Makeup Freaks

Makeup, skin and hair care, and beauty advice that anyone can use.


How to darken and deepen your eyes...Without looking overdone!

Tightlining:

Tightlining is the first step in really making your eyes pop, it's a makeup technique that has been used for decades to really emphasize the lash line without emphasizing your eye makeup.

Tightlining is easy to do, simply take the index finger of your non-dominant hand (the hand you don't write with) and gently pull upwards on your eyelid. Using a waterproof eyeliner, line the "water line" of your lid, at the base of your lashes. Waterproof eyeliner is practically necessary, unless you don't mind reapplying in a few hours, due to the eye's wet nature.



This will darken and deepen your eyes without the obviousness of upper-eyelid eyeliner, and perfect for "natural makeup" girls and women who have monolids or extremely shallow or small upper eyelids, or women who simply can't apply upper lid eyeliner smooth and evenly.

As a Native American girl, I have extremely shallow lids that are nearly completely monolid, and my upper eyelids are not visible when my eyes are open. I use tightlining on a daily basis to darken my lash roots and make my eyes more obvious and the focus of my face.

Natural redheads and blondes can really benefit from this, as traditional eye lining techniques can look too obvious and overdone on our fair skin tones.

Questions about makeup, techniques and tightlining can be sent via PM or here on this thread. Also, feel free to share YOUR favorite make up techniques!

Ooh *takes notes*

If you want to enhance your lips I suggest using a touch of shimmery white, very light pink beige or cream coloured eyeshadow applied to your cupid's bow (the little dip above your top lip) and some more applied to the middle of your bottom lip.

It is very nice on a nude lip, although the shimmery of the bottom lip won't last long if it doesn't have anything to stick to, and is also nice with any color of lipstick simply adjust the colour of your shimmery shadow accordingly, ex: light pink or white with a true red lipstick, beige or cream color with a brown lipstick etc.

Summer is the quintessential time for smooth and sexy legs. But shaving can be a hassle, not to mention painful.

What's truly funny about shaving is that dads often teach their sons how to shave properly, but moms never seem to teach their daughters how to, perhaps thinking it would just "come naturally" to them. Truly, like all things in life, it needs to be taught.

Shaving your legs doesn't have to be a guessing game anymore. Here's a guide to my method!


Products You Will Need:

1(one) pair of exfoliating gloves (the dollar store for 1 buck a piece)
1(one) bottle of shaving gel, for sensitive skin
1(one) tripe-blade (or better) razor, with NEW blades
1(one) bottle of moisturizing body wash (such as Oil of Olay Body Butter Ribbons)
1(one) bottle of 'Cetaphil For Sensitive Skin' lotion (Any Wal-mart or similar store)
1(one) bottle of vitamin 'E' oil (vitamin section of most stores)



When showering, SHAVE LAST! Wash and condition your hair, scrub your face, brush your teeth, etc, before starting the shaving process. This will give time for water to enter the hair shaft and swell it, giving a closer, smoother shave in the end. Shower with warm, NOT HOT water. Just warm enough to be tolerable is ideal, because it will get the skin clean without stripping it of it's natural oils or irritate it through it's heat. Exfoliate from top to bottom using the gloves and body wash. Rinse WELL. Exfoliation will remove dead skin and loose hairs from the skin's surface, preventing nicks and smoothing the surface for a closer shave.

Direct the flow of the water elsewhere, because you don't want the water rinsing off any of the shave gel. Squeeze a generous amount into your palm and work it into a lather, smooth it over the areas to be shaved. COUNT TO TWENTY! This will allow the emollients in the shave gel to bind water into your skin, moisturizing it for the harsh process to come.

Shave GENTLY and SLOWLY in the OPPOSITE direction of hair growth. Run your fingers over the areas freshly shaved to make sure you've removed all the hair. RINSE WELL with WARM water, NOT HOT! Repeat for ALL areas to be shaved.

