Matin unveils celebrity makeup tips for real women. From post-work touchups to wow-factor makeovers, Matin will show you how to enhance your natural beauty.
Today, with digital advancement in photography and higher resolution images, pictures are so clear and crisp, every little detail (and flaw) is captured on film. Even heavy make up can show and can look unnatural. Another problem I've seen is when make-up, powder and concealer are applied to the face but not on the neck or body, and the model's face ends up looking too pale. The reason is that make up and primers all pack very high amounts of light reflective ingredients that ''bounce off" a soft focus lens and brighten the places where make-up has been applied.
For best results, start with a good moisturizer, followed by a concealer a couple shades lighter than your skin tone. Next, choose a foundation that matches all of your skin, not just the face. Remember, if you are wearing a strapless dress, don't forget to apply and blend the foundation down your neck and chest so the camera flash "reads" your skin evenly. Always apply a loose powder to eliminate shine. This will also create a beautiful matte finish. Depending on the look you are trying to achieve for your photos, apply eyeshadow, blush and lip color to suit your tastes. One thing to note: color is not as vibrant in photos as in real life, so you may need to apply a little more than you're used to in order to achieve the result you want.
No matter what - trust your eyes. You do not need to pack on fifty layers of make-up to look fantastic in photos. Use colors that flatter your face, but of course, a great smile can enhance any photo!!
Women used to desperately try to hide their freckles with thick foundations and concealers, but I think freckles are a unique and beautiful addition to a person's look. While you may still be looking for coverage for redness or other skin discoloration, I love your freckles and I would hate to erase them. Here are some tips to enhance your look without hiding who you are!
First, choose a light formula that will even out your skin tone without being cakey. Many women with freckles find this step most difficult, but take the time to find a shade that matches your base skin tone and also allows your freckles to show through.
Then, using a damp sponge, work the foundation into the sponge so you don't see any of it sitting on the surface. Start with places you need coverage most, like redness under your checks near your jaw-line, around your nose etc. Use the foundation only where needed and keep the rest of your skin as bare as possible. It's best to choose formulas that are sheer to begin with like Neutrogena's Healthy Skin Glow Sheers. This provides enough coverage without hiding freckles.
Next, use a concealer just to cover any blemishes and then choose a cream blush to bring out a bit of color over your cheeks, however, avoid pinks if you are a redhead.
Next, play up your eyes by using brown eyeliner for definition and sheer eyeshadows. A dab of sheer lipstick or gloss is a great finishing touch.
Once your done, you will find you've created a fresh, beautiful and "totally-you" look.
Lipstick has come a long way, most lipsticks these days are infused with essential oils, lip softeners and humectants. Today lipsticks range from neutral and sheer to bold and bright and often contain beneficial treatments and emollients that actually improve the texture and healthy look of your lips. While lip gloss is all the rage, sometimes you just aren't looking for a super shiny gloss and prefer a more subtle look. Sheer lipstick is a great alternative to give you a hint of color plus a natural healthy shine to lips. They come in a range of shades from pastels and beiges to bold fuschias and reds. Sheer lipsticks will give you a soft finish that looks sophisticated and polished. Here are a few of my favorite sheer lipsticks to try:
* Guerlain's KissKiss Maxi Shine Sheer Colours. My favorite colors: strawberry shine, nude shine and lychee shine
* Givenchy's Rouge Interdit Shine. My favorite colors: beige shine and toffee shine
* Neutrogena's MoistureShine Lipsheers with SPF 20. My favorite color: plum kiss
* Laura Mercier's Lip Kisses. My favorite color: rose quartz. Also try Laura Mercier's Lip Colour - Sheer. My favorite color: baby lips.
Ladies, shimmer and glitter can be very eye catching and will draw you to the makeup counter but one of the most important pieces of advice I can give when using such products is to use them sparingly and very carefully!
The skin on your eyelids is extremely delicate and tends to have teeny little lines that become more noticeable as you age. With the wrong application, makeup settles into these lines and can make you look much older than you are. In general, shimmery eye shadows are a wonderful way to brighten the eyes and make them sparkle but here are a few key tips for applying this tricky makeup that is both age appropriate and will make you really shine:
* Only apply sparkly eye shadow on the inner corner or as a dot on the center of the lids. This will add some shine and color without allowing the shadow to settle into fine lines.
* Choose darker shimmers instead of white ones. Lighter sparkly shades tend to emphasize lines like crazy.
* Actual glitter??? I'd save this for Halloween and costume parties!
Keeping your face hydrated is an essential part of any beauty routine and although a lot of people complain that skincare is expensive, I think it's best to view your skincare choices as an investment. When you find the perfect products for you, you'll realize they're worth every penny! Here are a few of my favorites!
