Farah N Huq from Dhaka, Bangladesh on October 09, 2021:

Those were some very interesting makeup ideas for halloween. Happy holidays, dear Misbah!

Misbah Sheikh (author) from The World of Rebels. on October 07, 2021:

Hi Amara,

Thank you so much for your kind words of encouragement, dear sister. I am glad you enjoyed it. Much Gratitude!

Blessings always!!!

Misbah Sheikh (author) from The World of Rebels. on October 07, 2021:

Hello Flourish, Halloween is also my favorite holiday. I have tried to go to the grocery store while dressed in my Halloween costume and makeup. Interestingly, on Halloween, workers in many stores in Spain dress up as different characters. It's fun, right?

I am so glad to know you enjoyed it. May be go out wearing a scary facemask on Halloween. There are so many on Amazon. No makeup required and you'll be following the COVID restrictions as well. ;) Isn't it a great idea.

Take care and stay safe!

Blessings and Love to you, dear friend.

Misbah Sheikh (author) from The World of Rebels. on October 07, 2021:

Vidya, thank you very much for your words of encouragement. I'm glad you liked it. I am happy for your granddaughter. I hope she will have a great time on Halloween. Because she is a little child, take precautions when purchasing face paints. Try to purchase organic paints that are safe to use on sensitive skin.

Blessings and love to you, dear friend.

Amara from Pakistan on October 07, 2021:

A very interesting and detailed read about Holloween make up ideas. A perfect time to write these Hubs.

Stay happy and blessed dear sister.

FlourishAnyway from USA on October 07, 2021:

I love these! Halloween is my favorite holiday and I always overdo it and scare the kids. COVID has thrown a bucket of cold water on the whole thing so I'm not sure hot it'll go this year, but these are amazing makeup tutorials to try. Can you imagine doing this and just walking around in full costume in the grocery store?

VIDYA D SAGAR on October 07, 2021:

Great Halloween makeup ideas. It is fun to watch people turn into different characters on Halloween. My granddaughter sure loves it, she's already got a dress for it. I enjoyed breading your article.Thanks for sharing.

Misbah Sheikh (author) from The World of Rebels. on October 06, 2021:

Lots of Love to you, Bredz. You are very kind and beautiful soul. God bless you. Amen!

BRENDA ARLEDGE from Washington Court House on October 06, 2021:

Dang Time Machine! I thought sure Amazon would have that part by now

Maybe we can create a new celebration & do this earlier than next Halloween.

I just know if I try this by myself...it's not gonna look like your pictures.

No kidding aside...I love your article.

Bredz

Misbah Sheikh (author) from The World of Rebels. on October 06, 2021:

Ha Ha! That time machine, Bredz, is still incomplete. Maybe we'll have to wait until next Halloween. Lol! Loved that. Halloween is special to me because I enjoy its liveliness. Thank you for your sweet comment. Love ya, dear friend.

Blessings always!

Misbah Sheikh (author) from The World of Rebels. on October 06, 2021:

Hi Peggy,

In Spain, Halloween is actually a three-day-long celebration. It starts with El Día de las Brujas (the Day of the Witches) on October 31st. This day is associated with all things spooky and supernatural, like lost souls, haunted history, black magic, and of course witches! On Halloween night you will find people all over Barcelona in “fancy dresses.” The celebration continues on November 1st with Día de Todos Los Santos (All Saint’s Day). This is a traditional holiday observed throughout Spain as an opportunity to honor the deceased. People here are very lively so if if you’re still in the party spirit (which we certainly hope so,) the festivities culminate on November 2nd with Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Spanish people honor this traditional Mexican holiday with Ruta de Altares(Route of the Altars.) Halloween features everything from a creepy parade through the quaint village to special cuisine offerings and performance art pieces. I am glad you liked the ideas. Thank you for your beautiful comment. I greatly appreciate that. :) Stay well and keep smiling.

Much Love and Blessings to you!

Misbah Sheikh (author) from The World of Rebels. on October 06, 2021:

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment, Rozlin. Much appreciated, dear sister. Stay happy and healthy.

Blessings and Love

BRENDA ARLEDGE from Washington Court House on October 06, 2021:

Misbah

You have many talents.

Thus one us so awesome & right in time for Halloween.

You've gotta fly over here & do my makeup.

Lol...expert ideas.

Misbah Sheikh (author) from The World of Rebels. on October 06, 2021:

Srushti, thank you so much for your wonderful and lovely feedback. I'm delighted to know that you're happy. Take care and enjoy your life to the fullest.

Blessings and lots of love to you!

Misbah Sheikh (author) from The World of Rebels. on October 06, 2021:

Thank you so much for your sweet words, Mr. Bill. Your neighbor appears to be a very lively person. It's fun, I guess. Scary music really sounds cool. Lol! I'm glad to know you enjoyed this article.

Stay safe and happy.

Blessings always!!

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on October 06, 2021:

We have never attended an adult Halloween party. Your ideas are fun ones for those who still enjoy getting into costumes.

Rozlin from UAE on October 06, 2021:

This is another interesting article on Halloween makeup ideas. Well presented article, Misbah. Thank you for sharing.

Take care.

Srushti Gamit on October 06, 2021:

Another amazing article on Halloween Misbah!!

Some of the makeup looks are so much easy for beginners and a lot of fun to do.

Thanks for sharing them.

I am really loving this Halloween series of yours.

God bless you sweet soul

Take Care

Bill Holland from Olympia, WA on October 06, 2021:

I don't think I have ever celebrated Halloween as an adult. I'm certain I've never gotten into a costume. Funny since I loved it as a child. Did I outgrow this childish thing? If so, it's too bad, me thinks.

Anyway, loved the article. I love how some people fully embrace this holiday. I have a neighbor who decorates her yard, wears a costume for the kids, has scary music coming from speakers in her yard....pretty cool!

Blessings to you always

Misbah Sheikh (author) from The World of Rebels. on October 06, 2021:

Thank you very much for your kind and encouraging words, John. I'm delighted you found it useful for Halloween preparations. Much Gratitude, my friend. Stay safe and healthy.

Blessings Always!!

Misbah Sheikh (author) from The World of Rebels. on October 06, 2021:

Oh! I'm in love with the word "clever." Pamela, thank you very much for your very kind and sweet comment. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Stay safe and happy.

Blessings and Love

John Hansen from Gondwana Land on October 06, 2021:

A really great selection of makeup and costumes here, Misbah. There is something for almost everyone I am sure. A very good article for Halloween. Blessings.

Pamela Oglesby from Sunny Florida on October 06, 2021:

You came with quite a clever assortment of facial makeup for Halloween, Misbah. I do not dress up anymore, so I won't get to put your ideas to use.

Thanks for sharing them.

Love and Blessings!

Tori loves trying out new makeup looks and sharing her expertise and tutorials with others.

Don't Worry, There Are No Makeup Rules

In my years spent working at a popular makeup store, I learned a lot about doing makeup in many different ways. I was also able to expand my own makeup collection with my employee discount. I fell in love with unique styles that I saw in-store and started copycatting the ones I liked best.

What I love about colorful makeup is that there are no rules! It looks amazing on any skin tone, eye color, and face shape. What matters is that you find a look you love.

Neon Makeup Looks: It's Not All Skulls and Halloween

While my primary love is Halloween and neon makeup looks often fall into that category, there are ways to utilize the trend without looking like you’re ready for the best holiday of the year! Many brands at all price points carry a neon line.

Start With a Good Base

Neon makeup needs a nice, even, flat base to give the vibrancy everyone wants. There are a number of ways to achieve it, but here are some products I use that help it stay vibrant and keep it from melting off.

• Concealer: Tarte Shape Tape Concealer. This creates a nice, full coverage base. I use it anywhere I need a little color correction.
• Eyeshadow Primer: Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion. This product is just magical and really is crease-free!
• Setting Spray: Urban Decay All-Nighter Setting Spray. When you finish your makeup, you can set it with a spritz of this stuff. I’ve tried many setting sprays, and this one is hands-down the best. Setting spray also pulls double-duty because you can use it to wet your eyeliner brush before applying a powder liner. This helps powder liners stay brighter for longer!

Neon Eyeliner Looks and How to Apply Them

Using neon as part of your eyeliner is one of the easiest ways to get a neon makeup look without going over the top. Here are a few of my favorite ways to use it with instructions.

How to Do a Double Wing Neon Eyeliner

This one is so simple and perfect for someone who just wants a little color added to their normal makeup. My daily routine is concealer and highlighter, with black winged liner and black mascara. Adding this pop of blue is a great way to achieve a neon makeup look without looking gaudy.

Makeup Used:

• Black Eyeliner: Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner in Intense Black
• Blue Eyeliner: LA Girl Shockwave Neon Eyeliner in Fresh
• Mascara: Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Royal Blue (but if you want something less subtle, use Lime Crime Astronomical Mascara in Blue Moon)

Instructions:

1. Apply a base of concealer.
2. Apply a standard winged liner using black eyeliner.
3. Gently draw a thin line with the blue eyeliner above the black.
4. Finish the look with a subtle blue mascara.

Tip: Sometimes gel-based liner pencils can be tricky to apply in a thin line, so if you’re having trouble, use an angled liner brush to get some pigment from the pencil and then apply with the brush instead. You can also use the liner brush to smooth out an already drawn line and bring it closer to the black.

How to Do a Fully Lined Neon Eyeshadow Eyeliner

Yes, this look is technically eyeliner, but believe it or not, it was entirely created with eyeshadow! It is easy to pull double duty with your neon makeup look if you get yourself one really nice neon eyeshadow palette and a few types of makeup brushes.

Makeup Used:

• Aqua: Gonzo from the Urban Decay Electric Palette
• Neon Yellow-Green: Thrash from the Urban Decay Electric Palette

Instructions:

1. Apply a base of concealer and eyeshadow primer.
2. Apply the blue eyeshadow with a wet, angled liner brush, and wing it out as much as you'd like. (A wet brush is important! The color will be much more vibrant. You can use a setting spray to wet the brush—it will stay vibrant and last longer.)
3. Apply a little primer under the eye along the lash line using a clean angled liner brush.
4. Apply the neon yellow on top of the primer (again with a wet brush), taking care to bring it all the way up to the lash line and dragging it out to the point of the blue wing.
5. Finally, take a smidgen of neon yellow and apply it to the inner corner of the eye with your pinky finger, then blend it in a bit.

I was so sad to find out the Urban Decay Electric Palette has been discontinued because it is truly one of my favorites! Not to worry though, their newer neon palette, Wired, contains two colors that are nearly identical titled Chaos and Jolt, respectively.

Neon Eyeshadow Looks and How to Apply Them

If eyeliner looks just aren’t doing it for you, add a step up by applying neon eyeshadow for your neon makeup look!

How to Do a Multicolor Neon Eyeshadow Look

Looking to be a little more daring? Add more than one color by following this simple neon shadow and eyeliner placement.

Makeup Used:

• Neutral pink: Burnout from the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette
• Hot Pink: Savage from Urban Decay Wired Palette
• Yellow: LA Girl Shockwave Neon Eyeliner in Screamin
• Blue: LA Girl Shockwave Neon Eyeliner in Fresh
• Black: Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner in Intense Black

Instructions:

1. Apply a concealer and eyeshadow primer base.
2. Use a standard eyeshadow brush to add a wash of the neutral pink color Burnout over the inner eyelid.
3. Gently press the hot pink color Savage underneath the crease all the way down to the lashes on the outside of the eye.
4. Switch to a small, dry blending brush and fade the hot pink into the neutral pink.
5. Use the yellow liner to line the bottom lash line. Smooth it out with an angled liner brush if needed.
6. Apply a smidgen of the blue liner on the inner eye, again smoothed by an angled liner brush as needed.
7. Apply a thin line of the black liner to the upper lash line and into the lower waterline.

How to Do an Electric Purple Neon Eyeshadow Look

The most daring color application of them all extends the color past your crease and into your eyebrow line. This is one of my favorite looks, and it is all about blending.

Makeup Used:

• Neutral pink: Burnout from the Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette
• Grayish neutral: Darkside from Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette
• Bright Purple: 1985 by Urban Decay (single shadow pot)
• Light Purple: Blue Moon from the Anastasia Beverly Hills Moonchild Pallete
• Black: Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner in Intense Black

Instructions:

1. Apply a neutral base of concealer and eyeshadow primer.
2. Apply the primer all the way up to the eyebrows to give a good blending surface for the eyeshadow.
3. Use the neutral pink color Burnout to blend out between the eyebrows and crease so that the neon eyeshadow doesn’t end up too high on the lids.
4. Use a fluffy eyeshadow brush to blend the grayish neutral color Darkside from the outer lid to just before the inner edge of the pupil, following the natural line of the crease.
5. Use a wet brush to press the bright purple color 1985 into the eyelid from the outer corner to about midway above the pupil.
6. Use the fluffy brush to blend the bright purple into the grayish neutral.
7. Apply the light purple Blue Moon highlight to the inner corners using a clean fluffy eyeshadow brush.
8. Finish the look with a black winged liner and your favorite black mascara.

Neon Lipsticks

Not a fan of having color on your eyes? Try a neon lipstick instead. Neon lipsticks will add a bright color to your makeup routine without overpowering your look. They add a perfect complement to standard neutral makeup!

Neon lipsticks are fairly simple to apply, you just have to find one that is a finish and color that you love. In the photo, I’m wearing NYX Line and Load All-In-One Lippie, in the color Girl, Please. This color is a matte, long-wear liquid lipstick.

If you’re looking for a less natural neon color such as blue, I recommend NYX’s other line Liquid Suede. It has a similar look and feel, with colors such as blue, orange, and purple available.

Where to Buy Neon Makeup

There are so many places to get your hands on some neon makeup, but your best bet for finding makeup is going to be cosmetics-specific stores such as Ulta or Sephora. They carry the widest and most complete selections of brands, many of which carry lines of neon makeup that will be easy to compare in-store.

My Favorite Neon Makeup Palettes and Brands

Urban Decay

As you can see, I’m quite partial to Urban Decay! They have a variety of fun colors that pop so nicely in eyeshadow, eyeliner, and lipstick colors. The Wired palette is an excellent palette to invest in if you want multipurpose eyeshadow that can also be used as eyeliner.

BH Cosmetics

BH Cosmetics also has an excellent neon palette called Trendy in Tokyo. This sixteen-color palette would be incredibly gorgeous as eyeliner or eyeshadow.

NYX

If you prefer using liquid eyeliners to using a powder and a brush, turn to NYX Vivid Brights liquid eyeliner. It has the pigment, the staying power, and a microscopic tip to make your eyeliner go on perfect every time!

Is Neon the Same as Glow in the Dark?

Nope! Neon colors are fluorescent, which means that they will appear bright in daylight, but they won’t “glow” unless they are under a blacklight. Glow-in-the-dark colors are phosphorescent, which means they will glow in a dark space after being exposed to bright light beforehand.

How to Make Fake Crimson Blood

This type of fake blood for Halloween costumes will drip. It is clean and very runny. Depending on what you would like to do with it, it may be perfect, or you may need the other recipe included in this article. Don't forget to have fun with the process!

Materials Needed

• 1 cup of corn syrup
• 2 Tbsp of chocolate syrup
• red food coloring

Instructions

1. Measure out the syrups and whisk them together.
2. Add in about six drops of red food coloring. If you would like darker blood, eight drops seems to work best.