When getting out of the shower, PAT skin dry, don't rub. While still slightly moist, mix equal amounts of Vitamin 'E' oil and Cetaphil Lotion in the palms of your hand and apply to ALL areas exfoliated.

WHAT NOT TO DO

DO NOT wash with hot water. This will dry out and irritate your skin.

DO NOT use a cheap disposable razor. These are flimsy and can cause nicks and razor burn.

DO NOT rub skin dry. This will irritate the brand-new skin.

DO NOT forget to moisturize, because if you do, your skin will be dryer than the Sahara!

DO NOT skip shaving more than 2 days in a row! If you shave often, your skin will become used to it and will nick less.

DO NOT forget to exfoliate! This removed the dead outer layer of skin, showing a younger, smoother, plumper and fresher skin beneath! The turnover process of your skin's natural shedding is slower than what we generally like in order to have a good shave, and helping it along with exfoliating, even if you do it EVERY DAY, should not cause any problems. As long as your keep the new skin moist with the right products, you should have baby-soft skin from top to toe!

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This is a tried-and-true method that has worked for me for the last 7 years. I have sjogren's syndrome and VERY delicate, dry, flaky, sensitive skin. The products listed hence were recommended to me by a DERMATOLOGIST and should not give you any problems. Nothing in the list should cost more than 15 dollars, even the razor.

Dear makeup fairy,

Do you have any tips for shaping brows? I am hopeless at this. My brows are naturally quite thick, they don't grow evenly anyway and I always manage to end up with a slightly quizzical expression. I also have dark hair and very fair skin, so mistakes can be painfully obvious.

fuckmeat said:

Dear makeup fairy,

Do you have any tips for shaping brows? I am hopeless at this. My brows are naturally quite thick, they don't grow evenly anyway and I always manage to end up with a slightly quizzical expression. I also have dark hair and very fair skin, so mistakes can be painfully obvious.

Click to expand...

Yes, I can absolutely help you with your brows. I've been doing my own for years and am VERY good at it!

Unfortunately, I can only help you get the best brows for YOU if you show me a picture of your face. You don't have to do this publicly. You can send it via PM or email.

This is all vey helpfull, but what if someone wanted to
undeepen and undarken their natural eyes?
Vanity speaks....

bisexualsmoker said:

This is all vey helpfull, but what if someone wanted to
undeepen and undarken their natural eyes?
Vanity speaks....

Click to expand...

If you have fair skin, a white eye pencil in the waterline and tightline will work to brighten and lighten the eye. If you have darker or tanner skin, a light peach-toned eye pencil will work well, and not look too harsh.

Also, avoid any color eyeshadow that is darker than your skin tone. Stick to neutral colors close to your own complexion and use very little to no mascara.

Bookmark'd.

Ohhh this now has become my favorite thread here on LIT

Isn't it great how diverse our interests are !! Thank you ladies !!

Thank you, Satin for posting this.

Dear make-up fairy

What colour eyeshadow do you recommend for each eye colour, and how many different shades do you use?

KoPilot said:

Bookmark'd.

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omgitselaine said:

Ohhh this now has become my favorite thread here on LIT

Isn't it great how diverse our interests are !! Thank you ladies !!

Click to expand...

Vixandra said:

Thank you, Satin for posting this.

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Thank you ladies, very much for your support. It means a GREAT deal to me and motivates me all the time to share more!

FloggingMolly said:

Dear make-up fairy

What colour eyeshadow do you recommend for each eye colour, and how many different shades do you use?

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Eyeshadow color depends largely on what look you're going for.

If you're looking to brighten and intensify your eye color, if you're looking to darken your eyes, or look younger and more awake.

Essentially, any woman can wear ANY color, given a few guidelines. The brighter the color, and the further away it is from your complexion base color (I.E. you have fair skin and wearing a dark eyeshadow), the more sheer the color needs to be applied and the better you need to blend it.

Are you looking for a specific eye color? The more specific the question, the greater detail I can go into.