I like using products that work well no matter what the skin type. A few great complete skincare lines (which include cleansers, toners and moisturizers) that compliment even the most sensitive skin are: * Orlane: great for sensitive and delicate skin * Euoko: takes a very scientific approach to skincare with peptide-technology * Yon-Ka: a great line which utilizes natural plant extracts and essential oils * Lierac: specialists in phyto-cosmetics with restorative benefits for the skin
I also love to mix and match specialty products that target a specific need, like sun protection or exfoliation. Individual products I like best include: * Christine Chin's Retinol Smoothing Fluid (I can't do without this) to smooth wrinkles and even out skin tone, also her Solar Guard, which contains green tea and aloe * Dermalogica's Daily Microfoliant, which has a unique rice-based enzyme formula combined with salicylic acid to smooth skin and accelerate cell renewal * Neutrogena's Body Oil, which is a delicate sesame formula and also their Anti-Oxidant Age Reverse Day Lotion with SPF 20, which helps protect skin from environmental damage * Laura Mercier's Purifying Oil which contains deep sea water to help skin cell renewal * Rodin's Olio Lusso, which is infused with botanicals to soothe and soften skin
For special areas like eyes and lips, it is important to choose products that will pamper delicate skin, try: * La Mer's lip balm with a patented lipid complex and their Eye Concentrate, which comes with a little silver ball to massage the eye area * LipFusion's XL, which plumps and smoothes lips * Neutrogena's MoistureShine Lip Soothers with SPF 20, which provides both shine and sun protection for softer and smoother lips
Once you find the right combination of products, your skin will thank you for it!
If you look at the color wheel, it looks like a mishmash of rainbow colors, but when choosing eye shadow shades, an important tip to remember is: opposite colors always enhance and complement each other. Here are a few color tips that will really make your eyes sparkle!
* Brown Eyes: Teal, blue and green shades really make brown eyes pop!
* Blue Eyes: Tan, bronze and brown hues look best with blue eyes. Never wear blue eye shadows because it will actually make blue eyes appear dull.
* Green Eyes: Mauves, purples and rusts look fantastic with green eyes. Just be sure these shades do not contain too much red because this can often make your eyes appear blood shot.
If you are color shy try neutral eye shadow shades to start. It's best to use three shadows in the same color family. Sweep the lightest shade over your brow bone, the medium shade over your entire eyelid and the darkest shade in the crease. Use your fingers to blend the edges.
For more fun, try using a colored mascara! They look black but in the right light, will make your eyes twinkle! Experiment with what you like best and as you get more comfortable, you can try new colors. The important thing is to have fun and don't be afraid to try something new!
Choosing the best product to disguise skin imperfections depends a lot on the stage and severity of the problem and your technique in applying makeup. Fortunately there are many products on the market to choose from that will suit your individual needs perfectly. For scars and dark birthmarks you will need a more heavy-duty, full coverage product that has a high level of pigmentation. Some of the best professional products are Kryolan's Dermacolor Camouflage, Ben Nye's Neutralizers, Cinema Secrets' Foundation, and Make Up For Ever's Extreme Camouflage Cream. However, a few years ago, Laura Mercier launched a product called Secret Camouflage that was modeled after the heavy duty ones and also does the job just right. It has a versatile range of colors so that even a novice can easily match their skin tone and because it is available in department stores, you can test the shades at the counter. On the other hand, for more moderate coverage for skin problems like rosacea and mild acne, a lighter product is more than sufficient. I like Boi-ing by BeneFit and Neutrogena's 3-in-1 concealer.
Regardless of what product you're using, the best thing to do is use a small synthetic brush for application, like Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage brush or Benefit's concealer brush. To add texture, dab the product lightly, then blend with your finger, dabbing more on gradually. This method virtually "erases" the problem without obviously covering it. You'll be able to create a flawless look no matter what pesky imperfection stands in your way!
A suntan is actually your skin's way of protecting itself from ultraviolet light. Exposure to either natural or artificial sunlight, by way of tanning beds, causes the melanin in your skin to darken, and overexposure leads to a sunburn. While there is no such thing as a "healthy tan," since the 60's, the fashion world has been obsessed with perfectly tan skin, particularly on naturally fair girls.
As a makeup artist, I have gained a great deal of success through my ability to make the skin appear tan without any actual sun exposure, while keeping the look fresh and natural. Here are some great tips for how to do it:
* Take a foundation or tinted moisturizer a couple of shades darker than your own skin. For this, my favorites are Make Up For Ever Face and Body Foundation, Neutrogena's Healthy Skin Glow Sheers and Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer. Apply a super thin layer of foundation just to give the skin a bit of color but NOT to cover the entire face.