How to Make Oxygen-Depleted Fake Blood for Halloween

This fake blood recipe is great for costumes and decorations for Halloween. It is a bit darker and is excellent to smear on clothing, costumes, and Halloween props. Remember that this is a toxic type of fake blood due to the laundry soap included in the recipe.

Materials Needed

• 2/3 cup of chocolate syrup
• 1/3 cup of Tide laundry detergent
• 4-6 drops of red food coloring

Instructions

1. Mix the syrup and the Tide with a whisk.
2. Add in the red food coloring.
3. Apply it to the cloth or props you would like to be bloody.
4. Allow it to dry.

How to Make Fake Guts for Halloween

If you would like to go all out on a homemade costume, then you may need some fake homemade guts for Halloween. In this section, you will learn what you will need, how to do it; just make sure that you have some fun in the meantime.

Materials Needed

• Pre-made oxygen-depleted fake blood
• Chunky peanut butter
• Oatmeal
• Thin strips of toilet paper

Instructions

1. Mix the peanut butter and oatmeal into the fake blood.
2. Clump the toilet paper on the spot in which you would like most of the guts to be, whether it be on a costume or a decoration.
3. Gentle add the mix onto the toilet paper strips and squish it around to your liking.
4. Allow it to dry.

How to Make Fake Scabs for Halloween

If you are out to make a zombie or a dead body for Halloween, you are going to need the recipe and instructions on how to make DIY fake scabs for your costume. You will not need one of the recipes above; in this part, you will be making a different recipe specially made for the fake scabs.

Materials Needed

• 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch
• 4 teaspoons of water
• 1 teaspoon of corn syrup
• 1 Tablespoon of onion flakes
• 4 drops of red food coloring

Instructions

1. Mix all of the ingredients together.
2. Using a plastic spatula, spread or clump the mix onto the skin.
3. Situate the mix how you would like it to sit.
4. Allow it to dry.

Lizzy is a MUA with 4 years of experience. She has worked on people of all skintones/types and is sharing some of the skills she perfected.

From No Brow to Wow

If you have even grazed across makeup on Instagram or Twitter, you have seen a step-by-step tutorial of how to do your eyebrows or eyeshadow but rarely do you see one of people without eyebrow hair at all.

So I have made this tutorial to show people with very little to no hair how to easily shape their eyebrows.

Measuring Your Brow

No, you don't need to break out the tape measure for this.

Measuring your brow involves making three lines using your nose as a guideline; one vertical line from the edge of your nose to mark the beginning, one diagonal line from the edge of your nose through the center of your eye to create the arch, and another diagonal line from your nose aligned with the outermost part of your eye.

Creating the Outline and Filling It In

Now it's time to get to the real stuff. After you have put down your three marks, you will start to fill in and create the full eyebrow.

First, draw a line creating the bottom of the brow following the marks, making the line darker at the tail (end) and lighter at the front. Then make another line again following the marks to create the top.

After drawing the lines, fill in your eyebrows, starting a little before halfway and moving towards the tail because that's where the most product will go and you want this area to be the darkest. Not picking up any more product start to create 'hair' by doing short strokes in an upward motion at the front. If you feel like it is too dark, you can take a spooly or any small brush and, in the same upward motion, brush some of the product away.

If you're not happy with how they look now, don't be upset because you can always clean up and perfect the shape with concealer.

The Clean Up

After what seems like 30 minutes to finish, this is the final step in completing your new eyebrows.

Using a flat brush and your concealer shade with a steady hand, follow the shape of the bottom of your eyebrow to create a sharp line. If you want a sharper, even cleaner brow, take your foundation shade and follow the shape along the top. And because blending is key, take your beauty blender or a brush and blend both concealer and foundation into your skin.

Voila! We are finished!

Tips

Here's a couple of things to know when doing your eyebrows.

• Use a brow color that is the same as or close to your hair color, so the lighter your hair the lighter your eyebrows should be.
• Using your foundation shade to clean up above your brows instead of your concealer shade prevents halo eyebrows.
• If you want to do just your eyebrows for the day and nothing else, stick to concealer that is one shade lighter than your skintone/foundation.
• The higher you put the second mark (which is where your arch is), the more raised your eyebrows will look
• The shorter your mark is, the smaller your eyebrow will be.
• Most important: This is a general shape just for demonstration. Your eyebrows do not have to turn out like this nor do they have to look like this. The beauty of makeup is in the eye of the beholder do what you think looks good on you!

© 2018 Lizzy Musaga

Comments

Scott on July 07, 2020:

I'm attempting to put the Brows on without using a brow pencil. Can I use a makeup of some kind and Im using a stencil.

Ann810 from Sunny Cali on July 02, 2018:

Nice illustration on create eyebrows from no brows. Cool

Sheryl, a Transformational Therapist with qualifications in all areas of beauty, specialises in working with women from the inside out.

Makeup is the creative expression of how you see yourself. If you look good, you feel good! Its transforming effects have a unique impact on our appearance and personality, adding an element of self-confidence. Makeup application can vary depending on what you set out to create. A great place to start is learning new tips and tricks on the correct way to enhance your features with the most basic natural makeup.

Where to Begin?

Before we learn new tips and tricks, we first need to select a makeup that best suits you and delivers a flawless long-lasting result. With the vast range of makeup companies and beauty products available throughout department stores, pharmacies and beauty stockists, it can be quite daunting with where to begin?

I always start with “do you have any reactions to selected ingredients in products?” Most people are unaware as to whether they are hypersensitive to problematic ingredients, essential oils and formulations. However, as a makeup artist and beauty therapist, I see this issue come up a good majority of the time. When shopping for makeup, I recommend “try before you buy.” This allows you to experience the feel of the makeup on your skin as contraindications to any of the ingredients will present themselves during the trialing application or soon after.

Having allergies and intolerances myself, I have moved into the direction of natural mineral makeup, being vegan and gluten free. I have confidence in knowing it’s safe to apply to my clientele’s skin without any concerns of an allergic reaction and it can be worn everyday with benefits for any age group and skin type. Of course, at the end of the day, it comes down to personal preference and price point. Once you have purchased your makeup, a quality set of brushes to assist you with the application is a must. Again, many of the above-mentioned companies stock a range of suitable brushes. Keep your set small and simple—too many brushes just causes confusion and I believe less is more.

Things You Will Need in Your Makeup Kit

• Hand sanitiser
• Facial wipes
• Cleanser, toner, moisturiser, and exfoliator
• Cotton tips and tissues
• Foundation primer
• Concealer
• Foundation
• Loose powder
• Blush colours
• Eye shadow
• Eyeliner and brow product
• Mascara
• Lip pencils
• Lipsticks and gloss
• Tweezers for stray brows and false lashes application
• Spatula
• Pencil sharpener
• Makeup brushes
• Makeup brush cleaner

Step 1

Skin Preparation: Skin needs to be cleansed, toned, and moisturised prior to makeup application. For best results, I recommend facial exfoliation twice a week—this will ensure a smoother coverage for easier product transfer.

Step 2

Foundation Primer: The base work is the most important for long-wearing makeup. Your primer will assist in evening out skin textures giving a flawless base to work with, especially when it comes to enlarged pores, oily or dry patches, fine lines, and wrinkles. Apply foundation primer evenly to the face using a flat foundation brush or your fingers—if you are using an eye and lip primer for fine lines or small facial scars, apply with an eye shadow brush or fingers. Using your hands, gently press into your skin.

Step 3

Concealer: It's used to disguise blemishes, lighten dark circles, and blend areas of discolouration such as age spots and pigmentation. Of course, you can go one step further with colour corrector. Your concealer needs to be one to two shades lighter than your foundation and work in tandem to give the appearance of an even skin tone. For lightening dark circles under the eyes, I recommend applying a pink-based concealer as this will not only draw attention away from this area, it will counteract the darkness opening up the eyes. Apply your concealer to the corners of the eye with an eye shadow brush, extending under the lash line and paying particular attention to any problem areas. Gently blend using your index finger—the warmth of your finger will assist in setting the product.

Step 4

Foundation: It provides an even skin tone and achieves a flawless complexion. It is most important when selecting the correct foundation that you consider your skin type and colour, matching your face, neck, and decolletage. Another important factor is the skin has three different pigment undertones, pink, yellow and neutral. How do you know which one you are? I recommend performing a test match for foundation on your jaw line using three different shades, when the colour is noticeable on your skin it’s the wrong colour, if it blends that’s the shade for you. With skins that reflect redness or broken capillaries, proceed to a neutral undertone. Apply foundation using a round or flat foundation brush, with the round brush you would use a swirling motion over the entire face. Start at the nose and work your way outwards, feathering under the jaw line. When application is complete, gently press your face into your hands, setting your foundation.

Step 5

Eye Shadow: There are many ways of applying eye shadow to create different effects and correct different eye shapes. A rule to remember with eye shadow is that light colours open the eyes and dark colours close them, for mature age eyes use less shimmer and more matte shades. Once you have product on your brush, before applying to the eyes tap your brush or use the back of your hand as a palette so that the excess product doesn’t end up under the eyes causing fall out, this can be tedious to remove.

Lid: Using a flat eye shadow brush, blend a soft pale colour across the entire eye lid stopping at the crease—this is the base tone and will open up the eye area.

Crease: Using an eye shadow blender brush, apply a medium to dark shade, creating a C shape design starting half way across the crease of the eye and extending outwards to the outer corners. Once you have your C design, blend out with the blender brush, using feather strokes to soften the look.

Eyeliner: It gives definition and makes the eyes pop. Using a brown eye liner pencil and starting at the outer corners of the eyes, use feathered strokes across the lash line to the inner corners of the eyes. Do the same along the bottom lashes stopping just short of half way. To soften the lines, smudge the liner with an angular makeup brush or add eye shadow over the top.

Step 6

Mascara: My personal preference when using mascara is to volumise. Apply your mascara starting with brushing from the top of the lashes then turn over giggling and sweeping your mascara in an upward motion. Use gentle strokes in a downward motion across the bottom lashes. For a more dramatic look, apply a second layer.

Step 7

Eyebrows: The eyebrows frame the face and add expression and character. Using the line of your own natural brows, apply a brown eye shadow with an angular brush feather, stroking in an upward motion along your brows.

Step 8

Blush: It gives colour to the face, enhancing your natural features. Using a blush brush apply powder blush or eye shadow to the apples of the cheeks extending upward towards the hairline near the ear lobes. Remember with powder on your brush, tap first before application to remove excess product.

Step 9

Lip Liner and Colour: Lip liner provides an outline to work with and prevents your lipstick from bleeding. Starting at the Cupid’s bow, outline your lips using your lip liner pencil working your way outwards, continuing down and around the bottom of the lips. To create a base for long lasting lipstick, fill in the entire top and bottom lips with your pencil. Next apply the lipstick over the top using a fine lip brush, this gives you more control of the product and long lasting results.

Step 10

You have created the natural makeup look which can be used for any age group.

Cleaning Your Brushes: It’s important to keep your brushes clean and free from harmful bacteria. To do this, I always wash my brushes with baby shampoo and warm water. Individually wash each brush in a basin of warm water then rinse each one thoroughly. Place your brushes on a towel to dry, allow the edge of the bristles to overhang. This ensures that the brush hairs stay intact, prolonging the life of your brushes. Pristine clean brushes perform better giving you a flawless finish to your makeup.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2018 Sienna May

Linda has been a fashion writer and skin care enthusiast for over a decade. She enjoys sharing tips to help others.

Teens and Makeup

Every teenage girl makes the same mistake when they first start wearing makeup: using too much. This is understandable; after all, there’s no point in wearing it at all if it isn’t going to be noticed. However, makeup is supposed to be used to enhance your natural features, not to replace them.

A good guideline to use is to set yourself a five-minute time limit for your makeup application. If you can’t finish within that time, then you are using too much makeup. If you are just getting started and haven’t yet figured out a look, start by just using BB cream (tinted moisturizer), blush, mascara, and lip gloss.

“Beneath the makeup and behind the smile, I am just a girl who wishes for the world.”

— Marilyn Monroe

Keep the Canvas Clean and Clear

A skin regimen is the uttermost important and vital step, whether using makeup or not. Depending upon the skin's condition, which can vary from oily to dry, having the right products makes all the difference. Acne-prone skin can really frustrate a person causing them to buy everything off the shelf. Be careful to not overdo it with acne products that will further aggravate the skin.

Stick to one product, and use it as directed; moreover, if you find that your skin is in terrible shape, visit a dermatologist before considering any makeup application. If your face is healthy, wash with a cleanser, and apply a light moisturizer or serum, always maintaining your skin smooth and well hydrated.

Skip the Foundation

Foundation can be too heavy on young skin and therefore reserved for special occasions. Young skin is best kept free from coverage and allowed to glow freely. BB cream (tinted moisturizer) is a good alternative, providing you just the right amount of coverage. It hydrates and disguises blemishes without the cakeyness.

BB cream formulas have become sophisticated in the last few years and can now provide skin-improving benefits offering broad-spectrum SPF, acne prevention, antioxidants, and more. Select one based on your skin's needs, but ensure it contains SPF protection as this is vital to protect against sun damage. Always remember: Prevention is the best protection.

Visit a Make-up Consultant

Generally, it is highly recommended that teens visit the makeup counter and meet with a makeup consultant for the best advice in choosing the most complimenting shade for your skin color. Starting your makeup lessons on the right track from the beginning benefits you financially, and of course, your skin will appreciate it.

Avoid asking advice from older family or friends; unwillingly, they might divulge outdated makeup trends. Visiting a makeup consultant provides added advantages; aside from the ability to try it, you receive application tips from someone with makeup training plus the latest techniques.

Highlight Your Features

Young women with naturally long or thick eyelashes are blessed, as not much else is needed. Just a simple mascara will suffice. Start with a clear mascara, which gives you a pleasing curl effect without the dense dark color. Want to intensify them? Apply brown mascara for lighter eyes and black for darker eyes. Make sure to wiggle the wand while applying to avoid clumps and start at the root of the lash moving upwards for a curl. Do not over apply. Two to three coats should be sufficient.

Furthermore, if you have little length or sparse eyelashes, use a waterline eye pencil in the same shade as the mascara to make the lashes appear fuller than they are. Just sharpen the pencil to a generous point, and press it between the eyelash gaps and under the eyelash line. It truly makes a difference.

Blush to Brighten

Blush is optional for some but highly recommended if foundation was used to recover and refresh the natural glow in your cheeks. Based on your skin tone, try these shades.

• Fair Skin: soft pink, light coral, or peach.
• Medium skin: rich pink, warm mauve, or deep peach.
• Dark skin: deep fuchsia, warm brown.

Application is just as important as the right shade. Watch the video below for an easy tip.

How to Apply Blush the Right Way

Use Lip Gloss or Tinted Balm

Lip gloss or tinted balms are perfect choices for young women so they don't overdo it with strong, pigmented lipsticks. Pink or nude shades are great for nearly everyone, and they give you just the right amount of radiance. Moreover, after reaching 18, you could get away with red on special occasions as long as the rest of the face is kept light, meaning a light layer of mascara and eyeliner and without any dark eyeshadow.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2017 Linda Landy

Cynthia is a beauty enthusiast. She loves testing cosmetics, hair and skin care products and sharing her opinions.