Another make-up freak here!

*raises her neatly groomed eyebrow*
Less is more. (ie, better to pluck less, else you'll end up with short eyebrows) Firstly, use good tweezers and be in a well-lit room. Go outside with a mirror is you need to.
Start at the inner edge of the brow, in-line with your tear duct and slowly work your way out to about 3/4 of the way around. It's generally better not to pluck the very outer or inner brows, nor any of the brow on top.
The good thing is they grow back - if you need help, simply get your local beautician to show you.

Eyeshaddow colours can be tricky - I like to use lots of colours, but not all look great. One trick is to buy different colour eyeliners, line your upper and lower lash-lines, then use your "natural" sheer eyeshaddow. It's a safe way to give yourself "any colour you want" without worrying about matiching skin tones.


Random tip - the best, cheapest waterproof make up remover is - BABY OIL! Gentle on your eyes, tough on waterproof make up.

I really need a good, simple, all over skin care routine just to keep things nice

I'm very fair, and very dry.

Lizzie_Borden said:

I really need a good, simple, all over skin care routine just to keep things nice

I'm very fair, and very dry.

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I can help you with that!

Take this advice as an ex model whose been exposed to just about every expensive skin are product out there...you CAN get good skin care stuff at your local drug store.

Yes, I said at the drug store.

Cetaphil was recommended to me not by one, but SEVERAL dermatologists, makeup artists and other models. It's inexpensive, highly effective, gentle and safe. It may not have a lot of advertising time and it may not come in pretty glass jars, but it's amazing nonetheless.

They have cleanser, cream cleanser, moisturizer, and a whole other host of products.

I suggest trying these products out. If you're very dry, you might give the heavier cream products a shot.

http://www.cetaphil.com/default.aspx

Also, one quick question, what kind of sunscreen routine are you doing right now? You might think about switching to a moisturizer with SPF 15 in it for daily use (Don't wear it for pictures, more on that later) because sun exposure CAN dry out skin pretty severely. Even as little as ten minutes can sap your skin.

PertPerth said:

Random tip - the best, cheapest waterproof make up remover is - BABY OIL! Gentle on your eyes, tough on waterproof make up.

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Actually, Perth, Baby oil isn't recommended for eyes. It can irritate eyes pretty badly, plus a lot of baby oils have fragrances and other additives in them that can harm vision.

Vaseline works just as well and is much safer.

*is too stupid to find the subscribe button without posting something*

Ignore me.

DormantEvil said:

*is too stupid to find the subscribe button without posting something*

Ignore me.

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psst... top right under 'thread tools'

PM question sent today:

Wow, your make up thread is great.

I'm a total beginner when it comes to body care and make up as I grew up on a farm and went out with friends maybe four times a year. So my parents never really let me buy products let alone spend heaps of time wearing it.

But now that I live in town, will be looking for professional work and are married I'd really like to work on my appearance more.

Here is my picture so you can be more specific. Black hair, blue eyes, fairish skin tone.
(Picture removed to protect poster's identity)
Not the best picture, but the only one I had on this computer since I'm using my laptop.

Currently I use eye shadow, concealer, powder, occasionally mascara and even less often lipstick.

I use a black head exfoliating rub with microbeads in it, but I never really moisturize or anything. I have oily skin.

I do have a few pimples, and little ones that aren't really noticeable but are always there on my forehead and chin.

I shave my legs, but always still have the hair dots so I've never gone without pants or opaque stockings.

Would you be able to tell me a good weekly routine for looking after my body, and if there are any products I can't skip out on. I'd love to be more presentable, and I've only just managed to grow my hair long and get it under control.

Any help would be great.


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Since you have fair skin and you're an adult now, you want to start using a sunscreen and moisturizer. You don't have to necessarily get the products on their own, but you shouldn't wear moisturizer with sunscreen in pictures.

Sunscreen contains Zinc Oxide as well as several other products that reflect light and can wash out your face in pictures, making you look pale and ghostly.