* With a little brush, use a matching makeup camouflage, which provides full opaque coverage, to cover any flaws in your skin.
* Dust a little translucent powder over your face to eliminate excess oil.
* Next, sweep a bronzer over the places where light naturally hits your face: the top of your forehead, the top of your cheeks, and over the bridge of your nose.
* Finally, add a bit of color to the apples of your cheeks with a bright pink or coral blush to get a beautiful "sun kissed" look.
Now you can have that radiant, freshly tanned glow without ever stepping into the harmful rays of the sun!
- A smudge-proof eyeliner in black or brown - like MAC Fluidline
- A flat eye liner brush - like Laura Mercier's
- A great eyelash curler - like Shu Uemura or Shiseido
- A curler for the corner/or bottom lashes - like Shu Uemura
- A conditioning mascara -like Neutrogena's Healthy Volume Mascara
- An eyelash comb - any wire version is great
- One set of short knot free individual lashes and one set of mediums - like Ardell's and MAC's
After the skin is prepped (refer to my blog on achieving the most natural looking makeup), it is time to do your eyes, but no matter how amazing the eye makeup, nothing enhances your appearance like fantastic lashes.
1.Start by dabbing eyeliner at the root of you lashes with a flat brush.Apply color underneath and between the lashes NOT on the rim of the eye.
2. Curl your lashes gently by pressing the curler at the root of your lashes a few times then move along the length so that the lashes are not bent at a 90 degree angle.
3. Don't miss out on curling the corners. If your curler is missing the corners, use a little individual curler and attend to your outer lashes, curling them up and outward. Use the finger-pads to adjust the lashes before you squeeze the curler.
4. Apply eye shadow to fit your style and preference.
5. When applying mascara, first remove excess pigment from the wand by using a tissue. Begin at the base of your lashes and "wiggle" the mascara wand back and forth to load the pigment at the very root of your eyelashes, then move outward toward the tips. Work quickly to create fine and elongated lashes and to prevent clumping. Then just "tint" the bottom lashes so as to not load too much product on your lashes. Use an eyelash comb to separate lashes that may have stuck together.
6. To fill in gaps or add a bit of drama, attach little individual eyelash flares at the outer corner of your eyes. Or if you want to make your eyes appear rounder, attach them at the center of your eye. Alternate between short and long lashes to create a natural and undetectable effect.
Et voila!!! Now let's see you do it! Let me know how it goes!
Contrary to popular belief, achieving a fresh-faced, natural look is not as simple as it appears. It actually requires a considerable amount of work and the use of more makeup products than the finished result reveals. However, with a little time, patience, and practice, this technique can be easily incorporated into your daily routine and will allow your natural beauty to shine through.
I always like to start with a great primer. Primers prepare your skin for makeup application by absorbing excess oil, smoothing over blemishes and redness, and by making large pores less visible. My favorite primer is Laura Mercier's Foundation Primer, which is now also available in an oil-free formulation. It provides a lightweight base and offers environmental protection with vitamins and antioxidants. Also try Vincent Longo's Water Canvas Base for a breathable, flawless finish.
Next, use a foundation that evens out the skin tone but does not appear too heavy or cake on the skin. It is important to choose a foundation that suits your skin tone and type. While assisting Laura Mercier, it took me almost a year to master this concept. I finally fully understood what Laura had been teaching when I chose a foundation two shades darker than what I normally would have chosen for a well-tanned client. The finished result was amazing! The perfect foundation for you should seem to vanish into your skin, should make your skin color even from your hairline to your neckline, reduce unwanted redness, and match all visible skin, including arms, legs and shoulders. My favorite foundations are Laura Mercier's Oil-Free foundation, which, when used with a dampened sponge, is perfectly sheer; Neutrogena's Healthy Skin Glow Sheers, applied with your fingers; Chanel's Pro Lumiere, and Make Up Forever's Face & Body Liquid Make-up, which is best used with a foundation brush. Remember to always use your fingers to blend the edges.
Next, with a small brush, like Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage Brush, use a concealer to eliminate dark circles under your eyes, around the nose to hide redness, and on light spots on your face. I recommend Neutrogena's 3-in-1 concealer and for heavier coverage, I use Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage. The secret to applying concealer to the eye is to ONLY use it where it is needed, usually on the inner corner, dark circle and at the outer corner. Never over pack concealer under the eyes because it makes fine lines look much worse than they actually are. For the face, use the back of your hand as a palette which warms the concealer before application. Remove excess product from your brush before "building" coverage on pimples, sunspots, and red spots.