Using a contour palette may be intimidating if you are just starting out with cosmetics. A good contour palette will have multiple shades, and all have a different purpose when applied to your face, including concealing and correcting any skin issues you may be concerned about. If you are just starting to experiment with contouring as part of a cosmetics routine, you may want to buy a cheaper palette to start with. This way you are not wasting big bucks while learning how to use a contour palette.

All the shades in any contour palette serve a purpose, and to the novice seeing shades like green and yellow can be confusing. All the shades can be used to create a flawless look, and address and cover any concerns you have with your skin. The first step to a flawlessly finished face is learning what to do with all those different shades in a contour palette.

Common Shades in a Contour Palette

All contour palettes are slightly different. Though they all have similarities as well. Even for a beginner, I would suggest looking for an all-inclusive palette, but search a cheaper option until you become a pro. This way when you're practicing no doubt washing and starting over, you won't be wasting a lot of money. A basic contour palette should contain at least 8 shade options. This will ensure that it has all the shade options you should be looking for. The shades you should find in a contour palette are:

• Yellow
• Green
• Pink
• White
• Nude
• Skin tones
• Lavender

I am currently using a 15 shade contour palette. The 15 shades are natural concealer tones. Even though looking at the shades some of you may wonder how they will match their skin perfectly. That should not keep you from pursuing contouring as part of a cosmetics routine. Contour palettes are designed so that the shades can easily be blended, so there is no worry of not finding a perfect shade/tone for your skin. That is also why I choose a larger basic palette as well, so that I have more options available for blending.

Using the Shades in a Contour Palette

Now you know what shades you should be looking for when you purchase a contour palette. So what will you do with them? Green? Surely that can't be for your face? It actually is! Here are the applications for the 'odd' shades in your palette that you may not know what to do with:

• Green: Green serves a very valuable purpose in cosmetics and contouring. The green shade in a palette is used specifically to neutralize redness. Making it extremely easy to cover redness from acne, or even rosacea.
• Yellow: If you are a tired Mom like me, you are going to love the yellow shade. Yellow will make under-eye dark circles disappear like you just got back from a kid-free vacation! WOW! It is also effective at covering dark acne scars as well.
• Pink: Not all people have the same skin tone. So not all concealers work well for all skin tones. Pink is generally used by those with Olive or darker skin tones to neutralize under-eye circles. Since their skin tone is different, the dark circles under are generally more green in color, whereas fair-skinned people have a more blueish tone. Making the need for pink to neutralize them a must. The pink can also be used to brighten around the eyes or use it as a highlighter.
• Lavender: The pale lavender shade can be used to cover hyperpigmentation, and cover scarring with ease. It is also useful for covering yellow and mellowing out a yellowish tone to skin prior to using the rest of the palette. It can also be used to tone down any makeup that is too much of a warm tone for your skin.
• White: The white is for highlighting. Around the eyes, to highlight the brow or just above the cheekbones to really make an overall look 'pop'. Perhaps the single shade that makes me suggest a lower cost palette to practice with for beginners. If you're not careful with white, you can end up looking like a member of the Twilight cast. But hey, that's not always a bad look is it? Though if you're not looking to attract the next Edward and Jacob that come along, this one can make or break your look. Proceed with caution, contouring is an art. As with art, artists seem to get better over time.
• Skin Tones: The skin tones in a contour palette generally run from fair to rather dark. These are for concealer (after you neutralize redness and dark circles), as well as contouring areas of your face and creating definition in your look. You can use them as stand-alone colors or blend two or more together to get the desired shade you would like. These are especially handy if you want to make your nose appear slimmer, hide a double chin and slim down the entire appearance of your face and many other uses as well.

Beware of Contour Tutorials

I love makeup and cosmetics. But these days every woman seems to be contour queen on social media! Ugh, some of these tutorials offer horrid advice for contouring. Some are more interested in getting likes and shares than actually sharing useful content. So avoid searching hashtags for makeup tutorials on Instagram.

I do have one or two tutorial gurus that are my go to for all things contour and cosmetics related. My absolute favorite is 'nikkietutorials' on youtube. She not only is an exceptional makeup artist, but she also calls out all the stupid tutorial bull that she comes across on social media. Her tutorials are very informative and she explains products she is using as well as the techniques. She often creates some very funny video when calling out the horrible advice she has seen on social media as well. I find the less informative videos to be a waste of time. If you want to know how to achieve a contour and highlight check out her videos. She has been doing them since she was a young teen, and her skills were awesome even in 2009 (do a search she will blow you away even in her younger years).

So if you find that you need a visual tutorial in order to get you going beware of all the Instagram 'makeup artists', anyone can create a social media account and claim to be a MUA. Just because it has 10k likes, does not mean it is useful information!

Types of Contour Palettes

Beyond the uses of the colors in a contour palette. There are multiple types of them available. There are both creme and powder-based contour palettes, depending on the palette you choose. The creams I find to be a bit cheaper than the powder ones honestly. As well as being easier to blend, though that could just be my personal skills at play.

When you're learning to contour and highlight, you need to keep in mind that the application and technique varies between cream and powder. Just another reason to avoid those Instagram tutorials. They are usually sped up with little verbal information or instructions. Often only listing the products used, not the technique in applying them. Never mentioning the difference between the two types of contour cosmetics.

Choosing a contour palette is generally a personal preference. Most people stick with one that they have tried and had the best luck using. I am using a Boolavard 15 color contour and concealer palette and I love it. It is actually very cheap in price (under $8) but the cream contour cosmetics are high quality. I am sure you will fall into a favorite contour palette in no time.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Questions & Answers

Question: I am forty-seven-years-old and concerned with maturing area around my eyes due to texture and lines. Can you tell me how to apply a color corrector around the eye area?

Answer: The first thing I will tell you is that I have a fair amount of fine lines and plenty of crows feet, so I understand the goal.

First, you want a good moisturizer. I use a moisturizing retinal day cream under and around my eyes before any cosmetics. This will help to plump or fill a lot of the fine lines there. Always allow it to dry or soak in completely. Wait 20 minutes to ensure the moisturizer is absorbed before adding any cosmetics.

Never swiped or wipe a color corrector under your eyes it is best to lightly dab. Using a beauty blender, or even the cheap wedge-shaped dollar store sponges work just as well! Don't press and twist either, just dab in light bouncing motion. This should provide a crisp corrected area around your eyes.

© 2016 Cynthia Hoover

Comments

Cynthia Hoover (author) from Newton, West Virginia on September 13, 2018:

Palak, Tarte cosmetics offer several palettes that are all inclusive like what you are looking for. Shopping savvy you can usually find them online for around $30.

Palak on May 17, 2018:

Can you suggest a good contour palette that also includes blush and highlighter? Preferably in a powder finish. Thanks.

jonihann40@gmail.com on September 18, 2017:

Amazing!!!!

Michelle Mollohan from Looneyville, WV on February 10, 2017:

Makeup has certainly gotten complicated!

Cynthia Hoover (author) from Newton, West Virginia on January 21, 2017:

Kerri, when in doubt; blend it out! Just keep blending and you will get the hang of it! I hope you enjoy the videos as much as I do!

KERRI Anderson on January 20, 2017:

Thank you. Getting ready to watch the video to see how this works. Wish me good luck

Cynthia Hoover (author) from Newton, West Virginia on September 23, 2016:

MizBejabbers I notice the older I get the less I worry about contouring a perfect face as well. I do cover some acne scars that have always bothered me though. Oh the brow game lol. I do not love the new super thick brow! Is it just me? Of course my eyes are on the small side so a large brow just overpowers my entire face. Thank you for stopping by!

Doris James MizBejabbers from Beautiful South on September 23, 2016:

Helpful as to kinds of pallets and prices. I used to contour, but as I've gotten older, it seems that the more makeup I use the older I look. Since I wear eyeglasses anyway, I try to choose attractive frames and let my tinted lenses cover up the prominent natural circles under my eyes. You are right about the contoured faces on TV. Many of them look fake, and don't get me started on the artistically perfect WonderBrows all the women and even some of the men are sporting.

Park Ji Kristen on September 22, 2016:

No Problem and keep posting more i need to learn more

Cynthia Hoover (author) from Newton, West Virginia on September 22, 2016:

Park you are very welcome and thank you for stopping by! I hope it was informative! I remember the early days of my cosmetics obession and wishing that I had a better understanding of what everything was for!

Park Ji Kristen on September 22, 2016:

Very Helpful Thank You :)

Brittany loves makeup and recommending the best shades for deep brown eyes.

Which Shades Will Enhance Deep Brown Eyes?

Brown eyes are very common and versatile when it comes to eye makeup application. Brown is a neutral color, and most shades will make your eyes pop, but women with deep brown eyes can enhance their look by applying shades of purple, green, and gold.

Purple

Did you know shades of purple are most flattering in combination with brown eyes? Purple happens to be my favorite color, and I love applying rich plum hues to contrast with my deep mahogany eyes. Bluish tinted purples match perfectly with warm brown.

Gold or Bronze

Brown-eyed beauties can soften and lighten their sultry dark eyes with the high-shine and brilliance of golden shadows. Gold and bronze shades will help you create a bold eye look and will stand out if you're attending a nighttime event. The gold hues will highlight the golden flecks in your gorgeous brown eyes.

Blue

Shades of cool blue hues contrast beautifully and will make your chocolate brown eyes pop! Blue will make your baby browns will appear bigger and brighter!

Neutral Shades

If you're going for a natural, everyday look, choose neutral shades to enhance your baby browns. Light browns will help make your eyes appear larger and brighter. Darker browns will minimize your eyes and add definition and shape.

Metallic Shades

I love pairing metallic eye shadows with my brown eyes. Metallic hues perfectly highlight brown eyes, and the best shades to wear are metallic gold, bronze, pink, and shades of brown. Metallic shades do an excellent job of drawing attention to your alluring brown eyes and are ideal for bold, nighttime looks.

Pro Tips for Enhancing Your Baby Browns

Mix Complimentary Colors: Shades of gold and purple pair very well together, and both will make your eyes pop! Try different color pairings to determine what works best for you!

Wear False Eyelashes: False eyelashes help bring attention to your eyes and pull the entire look together.

Wear Eyeliner: Try a different shade of eyeliner besides black. Emerald green or cobalt blue eyeliner are perfect choices for enhancing brown eyes.

Wear Mascara: Apply shades like eggplant purple or navy blue to pull off an intense look. Opt for brown mascara when you want more of a natural, daytime look.

Try Different Color Palates to Enhance Your Brown Eyes

Gold

• Light Gold - Highlighter
• Deep Gold - Eyelid
• Dark or Shimmery Brown - Contour

Purple

• Light Purple - Brow Bone
• Medium Purple - Eye Lid
• Dark Purple - Lash Line

Eye Shadow Tutorial for Deep-Brown-Eyed Beauties

Punkmarkgirl is a freelance writer with a passion for DIY projects, natural health, and the best makeup products for oily skin.

Jennifer Lopez is famous for many things, among them her flawless makeup! Catch a glimpse of her on the red carpet, on set, or relaxing at home, and one thing is for sure—she always has a natural-looking glow. It’s so common, in fact, that her perfect makeup look has been dubbed “The J. Lo Glow."

Let’s face it: We could all use a little more brightness in our lives, complexions included. Many times, foundation can fall flat, leaving a dim or ashy finish. This is especially true if you have oily skin and need to use matte makeup. While dewy foundations can create a glow for those with dry skin, they relinquish to a sticky mess on those with an oily complexion. If you have acne, using dewy foundation coats the skin in a harsh gloss, drawing attention to breakouts. Follow these steps to get J. Lo’s Glow without sacrificing the skin-perfecting qualities of matte foundation!

Step 1: Apply Primer and Foundation

Following your usual makeup technique, apply primer and foundation. To avoid competing with the highlighter you will apply in Step 4, don’t use foundation that has a shimmery or dewy finish. Matte foundation works best and provides the most flawless finish. It's also important to look for oil-free products. Any oils lurking within primer or foundation can mingle with highlighter, causing your complexion to look greasy instead of glowy.

Step 2: Apply Concealer Under Eyes

To brighten up the eye area, select a cream concealer 1–2 shades lighter than your skin tone to apply under your eyes in an inverted triangle formation. The eyes often create shadows underneath, which are intensified if any dark circles are present. Application of a light concealer will add brightness to the area and diminish any shadowing. Try NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer or ELF’s All Over Color Stick. They both blend seamlessly and provide excellent coverage.

Step 3: Apply Oil-Absorbent Setting Powder

Using a powder puff or brush, apply a light layer of finishing powder to lock foundation in place and absorb excess oil. Try Mattify Cosmetic’s ULTRA Powder, which has excellent oil absorbing capabilities and provides a color-free finish, while minimizing the look of pores. (This dual tasking powder can also be used as a primer before foundation in Step 1, and works better than a cream primer if you have oily skin.)

Powder application is an essential step! It allows makeup to last longer, stops foundation from creasing, and prevents highlighter from mingling with foundation. Be sure to select a transparent powder, as colored powder can add cakey layers the complexion & often causes highlighter to look muddy.

Step 4: Apply Highlighter

Following the tutorial map above, apply your favorite highlighter using finger tips or a brush applicator. This technique adds a light reflecting gleam to select areas, allowing you to duplicate the famous J-Lo Glow!

There’s no shortage to the amount of luminizers and highlighters on the market. Every makeup company from drugstore brands to high end brands have their own versions. Most are workable, regardless of cost. Just be sure to avoid any that have large gritty glitter or a dull tint. You want something that will blend smoothly, to create your best glow.

• For dry skin, select a silky cream highlighter, like MAC’s Cream Color Base in Hush or Benefit’s High Beam. Cream and liquid highlighters are best suited toward dry skin, but they tend to crease & look overly greasy on oily skin.
• If you have combination or oily skin, powder highlighter works best, and has the longest lasting finish. Try MAC’s Highlighter - Mineralize Skin Finish or Mattify Cosmetic’s Strobing Highlighter. They are both mineral based and designed to be long lasting on oily skin types.

Step-by-Step Makeup Routine

Looking for a step-by-step tutorial on how to apply foundation, concealer, and highlighter? Check out this makeup application video and watch her complexion change from plain to glowy!

What's Your Strategy for Glowing Skin?

What are your favorite highlighting products and techniques? Let us know in the comments!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2016 Ashley Bergin

Comments

Traci olmedo on January 18, 2020:

Exactly the type of tutorial i was looking for! Thank u!

Nancy Sciolino on October 16, 2017:

I wish you would have given brands and exact colors you used, I loved your colors you chose❤

I write articles on women's beauty and health. It's something that concerns us all, and I like to share my discoveries here.

Beauty Is Only Skin Deep

With young, smooth skin just about anything goes. Your hairdos can be drastic and different. Your face is a blank canvas for experimentation, but once you're over 50, that changes, and we should face it.

When we start aging, trying experimental makeup looks is not what we want! We do not want to draw attention to ourselves by overdoing it. When we over-apply makeup, people do not look at us because we are attractive, but because we look like a clown.