On days where you're being exposed to the sun, even just driving to work, an SPF of 15 will be fine. Any higher than 30, and you're exposing yourself to more chemicals than you really need...because remember, the best protection is to just stay out of the sun.

Fair skin can really suffer the effects of sun exposure more so than any other complexion, so if you maintain this regime daily, you won't age as quickly as you would have if you had ignored sunscreen entirely.

I have always recommended Cetaphil moisturizers, oily skin can truly benefit for how much moisture they can bring into your skin and even reduce the oiliness that may be the cause of your breakouts.

Since you're young enough to still experience breakouts, I suggest using a product called "Clean and Clear Invisible Blemish Treatment" (Link here: http://www1.epinions.com/reviews/Clean_Clear_Invisible_Blemish_Treatment )

The product contains Salicylic Acid, which is much kinder to skin than benzoyl peroxide, which can cause a vicious cycle of overdrying, redness, peeling and more breakouts.

You can put this product on under your makeup because it's completely clear and dries clear, I suggest wearing it overnight on clean skin to maximize it's effectiveness.

Your makeup routine is absolutely fine, as you have a 'natural' look that is VERY man-friendly. Less is more when it comes to makeup, and you're applying the products correctly, so I don't have any further advice than to say, instead of wearing lipstick, try lip gloss. Many lipglosses these days have sunscreen in them, and they're much more sheer and user-friendly than lipstick. You don't even need a mirror to apply it!

As for shaving, unfortunately, with fair skin and black hair, you're going to have the "dots" unless you switch to waxing. The reason you're getting the "dots" is because your skin is so fair and translucent, the tips of the hair shaft are literally showing through your skin. The only way to get rid of them is to completely remove the hair by the root, via waxing.

As for a weekly body-care routine, if you haven't already started exfoliating your body skin, do so. Doing this twice or three times a week can really make a difference in the texture and brightness of body skin, which is much thicker and denser than facial skin and prone to dullness.

Exfoliation can be as simply as purchasing a pair of one-dollar exfoliating gloves from The Dollar Store. Make sure you're applying some kind of lotion or moisturizing cream after your shower, because the new skin exposed to the air after exfoliation can get dry and flaky if not properly cared for.



If you have any further questions regarding anything else I haven't covered, please let me know.

DormantEvil said:

*is too stupid to find the subscribe button without posting something*

Ignore me.

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At the top of the thread there's a bar with a button that says "thread tools"... hover over that, and click subscribe.



On topic, I don't wear any makeup whatsoever (I own concealer and lipgloss and some gold shiny eyeshadow that was on sale), but I have two questions!

1) I have dark circles under my eyes, but they're not traditional dark circles, which seem to me to be puffy. My under-eyes are, rather, dark and sunken and I believe the reason they're so dark is because they're somewhat sunken. The skin is very thin and doesn't take to my concealer... it doesn't work, you can't even tell it's there. I would ultimately like to be able to effectively disguise or at least draw attention away from the fact that I look like a perpetually fatiqued racoon. I'm worried that any eye makeup would just make it worse.

2) Is there any sort of product that sort of just fixes the way your skin looks? The liquid concealer I already use doesn't even out my skin tone, but is really only good for dabbing onto any marks, and I have wonderfully blotchy skin.

I fortunately have perfect eyebrows (never plucked in my life, never plan to) but when I got chicken pox as a kid and then acne as a teenager (still have acne!) they all scarred. A lot. I'd love to be able to even out that scarring a bit but I can't cover my entire face in liquid concealer... it'd look fake, besides.

Noira said:

1) I have dark circles under my eyes, but they're not traditional dark circles, which seem to me to be puffy. My under-eyes are, rather, dark and sunken and I believe the reason they're so dark is because they're somewhat sunken. The skin is very thin and doesn't take to my concealer... it doesn't work, you can't even tell it's there. I would ultimately like to be able to effectively disguise or at least draw attention away from the fact that I look like a perpetually fatiqued racoon. I'm worried that any eye makeup would just make it worse.

