STEP 1: Foundation
To choose the correct color, test a little on the jaw line. Try to do this in natural light if possible. We recommend beginning with our Natural and Amber bases because they have the same value, but Natural has a pink undertone and Amber a yellow. It will be easy to see whether to go lighter, darker, more pink or more yellow. The minerals are much more forgiving than conventional makeup – one shade will suit a wide variety of skin tones because the minerals are light reflective and refractive and do not absorb light the way matte makeup does.
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STEP 2: Concealers
The color of the concealer should be slightly lighter than the skin tone: one-to-two shades at most. A too-light concealer is the most common mistake made. The concealer should reach up under the lower lashes, into the corner of the eye and can be blended to the top of the cheekbone. The best tool for this is our Camouflage Brush, with a finger for using the body's heat to work it into the skin. For very dark circles, you may layer concealer, powder, then concealer and powder again. Make sure they are put on in thin layers so you don't build too much product. Layering like this can be very effective.
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STEP 3: Finishing Touches
Use our finishing powders under or over the base to control shine. Our hydration sprays deliver refreshing moisture, antioxidants and other benefits to the skin. And, keep our facial blotting papers handy all day to absorb excess shine.
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STEP 4: Eye Shadows
Eye shadows are meant to enhance the eye by pulling out its natural color and beauty. The shading of color will also help, among other things, to minimize a deep-set eye, maximize a small eye, give definition to a flat eye and flatten a protruding eye. Where you place the highlighter and shadow are key to making the most of the eye shape. Choose colors for highlighter, lid and crease that blend together naturally. Don't try to match the eye color with a shadow, since this will only cancel-out the eye. A complementary/contrasting color is what makes the eye pop (e.g., brown/blue). We've put together trios that work beautifully together!
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STEP 5: Eyeliners
Whichever eye liner you choose, apply color as close to the lashes as possible - between lashes, if you can. The line on the top lid should go from the beginning to end of the lashes. You may make the line thicker in the middle of the lid if you are trying to minimize the lid. Be careful about lining under the eyes. It can have the effect of closing the eye up. Some eyes need a lower-lash liner to help define them. If so, get it as close to the lashes as possible. Aim your brush on top of the lashes. Sometimes, lining the outside corner is all that's necessary, but if you do that, be sure that you blend the line so you don’t see where it begins and ends. A lash line that ends abruptly does nothing for the eye; it just calls attention to itself.
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STEP 6: Eye Brows
The most important focus for the entire face is the brows because they frame the eyes and balance the face. The angles of the brows serve as a guide for every other angle of the face. Think of brows as comprising thirds - the inner or ascending third, the middle or arch and the outer or descending third. The ideal brow adds lift and can give the illusion of making a narrow face wider or wider face narrower.
Most of the time, the shape you were born with is the shape that works best with the eyes and face. So, let that be your guide. You may have to cleanup the brows, although be careful not to be too radical, because hairs often don't grow back. Nature designed the brow to keep foreign particles and sweat out of the eyes. They and the lashes are there to protect. Just as you may want to adjust brows that are too asymmetrical, don't fall into the trap of making them too symmetrical either. If you use stencils, the brows will look too perfect and, therefore, artificial. No one has completely matching brows.
They shouldn't be too dark or too light and NEVER one color. Most brows have thin places. Comb the brows down and color the sparse patches directly on the skin with an eye shadow. If the brow needs lengthening then extend the brow with the shadow.
Never use black. Black brows are aging and should be highlighted so they soften the face and don't take the focus away from the eyes.
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STEP 7: Mascara
Concentrate most of the mascara at the base of lashes. Rock the brush at the base and pull through lashes in an upward sweeping motion. To give a more rounded effect to the eye, apply more product on the center lashes. One coat only on lower lashes. Too much mascara can be aging.
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STEP 8: Blushes & Bronzers
The perfect blush shade is the color of the cheek when flushed or exercising. Use two colors for a subtle, sophisticated look. For example, apply Bronzer underneath the outer part of the cheekbone. Then, use a brighter color such as Tawny on the apple of the cheek. Remember, a little goes a long way! Use our White Fan Brush so that you can see how much you’ve picked up, and because the brush’s contoured bristles will help to blend.
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STEP 9: Lips
Lipstick pulls the whole look together and gives a finished look to the face. Nude lips complement the drama of a smoky eye. Red lips add their own drama and can pull the focus away from a small eye. Anyone can wear red! It's just a matter of finding the right red: blue undertone, yellow undertone or neutral. |
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