Many women do not seem to understand this. Take a look at your skin, and reevaluate it at the age you are now. If you have taken excellent care of your skin, then you can get by with more makeup, but you still cannot turn back the clock. (Except for maybe a little with the right treatment!) If you are 50 and look 40, that's great, but it's still not 30! If you are getting double takes, it may not be for a good reason.

Do You See What I See?

It's sad when women don't realize they're wearing too much makeup and aging themselves. We've all seen these makeup disasters, even in younger women who can usually get away with so much!

You know the makeup that only goes to the chin, or maybe halfway down the neck, but you can still see the line where it begins and ends? We want to avoid this, especially for those of us who are starting to show signs of aging. Here are some tips that might work for your skin type and style.

Use the Correct Color Tone for Your Skin

No matter what type of makeup you use it needs to blend into the skin completely. It has to be the right color for you. Many shops that sell makeup will help you with this, and let you see for yourself.

Try a BB Cream. They're lighter than foundation, but help to even out our skin tone. You could also try a CC Cream, which I have found to be an improvement on the BB Cream. A makeup that's good for your skin? Maybe it's not so bad after all!

The video above is amazing. You can readily see how makeup can be used to erase fine lines and wrinkles, and the makeup artist tells you everything you need, and how to do it. I will be watching it a few more times and taking notes!

How Much Is Too Much?

1. Warm up your skin tone: A very pale complexion needs a tinted moisturizer, at the very least. Or perhaps a slight rose-colored gel stick blended evenly over the cheeks, nose, and chin.
2. Go easy on the foundation: A caked-on foundation will only add years, not take them off.
3. Go easy on the concealer: Trying to hide dark circles and wrinkles can backfire when you start layering on concealer and powder. Instead, use a cream-colored liquid concealer, and smooth out the edges.
4. Wear natural lipstick: Dark lipsticks are as bad for older skin as intensely dark eyeshadow. The lipstick can make your lips look thinner and bleed into the wrinkles around your mouth.
5. Back-off the eyeliner: Don't draw a line around your entire eye. Then line about 3/4 of the eye at most, avoiding the inside edges. To counter-act the raccoon effect, add a lighter shade at the inner corner.
6. Smudge your eyeliner: Wear a softer colored liner instead of intense black. Smudge it with lighter shades of liner like a soft grey or purple.
7. Avoid mascara on the bottom lashes: This can sometimes make your eyes look droopy. Instead of putting mascara on the bottom lashes, use softly smudged eyeliner or eyeshadow to define the roots of the lower lashes.
8. Use eyebrow powder: Do not paint on thin eyebrows. Do not use an eyebrow pencil to draw on, or color in your eyebrows. They'll look too stark. For a more natural look, use a tiny bit of brow powder that matches your natural eyebrow color, and then brush through your eyebrows to blend.
9. Go easy on the bronzer: Avoid putting bronzer all over your face. It may feel like you instantly look sunkissed, but you'll look like you were in a tanning bed. Only put a small amount of bronzer on your hairline and where the sun would naturally hit your face.
10. Stay away from lipliner: This makes older lips look even thinner, especially if the color is darker than the lipstick. Dab the center of your lips with lipstick or gloss to plump up and create a fuller look.

Is Natural More Beautiful in Older Women?

Personally, I work on making my over-50 skin the best it can be and try to prevent signs of aging for as long as I can.

As a teen, I mainly wore lipstick and mascara, and when I did use makeup, it was almost always Cover Girl. (Called the medicated make-up, then.) I removed the makeup and washed my face with Noxzema. I didn't have complexion problems like most teenagers. I would get a zit now and then, right in the middle of my face at the most inopportune times. It would make me want to scream and cry, but basically, I was pretty lucky. Another reason could be that I rarely ate junk food and only occasionally drank soft drinks.

Today I keep my skin soft and use lipstick and clear mascara. It's rare that I use any liquid makeup or powder. If I'm going out and want to dress up a bit, I'll use a soft brown eyeliner on my bottom lash-line to make my eyes look bigger.

I seldom use makeup and mineral powders, but I do keep some around. I want to try some of the tinted moisturizers I hear so much about. The BB and CC Creams have so many anti-aging properties that correct tone and color with added sunscreen! I personally have fallen in love with CC cream, and now I'm getting more into a makeup ritual that is quick, easy, and looks good! Is this the makeup of the future? In any case, my days are not spent with people I want to impress, and I am happy with my natural face.

Can a girl ever leave makeup entirely behind? Probably not, but as we get older, we should use it with caution.

Mistakes That Make Us Look 10 Years Older!

• Thick, caked-on makeup.
• A foundation that is too light exaggerates fine lines.
• Face powder exaggerates fine lines.
• Blush used too low makes skin sag—keep it high on the cheeks.
• Lip colors that are too bright, dark, or metallic age the lips.
• Mascara on the bottom lashes is too heavy, so instead only use mascara on the top lashes.
• Eyeliner on the lower lash line will make your eyes look droopy, so stick to the top and outer corners, and keep it soft.

Makeup for Older Women

Makeup Tragedies

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2016 Jackie Lynnley

Comments

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on July 01, 2018:

Thank you Lisiana and Kallas. Hope you both have great results. Make-up for those of us who love it never gets old!

Kailas Chaudhari from Ahmedabad, India on July 01, 2018:

Hi Jackie

I found your article very helpful for older women. The way you present each stuffs, that's really awesome. I love it. Thanks.

Lisiana Carter from Chicago, Illinois on April 20, 2018:

Delighted to see such amazing work! I would love to try some of these tips.

Thank you!

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on September 16, 2017:

Thanks Kari, me too and I did learn some important things in this research. Things I still do.

Kari Poulsen from Ohio on September 16, 2017:

I'm so glad I came across this! As a woman over 50, I can use all the tips I can get, lol.

Martie Coetser from South Africa on April 01, 2017:

Thanks for these well-needed tips!

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on December 17, 2016:

Yes and there is clear that treats and makes your lashes longer and thicker. I use both but not as often as I should. I heard about them on The View back when Barbara Walters was still on it and she and others there used them and Barbara said she used both at once! Guess that might be a good idea but I am usually in such a rush and I am sure you would need to let the treatment one dry first. But maybe I will start trying that when I have time.

Audrey Howitt from California on December 17, 2016:

I didn't know about clear mascara--but that sounds great!

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on December 17, 2016:

Me too really Audrey, and I love the clear mascara, I hardly ever wear the black anymore. I do wear a little more on holidays or special occasion.

Audrey Howitt from California on December 17, 2016:

The older I get, the less I wear--a little color on my lips and a bit of mascara

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on November 28, 2016:

I rarely wear makeup Rachel but the BB is good and now I like the CC even better. I have a scar on my face that shows when I get sun on it so I have to use make-up now and then to cover that til I get it faded back down. Sorry I had no warning of your message here, I did have a good Thanksgiving and hope you did too!

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on November 28, 2016:

So sorry Nell I had no warning I had a comment, just happened to go click on them and saw I have quite a few!

Yes I saw a little something at FB about you onstage but did not catch the gist of it. Do tell!

Rachel L Alba from Every Day Cooking and Baking on November 20, 2016:

Hi Jackie. A lot of great tips for make up for us older gals. I'll be 68 Dec. 8th and have a neck that hangs down a little now. I hate it but, there it is. I agree that too much make up or dark makeup is not a good idea. I did try that BB face cream that has a little color and I actually like it. It does hid the tiny red vessels that show up under the skin and some dark spots. Thanks for all the other tips. You did a lot of work.

Have a Blessed Thanksgiving.

Nell Rose from England on November 20, 2016:

I had to wear so much makeup last week. I was on stage! lol! but I do tend to change it occasionally so its updated, good to see you!

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on November 19, 2016:

Thanks Linda, it was really fun finding out these great tips myself!

Linda Rogers from Minnesota on November 19, 2016:

As a 53 year old, I really appreciate the make up tips. Thanks so much for the helpful hub.

Cindy Kay Shun from Manila, Philippines on October 21, 2016:

best tip is not wear to much and not dye hair bright color. good advices miss!

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on August 10, 2016:

I liked that too and really great because they did not start with a beautiful woman. I love the BB Cream make up already but got me the CC and it is even better to have moisture working for me even under makeup.

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on August 10, 2016:

Thanks Dianna, me too. Keeping it moist seems more important than making an impression with make-up to me and I love the clear mascara! No more raccoon eyes!

Peg Cole from North Dallas, Texas on August 01, 2016:

This was really helpful and I truly enjoyed watching the makeup application on the first video. What a great idea to use a below the base silicone primer and a powder concealer. I'm definitely going to use this advice. Thank you.

Dianna Mendez on July 28, 2016:

I am at this stage in life with makeup and it's good to know I am doing something right. I find that I have to use moisturizers much more now to keep my skin firm and "dewey" looking. Great article and well written!

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on July 13, 2016:

Thank you Norma for checking it out!

Norma Lawrence from California on July 13, 2016:

Very good article. Great information that is very useful. Thanks

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on March 22, 2016:

Thank you always exploring. It isn't wrong if it works for you. I do like these makeups with the added moisturizers and age fighting creams. Need all the help I can get although basically I don't wear the liquid everyday and I love the clear mascaras. Gives more lash look and curl without the smears! lol

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on March 22, 2016:

Thank you Audrey! Glad you got something from it and I did too learn a lot and am trying some of these I saw in the videos. I guess girls just want to have fun!

Ruby Jean Richert from Southern Illinois on March 22, 2016:

I have been here for awhile! I watched the videos and learned so much. I didn't know about tinted moisturizer or the concealer under the eyes. I stopped wearing mascara and only use a light shade on my eyelids. I've been using CoverGirl creamy natural cremeux which is wrong I guess. I will be trying all of your idea's. Thank you so much.

Audrey Hunt from Pahrump NV on March 21, 2016:

Time to clean house with my makeup. Wow...this lesson is just what I need. Loved the videos and learned a heap with the last one. Will be making some serious changes as I apply my makeup from now on.

Thanks a heap Jackie! Sharing and pinning.

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on March 04, 2016:

Thanks Peggy. Makes no sense to wear make-up for those of us who work a lot around the house and outside. We would look like raccoons in no time! lol

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on March 04, 2016:

I wear very little makeup...none if I am at home (unless having company) or working in the yard. I gave up using mascara decades ago. When going out I use a dab of a pencil eyeliner, a bit of blush and some lipstick. Those videos look interesting. Years ago for some fancy affair I had my hair done and some professional makeup applied. When I came home prior to going out to the event, I washed it all off of my face. I simply did not like the look. That was surely a waste of money. Ha! Thanks for writing this. It is interesting to see new ideas and before and after photos.

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on February 19, 2016:

You are welcome Vellur; thank you for stopping by. Great to see you!

Nithya Venkat from Dubai on February 19, 2016:

Great tips on using makeup the right way. Thank you for sharing.

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on February 05, 2016:

Thanks Ann and I do agree. Makeup is fun for us all I know but it is sad when we see someone have too much fun. lol I use to use bronze shadow to make my brown eyes a whole shade lighter, might do that next time I have a date out somewhere special and see if it is still true. Thanks for the reminder!

Ann Carr from SW England on February 05, 2016:

Great tips, Jackie! I no longer wear the make-up I used to. My mother gave me great advice as a teenager; use make-up that makes you look good without people realising you have it on (apart from lipstick). She always looked lovely and her favourites were a pretty lipstick and some nail varnish.

I find that a small amount of green shadow above my eyes makes them look bluer - strange but true! I've taken to using moisturiser, which I never used to do, and that makes my skin look a lot better. A little blusher goes a long way too!

Great hub!

Ann

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on January 22, 2016:

Blessings to you too, Kathleen. I do think less is better especially as we age. But yes it is great to find out about products that can help keep us looking younger without looking like a clown! lol

Kathleen Kerswig on January 22, 2016:

Thank you for sharing these tips with us. I am over fifty so I appreciate any ideas that will help me look my best. Of course, I have never used a lot of makeup, even in my younger days. But it's always good to know what to do and what not to do as we move through the years. Thanks again! Blessings!

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on January 18, 2016:

Thank you Jasmeetk.

Jasmeet Kaur from India on January 18, 2016:

very helpful tips you shared.

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on January 17, 2016:

In one of the video, the last one I think it showed a product to cover sun spots. I just have those on my arms but I do have a scar on my face so I try to watch to keep sun off it.

Anyway I saw while doing research for this that Cover Girl has a foundation with the primer in it and it has moisturizer too so I am going to pick some of that up. Great deal getting 3 things in one!

Amazon has the best prices on the BB and CC creams even with shipping but I think I will just buy the Cover Girl at Walmart so I can be trying it.

Yes I saw Christy. I don't know that I believe makeup has kept her young looking but I suppose it is possible. Exercise does help I know.

Faith Reaper from southern USA on January 17, 2016:

I do have some cream blush, so I may try that high on my cheekbone. I have high cheekbones but my complexion has some blotches which blush seem to accentuate some. Neutrogena has good products. In fact, there anti-wrinkle cream is amazing. It has some retinol in it that is up to what they can sell without a prescription. It actually works in just a few days. It used to be only $11..99 at Walmart or wherever and now it has gone up to around $15.99, but still good. Now they have a dark circle eraser one too and I bet it works too. I noticed a sunspot recently and I am surprised I don't have more for I used to bake in the sun for hours without sunscreen! We didn't really know about skin cancer back in the day or the damage the sun does to our skin like they know now.

The model from the 70s, Christie Brinkley is now 60 and she looks 30! She has some new products. I think vitamin C and something else combined and put on the skin does wonders, not sure though. I saw her in an ad using that total gym for fitness, which we have here at the house, so I need to get on it. It folds away so easily and you only have to workout on it for 6 - 8 minutes a day. That is how effective it is, and I figured I could squeeze in those few minutes a day with my busy schedule LOL.

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on January 17, 2016:

I might use more of it if I knew how to wear it well, Dora. I am interested too. I think we most know what doesn't look good so by these tips I hope we can be brave enough to try something new! The primer sounds great to me and better if it comes in a makeup which I think I saw a Cover Girl that does and that has always been my favorite. Wish me luck! As long as my chickens and cats still recognize me I guess I am OK! lol

Dora Weithers from The Caribbean on January 17, 2016:

Jackie, thanks for the makeup lesson. I haven't had much training so I can really use these tips. I admire women who wear their makeup well. Thank you.

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on January 16, 2016:

That is true Besarian in my opinion too but the young girls can get by with more exaggeration than we can as long as it is not too outlandish!

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on January 16, 2016:

Oh I know Rachel; that silicone does sound so great. I am hoping before I die they get a product you just spray on and everything just looks like it should! lol You never know! But we would be taking baths in that, huh? hahaha

Rachel L Alba from Every Day Cooking and Baking on January 16, 2016:

I agree, too much make up when you are older, doesn't help, it hurts. It also dries out your skin. I used to love to wear make up when I was in my 20's and 30's, but had to back off after that. Now, it's just basics. I love that video, it helped a lot. I didn't know of a silicone base before, I'll have to look for it. Thanks for sharing all of this information.

Blessings to you.

Besarien from South Florida on January 16, 2016:

Hi Jackie! Wonderful make-up tips for us more mature ladies! It is interesting to me that a lot of these tips work well for both very young girls and older ladies. Both ends of the spectrum do best to keep it looking natural.