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Dark under-eye circles begin in the capillaries, the tiny blood vessels that web the delicate skin around the eyes. Now, your capillaries are so small that red blood cells sometimes have to line up, single file, to get through. Frequently, red blood cells get lost and wander into the surrounding skin. This isn't a problem - it happens all the time - and your body has a mechanism to mop up these escapees. Enzymes in your body break down the red blood cells, including their hemoglobin (the molecule that gives them their distinctive red color).

No problem, right? Except for one thing: when hemoglobin is broken down, its remaining components have a dark blue-black color. Just like a bruise. So your dark under-eye circles are actually caused by leaky capillaries. When something hits you, blood vessels are traumatized and sometimes broken. Blood leaks out into the surrounding skin. Your body begins the mopping-up process, and you see a dark, purplish or blue-black discoloration.

So, as you can see, dark under-eye circles are very similar to bruises. The same mechanisms produce them. It's quite possible that capillaries all over your body are leaking small amounts of blood all the time (I don't know if this is true or not). But the reason dark under-eye circles are so apparent is this: the skin around the eyes is some of the thinnest, most delicate skin of your entire body. The capillaries are much closer to the surface of the skin there. Many people's skin is not only thinner around the eyes, but also more translucent.

Wear sunscreen. It is important to wear sunscreen on the under eye area when you are in the sun. Exposure to the sun increases the production of skin pigmentation, which over time can lead to the development of dark under eye circles. By wearing sunscreen, you can help block the sun's damaging rays.

Get enough sleep. A lack of sleep makes your skin look pale and accentuates the hollows around your eyes. This, in turn, highlights any dark circles you may have.

Use an under eye cream. Under eye creams moisturize the delicate skin underneath the eye. Many creams also contain ingredients to help combat under eye circles, crow's feet, and puffy eyes. The daily use of an under eye cream can help diminish the appearance of these things.

Remember, nothing is 100% successful in preventing dark circles. The above steps will help, but they simply cannot fully counteract genetics and the normal aging process. Thankfully, you can find a treatment for dark circles that will help reduce their appearance. In addition, using an under eye circles concealer can help brighten your under eye area. Using a "brightening" under eye stick (not liquid, it's too sheer) will help. Make sure you're using powder OVER the stick to help it set. If you find your makeup wears off too quickly, use a makeup primer! I like Revlon's Smoothing 200 Beyond Natural Primer (link here: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Revlon-Sm...0000007346330&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=11980512 )

I use Oil of Olay Definity Illuminating Eye Treatment for my under eye circles, and it works WONDERFULLY for bags, crow's feet and discoloration! (link here: http://www.olay.com/boutique/definity/products/de1006?tab=articles )

Noira said:

2) Is there any sort of product that sort of just fixes the way your skin looks? The liquid concealer I already use doesn't even out my skin tone, but is really only good for dabbing onto any marks, and I have wonderfully blotchy skin.

Click to expand...

You need a tone-correcting product that will even out your blotchiness, right? A regular exfoliating regime will help, but you should try out a product that contains Glycolic Acid. Glycolic Acid can be harsh, so don't use exfoliating treatments on the same day as your glycolic acid treatments. You should ideally be using your glycolic acid cleanser about once a week, exfoliating every other day, and cleansing regularly on the days you're not using the "special" products. It sounds like a LOT of work, but blotchy skin needs a heavy hand and you've got to dedicate yourself to it!

I like Bath and Body works Anthony Logistics for Men Glycolic Facial Cleanser (link here: http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2095621&CAWELAID=328579235 ) I know the product says "For Men" but it's one of the better products and inexpensive compared to the rest of the market.