Now to add a bit of color: With your ring finger, warm a sheer cream blush on the back of your hand, blending it on the apples of your cheeks. I like Ben Nye's Crème Colors in Bright Pink and Crème Cheek Rouge in Raspberry or Three Custom's Crème to Powder Blush in Pink or Rebecca's Favorite. When your skin looks flawless, set the look by using a translucent powder, like Three Custom's Translucent Face Powder. Use a small powder brush to set the concealer and a big velour puff for the rest of your face. For a deeper blush, use a powder blush or bronzer after applying translucent powder. Remember, you cannot go back to creams once you powder your face because the pigments from creams and powders "stick" and are difficult to blend.
For eyes, use a gel liner with a flat brush, applying the liner at the underside root of your top lashes to darken the root and make the lashes look thicker. I use MAC Fluidline and Laura Mercier's Flat Eye Liner Brush.
For a finishing touch, use Neutrogena's MoistureShine Lip Soother with SPF 20.
I have been blessed to work with many gorgeous clients, and I use this technique frequently for a natural and beautiful look. Over Memorial Day weekend, I did Idina Menzel's makeup, (one of my favorite clients!), using this very method, keeping everything super clean and simple. The result was breath taking!
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Edited by ExpertMatin at 06/27/2008 9:41 AM PDT
I have been using primers for over 18 years as a makeup artist. My first primer was Shiseido The Makeup Pre-Makeup Cream SPF 15, a soft pinkish cream that gives skin a very nice texture and claims to extend the life of your makeup. I keep experimenting with this product on my clients and those who buy it tend to stay loyal to it for a long time. You might not see an obvious, immediate change in application but once you use a primer, you will notice that your makeup wears better across your entire face. Since makeup tends to separate on oily skin and absorb into dry skin, primers create a uniform surface, which is ideal for a smooth, even application.
There are so many primers on the market...I tend to use Laura Mercier Foundation Primer the most. However, for a rosier complexion, my go-to primer is one from Benefit called "That Gal" Brightening Face Primer and for a semi-matte finish, I recommend Vincent Longo Water Canvas Base Primer. La Prairie Cellular Treatment Rose Illusion Line Filler is my absolute favorite for an even more matte finish.
I'm always looking to experiment with new products. What are your favorite primers? Maybe one of my celebrity clients will reap the benefit of your knowledge!
Where to begin and where to end? This has always been a dilemma for many women but the best thing to do is to take off the absolute minimum amount. Taking off the center of the brow (aka the "unibrow") is also not always the best idea; I have seen many girls who look absolutely divine with a fuller brow, almost like a miniature portrait by Mogul.
Did you know that brows and lips thin out naturally with age? This means you should not over-pluck! For me, it's the most flattering when the brow starts aligned with the inner corner of the eye, achieves its highest arch 3/4 towards the lateral edge of the brow and thins out gradually to the outside edge until the corner of the eye meets the end of the brow. If you put a pencil and hold it like a ruler from the outer corner of the nostril to the outer corner of the eye, wherever it meets the eyebrow is where the brow should end. Follow this simple guide and you'll have brows your friends will envy!
A couple of weeks ago, I had the honor to be invited to my dear friend Lanita’s wedding. Lanita is a beautiful girl who doesn’t wear much makeup regularly. She asked me if I could do her makeup for the wedding. I’ve done a lot of bridal seminars and bridal magazine covers but to do the makeup for an actual bride…that really got me thinking. In honor of Lanita (and you), I put together the following bridal makeup guideline:
A bride should always remember that on the BIGGEST day of her life, she should NOT look like somebody else.
With that said, if you are a natural girl and your daily make up consists of tinted moisturizer, mascara and lip gloss… you should never go for a smoky eye or bright lips on your wedding day because you don’t want to look at your pictures later and not be able to recognize yourself (even though you can pull it off).
It is best to start your regime with a good hydrating masque, which will help you relax and get your skin nicely moisturized (my favorite is Guerlain Super Aqua-Mask) - do NOT do this if you are excessively oily. Next, apply a primer, like Laura Mercier Foundation Primer, to extend the life of your makeup and guarantee that it looks fresh for hours. With a good primer, your skin will wear foundation the same all day (it won’t separate on the oily areas of your face or disappear on the dry dehydrated parts). It is like gesso on a canvas… you want to prepare your face for painting and you want to make sure it goes on evenly and stays the same until you wash it off.