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on January 16, 2016:

Thanks rebecca; I think I did find some interesting things. Great to see you.

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on January 16, 2016:

Thanks for stopping by DDE; I rarely do either but I always reserve the right. lol

Rebecca Mealey from Northeastern Georgia, USA on January 16, 2016:

Thanks, Jackie. Good tips. I like make-up that looks natural. And this is very helpful.

Devika Primić from Dubrovnik, Croatia on January 16, 2016:

Informative for make-up lovers. I don't use any make-up on my face sometimes lipstick.

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on January 15, 2016:

Thanks Theresa; I know you would be using makeup more often than me and since the main places I go to when I am out shopping doesn't call for looking too great I like using the clear mascara and it does add length and I agree about the lash curlers; I would rather have mine look longer rather than chopped into a curl and even if I use them now and then I have almost always felt that way. I look forward to trying the BB and CC creams and some I saw are for clearing up complexions and so many things others may want to look into! Doesn't hurt to stop and take a look now and then. I do like to dress up a bit now and then which includes a little extra makeup.

Oh I don't wear blush either but in one of the videos it talks about older women using blush way up higher on the cheekbone so I will try that one day and I liked cream blush when I did use it.

Shoot! I need to go shopping!

Faith Reaper from southern USA on January 15, 2016:

Hi Jackie,

Thanks for all the great tips here for us older women!

I don't use mascara on my bottom lashes because I have terrible sinus issues and that seems to add to making my circle under my eyes darker. I am learning to not use so much under eye concealer as it truly does not help the matter. Less is more for sure for us mature women : )

I can't stand that dark makeup look where you can see a line. It seems when I have gotten older, I don't seem to use any blush for some reason.

Getting the perfect match of shade on foundation is key I think. I think I have finally found the perfect shade for me and I have moved away from liquid foundation and use a cream or stick, which are more convenient and easier to control.

I have naturally long eye lashes, but I do love to make sure I have at least mascara on and lipstick if nothing else. The clear conditioner mascara is great to add great length. When I was young, I used the eyelash curler all the time, but now I prefer a more natural lift in my eyelashes.

I did not know that about the lip liner and will try your suggestion.

I will refer back to this hub for tips.

Hugs and blessings

Sharing

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on January 15, 2016:

There are great whitening creams for the brown spots moonlake; I have a scar that I keep some to dab on and try to protect my face from the sun as much as I can but it is hard to do when probably you like me are always out in it!

I really think it is great to not worry about looks as much today as I once did; knowing how little that really means in life but being woman I guess we cant lose interest entirely. I want makeup with everything in it we would every need don't you? Wouldn't hurt if it curled our lashes while it was at it! lol

moonlake from America on January 15, 2016:

So much goes wrong when we get older. Lashes disappear, eyebrows are so thin they can hardly be seen. Brown spots pop up all over the place. I do need to go through all my makeup and get rid of most of it. I like the last video very interesting she has wrinkles right about in the same places I have them. Enjoyed your hub. The biggest problem I have just being able to see my face.

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on January 15, 2016:

Hahaha Bill! I am sure being around so many women you know exactly what I am talking about.

William Kovacic from Pleasant Gap, PA on January 15, 2016:

Thanks for the information, Jackie! I knew I was doing something wrong.

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on January 14, 2016:

Hi Nell. I use to love that too and in the one video it shows you can still do it but with lighter shades, I am going to be figuring out how she took so many wrinkles away with makeup! lol

Nell Rose from England on January 14, 2016:

I think I do it right, maybe a bit heavy on the lip liner though, better get rid of that! lol! great ideas and facts, nell

Jackie Lynnley (author) from the beautiful south on January 13, 2016:

If you are packing on the pudding you are! lol Which I am sure you don't!

FlourishAnyway from USA on January 13, 2016:

You mean I'm going to have to Chang my ways? Sigh.

Punkmarkgirl is a freelance writer with a passion for DIY projects, natural health, and the best makeup products for oily skin.

Minimizing Large Eyes With Makeup

If you have big eyelids or oversized, bulbous eyes, you can use eye shadow techniques to visually reduce the size of your eyes.

A visitor to one of my eye makeup blogs asked for advice. She felt that her eyes were too big and round for the rest of her face, and she wanted ways to minimize her eyelids. So, here we go: an article about making oversized eyes look gorgeous!

Your Main Goal: Visually Minimize

The main thing you want to remember when trying to make large eyes look smaller is to visually cut down the surface area of the eyeball and lid. In the five steps below, you’ll see the word “visually” mentioned several times. We will learn shading techniques that trick the onlooker into seeing your eyes as smaller than they really are.

Think of this visual minimization as the equivalent of wearing a tailored black and white dress versus a pleated white peasant dress. Black reflects no light and will visually diminish your body size, which is why so many people love to wear black! The color of a white dress makes your body appear wider and heavier. Following similar rules when applying eye shadow will subtract from the surface area of large eyes, giving them a smaller appearance.

Step 1: Apply Eye Shadow Primer

If you have dry skin, choose a cream primer. Women with oily skin will have better results using a powder primer. Apply this base shadow with your finger tips or a small powder brush immediately before using tinted eye shadow and liner.

Why Is Primer Important?

This step will prevent liner from smudging and eye shadow from creasing, giving you long lasting and oil-free wear. It absorbs skin oils to prevent eye makeup melt-down.

Step 2: Tightline Your Eyes

Use a waterproof eye liner pencil or a gel eye liner and brush to the upper and lower inner rims of your eyelids. The best colors for this are black, dark brown, and navy blue. When looking to make eyes look smaller, always avoid lighter colors like white, ivory, and pastels.

How Does Tightlining Work?

Tightlining eyes brings out depth, minimizing a bulbous eye's shape and making them appear deeper-set. This will also help lashes look fuller and more lush, which will fill in extra space that makes eyelids appear larger.

Step 3: Apply Dark Eye Shadow to Outer Lids

Choose a deep shade of eye shadow and use a brush to sweep onto the outer corners of lids, blending in toward the center. Use any shade, as long as it is in the dark/deep color range. Earth tones work best for some skin tones, while jewel tones complement others. For a daytime look, try using shimmery brown or plum color. For night time, navy blue, gunmetal grey, or smoky black will create a sultry look.

How Does Dark Eye Shadow Make Large Eyelids Look Smaller?

The darker the color, the less light will reflect off the surface of the eyelid, making them appear smaller. Think of it as the equivalent of wearing a fitted black T-shirt versus a ruffled white peasant shirt. The black shirt will visually diminish your body size. The white shirt will accentuate it and make you appear heavier.

Using dark eye shadow is an important step if you are trying to minimize large eyelids. Dark colors will shade in the area, visually diminishing the width and height of the eyelid. To achieve a bright-eyed look, use soft, shimmery contrast colors on the lid's mid-center and extend to inner corners.

Step 4: Apply Winged Eyeliner (Optional)

This step is optional, but you will find it exceptionally helpful if you have down-turned or almond-shaped “sleepy” eyes. Nothing makes you look tired or uninterested more than eyes that end in a downward slope.

Take a liquid eyeliner pen (or liner brush and gel or cream liner) and apply to upper lash line, extending the color out 1/4 inch from where your eyelid ends. Since it’s very difficult to explain the proper application technique for winged liner in words, check out the above video for a simple tutorial. Makeup artist Emily Susanah shows her "winged eye liner" evolution & highlights techniques to create the perfect wing.

Notice how the upturned extended line makes eyes appear longer and thinner, rather than round and bulbous?

Step 5: Curl Lashes and Apply Mascara

Hold your lashes in an eyelash curler for 10-15 seconds, then sweep on your favorite waterproof mascara. Pay special attention to center and outer lashes.

How Does Curling Lashes and Applying Mascara Help Minimize Large Eyes?

Curling lashes will uplift the eye area, decreasing lid height and allowing outer corners of eyes to look upturned. Mascara holds the curl in place and adds thickness, which helps visually shrink the surface of lids.

If your are heading out to a special event (especially one where pictures will be taken) consider applying fake lashes or a few individual lashes. Depending on the look you want to achieve, false lashes can hide large lids and visually re-shape the entire eye. For example, if you attach a few individual lashes to the center of your lids, your eyes will appear less almond shaped and more round. If you apply some lashes to the outer corners of lash line, eyes will look longer, skinnier, and less round.

Enjoy Your Gorgeous Eyes!

If you follow these tips, you should be able to visibly reduce the surface area of your eyes and eyelids. You’ll achieve a deeper-set eye that appears to lay flatter against your face and blends well with your other features. You’ll also notice that you look more awake and vibrant after minimizing down-turned lids. Now go out and flaunt those peepers!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

samara on December 31, 2017:

helpful

Annie Stephens on March 21, 2017:

Thank you . very much. !

akunna on July 23, 2016:

Thank u, can dark colors be worn by a bride?

Jasmeet Kaur from India on May 02, 2016:

I always wanted to make my eyes look smaller. Thanks for the guide!!

A beauty consultant by profession, Jayne has been advising on correct skin and hair care, makeup, and other cosmetics for almost 20 years.

Makeup and Mature Skin

Helena Rubinstein was fond of saying, “There are no ugly women, only lazy ones.” She was referring to those who can’t be bothered to make the most of themselves with makeup and other cosmetics.

The trouble is, makeup tends to make us look older than we really are after a certain age. Instead of detracting from wrinkles and sagging contours, it accentuates them. Before long, the only makeup we dare to wear—if any—is tinted moisturizer and cream blush.

These products work well for women of all ages. They even out skin tone and add color to the cheeks. But, when you're dressed up to go out, you understandably want a little more. After all, what's the point of a lavish gown and chic coiffure if your face is practically naked? That's when you start to look like one of Helena Rubinstein's "lazy ones."

But there's no need for it. A full makeup can still look good on an older woman; it’s just a question of knowing which products you need and how to apply them.

Preparing Mature Skin

But before you can apply makeup, your skin must be in tip top condition, even if it’s no longer flawless. Age spots and broken capillaries are easy to cover up, but only if the skin is exfoliated and well hydrated.

Exfoliating improves overall skin texture, which determines how evenly your makeup will go on.

Moisturizer plumps skin up to make lines and wrinkles less prominent. For best results, apply before your toner has fully dried.

The Importance of Foundation Primer on Mature Skin

Why Use Primer?

A foundation primer is essential. It minimizes the appearance of large pores, evens out skin tone to some extent, and helps prevent foundation settling into lines and wrinkles, as well as keeping it looking fresher for longer.

Which Primer?

But to prevent pilling, separation, and flaking, your primer and foundation must be compatible.

If you intend to use a silicone-based foundation, which lasts longest on the skin and leaves an exceptionally smooth finish, you'll need a silicone-based primer. In case you're unsure, read its list of ingredients; it's a silicone-based product if components with names that end in the suffixes -methicone (e.g. dimethicone or cyclomethicone) and -oxane (e.g. trisiloxane or silsesquioxane) appear at or near the top of the list.

By the same token, use only oil-based foundations with oil-based primers. These are marketed as "moisturizing" or "hydrating" products, with their main components ending in the suffix -oleate.

Water-based foundations, generally recommended for problem skin, are not the longest-lasting and provide little in the way of coverage. However, those containing significant hydrating ingredients can leave a dewy sheen even on dry, mature skin. But, again, they may only be applied with water-based primers; this follows the well-known rule that water and oil/silicone do not mix well.

Foundation

There are many types of foundation, but the most suitable for mature skin are liquid and cream products.

Your aim should be to achieve good coverage using as little product as possible—less is always more where mature skin is concerned.

Liquid Foundation

If your complexion is relatively clear with few blemishes, a liquid foundation will probably fulfill your needs. Minor flaws can be covered by layering, which may save you having to apply concealer. If you find yourself applying thickly, you should try a cream foundation instead.

Cream Foundation

Cream foundation is more opaque and provides better coverage for age spots and broken capillaries.

Although you'll still need concealer to completely hide such blemishes, you won't need as much as you would with liquid foundation.The trouble with concealer is that it looks “caked” if more than a little is applied.

Another advantage of cream foundation is its superior moisturizing properties, so consider this if your skin tends to dryness.

If cream foundation is a tad too heavy for your liking, adjust its consistency by mixing with primer.

Whether you choose cream or liquid foundation, make sure it matches your skin tone exactly for best results.

How to Prevent Foundation Settling into Lines and Wrinkles

This will be less of a problem if you manage to find a silicone-based product that works well for you, but, in general, foundation always settles into lines and wrinkles to some degree, no matter what you use or how you apply it.

When this happens, gently blot with a Q-tip before fixing with powder.

Or, if your lines aren’t too deep, press your middle finger lightly against the skin with a slight rolling motion. This also disperses concealer that has settled into lines.

Concealer

Unless it’s a color corrector product, always apply concealer over your foundation. That way, you’ll only apply it where your foundation can’t provide enough cover. Apart from that, you won’t ruin its perfect placement, which you would if you were to apply foundation on top of it.

When used to cover flaws, your concealer should match your foundation exactly.

Covering Flaws (Like Age Spots)

Concealer is completely opaque and looks “caked” if too much is applied. The best way of controlling the amount you put on is by using a rounded concealer brush.

Just dab the product onto the flaw and work it into your foundation with the tip of the brush until it’s invisible.

Covering Dark Circles

If your under eye circles are very dark, use a yellow color corrector beneath your foundation to neutralize their bluish-purple tone. Add regular concealer only if your dark circles are visible through your foundation.

Don't try camouflaging dark circles with a concealer lighter than your complexion, since this will do little more than accentuate them.

Using Concealer as Highlighter

Because concealer provides a natural-looking, matte finish, it works much better as highlighter on mature skin than opalescent or illuminating products. Anything that creates a glitter or shimmer effect emphasizes lines, wrinkles, and drooping contours.

To highlight with concealer, use a shade two tones lighter than your complexion. Liquid products provide the best finish and can be layered when serving as concealer and highlighter (e.g., highlighting the tops of cheeks and the bridge of the nose while camouflaging broken capillaries in these areas).

If you find that even liquid concealer is too heavy for large areas like cheeks, try using cream foundation two tones lighter than your complexion instead.

Regardless of which product you use, always blend well with a rounded foundation brush or a wedge-shaped sponge.

Tip: For an instant lift, use concealer to set highlights at mouth and outer eye corners.

Concealer for Covering Broken Capillaries

To play down broken capillaries, wear a green color corrector (sometimes referred to as "green concealer") under your foundation. You'll still have to apply regular concealer to completely hide them, but not as much.

If your broken capillaries are more purple than red, you’ll need a green-yellow color corrector.

Keep the amount of color corrector you apply to a minimum or it will shimmer through your foundation and concealer (if used).

Face Powder

You’ve probably heard otherwise, but face powder is your best friend. Not only does it fix foundation, it also leaves a matte finish—shininess will highlight every line, every wrinkle, and every sagging contour.

It’s true that powder can leave the complexion dull and chalky, and accentuate lines and wrinkles, but it depends on the product used and how it’s applied.

Which Powder Is Best for Mature Skin?

Translucent powder always works well on mature skin, but if you prefer more cover, choose one that matches your complexion or foundation exactly. Loose products are best for reducing shine and are generally more light textured than pressed products. As such, they don't collect in lines and wrinkles quite as readily.

