Have you ever wondered if there are certain rules or commandments when it comes to makeup? There appears to be unwritten rules that people with great makeup follow to look good.Even within ‘’fringe’’ communities, a special type of look is codified as part of the identity. I am conventional when it comes to a makeup look and prefer a classic look. Think the duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle.
In that vein, if you like to consistently look well put together, here are 10 makeup commandments that help you put your best face forward
1. Thou shalt invest in good brushes
An artist is only as good as his tools and like the saying goes
“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe’’
Abraham Lincoln
Here your make up brushes are you axe, choose the wrong ones and your makeup will never look quite right. Don’t think you need to spend a fortune on brushes either, there are great brushes at affordable prices. So always buy the best you can afford. Also, don’t hesitate to mix and match brushes from different sets and different brands. That way you get the best of each like Real Techniques and Sigma.
2. Wash thy brushes well and often
This should be a given. But it is really shocking how many people compromise on the cleanliness of their makeup brushes. Yet wonder why their makeup doesn’t look good and their skin keeps breaking out. So clean your brushes and your skin and makeup will thank you.
3. Thou shalt never double pump mascara
Double pumping mascaras a cardinal sin and is one that happens all too often. This is when you attempt to pull out the wand and doing it in one go, you pull it up halfway. Then push back in before you finally pull it all the way out. Don’t do it. It pushes air into the tube making it dry out faster and also introduces germs into the tube. Considering this goes close to your eyes you don’t want that to happen.
4. Thou shalt not match lips and eyes
Does anyone still do this? I really hope not. But just in case matching your eyeshadow and lipstick is a giant .N.O primarily because it makes you look clownish. Imagine wearing a deep plum lip and having the same colour on your lids! Makeup is about balance and emphasising one feature at a time. So please don’t match your lips to your eyes.
5. Thou shalt not use liquid eyeliner on the bottom lash line
It’s just way too harsh. Opt for a powder or kohl pencil instead and smudge it to soften any hard lines.
6. Thou shall choose the right foundation shade.
Not too light or not too dark just right. Choosing the right shade of foundation may not be rocket science but it sometimes feels like it is. Get the shade or undertone wrong and your make-up will never seem to blend properly. Take your time to find the right foundation for your skin. Test it out in natural light to make sure it blends with face and neck. So you don’t have that mask-like look. If you can’t do it yourself get help and make sure to blend away any harsh lines.
7. Thou shall wear concealer
Concealer is the shapewear of your makeup, leave it out and nothing looks quite right. Choose the right type of concealer depending on what you want to conceal. If you have dark spots go for a heavier concealer like MAC OR Kevin coin concealer. For the more sensitive under-eye, a lightweight formula like NARS creamy concealer or Maybelline FIT ME concealer will do the trick. Like your foundation, the colour is important so pick the right shades and your skin will look like a picture.
8. Thous shall blend your foundation
Eyeshadow looks better blended; it is supposed to be an illusion of shape and shadow so seeing those harsh lines break the illusion. So if you love to wear different shades and colours of eyeshadow blends and make sure you have the right brushes to help you do that. There are loads of different blending brushes on the market from MAC to SIGMA take your pick.
9. Thou shall not line your lips with black or dark shades.
This is a trend that is best left in the ’90s where it belongs. Wearing a lip liner more than 2 shades darker than your lipstick is the ultimate sin. Even worse is when you are wearing a lip gloss and have a dark liner on! Aye caramba.
You should never be able to distinguish between your lip liner and lipstick/lip-gloss. The colour variation should be so subtle it barely registers. So get a variation of lips liners NYX has an extensive and affordable selection.
10. Thou shalt throw away old makeup products
I was guilty of this as well, using makeup well past its expiry date. That is until a massive allergic reaction made me rethink my attitude. Makeup has expiry dates for a reason, using them past those dates exposes you to infections and breakouts. Especially for eye products which are liquid and tend to ‘’spoil’’ faster. So look through your stash and have a clear out. You will notice a marked improvement in how your makeup looks and stays on.
Note that this is all tongue in cheek (not really) but it is. Makeup should be fun so experiment and keep trying until you get it right. Tell me about your own makeup rules, do you have any?
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