Makeup Tips for the Young, Inexperienced or Rushed

Makeup Tips for the Young, Inexperienced or Rushed
Many women relish the art of applying makeup. They deliberately smooth on multi-colored blushes, three different shades of eyeshadow, eyeliner and four different lip products in order to produce a tailored, defined final effect. But sometimes the occasion doesn't call for such a detailed beauty regimen. Maybe you have exactly 120 seconds to do your face before dashing out the door. Maybe you're going to the gym or the beach, and wearing "full-face" makeup would be inappropriate for the location. Maybe you're just getting used to wearing makeup and not comfortable using liners and multi-colored powders, which are difficult to apply and can easily go wrong. Maybe you're 12 years old, and an almost-bare face is the most flattering effect for your age. The following three effects are quick, flattering, easy-to-produce and extremely forgiving to new or hurried makeup artists.
Effect 1: Defined, bright, natural-looking eyes
The product: Mascara
What kind to use: Any kind of mascara will work, but you will have an easier time creating this look with a curved brush. One popular choice is L'Oreal's FeatherLash mascara.
How to use it: Place the brush at the base of your lashes and move it across them in a quick back-and-forth motion. This builds a thick coat of mascara at the base of your eyelashes, which gives your eyes a naturally defined look without requiring difficult and time consuming eye-liner. Finish by applying the mascara to the rest of your eyelashes as usual.
Time: Thirty seconds.
Effect 2: Lightly rosy cheeks, which makes the skin look more "alive" and also brightens the eyes.
The product: Light blush.
What kind to use: Powder blushes are the most casual and forgiving, and are therefore your best choice for when you're in a hurry. Save the sticks and creams for formal occasions when you have thirty minutes to spend on getting ready. Choose a light shade that blends easily with your skin, and use a large, puffy brush to apply it. The large, loose brush will apply the brush more lightly and evenly than will the narrow one that comes in the compact with the blush.
How to use it: First, you need to find your cheekbones. Most women think that their cheekbones are much lower than they are, which makes them apply their blush too low on their faces. In order to find your cheekbone, smile. Place your pointer finger in the middle of the bulge that appears in your cheek when you smile. (This is known as the "apple" of your cheek.) Next, put your thumb on the spot where the top of your ear connects to the side of your head. Finally, draw your thumb toward your pointer finger. The ridge of bone that you feel under your thumb is your cheekbone. Fill your brush with powder, and run it lightly three times up and down your cheekbone. This motion puts the color in its primary position. Then, move your brush across the line of color in a series of short, horizontal motions. This blends the powder into your skin and lightens its intensity. Finally, if you feel the color is still too dark, use your fingers to rub it into your skin until you're comfortable with the color.
Time: Ten seconds per cheek.
The effect: Plump, glossy lips.
What it is: Lip Gloss
What kind to use: You will need a light shade and a slightly darker shade. Possible combinations are a neutral (white, light brown, or almond) for the lighter shade and a pale pink for the darker shade, or a pale pink for the lighter shade and a bright pink for the darker shade. Make sure you're using a gloss, which is squeezed from a tube or applied with a wand, rather than a colored balm because the gloss will produce the a more "kissable" effect and blend more easily than the balm will.
How to use it: You're going to capitalize on the color contrast in order to make your lips look fuller. Apply the darker shade around the edge of your lips. Next, fill in the rest of your lips with the light shade. Smack your lips together lightly to blend the two colors completely. The color contrast will produce the same plumping effect as using a lip-liner does, but unlike a lip-liner, it's impossible to mess up and will blend flawlessly. Make sure you slide the gloss into your pocket for quick, no-mirror-required touchups.
Time: Twenty seconds per cheek, plus five seconds to stare admiringly at your how gorgeous and plump your lips look.
After just a few tries, you can complete this look in 120 seconds or less, and your makeup will be both beautiful and appropriate no matter how informal the occasion, how young you are, or how little time you have

By Robyn Hyde