Avoid products with reflective particles. According to advertising these detract from lines and wrinkles, but they actually do the opposite.

How to Apply Powder to Mature Skin

Whether pressed or loose, apply with a large powder brush. Instead of literally brushing on, dab from forehead to chin, reloading the brush as little as possible. Always work downwardly. If you don’t, the tiny white hairs that cover your face will stand on end, creating the chalky, mask-like effect you want to avoid.

After you’ve finished, gently pat your face working from forehead to chin with a clean, fleecy puff to pick up any excess powder. In case you're going to be photographed with a flash, this also helps prevent "flashback," which is when face powder—particularly translucent and colorless finishing products—shows up on photos as chalky patches.

How to Prevent Powder Making Your Face Look "Flat"

If you feel that powder makes your face appear over-mattified or “flat," you’re either wearing too much or you need to set highlights at the center of your forehead, the bridge of your nose, the tip of your chin, and the tops of your cheeks-—do this with concealer as described above.

Alternatively, after powdering and applying blush, add a very light misting of thermal water to give your complexion a more dewy quality. This proves counterproductive for some women, but it's worth experimenting with.

Powder Blush

When wearing foundation, use a powder blush rather than a cream product.

As with face powder, you need a very light textured product for good results.

Defining your cheekbones with strong colors can have a less than positive effect after a certain age, making your face seem hard and hollow. Instead, use softer shades like apricot and rose depending on your natural skin tone, and always blend well. A more diffused look will make you appear younger and fresher.

If you usually sweep a blush product beyond the apples of your cheeks to shade and contour, try using a pressed powder two tones darker than your complexion instead. As long as you apply sparsely, it won’t emphasize lines and wrinkles around the eyes and hairline, which is often the case with even the lightest textured powder blush.

Dust over your blush or contouring product with a little powder after you’ve finished.

Lips

Lips become thinner with age, with wrinkles appearing along the upper contour.

Lipstick

To make lips seem fuller and smoother, wear light toned, satin finish lipsticks. Be careful with bright colors, and abandon dark colors and matte products—they make lips look thinner. Another problem with matte lipsticks is that they never look good with a matte base, which older women tend to favor.

Lip Gloss

Lip gloss plumps lips up, but it also highlights every wrinkle, so avoid at all cost.

For the same reason, be careful with shimmery and dewy textured lipsticks, too.

Lip Liner

Lip liner stops lipstick feathering or "bleeding" into wrinkles, but for a rejuvenating effect, use a concealer pencil one or two shades lighter than your complexion instead.

Not only can it prevent feathering, it plumps lips up, and works as a corrective highlight to help diminish the appearance of wrinkles. Apply from the bow of the lip and blend to the mouth corners. Never use a white pencil for this—it creates an artificial effect and looks unprofessional.

Should You Use a Lip Brush?

It’s a good idea to apply lipstick with a brush for accuracy and to make it stay on longer. But if you find the hard contours a brush leaves too harsh, apply straight from the tube for a softer look.

Eye Makeup

Eyeliner and Mascara

Softer colors and textures create a diffused definition that always flatters a woman of a certain age.

Therefore, use brown or dark gray eyeliner and mascara in place of black.

If you find that liquid and gel eyeliners look harsh or overshadow the natural beauty of your eyes, use kohl instead.

Eye Shadow

Use only matte powder eye shadow. Creamy and glossy products accentuate wrinkles and make the skin appear crepy.

If the colors you’ve always worn start to make your eyes look dull and tired, try going a couple of nuances lighter. If you’re completely unsure of which colors to choose, you’ll never go wrong with subtle nude or soft earth tones.

Ten Basic Makeup Tips for the Mature Woman

1. Before applying makeup, your skin should be exfoliated and well moisturized.
2. A foundation primer is essential for mature skin.
3. Best is a foundation that provides just the coverage you need while allowing you to keep concealer to a minimum.
4. A loose, very fine textured face powder is less likely to collect in lines and wrinkles. For best results, apply with a large powder brush.
5. When wearing blush, soft colors like rose and apricot are more becoming.
6. Satin finish lipsticks don’t accentuate lip wrinkles.
7. For a softer, more flattering finish, apply lipstick straight from the tube instead of with a brush. And always line your lips to avoid "bleeding."
8. If black eyeliner and mascara seem too harsh, create a more diffused look with brown or dark gray.
9. Switch liquid and gel eyeliner for kohl.
10. Use only powder eye shadow.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2014 Jayne Lancer

Comments

Jayne Lancer (author) from West London, UK on July 07, 2019:

@Amy B Hunt: Thank you for commenting and your kind words. To answer your question, I've expanded the section on primer.

Basically, silicone creates a barrier and water does not blend with oil or silicone. Mixing these up would in most cases cause pilling, separation or flaking. I'd nevertheless recommend trying out the combination you've bought to see how it wears throughout the day,

Amy B Hunt on June 06, 2019:

Thank you so much for this information I found it to be very helpful. I have never been one to wear makeup on a regular basis, special occasions only, but now that I have entered my fifties I am feeling that a little makeup on a daily basis might help me look and feel better. Your advice and tips are just what I was looking for. I do have a question..you mentioned using silicone based products together, primer and foundation, can I ask why? I just bought both today and didn’t check that they are.

LYNDA LUTZ on May 21, 2019:

Thank you for this great article. I have not worn make-up for a long time. Now that I am 72, I needed some advice. Everyone says I look much younger, but still I need advice. I have gotten some skin blemishes from the sun and need to cover those, but my skin is still oily! Thank you.

Pamela Oglesby from Sunny Florida on June 12, 2018:

I appreciate all you wonderful suggestions. Great article.

Deborah on June 12, 2017:

Fantastic information. Thanks so much!

Gloria on May 01, 2017:

Thank You....you were very informative! I definitely need a lift (no pun intended) and your honestly is most appreciated.

Crystal Tafralian on April 26, 2017:

Thank you so much for this... You have helped me immensely.

Some of your cautions are exactly what I was doing.... Thank YOU.

LU on April 15, 2017:

THANK YOU SO HELPFUL

Heloneida on January 31, 2017:

Perfect! Thank you very much.

Jayne Lancer (author) from West London, UK on September 03, 2015:

Thank you very much, Ilonagarden!

Ilona E from Ohio on August 30, 2015:

I think your tips are fabulous and love all the illustrative photos.

Jayne Lancer (author) from West London, UK on October 15, 2014:

Hello Audrey, and thank you very much!

Your concealer palette probably consisted of a shade matching your complexion and two color correctors to cancel out unwanted tones. Very basically: green cancels out red (e.g. broken capillaries, acne etc.); yellow cancels out blue and purple (e.g. under eye circles); and blue and purple cancel out yellow and unwanted olive tones (e.g. bruises).

Audrey Selig from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on October 15, 2014:

Hi Jayne. How great that you are into giving tips on makeup, and I really like this article. I especially like the tips on concealer, as I don't do well on buying concealer. I had some once that had three colors, which was probably right for me. Thanks for sharing your expertise. Sharing hub. Blessings. Audrey

Jayne Lancer (author) from West London, UK on October 15, 2014:

Thank you, Anne! Yes, the right make-up can enhance and improve a woman's looks no matter how old she is. Audrey Hepburn is a great example of this.

Anne Harrison from Australia on October 15, 2014:

thank you Jayne, for this helpful summary. women such as Audrey Hepburn show how you can age gracefully - and still wear makeup!

Jayne Lancer (author) from West London, UK on May 31, 2014:

You're welcome, Divacratus! And thank you for taking the time.

Kalpana Iyer from India on May 30, 2014:

Really helpful makeup tips. Thanks for sharing!

I'm always interested in getting the best possible foundation for my face at a low price.

There are loads of articles, videos, and blog posts out there about covering black eyes/bruises; the problem is that none of them really work. Tips floating about might help for a slight bruise or an almost healed shiner, but there isn’t much about covering that huge dark purple/red black eye. Likewise, most people who do have the answer obviously don’t have that under-eye wrinkle that powders just love to settle into. So here’s my take on covering that mega blemish when you really don’t want it noticed.

If your injury was caused by an abusive partner (not just women, many men suffer too and they’re not even ‘allowed’ to defend themselves) then please talk to someone about it; a therapist, family, a friend, a helpline . . . anyone. Nobody should have to go through that kind of physical and mental torment. To everyone else, be more careful! Obviously certain medication can facilitate bruising and I suppose boxers etc. can’t really help it but the easiest way to cover a black eye is not to get one! (Mine was caused in a bar fight; naughty naughty, yes I know.)

1. Wash Your Face

Anyhow, I’ll begin with the basics. First, wash your whole face with warm water, use a scrub if you like (never use soap on your face, it dries out the skin and can clog pores) or whatever cleanser you like. I just use an everyday baby wipe, excellent for sensitive skin but not so much for makeup removal. Once clean, rinse with icy cold water to close your pores and pat dry with a towel (men should do this too, your buddies aren’t watching you in the bathroom and ladies love clean fresh skin).

2. Moistruise!

Next, moisturise, there’s a million moisturisers out there that all do similar things. I use Nivea but you just pick your favourite, Q10 plus is good for anti-aging (so my mother tells me and her skin is at least 20 years younger than her!) while my sister (acne-prone) uses Neutrogena’s Visibly Clear. My dad uses Sudocreme for eczema which is also good as a topical spot treatment but otherwise, just pick your favourite. Men, I’m sure that the women you live with won’t notice you using theirs or if you live alone then buy one! Most moisturisers are cheap these days if you don’t have particular skin complaints or allergies.

3. Apply Eyeshadow Primer

Now that the prep is done, apply eyeshadow primer because we will be using a lot of makeup here and we don’t want it to settle into wrinkles, the crease of the eyelid or wear off during the day (or night). Facial primer will work if you don’t have any eye-specific stuff as will a tiny bit of Vaseline (and I mean tiny) but neither of these will last quite as long as real eyeshadow primer.

5. Colour Correct

Next, examine the colour of your black-eye, it’s probably purple but could be red, black, blue, brown, yellow, green or even have sections of different colours all blending into each other. Make a note of this colour now because you’ll be needing it later.

Grab a Coverstick

Grab a coverstick. Girls, you probably know what this is, for the guys it looks like skin-tone lipstick (but it isn’t lipstick so don’t search that section of the store!) and is a really thick concealer. Cover the bruising entirely with the coverstick and blend the edges into your ‘normal skin by patting them with your fingertips or a blending brush. See, almost covered already! I wouldn’t go out with a massive circle of concealer around my eye though so let’s work on blending it into your face.

Remember the Colour Wheel

You all remember the colour wheel from art lessons or that paint chart you used to decorate your house right? Well, its time to use it. The theory goes that opposite colours will cancel each other out so using the colours of your black eye (which you can’t really see anymore, that’s why you had to make note earlier) we can decide what colour to apply on top of the coverstick. Generally, green will cancel red, orange will do blue, yellow for purple, lilac for green and brown varies depending on the brown. An extensive (matte) eyeshadow palette is vital here, I don’t know about you but it’s almost impossible to find a stand-alone yellow that isn’t a pale gold or shimmery. Men, you probably won’t have one of these so unless you can lend your wife/girlfriend/mother’s, you’d better grab the sunglasses and head to the nearest makeup retailer. If you’re like me and have pale-medium skin then you want a light colour, darker/black skin will need a darker tone. Under no circumstances use neon or glitter, you will look like a badly made-up clown.

Use a Brush

Anyhow, get your colour and apply it with a brush, fingers probably won’t get an accurate enough coverage here as you don’t want to get any outside the borders of the bruising. Build the colour but keep it sheer; it’s much easier to add more than to take it all off. The advantages of using a powder eyeshadow are that they will set the coverstick (which can get quite sticky) and you won’t have to set them again with translucent powder. Mousse and cream eyeshadows will do the job as long as they’re set with translucent powder. An important point here is to dab the eyeshadow on, don’t sweep, swirl, brush it over the coverstick because it may rub and uncover the bruise beneath.

6. Apply Concealer and Foundation

Right so now we’re stuck with a bright yellow/green/orange (or whatever) eye which probably looks worse than when we started. Oops . . . No worries, just get your concealer (the one with the best coverage), not coverstick this time because we’re going to apply it with a brush rather than rubbing it straight on. Guys, this is probably going to be a problem because the women who live with you are not likely to be a perfect skintone match (the same goes for foundation). If they are, great! If not, it’s back to the shops. Get some of the concealer on the back of your hand and load your concealer brush (the big eyeshadow brush you get in a set will do, just make sure it’s clean as you don’t want eyeshadow tinted concealer. Then dab the product all over the eyeshadow, extending it a little bit outside of the edges. Try to blend this as much as you can into your ‘normal’ skin, but remember to DAB! Don’t start rubbing or smearing at this point as you’ll just rub off everything beneath.

Looking more like skin again? Good. Now, wait five minutes for the concealer to dry and grab your foundation. A long-lasting, high coverage foundation is critical; tinted moisturiser, powders and sheer foundations won’t blend into the eye area, not with that much coverage and you’ll end up with a weird ‘eyepatch’ effect. Apply the foundation to your face as normal (men, this means a little bit all over, right up to the hairline, blended down your neck and onto/behind your ears; this goes for some women too). When you get to your eye area, you’re best off using a sponge or foundation/stipple brush. If you know what you’re doing then use your finger but do not rub, do not use a circle motion, do not swipe, slide or glide your fingers while applying foundation because it WILL rub away the concealers.

Finishing Touches

So, once it all looks blended (I’d say natural but you probably look a little too airbrushed to be natural), wait five minutes for your foundation to dry. Then, get a translucent powder or setting powder that matches your foundation. You want a big powder brush or fluffy powder puff for this part. Load up your brush/puff, tap a brush over your arm to remove excess or flick a powder puff for the same purpose before you apply the powder to your face, again dab it on the eye area though you can use whatever motion on the rest of your face. You don’t need a lot, heaping on the powder will create that cakey/flakey effect and also worsen wrinkles when the powder settles into them.

A Whole New You

Now you should be hardly able to notice your eye (step back from the mirror, most people are not going to be three inches from your face), finish up the rest of your makeup, being especially careful with eyeliner/eye makeup, and viola! A whole new non-bruised you!

I hope this method worked for you, best wishes for a quick healing time, if this article helped you, then please help me by leaving a rating or comment below. Thanks for reading!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Ian on December 27, 2019:

Great article Kirsten. Thank you.

Jane on February 23, 2018:

What color eye shadow should we put on yellow areas - or just do the other steps?

TanyaVan on September 30, 2017:

Thank you for the very detailed article, Kristen. I'm going to use color correcting concealers to cover my 7 days old and still very dark purple (though reduced in size) bruise. Will let you know if this worked.

Lynne on January 31, 2017:

Thanks will try this method

Kirsten (author) from England on May 20, 2016:

If it didn't work it could be the colour you're using to correct, if the eye's still red try adding a bit of green. A salmony pink can help with certian tones as well. Every bruise will be a slightly different colour and it takes a bit of experimentation if yellow doesn't cover it the first time.

If you've still got time before the wedding, use a warm compress (or a sock full of rice warmed up in the microwave) to help stimulate the circulation to the eye area. It'll help it fade faster.

I HAVE A BLACK EYE AND IM GETTING MARRIED on May 14, 2016:

it didnt work!

