Series: Starting Off With Make Up [Part 1]

Posted by Tamara in suggestion | Comments Off

I found this old eye look I did back July of 2008..

I started off with UDPP from lash line to brow, and then used lucky jade shadestick on the lid. Then I applied fresh green mix (solid) all over the lid, and then the marbled side in the crease with a slight overlap onto the edge of the lid. Shore leave went above the crease, and then I used gorgeous gold as a highlight right at the arch of the brow. Going back to the lid I used juxt on the inner third, more fresh green mix on the middle lid, a small amount of handwritten was used to deepen the crease and then some humid on the outer lid, which was then slightly pulled into the crease. Also used some more gorgeous gold in the tear duct, and then finished with volume exact mascara in black. (from beautythesis.vox.com)

When people ask me how I got into all things beauty, they seem surprised when I describe it as a hobby.

When I was younger, makeup was not a priority in my life.  I’d wear it sometimes, but it was never a regular thing and never anything beyond basic application.  Actually, I’m positive there were a slew of disasters that I committed – but when you don’t know any better it’s just a matter of learning things the hard way.

It wasn’t until about 2005 that my interest in makeup was piqued again.  I was part of a forum (now defunct) and was always fascinated by the looks that some of the ladies there posted.  The makeup ranged from very natural to soft and subtle to very dramatic and everything in between.  I had a modest makeup collection at the time, and I tried my hand at applying it differently to try and achieve these looks.

As much as it’d be nice to say I was a makeup virtuosa from the word go, I wasn’t.  At all.  Looking back, it was pretty disastrous.

Fact #1:
Initially, I focused soley on eye shadows.  While they’re still my favourite, it makes me laugh now to look back at old photos were I had these garish eye looks with an otherwise bare face.  No foundation, no mascara.. nothing but a bit of gloss maybe. With anything though, there is a learning curve and it eventually clicked in my mind that without a clean canvas – even the best looks are diminished.  That started my journey into foundation, which is one of the more difficult aspects of makeup, in that finding the right colour can be an extended period of trial and error.  In retrospect, if I’d started with skin I’d probably be less into makeup because it’s really easy to work that natural/minimal makeup look once you’ve dealt with the skin.  Good skin is probably the best accessory in my opinion, but it’s unrealistic to think that everyone can achieve perfect skin.  With some work, research, the right products and a decent routine you can work with what you have and give the illusion however.

Fact #2:
Blush terrified me for years. I stayed far away from them for a long time because I was scared that I’d end up looking like a clown. I was trying to refine my look, not look crazy (though I did manage that a few times I think). What I didn’t realize at the time though, was that with foundation evening out skin tones it can end up looking very flat without the addition of cheek colour to bring some of the dimension back. This is especially so for people who don’t have sculpted features, which I am definitely one of. I also learned that blush doesn’t have to be bright, and enough blending can make even the brightest colours soft and wearable. These days, I’m a huge blush fan and I think it makes a huge difference – a slight flush looks great on just about everyone.

Fact #3:
Thanks to my grandmother and her aqua Clinique tubes, lipstick was something I thought was for old ladies.  I didn’t touch it for ages, and when I did it was very neutral and basic colours.  It was the ladies at the MAC counter that convinced me to try different colours, telling me that colours I never would have touched would absolutely work with my skin tone.  Some might say that it was a sales tactic, but I disagree.  These days I tend to wear lipstick more than gloss because I prefer the texture and I find that it wears better, whether it’s a sheer layer or opaque colour.  The fact that I wear coral, orange, pink, purple, and red would have horrified the earlier version of me – whereas, now I absolutely wouldn’t have it any other way.

The point is, that for most people any sort of skill takes time to cultivate and refine. It’s taken me years to get to where I am today, and I know that there is still plenty of room for improvement. I’ve had to push my boundaries to become comfortable with things that I don’t even think twice of today. Anyone can do basic makeup, it’s just a matter of researching the techniques, finding the right products for you and practice. The upcoming articles in the series will touch on some things that I would have found useful as I found myself getting more into makeup – in the hopes that someone will find it useful.