Noira said:

I fortunately have perfect eyebrows (never plucked in my life, never plan to) but when I got chicken pox as a kid and then acne as a teenager (still have acne!) they all scarred. A lot. I'd love to be able to even out that scarring a bit but I can't cover my entire face in liquid concealer... it'd look fake, besides.

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If you stick to your routine of exfoliating every other day, and using your glycolic cleanser weekly, you should see a marked improvement to your overall complexion's evenness in about 6 weeks.

Liquid concealer can only do so much. If you want heavier coverage in the meantime, use a stick, it's thicker and heavier pigmented. Make sure you're absolutely matching your skin tone PERFECTLY or it'll look fake. Also, concealer has a tendency to clump on any dry patches, so MOISTURIZE before putting on ANY makeup!

satindesire said:

I can help you with that!

Take this advice as an ex model whose been exposed to just about every expensive skin are product out there...you CAN get good skin care stuff at your local drug store.

Yes, I said at the drug store.

Cetaphil was recommended to me not by one, but SEVERAL dermatologists, makeup artists and other models. It's inexpensive, highly effective, gentle and safe. It may not have a lot of advertising time and it may not come in pretty glass jars, but it's amazing nonetheless.

They have cleanser, cream cleanser, moisturizer, and a whole other host of products.

I suggest trying these products out. If you're very dry, you might give the heavier cream products a shot.

http://www.cetaphil.com/default.aspx

Also, one quick question, what kind of sunscreen routine are you doing right now? You might think about switching to a moisturizer with SPF 15 in it for daily use (Don't wear it for pictures, more on that later) because sun exposure CAN dry out skin pretty severely. Even as little as ten minutes can sap your skin.

Click to expand...

Mmm, none at the moment cos it's the middle of winter, but I usually find the higest SPF I can in the kiddies/sensitive skin products.

I've heard of cetaphil I think. If it's in blue and white tubs yes, I'll go look.

Thanks satin.

eta: I do have another question, but I'll have to take a picture I think, cos it's hard to explain.

Lizzie_Borden said:

eta: I do have another question, but I'll have to take a picture I think, cos it's hard to explain.

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You're so welcome sweetie, and I'll do whatever I can to help. Send pictures anytime.

Lizzie_Borden said:

Mmm, none at the moment cos it's the middle of winter, but I usually find the higest SPF I can in the kiddies/sensitive skin products.

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Unless you live in an area where it's perpetually cloudy, winter sun is just as dangerous as summer sun for the skin. Your face and hands, and neck and sometimes your arms, are still exposed to UV rays, no matter what the temperature is.

Higher SPF isn't necessary. Anything more than 30 is overkill. 15 is great for normal daily activities such as paying bills, grocery shopping, etc. If you go higher than 30, you're exposing yourself to more chemicals than what's necessary, and you certainly don't want to be able to spend 40 or 50 times longer in the sun without burning, because the best sun protection is to stay OUT of the sun!

Another PM question:

Dear Makeup Fairy,

Is there a fool proof, inexpensive way to use tanning products at home without it coming out uneven? I was thinking of trying the mist sprays, because creams never work for me.

Yes, tanning is very easy once you get the steps down.

1. When showering before your tan, exfoliate all areas that the tan will be applied to thoroughly. Shave any rough or wiry hair on any areas that the tan will be applied to, such as legs, arms, pubic hair, etc.

2. Apply a moisturizer on ankles and elbows so as to avoid them becoming too dark.

3. Apply the tan. Use upwards and sideways strokes and blend VERY WELL. Don't forget the tops of the feet, and the back. When it comes to any self-tanner, such as sprays, creams, foams, whatever, you want to take THREE times as much time to apply it as you would lotion. So, if you take one minute to blend in your lotion on one leg, take three minutes. The more you blend, and the more "different direction" strokes you use, the more natural and even your tan will come out.

4. Wash hands with warm soapy water, at least twice. Orange palms=not sexy.

5. Allow the tan to dry completely before dressing. Don't shower or get wet in any way (exercise, swim, etc.) for at least eight hours after application.