Kirsten (author) from England on January 22, 2016:

Yeah the powders in the eyeshadow set the makeup, unlike a lot of concealers on their own which tend to melt, happy it worked well for you!

Miss L on January 18, 2016:

Fantastic, a bit greasy, but it's really hot here.

Didn't budge for 10 hours.

Thankyou

Mel on January 16, 2016:

Thanks. Got elbowed at a Madonna concert Thursday night so these tips really help.

Mae on July 20, 2015:

this was so helpful. I have an appointment tomorrow and this is helping me from having to answer a billion unwanted questions!

coco on July 10, 2015:

It has been 5 days and my eye is still purple ( skin below eye) used ice then warm compress cold tea bags how long does it take for it to go away?

Kirsten (author) from England on August 31, 2014:

Ouch :-P Glad I could help

m.lovett. on August 11, 2014:

Excellent! Football in face on the first match of the season.. big nose. Black eye. My job involves a lot of potentional customers. Great advice. Ta.

Kirsten (author) from England on December 15, 2013:

Hey, sorry for not getting back to you sooner. While makeup is certianly your best bet given that the wedding is in a few days you could speed up the healing of a black eye by using a warm compress (try putting rice in a sock and microwaving it for a minute or two, make sure its not too hot!). Heat increases blood flow to the area which helps the old 'bruise' blood to be taken away. To anyone else who might read this comment then please note that you should not use a warm compress during the first 36 hours of a black eye as the blood vessels might still be broken and this will just make the black eye worse!

Rosanna on December 11, 2013:

Struggling to know what to do. My daughter is getting married in 5 days time and with months of planning, excitement and preparation I fall ill, faint and hit my face on a hard tiled floor. Have now a lovely black eye just in time for the big day. Gutted! Any advise would be gratefully received.

Tiffany on August 21, 2013:

Sounds helpful, going to have to try this. Fell and hit my face and its just a few days til my wedding. Fingers crossed!

Kirsten (author) from England on March 26, 2013:

you're welcome, hope you managed to get the eye covered up without too much trouble; make-up can be tricky for beginners. Thanks for the comment :)

Rbt on March 25, 2013:

Very helpful. I'm a man with a black eye--never knew anything about make-up until I read this. Thanks.

I'm a makeup and beauty enthusiast, always on the lookout for fresh looks!

The combination of blonde hair, pale skin, and brown eyes is sometimes natural, and sometimes achieved with hair coloring, but always a striking and beautiful look.

Celebrities like Katherine Heigl, Kiera Knightly, Britney Spears, and Kate Mansi have all carried off this look beautifully. As a pale skinned beauty, you too have reason to celebrate your looks.

Women with this color combination need a makeup routine specifically designed for their look.

This article will give you makeup tips, focusing on eyebrows, foundation and concealer, eye makeup, and blush and lip colors.

Eye Makeup

• Stick to brown mascara since most of your features are pale—both your hair and skin, and the brown will blend beautifully with your eyes while still setting them off.
• Wearing brown eyeliner around your eyes will give them a more noticeable frame, especially if you have naturally blonde eyelashes and find your eyes and skin have a stronger contrast than you want.
• Great eyeshadow colors are: different shades of brown, peach, soft pink, and violet. An eyeshadow kit with colors that will blend and give you a look like Kiera Knightly's (above) is Revlon ColorStay Eyeshadow, 12 Hour Neutral Khakis.
• Try adding a hint of white eyeshadow lengthwise below your eyebrows to give your skin a light glow that will complement the light hues of your hair.

Eyebrows

• Keep your eyebrows clean and shaped at all times. It will make you look highly polished and beautiful.
• If your brows are naturally dark and you want to lighten them so you look more naturally blonde, you can easily do so with creme bleach for the face.
• Reducing the number of hairs within the frame of the brow will also bring out a "delicate blonde" appearance.

Foundation and Concealer

• If your blonde hair is the result of hair coloring, you might need to wear foundation and concealer at all times to avoid a sallow appearance.
• People with dark eyes tend to have olive or yellow undertones in their skin. These tones are beautiful in themselves, but blonde hair can sometimes dull the look of this kind of skin.
• This means paying extra attention to the thin areas of skin on your face - specifically around your eyes, and giving your face an even-toned canvas to prepare it for color.
• Buy discount brands of concealer and foundation because you might find you will need to experiment with a few different shades and different brands as each have their own chemical reaction with your skin.
• These products often alter the tones on your face, and you want to make sure you have the most flattering look.

Celebrity Poll

Blush Colors

• Peach, very light brown, and soft pink will be your best blush colors. If you are especially concerned about getting it right the first time, then simply choose very light brown. This will be your best bet if you don't have a lot of money to experiment with cosmetic purchases.

Lip Colors

• Soft browns, soft pinks, violet-infused shades, and peach-infused shades will be your best lipstick colors. These colors will blend well with the suggested blush and eyeshadow colors.
• Because pale lips could wash your look out too much, always choose a lip color that is darker than your blush. Since you have brown eyes, you want to add a pop of color on your lips to even out the light and dark effects on your face.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Creating Lara Croft's Look

I have been a Tomb Raider fanatic for more than 12 years. I was eight when I first heard of Lara Croft and fell in love. I will show you how to recreate Lara Croft’s look. She’s one of my favorite video game characters and certainly a perfect subject for cosplay.

Use this look as your own or find inspiration and create something totally different. Let’s get started!

Step 1: Foundation

Make sure your hair is out of the way, and then begin by applying a matte foundation that matches your skin tone. This will even out your face and give it that flawless video game character effect.

Step 2: Contouring

Lara’s nose is very long and skinny, so I’m going to start by contouring the sides of my nose with a powder that is two shades darker to give the illusion of length.

Step 3: Eyeshadow

Take the same powder that you used to contour your nose and apply this all over your eyelids and crease. Blend it out evenly with a light hand.

Take a darker brown eye shadow and apply this to the crease of your eye and to the outer corners. Also, trace this color underneath your lower lashes stopping about halfway.

Step 4: Eyeliner

Take a liquid eyeliner and trace along the top of your lash line. Wing the eye liner out at the ends slightly to give the illusion of larger eyes just like Lara. Try using a bent angle brush dipped in liquid liner if you can't keep your hand steady. If that doesn't work, keep one side of your hand rested on your cheek for stability

Step 5: Mascara

Apply volumizing mascara in a black to the outer half of your top lashes and your bottom lashes. Flip your hand when applying the mascara to the other eye so you get the same winged out effect on both sides.

Step 6: Blush and Contouring

Take a peach-colored blush and apply it to the apples of your cheeks. Then look at a direct source of light that shines overhead and trace the natural shadows on your face with a bronzing powder. This will give your face structure, like Lara's.

Step 7: Lips

For the lips you’ll need to go big. If you already have full lips then all you need to do is apply a light brown or nude lipstick and you’re good to go. However, if you’re like me, then you will need to line the outer part of your lips with a light brown lip liner, and then apply lipstick to give the illusion of fuller lips.

When it comes to color, either go with a peach/light brown lipstick (Anniversary look), or a darker brown lipstick (Underworld look). Either works.

The Finished Look

Now that the look is done, feel free to add in your own accessories that you think channel Lara! I pulled my hair back into that classic ponytail Lara sports, and also added the classic Tomb Raider red sunglasses she wears in some of the earlier versions of the game. A handy pistol like the one she uses in the game completes the look.

Have fun recreating this look!

Lara Croft Throughout The Ages

Comments

Deya Writes (author) on January 07, 2012:

Thank you :)

Daniella Lopez on January 07, 2012:

Great hub! The pictures help give you an idea of how to properly do it. Voted up!

Fan of lara on November 04, 2011:

I love this, I used it as a guide for Halloween, it turned out really nice, thanks

Deya Writes (author) on October 29, 2011:

Thank you, I was hoping that the makeup tutorial would give me a good result!

Jacob M. on October 26, 2011:

Woah you look like her!

Scartletquill enjoys providing beauty tips to help people look and feel their best.

We can't all have the luxury of personal stylists and makeup artists to keep us looking amazing as we go about our everyday lives. Nor can we rely on Photoshop anti-aging techniques in real life.

Do you have skin that is only just beginning to show signs of fine lines, perhaps around the mouth or the corners of the eyes? How can you keep aging skin looking its best at all times?

Moisturizing Is Key

The best makeup artists and the most experienced dermatologists will advise that moisturizing is key. I really do believe that it is the most important step in a good skincare routine, so invest in the best quality daily moisturizing lotion that you can— and that doesn't mean that more expensive equals better. You need to find a balance.

Ingredients to Avoid

• Mineral Oil: Depending on how dry your skin gets, particularly in winter, you will likely go through quite a lot of it. So, go for what your budget will allow, but look at the ingredients, particularly if your skin is sensitive. It is best to stay away from mineral oil in your moisturizers and body lotions (the stuff that is in Bio Oil, the supposed 'miracle' treatment oil that is meant to simply erase scars and unwanted pigmentation on the skin). This oil doesn't work for most people, and the people who do find that they see a difference are no doubt noticing a reduction in the scarring simply through time (they do eventually fade on their own). The fading is also, perhaps, due to the massaging that is required to rub the oil into the skin. That is most likely the extent of the 'miracle' benefits of this product. So save your money, ladies. You can always just massage your lotion into the scarred area. Just keep it moisturized and supple and the healing and fading will happen with time. Just be patient.
• Parabens: I also think it's very advisable to avoid parabens in your moisturizer. So, make sure you don't see any parabens listed on the ingredient label. Sure, there are quite a few studies claiming that there is no need to worry about the addition of parabens in skincare products, but why take the risk if there's a myriad of skincare lines out there that do not contain parabens. I am seeing fewer companies using parabens in their skincare nowadays, which is great! Not everyone wants to go completely natural or even organic, but the majority of the population would prefer to know that there are no nasty and dangerous ingredients in the skincare products that they use every day. Who knows what we will find out years down the track about the safety of the creams, lotions, and potions we are slathering all over our faces and bodies each day?

That's why it's a good idea to stop using low-quality moisturizers and day creams, and invest in something that will treat your delicate facial skin properly and give it radiance, hydration, and plumpness.

Do I Need a Night Cream and Day Cream?

Now that you've got a good moisturizer sorted out, it's up to you whether you choose to use the same moisturizing lotion morning and night, or whether you decide you need a heavier night cream to treat your skin overnight, and a lighter day cream that will provide a nice plump, yet soft, base for your makeup.

There are many options out there. Olay Complete is a very trusted option if you don't want to splurge on more expensive skincare brands such as La Roche Intense Rehydration or Lancome Skin Recharge. Nivea is also a very affordable option and they have just brought out their Nivea Q10 Plus Day and Night creams. They even have a tinted day cream, which is only very slightly tinted so it works on all skin tones. Tinted creams are very good if you have dry skin, don't like to wear a lot of makeup, or if you're in a hurry.

Is Eye Cream the Holy Grail?

Everyone's heard of at least one person raving about the benefits of using an eye cream. A lot of people find that as they get older, the area around their eyes and below their eyebrows becomes drier than it used to be.

For many people, their moisturizer is hydrating enough to serve double duty to moisturize their eye area as well. However, people of any age (but especially people over 50) may find that their eye area is more prone to being dry. It may be worse at certain times during the year. The skin may also become aggravated when one switches to a new cleanser or a lighter lotion. You must also remember that as people age, the skin around their eyes becomes more delicate and much thinner, which means that there is a greater need to protect and refresh the lid, the eye crease, and the often-referred-to crow's feet area.

So, Is It Really Worth Investing in an Eye Cream?

That's really up to the individual. If you still have oily skin, then it may not be essential to provide extra hydration to the eye area. But, if you have dry or normal skin and you feel as if your eyes are often tight, flaky, or dry, an eye cream could really be the saving grace in your skincare routine.

If you already use a night cream, you can apply an eye cream before you go to bed as you are using the night cream. It is also a good idea to refresh your eyes after you cleanse in the morning by applying the eye cream where you would normally swipe your daily moisturizer/day cream. So in effect, the eye cream would replace your moisturizer, but only in the eye area and above the eyes. If you choose, you can also put it in the under-eye area to refresh the delicate skin underneath the eye.

So, it is something to think about when you consider that the skin around the eyes ages faster than the rest of the skin on the face. Some would argue that the skin on the neck is also more susceptible to aging, but the eyes are more visible.

What About a Neck Cream?

Neck gels have become fairly popular for people looking to fight the aging skin battle. Truth is, there are no true miracle products and very few which have the ability to produce amazing results. You can search all you like, but the best thing is to save your money on all the gels and creams touting wrinkle reduction. This is why products will say 'may reduce' and 'the appearance of' rather than promising to actually get rid of your wrinkles! The claims seem believable, but few can offer more than a plumping result, which is actually what may cause the skin to appear as if lines and wrinkles are being reduced. But, essentially, what is happening is the skin is merely being well treated and nourished, so it plumps up, which makes the lines look less obvious.

Don't waste your cash on products claiming results they obviously don't have the ability to offer. Only cosmetic surgery, botox, or fillers can do that, and if you're against that or don't want to fork out extraordinary amounts for those types of plastic surgery procedures, then you're going to have to learn to love the skin you're in now and work with what you've got. Trust me, the better you treat your skin, the more healthy and radiant it will look.

To Prime or Not to Prime?

Now your skin is hydrated and if you have incorporated that good quality moisturizer into your regimen every day, then you should have a healthy surface to work with.

The next step is optional. Not everyone uses or swears by a primer (also called a face primer or skin primer). A lot of makeup artists use it on clients and many non-professionals also use a primer to prep their skin before applying makeup. Anyone who uses mineral makeup will know that many of the mineral makeup starter kits (such as Bare Minerals) come with a sample size skin primer called Prime Time, which you apply on your already moisturized face to prepare skin before the minerals are buffed in.

There are many claimed benefits of using a primer before putting on your face makeup, but the most obvious and beneficial reasons for using a primer include filling up your pores (if you happen to have large pores, a primer is very helpful, especially around the nose area for many people) and smoothing out your skin. The smoothing out is not always over-the-top dramatic, but it does provide a base which allows the makeup to glide on more smoothly.

You don't have to use your primer everyday, but if you have a special event to attend where you will be under lights or taking photographs, then it's a fabulous product/step to include in your makeup application process. Primer helps even if you have a long day at work or are out anywhere where you may not have time for touching up your makeup. It helps keep your makeup feeling fresh for longer and prevents makeup from sliding off your face or fading. That makes it an excellent option for summer, particularly if you happen to live in a humid or very hot climate.

Some primers even have nourishing effects on your skin. So, those type of primers can even be counted as a step in your skin care routine! Also, look out for primers specifically designed for sensitive skin if you are prone to breakouts or redness. Not all primers are equal. Again, quality products will generally provide you with a better result, not necessarily more expensive brands.. Remember to check the ingredient list! This is incredibly important in ensuring you are getting value for your money and that you won't be disappointed when you get a skin reaction.

For instance, I am allergic to salicylic acid — an ingredient found in quite a lot of cleansers and even some shampoos. I have been caught out a few times when I have purchased Redken shampoo and conditioner! Some of the Redken shampoo line contains salicylic acid. It's really interesting how many differences there are with ingredients, even in shampoo. I have even bought a handwash which contained salicylic acid in it before. This is why it's important to read the list of ingredients before you buy. Even if you're not allergic or sensitive to a particular ingredient or chemical, it could end up being a certain combination of ingredients that causes a reaction on your skin.