I recommend using an oil-free makeup on the wedding day - it seems to “stick” better to skin. Make sure to use it with a damp sponge if the foundation is thick (like Laura Mercier Oil Free Foundation) or opt for a lighter texture (like Neutrogena Glow Sheers). Foundation should be used to even out your skin tone but NOT to cover flaws.
For concealer, use one that is light but provides enough coverage. My favorites are Neutrogena 3 in 1 Concealer for Eyes and Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage, which gives more coverage. Use a small nylon brush to “erase” flaws.
For eyes and lips, chose products that last but don’t pack-on textures. It’s best to keep it sheer and glowy. My favorites are Chanel Ombre D’eau (liquid eye shadow), MAC Fluidline and cream eye shadows, Neutrogena Nourishing Eye Duos, Laura Mercier Eye Colour, Guerlain Kohl Eye Pencils and Terracotta Tajine Metal Eye Shadow and Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow. Also some individual “knot free” false eyelashes can add a lot to the look without overtaking your face. And of course…WATERPROOF mascara!
For sheer lips, I like Neutrogena MoistureShine Soothing LipSheers, Guerlain KissKiss Maxi Shine and Kiss Kiss Stick Gloss. Laura Mercier has really nice lipsticks and glosses and for a killer RED I love MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo.
For colors, I recommend soft pinks and corals, lighter shades and those that complement your theme and flower colors.
I grew up with six glorious sisters and they all LOVE makeup and fashion. But, they are constantly applying their makeup in a hurry and the result is a less than polished look, which really defeats the purpose of wearing makeup at all.
I also always seDay to Night e women on trains, buses and even while DRIVING, hastily piling on their makeup…I cringe at the thought of the end result. Ladies, take some time to bask in the fun and luxury that is makeup! Don’t fall victim to the point that you don’t feel good about yourself without it. I often tell my clients to never put on a full face when you only have 3 minutes to spare.
Apply the absolute minimum: concealer (Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage to cover blemishes, Neutrogena’s 3 in 1 Concealer for Eyes, or Benefit Erase Paste are my favorites), a little cream blush (like Ben Nye in raspberry or bright pink or 3 Custom Cosmetics Crème to Powder Blush in Rebecca’s Favorite), lip balm (like YonKa Le Baume with colour, Rose Salve or Crème de la Mer Lip Balm), mascara and GO!
Then at lunchtime dab on some light foundation (like Neutrogena Glow Sheers or Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer), a little translucent powder to cut the shine (3 Custom Cosmetics is my very favorite) and freshen-up your eye shadow with a sweep of base and accent colors in neutrals.
On a weekend or dinner date, you want to doll up! The skin can afford more of a velvety look, so use a compact powder foundation on the flat areas of your face (like the jaw line and cheeks) and do a smoky eye with pale lips. I did the makeup in the picture below for Oprah Magazine last year – the right half of her face is a good example of this look.
Enjoy your gorgeous skin…makeup should be FUN and not a chore!
In Afghanistan, where I’m from, women usually don’t wear a drop of makeup on a regular basis. But - they’ll put it on for parties and completely transform themselves, to the point where they’re barely recognizable.
It’s a known fact that they are actually getting all made-up to impress the other women at the party! It makes me wonder, “Is this behavior universal? Why do women really wear makeup? And, who do they dress and primp for? Themselves? Men? Other women?”
Recently, I went to a lecture where a series of people spoke about beauty. The sociologist talked about how makeup affects us on an emotional level. Apparently there are 3 main emotions associated with makeup:
1. Normalization: “I like to look presentable and awake when I go to the store or leave the house,” said a woman in the audience. I suppose this means weekend makeup.
2. Elevation: “I like to look natural yet polished and put together; professional,” exclaimed another. My interpretation of this statement is that she is talking about everyday work makeup.
3. Transformation: “Makeup is not permanent...I can always wash it off if I don’t like what I have done, so I experiment,” said another. “For me, the idea of creating an alter ego, a sexy look is what I go for at night,” yelled a woman from the back of the room. One woman chimed-in, “Oh, I look sick without my make up... I have been married for 35 years and my husband has never seen me without my “face” on. I wake-up at 5 am everyday to look just right for when he awakes next to me.”
We talked at length about this. The first two emotions seem almost like “obedient” behavior. We create a façade of what we think the world wants to see and truly believe we don’t look good enough to go out when we first get out of bed. We feel almost obligated to look presentable. The last one, “transformation,” could go either way though. It could be totally freeing and a great tool for self-expression or it could make a woman become a victim to makeup and hair (like the one who was married for 35 yrs).
Does any of this ring a bell to you? Does wearing makeup feel like an obligation, or a liberating form of self-expression?
