Makeup thoughts, part 2

My last post was really the bare-bones basics for someone who wants to wear a little makeup, but doesn't want to go full glam. Now I want to dig a little deeper! I'd like to talk about other ways to use makeup -- I didn't talk about concealer, contouring, highlighter, makeup removal, or more creative and dramatic ways to approach the eyes. So, let's do it!

One thing to keep in mind when you watch tutorials on Youtube and Instagram is that these people are doing makeup to look good on camera or in a photo. In real life, they often look very, very different and not in a good way. And you've probably seen these kinds of makeup jobs in person, too, where it's like yiiiikes what is going on there? My point is that just because an influencer is flogging a product or technique and it looks great on them, it might not be great for you.

Before I buy a product, I'll usually do a search for the product name and review, and usually you'll find more than a few people who have made videos about their experiences with it. (Note: avoid "unboxing" videos because usually they're just literally the person taking the thing out of the box, putting some on their hand, and telling you about the consistency and smell.) Of course, just because some of the reviews are negative, doesn't mean the product isn't for you. For example, the person might have a different skin type than you or live in a much different climate. There's a Youtuber I like who has oily skin and lives in Florida so I take that into account when buying for my dry skin in a cold and wet climate.

🔳 Concealer can be your friend, but it can also be your enemy, especially if you are a woman of a certain age, like me. If you've ever watched a young Youtuber give a makeup tutorial, they will often slather on concealer in big triangles under their eyes, blend it in, and then set it with powder. If you have any fine lines or wrinkles under your eyes, let me tell you this will not look good in five minutes as the makeup settles into your lines. (I've posted a video below that shows how to avoid that.)

So there are three products that come in handy when you have something you'd like to cover up or minimise, like redness around the nose, under-eye darkness or discolouration, or a spot: colour corrector, concealer, and setting powder.

Step 1: Colour corrector. First let me say that you don't always need to use colour corrector, but it can really help. How you use colour corrector is going to depend mostly on what you're covering and what your skin tone is. They also come in pots, sticks, tubes, and more. The basic idea is that you apply the opposite colour of what you're covering. Colour correcting sets will have a variety of colours for this purpose, like this one from Anastasia Beverly Hills:

There are loaaaads of youtube tutorials on colour corrector, but the best thing is to find one made by someone with a skin type and tone similar to your own. Here are a couple selections:

Step 2: Concealer. You want to put a bit of concealer over the thing you colour corrected. The concealer should match your skin as closely as possible in that area at that time. (You might be lighter or darker depending on how much sun or self-tanner you've been exposed to lately.) 

Step 3: Setting powder. Just a smidge will do! Lightly dust the spot you covered up with translucent powder. Some people think you need to put foundation over concealer, but you really really don't.

Here are some other tutorials for covering specific areas/issues:

An overall no-foundation look using concealer:

How to cover up a spot:

How to prevent concealer from creasing:

How to conceal dark circles under the eyes:

If you're going for full face coverage, here's a deep dive into how to use concealer with foundation:

🔳 Contouring can be fun! Done properly, contour and highlighting can really make your cheekbones stand out, define your jawline, and it can even change the perceived shape of your nose! Done incorrectly, you can look like you've got painted stripes on your face. The key is to build thin layers so you don't apply too much and then blend, blend, blend.

Usually contour/highlighting products are powders, but they can come in creamy consistencies, or you can also contour with darker shades of foundation or tinted moisturiser. There are also different takes on where to apply the products -- for example, you'll see guides that tell you to apply them in different areas according to your face shape. But really, this is the basic concept:

I absolutely love the finished look in this tutorial. Shonagh Scott has created contours by simply using different shades of tinted moisturiser and the result is extremely natural and sun-kissed:

Here is a tutorial for a subtle look if you wear foundation:

This tutorial uses only different shades of concealer to contour and highlight:

If you're a little older, these might be the tutorials for you. The first is with cream products:

And  this one is with powder products:

And finally, there's a cool invention called 'setting spray' for keeping it all in place! It kind of reminds me of being in art class when we used to spray a finished drawing to keep the charcoal from going all over the place. Or hairspray, I suppose.

I have an allergy which keeps me from using setting spray myself, but there are loads of options at many price points. Some of them give you a 'dewy glow' and some of them have some SPF, while some are made for oily or dry skin. But if you find that your makeup doesn't stay put, especially in summer, give setting spray a go!

I didn't talk about everything I wanted to in this post, but sure I'll leave it here for now. And maybe tell me which products you're using so I can try them!