Concealing Is Believing

Now, we all know the magic of a good concealer, but the truth is, as we age we need a different type of concealer. Color correctors are great staples to have in your makeup kit on those days when you need more color correction or for a night out when you want your face to look flawless. I must say, they really work magic.

Cover Wrinkles

Don't go for anything that has light-reflecting properties or anything that is at all shimmery (even for underneath your eyes) as this will only highlight and draw attention to the things you want to hide.

Aim for a matte concealer. This is often the most flattering type for middle-aged to older skin. Teens can get away with illuminating their under-eye area and highlighting with frosty eye shadows, but more mature women need something that will cover without putting the focus on those fine lines on the face and eye area.

And remember, with concealer, less is more. Some of the high-end brand concealers may often be overpriced, but that because they are so pigmented that the tubes will last for a very long time. So, it's often a great item to pay that little bit extra for because you will find yourself only needing a tiny amount.

Hide Pores

If you are someone who has enlarged pores (some people find as they age the pores around their nose become larger), a good matte concealer will tone down the appearance of the oversized pores. Instead of sinking into them, a good concealer will glide over the top of the area with enlarged pores and create a smooth finish.

Color Correct

• Redness: If you're looking instead for something that will reduce or cover redness, a green-toned concealer that you use before you apply your regular skin tone shade of concealer is a god-send! It seems strange, but green shades tone down the color red, so it's a very useful trick for those who suffer from redness around the bottom of the nose and the chin. Don't use it for eye redness though.
• Blue Veins: A yellow-based concealer like Benefit Lemon Aid yellow concealer is a much better option to cover the blue veining that some people notice on their eyelids. Benefit Lemon Aid really wakes your eyes up and makes them look fresh.
• Brown Spots: A yellow concealer will also work well under your foundation to tone down the look of brown spots. Color-correction makeup really is your best friend. A lot of companies make special palettes designed with a variety of shades and colours for color correction.

How to Apply: Remember to use a light touch. Going overboard with color correction is not a good look, and what was intended to look natural will end up looking silly. So, remember to use a light hand and work it in well with a brush or your fingers and always cover with your regular concealer afterward. Finish with a powder to set the liquid or cream concealer.

Find the Right Foundation

As we age, our skin needs really do change. The foundation that you may have relied on for years might not be right for your skin anymore.

Sometimes when we get an old favorite we tend to stick with it, but sometimes you will need to switch to a foundation suited for dry skin or one that is completely matte to ensure that it doesn't draw attention to your fine lines and any areas of your face that aren't as smooth as they used to be.

How to Find the Perfect Shade

Of course, your correct foundation shade will probably change a few times throughout your life, and throughout the seasons as well. It's often a good idea to get color matched at your favourite makeup counter as you get a little more color during the summer months. You may need to go up a shade in either your liquid foundation or your powder. Your concealer shade will most likely stay the same though (unless you have gotten completely tanned or used a full-body fake tan including your face) because as you know, with concealer, you need to choose a shade or two lighter than your true skin tone. For example, if you have light skin, it's usually a good idea to go for an ivory concealer shade. If you're not sure what shade you are in either concealer or foundation, it is extremely helpful to ask the makeup artist at a store or at a make-up counter to make sure you find your correct shade. Don't forget, it will most likely not always stay the same, so re-check and update if need be!

What Are the Most Important Properties?

For mature skin, it's good to choose something hydrating as it's helpful to keep lined areas plumped, even if you are using a good moisturizer or a primer underneath. You don't want your foundation to sink into those dry wrinkles; you want it to glide over them and float on top to provide a sheer yet covered canvas. You can use a color-correcting foundation if you wish, but it's not really necessary if you use a color-correcting concealer beforehand. Make Up For Ever makes a few very good color-correcting foundations, but it helps only if you need to even out extremely red skin on large areas of your face. If you only have a few very small areas of redness (around eyes and side of nose), then it's often easier to just conceal them before you add your powder or foundation in your natural shade.

Important Tips

• Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! I can't say it enough. Even if you think your skin is oily, moisturizing is what balances out your natural oils and rehydrates at the same time. It's incredibly important, so don't overlook this step.
• If you like to use eyeshadow, use powder or mineral eyeshadows instead of cream shadows. Liquid or cream products tend to pool in wrinkles and make them stand out more.
• If you use a liquid foundation, apply a foundation powder or setting powder on top. Powders reflect light so they tend to take the focus away from the deeper lines.
• Using color-correcting concealers can help to minimize areas of redness (around the nose, eyes, or chin) and help to brighten up eyes as well as cover small veins on the eyelids. Make sure you completely cover the colors with your regular skin-tone shade of concealer so it looks natural.
• Protect the eye area. It becomes even more sensitive and thinner as one ages. Even if the skin around your eyes isn't quite dry enough to warrant using a separate eye cream, ensure you have a rich, good quality moisturizer or day cream to keep your eye area hydrated and supple.
• Don't forget the SPF. It's never too late to keep the sun's dangerous rays from harming your skin and causing any extra damage to your skin texture and facial lines. There are so many great moisturizers with high SPF levels these days that there's no excuse to skip the suncream.
• Drink lots of water! Hydration from the inside is important for younger-looking skin.

Embrace Your Skin

There is no 'miracle anti-wrinkle cream' out there, so stop looking, folks. It just doesn't exist. Short of getting botox or a facelift, we have to settle with what we've been blessed with, and for many people, that is early fine lines and premature aging. Just try to think of your small lines as laugh lines or smile lines. I know it's not what you want to think when they're staring right back at you in the mirror each morning, but trust me, other people are not half as interested in their existence as you are. What may appear to be extremely prominent eye lining to you probably doesn't even register on someone else's mind when they look at you!

It's true! We often forget because we look at our own faces so closely in the mirror that what we see isn't as obvious to onlookers. When was the last time someone you were chatting with was as close a distance to your face as you are when you inspect your skin in the mirror? Exactly! They just don't see what you see. So remember that.

Skin Poll

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

DebbieStrong on August 27, 2017:

I've only been using dermalmd under eye treatment serum for 2 weeks but I have really liked my results. I've seen a reduction in my fine lines, inflammation, and under eye circles. I plan to continue to use this serum. Hopefully my circles will continue to get lighter.

Jackie Lynnley from the beautiful south on March 04, 2017:

I would say Luminess is probably the most popular for the most perfect looking skin although I imagine it is pretty expensive. I would certainly like to try it.

It can be bought over the counter in can and I have some that is pretty good but nothing like what we see advertised I am sure.

arline farland on March 04, 2017:

please im needing to find a foundation or any kind of cover up that dont sink into my wrinkles, i look worst when i put anything on, i use neutrogena wrinkle repair every evening and my derma wond when i think of it and it seems to be helping some, thankyou sincerly, i am a person who always had low self esteem problems and it's caused me to have depression all my life, god bless!

Martie Coetser from South Africa on April 07, 2012:

Excellent article!

The Finished Look: Light Brown Smokey Eye

You can complete this look in nine easy steps, and with very reasonably priced products. You can easily change it up to go from daytime to nighttime. Follow along and you'll have a flawless, matte complexion in no time!

What You'll Need for a Simple Look

1. Start With Foundation

Start off with some foundation. If you know foundation will look too heavy on you, then try using a BB Cream or tinted moisturizer.

One trick I like to use is to apply some Vaseline (petroleum jelly) to my face first especially where I have big pores, and then apply a small amount of foundation over that. Vaseline smooths down any tiny peach fuzz I have and just makes everything look more natural.

2. Don't Go Without Eye Primer

Since you will probably be wearing your everyday makeup, all day we need to start off with a good base. Since it's probably for a more casual day, chances are you will want it to last all day and not smudge. We will need just some simple products. Start with an eye primer and apply it all over the lid and below the eye close to the bottom lash line since you will be putting eyeshadow in both places.

Primer helps the colors appear more vibrant on the skin and helps your makeup to not crease, this is a must if you know you have oily eyelids because what eyeshadow may look good now, won't look so pretty five hours into your day.

3. Apply Some Eyeshadow

Next, you need some eyeshadow. Apply a slightly shimmery or matte brown all over the lid, making sure not to apply it into the crease of your eye. Whether the color is matte or shimmery, it doesn't matter as long as it's light. Then blend the eye shadow gently upward. Covergirl's Country Woods Palette has a nice light brown and is a palette you can get your money's worth from if you plan on using it often. Use the second color from the left as the base color all over your lid. Smudge some underneath your bottom lash line as well to give some illusion of a smokey eye later on.

4. Darken and Blend out Harsh Edges

Using the 4th color from the left in the same palette, a darker brown than what is on your lid, apply this eyeshadow in the crease of the eye (the hollow part that sinks into your socket) and blend out the makeup working in circular motions toward the outer side of your eye.

This should give you a simple smoky look, but without being too heavy for a natural look. Apply this eye shadow lightly to the middle of the crease of your eye and connect it with the color you just blended out. Make sure to blend where the two colors meet. Lightly line the bottom of your eyes with this color also, applying it on top of the lighter brown, but not blending downward so much.

5. Lightly Line Your Eyes

The next step is to line your eyes with eyeliner. You can opt for a dark brown eyeliner if black is too harsh for you.

For an everyday look, it's best to keep the eyeliner just on the top lash line. Here I apply black eyeliner, Scandal Eyes by Rimmel, only to the top outer third of the lash line. After you apply a small amount, take a sponge tip applicator and lightly dab and drag in small motions to smudge out the eyeliner.

You can also tightline your lashes to make them appear fuller. Just lightly apply eyeliner to your top waterline by lifting up the eyelashes.

Different Eyeliners Do Different Things

• Types of Eyeliners: How To Use Them
  There are many types of eyeliner on the market today. Find out how and when it's appropriate to use each kind.

6. Apply a Hint of Mascara

In this step, apply your favorite mascara. Only apply it to the outer third of your top eyelashes to give a nice winged out effect. Dip your brush in again and wipe off excess mascara on a tissue, then go in an apply a hint of mascara to your bottom eye lashes as well.

You should not apply more than one coat for a natural look, but if you have particularly sparse lashes go ahead and apply a second coat as needed. I recommend using a spoolie then to separate out any clumps that may have formed in your eyelashes if your mascara did clump.

One mascara that doesn't clump on me is Smashbox's Full Exposure mascara. But you do need to wipe excess off the brush if you decide to use this mascara because the wand is large.

7. Add a Rosy Glow to Your Cheeks

Apply a blush that has a pinkish tint to it. A rosy blush is preferred over any orange toned blushes in a natural look because our skin turns a rosy-red-pink color naturally when we blush so it's easier to mimic that with a pink blush. Here, I used Maybelline's Dream Bouncy Blush.

If you have a darker skin tone, use a darker blush that has a red-pink tone to it.

8. Apply a Sheer Lipstick

You should apply a lipstick that looks natural on you—or a combination of colors. Here I use Revlon's Color Burst lipstick in Strawberry Shortcake and applied a nude lip gloss on top for a nice shine.

For me, for a natural look, I wouldn't opt for a dark color since my lips are normally a red-pinkish color, but anything lighter than my own lip shade, or the same color, is fair game.

You can also just apply a clear lip gloss if you are having trouble finding a good lipstick shade. There is technically nothing more natural than your own lip color.

9. Stay Shine Free and Matte

If you want to wear the look all day and know that you have oily or combination skin, it's best to top off the look with some powder so that everything stays in place all day. Powder can extend the wear of your foundation by about two hours so if you won't have time to touch up later in the day, apply your powder! A good way of making the powder appear natural is to use a buffing brush and just buff the powder into your skin in circular motions, the more you buff the more natural the powder will look.

Nighttime Makeup Tutorial

Favorite Look Poll

I have an irrational fear of wasting a perfect smokey eye on an insignificant day.

— Amanda Ensing via Twitter

Don't Make These Simple Makeup Mistakes

• Top 10 Makeup Mistakes: How To Apply Makeup
  Here are the top 10 makeup mistakes women make when applying their makeup. Learn how to avoid these top ten makeup mistakes with these simple makeup tips and avoid blotchy makeup.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Abbicat .org on May 23, 2017:

Nice article it is very informanitive sorry about the spelling

Lydia McCarter from The Murder Mitten on December 08, 2010:

Ah! loved this one too! and with such easy products.

poetvix from Gone from Texas but still in the south. Surrounded by God's country. on September 06, 2010:

Wow! Finally someone gives directions on how to get a look. Love it. Can you do one on how to get the "smokey eye look"?

Thanks for a great, useful hub.

I've been an online freelance writer for over nine years. My articles often focus on makeup, art, and design.

Straight Makeup for Stage and Film

Stage and studio lighting tend to be stronger than natural light and comes from several angles. This tends to erase the natural shadows and flatten out the face. With make up, facial highlights and shadows are re-created so that lighting cannot erase them. The size of the theater and how far the actor is from the audience determines how strong these highlights/shadows need to be. The makeup in this tutorial is sufficient for film or a smaller theater.

Before You Begin

Make sure the actor's face is clean and shaven. I used Ben Nye cream makeup for this. You need a foundation that is a shade or two darker that the actors skin color because the lighting will usually make the face appear lighter. The highlights need to be a shade or two lighter than the foundation and the shadows need to be a shade or two darker. Make sure the highlight and shadows you use are equidistant from the shade of the foundation.

Foundation

Start by applying foundation with a makeup sponge to the entire face and on the neck. Be sure to get the eyes and the lips. The foundation is important because the highlights and shadows need something to blend into and it won't blend into your skin alone.

Highlights and Shadows

Start by blocking in the highlights and shadows. First we'll highlight all the high points of the face where natural light hits. Paint a line of the highlight across the top of the forehead starting from the center and move outward. These should be one stroke each. Paint a line on the temple bone on either side of the forehead, and another right above the eyebrows starting from the outside and brush inwards. Add another line on the nose starting from the top of the tip and brush upwards. Feel for your cheekbones and paint a line along the top of them starting from the hairline and brush inwards. Then paint a line along the jawbone.

Next grab your shadow color and paint lines on the outside of the temple highlights, the nose highlight and right below the jawline. Add a shadow on the bottom of each cheekbone as well.

Blending

Now you need to blend the highlights and shadows into the foundation. I find it easier using my fingers. Blend the highlight along the hairline downwards on the forehead and the ones above the eyebrows blend upwards. The temple highlights get blended inwards. The cheekbone highlights blend upwards as well as the jawbone highlight. The nose highlight blends upward and the shadows blend outward. The temple shadows blend downwards as do the cheek shadows and the jaw shadows.

Eyes and Lips

The eyes get shadowed right below the eyebrows on the inside and get blended outward. The eyelids get highlighted in the center. With a dark brown eyeliner or small brush, line the eyes lightly on the bottom and a little on top. Next paint the lips with a color as close to the natural lip hue but a shade or two darker.

Once finished, powder over the entire face and neck to keep from smearing. Now apply powdered rouge or blush lightly on the cheeks between the highlight and shadow to put color back into the face.

Comments

Melanie Palen from Midwest, USA on August 31, 2011:

Oh wow! This is really cool! I like the end result! Great hub!