Some Favourite Makeup Tricks

Everyone has their favourite tips and tricks when it comes to makeup.  Some I have always loved and used for years, others I have recently been learning about in my makeup class. I want to share some of my favourite tricks with you because I'm learning a lot of creating a look and its not always just about how much or little products you use, its how you use the product!  So here we go:

1) Contouring and Highlighting - I think this is essential to know in the world of makeup - its really about bringing forward your best facial feature.  I've always been into 'mixing' various makeup products and I think that if you're looking for a particular shade of highlight or contour and can't find it, try mixing and playing around with various shades.  For example, with this look, I wanted to keep the 'fresh peach' tones alive and found my shadows were either too light or too peachy, so I mixed bobbi brown's navajo eyeshadow with smashbox's flamenco eyeshadow to create the perfect peach highlight colour:

2) Using an eyeliner pencil as a contour shadow - in my last makeup class, we learned about using a brown or darker taupe eyeliner in the crease of the eye.  The key is to use your brushes to smudge out the harsh line and then apply another shadow on top to blend and create depth.  This is the trick to the perfect 'glam' eye look, espcially if you want to do a black gel liner or liquid liner.  I used this technique in the top photo, but instead of doing the black liner, I created more of a smokey, soft eye look.

3) Creating custom colours - I mentioned above that sometimes if you want find the perfect colour in one product, you'll have to mix and create a colour that is perfect for you.  I did this to create the perfect peach highlight, but I also do this a lot with lipsticks.  I use various different liners, lipcolours, glosses, even shimmery eyeshadows and I'll mix and match to create custom shades.  For this look, I used Spice lipliner by MAC, Fanfare lipstick blended into spice and then Siss in the centre of the lips:

4) Define your brows - This is another tip I picked up in my makeup class, but its also something I've always been aware of.  A makeup look is not complete without defined and well groomed brows.  Your entire face is framed by your brows and it they are not shaded in properly or properly shaped, it can throw off your whole look.  Its also fun to play around with brow stencils to see if there is a shape that will really compliment your facial features and/or the look you want to create.

5) Knowing the undertone of your skin and working with you best colours.  I personally think its worth learning about if you're cool, warm, neutral.  If you're really into colour analysis, its also worth finding out what colour palette is the best for you to work with.  In my makeup class, we're learning about looking at the colours naturally present in the skin - someone with a lot of pink or blue undertones will suit the cooler palette, yellow undertones will suit the warm tones, while someone with a mix of the two is neutral and is lucky enough to wear a lot of different shades (even if you're neutral, its worth knowing if you're neutral and lean warm or neutral leaning cool).  Based on your personal skintone you'll also be able to tell if you'll suit colours that are lighter, more medium and soft toned or deeper.  With my colouring, I'm neutral leaning warm and I suit the medium toned/soft colours.  Here is a photo of me with no makeup - you'll notice I'm neither too pink or too warm, but there is some yellow present indicating neutral learning warm:

6) Paying attention to your eyes!  If you really want your eyes to pop, look at the colour wheel - the shades opposite your eye-colour on the colour wheel will bring them out of hiding.  Blue eyes come to life with shadows that have orange in them, green eyes pop with shadows with a red tone (try a cool reddish-pink, burbundy red or purple with reddish tones - I find these shades bring green eyes to life), Brown eyes can wear almost any colour, while hazel eyes sparkle with shades of purple.  If you're not sure what shade your eyes are (like me - my eyes are multicoloured and on top of that, they seem to change colour - I have interesting 'mood' eyes) this is where you can pick what colour you want to bring out.  For example, someone with a turqouise eyeshadow that leans both blue and green can play around with oranges and golds if they want to bring out the blue.  With me, I love using the warmer golds and peach toned bronze shades, these shades make my eyes pop and bring out the blue that is naturally in my eye.  It also makes the natural amber flecks in my eyes really take centre stage!

7) Makeup should be about who you are and expressing to the world the beauty that is 'yours'.  Although we use makeup to cover up blemishes, lines, wrinkles, makeup should never 'cover up' who you are - makeup should enhance, bring out the best you and show the world a glimpse of your personality and style.  I'm all about searching for things that are elegant and pretty and I want my makeup to reflect that.  There are days where I feel bright and sunny and want to wear a pop of orange and peach, so I do - makeup should be fun and although its nice to know what your best colours and style are, its also important to follow your heart and wear what you love!!!

I hope you liked my post today - I just wanted to share a little bit about what I've been learning and also give you a little glimpse into how I see and use makeup.  Makeup really is my true passion and I can't wait to learn even more!!!